[Deus]

Got the patch on, haven't had a cig since Friday, don't really crave them often. Every now and then I subconsiously kind of think "I could go for a smoke" but other than that all is well.

Of course it is the weekend we'll see how it goes at work this week!

[golfhobo]

Originally Posted by Charkar

Golfhobo, you are right, and that is a good question about what will they try and ban next.
I posted on this subject because I know it is a tough thing to do when a person quits.
It's nothing to get political over, and I do understand where you are coming from.

I ran on and let this get out of hand, it was about quiting smoking, that was it.

And I was incorrect about the things I said, you were right, the pledge was actually written in 1892http://history.vineyard.net/pledge.htm

And the phrase "Under God" was not added until 1954 (your link.)

And the logo "In God We Trust" was put on money in 1861 http://www.ustreas.gov/education/fac...we-trust.shtml

Actually, the "replacement motto" was only added to a few "minor" coins that early. Most of our coins and bills did not sport that change until the early 1900's (your link.)

And no, I am a bit older then 30, however, this subject should have never become political and I opened up a can of worms by saying anything about a ban.

You did not actually OPEN that can of worms. It's been opened here for quite some time. You just fed the little ba$tards. :lol:

As you can see, I tried to erase my "nasty" post before you or anyone else could see it. Obviously, I failed. I applaud your decision to follow suit. And I DO appreciate that you did do the research I suggested.

I hope that you or no one else will hold this against me. I enjoy the board and I hope to make some new friends here.

Interesting thing about our National Seal. The eagle emblazoned there is holding both arrows AND olive branches. It seems that all too often, we use the one and not the other. Although some here never reconcile.... many of us do. The original "soapbox" or "forum" was designed to let the citizenry "get things off their chests" without resorting to violence or revolution. After stepping down from the "box," one is supposed to be allowed to rejoin and retain his position and comraderie of his fellow man. I hope we BOTH will be accorded that privilege.

I wish you the best of luck in your driving career and in "quitting." Welcome to the "board."

Hobo

[golfhobo]

Originally Posted by Deus

Got the patch on, haven't had a cig since Friday, don't really crave them often. Every now and then I subconsiously kind of think "I could go for a smoke" but other than that all is well.

Of course it is the weekend we'll see how it goes at work this week!

When I quit (once,) I used the patches and had NO problems. I've been thinking of trying them again lately, but I just can't see how I can spend such long hours behind the wheel without a smoke! I have the patches at the ready, for when I try again.

Best of luck to you in quitting. Sorry about hijacking your thread! :sad:

[Sheepdancer]

It might be too late for this but any younger people think about this before you start smoking.
The average smoker spends 3694.50 on smoking a year when you factor in everything, cost of cigarrettes, healtcare over the years, dental over the years, ruined clothing....ect. Say at 16 years old you chose NOT to smoke and you put that 3694.50 in a safe investment with a 10% return. In 50 years when in retirement, you would have at least 5,915,263.89 to enjoy in your later years. Plus you would be much healthier to enjoy it.
Even if you are older the cost of smoking over a few years in a safe investment would mean a new car or more.
Figures like these make me think about all the poor people in this country smoke. When politicians start preaching to me about all the people without health insurance or about all the older people who cant live off their retirement. I think to myself. "How many of those people where smokers and why should I feel bad for them when their lack of money was their choice?"
I remember back in college during a finance class the professor had us do an assignment much like this. We had to figure out how much we will spend on beer, nightclubs ect...while in college. My figure was about 11 grand. That 11 grand compunded over 50 years at a modest 10% equals a little over $1,200,000. I have been an invester ever since a week after that class. And I have always been able to find extra money to invest and still enjoy life.

[golfhobo]

Good points, Sheepdancer. And good for you that you got such a lecture.

Now... how do you feel about all the poor people that DON'T smoke? Or the old people living on a pittance that NEVER smoked?? Or the average middle class citizen that can't get healthcare from their company whether they smoke or not?

How about all the people who lost their entire pensions because of financial shenanigans by their companies? Would SOME of them be allowed into heaven as long as they didn't contribute to their problem by smoking?

And, I'm sure you feel the same way about people who drink. Alcohol costs a lot of money! How about people who have a big house, two cars, and shop like there's no tomorrow? Then they lose their jobs and have to declare bankruptcy?

How about the people who don't make enough money to qualify for all of Bush's tax credits? Is that our fault, too?

How about a starving family in Ethiopia who can't support their 13 children because they've never heard of, or were preached against, birth control? How do you separate, in your mind and heart, the "worthy" poor from the "unworthy?"

Just wondering! :lol:

It would really ease my mind if I could just "write off" a few million people who are suffering for their own sins, and only worry about the worthy.

But, THEN I'd have to be a "Conservative," and it just ain't worth it. :lol:

Just razzin ya.... and wondering! Don't get bent out of shape over it. :lol:

[mundaka]

Cigs... smoked 'em for two years and spent the next 18 trying to quit. I'd give it up for as much as six months and still go back to them. Eight years ago I had a hernia operation and after wards was placed on a pain killer called Propacet, its a type of synthetic opiate. When the prescription ran out three weeks later, I didn't smoke any more. Painless.

[Sheepdancer]

Now... how do you feel about all the poor people that DON'T smoke? Or the old people living on a pittance that NEVER smoked?? Or the average middle class citizen that can't get health care from their company whether they smoke or not?

They can become truck drivers and let me hire them for JB, we offer great health insurance.
Seriously, I would ask them a question, Why would they take a job that didnt offer health insurance. Im 42 years old today and since I moved out of my parents house at 18 years old, I have never taken a job that didnt offer health insurance. Even before college working retail at home depot for 7 bucks an hour. I figured out a way to afford the health insurance that they offered. Sometimes that meant eating a lot of dollar store mac and cheese. Sometimes that meant not going out with my buddies on a Friday night. Sometimes that meant bringing a date home and being a little embarrassed that I didn't have cable TV. Sometimes that meant not even being able to afford a date. But I did it.

Working in recruiting and quite a few years in other human resources jobs, I can tell you that no matter how cheap you make health insurance at a company, it will still be a choice and many people will still choose not to have it. I read a gov report not to long ago that show that 1/3 of the people in this country without health insurance make 50 grand a year or more. Its their choice not to have it. Another 1/3 are legal immigrants who just don't know the importance of having it and choose not to. That leaves another 1/3 who dont have it. Now here is what gets me thinking..... Of that final 1/3 who dont have it, how many of those people, smoke, drink, go out to clubs every weekend, have cable, have cell phones, have the brand new car for 350 bucks a month, when they should have paid cash for a car? I would bet a large % of them. Now, when you start thinking about that.....do we really have a health care crisis like the politicians want you to believe? Or....do we just have a lot of people making poor choices. We live in a free country and in a free country people will always be free to make bad choices.
In comes down to this. I turn on my TV I hear the media telling me that there are millions who cant afford healthcare. I hear the politicians telling me the same thing. Now here is where reality kicks in. In my 42 years of living, I have never met anyone who was not capiable of earning their own health insurance. In fact I would challange anyone to introduce me in person to someone that couldnt afford it and let me sit down with them and help them figure out how to be able to afford it. Here is where my CORE CONSERVATIVE BELIEFS kick in. I dont think we need the gov and the taxpayers paying something for a person who with a little help and some good choices, the person could pay for it themselves.

the Ethiopians can get a break and I will feel for them. They dont have the opportunities in that country like our people do.

[golfhobo]

DANG!! Sheepdancer!

On this Valentine's Day, your post almost makes me fall in love with Conservatism!! :lol:

Seriously, that was a very good and thoughtful answer! One of the FEW that didn't blame everything on us so-called "liberal Democrats!"

First problem though: Your trucks are governed at 55! That means fewer miles, which equals less money! I would think I could pay my own insurance on the difference! :lol:

No really.... I am impressed with your logic and research. I just MAY have to rethink my position! :shock: I KNOW!!! When have I EVER said THAT before??? :shock: :roll: :lol:

The part about the new cars and the associated "loans" made alot of sense! And the cable TV, and the cellphones, and such! I guess it IS a personal decision in MANY cases!

I'll have to take your WORD for the the part about the 50k+ earners that choose NOT to have insurance! I wouldn't have thought THAT!!!

If I EVER made that much in my life, I'd have the best insurance, a new car, AND a retirement fund!! I can LIVE easily on what would be left!

My hope is that someday soon, after I've paid my dues, I'll make that kind of money driving a truck! I still have a good 15 or 20 years left in me.... and maybe there's hope for me yet! :lol:

[in my best televangelist's voice:] I have SINNED!!! Sheepy!! HELP me!! I am one of the "unclean!" I too, have smoked and dank up between $3500 and $5000 a year for a good 20 years now!!

Do the math for me, and tell me how rich I could have been by now had I been a "conservative!" :lol:

Thrust the dagger in deep, and twist it! I deserve the pain!! I failed my God in my stewardship of my "talents." I was not given just one... and I did not bury it! So I am not damned.

I was not given the 10 (as all Conservatives were) and I did not multiply them.

I was given the 5. So... I buried one for safe keeping, and gave away 2 of the remaining to the poor! With the two that remained, I couldn't make ends meet!

So... I've p!ssed off God for letting one sit idle, wasted 2 on trying to save the poor, and sqaundered the remaining 2 because it wasn't enough to get ahead of my bills!

How the HECK am I supposed to make things right by going to work for J.B. Hunt???? :lol:

So, in the final analysis, (in case there IS no "hereafter,") I have spent HALF my worth helping the less fortunate, HALF on enjoying the life I was forced to live, and I buried ONE part of the prize for Roadhog and the others to fight over! :lol:

In my poor old age.... I will have treasured validity, fond memories and a few laughs! Is there supposed to be MORE to life? :shock:

[Deus]

Just a lil update to my thread here...

Had one cigarette after going out to drink on Friday night, so that makes one cig in a little over a week.

My patch fell off yesterday and I wasn't at home to get a new one so I was out all night without one, didn't even crave cigarettes. I don't think I'm going to use the rest of my "step 1" patches. Let alone the step 2 and 3 they want me to buy.

[golfhobo]

Originally Posted by Deus

Just a lil update to my thread here...

Had one cigarette after going out to drink on Friday night, so that makes one cig in a little over a week.

My patch fell off yesterday and I wasn't at home to get a new one so I was out all night without one, didn't even crave cigarettes. I don't think I'm going to use the rest of my "step 1" patches. Let alone the step 2 and 3 they want me to buy.

Deus: PLEASE listen to me! I know how the patches work. They give you more nicotine in one day than you actually would get by smoking in 2 or three! Therefore, you don't feel the craving! You get a sense of CALM, and EASE. You feel "this is EASY, I can DO this!"

You get "cocky" and forget how much effort it takes to change your lifestyle. I've used the full patch for one week, then cut the OTHER week into halves, and stretched them for 2 more! Bingo.... 3 weeks without a cig and it only cost me $20 or so!

But, then you THINK you are "cured." And then the smell of a freshly lit cig entices you to just have ONE.... because it smells so good and you have been SO good!

It doesn't WORK, in most cases! You NEED to do the program! Smarter people than you and me have figured this out. There are secret "backlash" effects in your mind AND body that will destroy you!

If you're SERIOUS about quitting, please DON'T try to outsmart the program! DO THE TIME!!! PAY the price! Do NOT get "off the patch" for at least 6 weeks to 2 months!!! By then.... you will be over it. And you'll be so disgusted with the whole patch thing, you'll want to be a "WINNER!"

Cheating the "patch" is like cheating your logs! You can get away with it for awhile... but it will come back to BITE you! :lol:

You're a smart guy.... you KNOW how easy it is to "backslide" as soon as the "law" is in your rearview mirror!!! Don't DO IT!!!!

Quitting smoking is FAR more difficult than learning to drive a truck! It's harder than making the decision TO drive a truck! It's probably the hardest thing you'll EVER do (assuming you're not a recovering alcoholic! lol!)

The patch works.... but ONLY if you let it work! The majority of the process is in your MIND. And, your MIND is not clear of the drug until you've worked the program!!!

Best of luck! I hope you live to know your greatgrandchildren!! I probably Won't!!

Don't SMOKE!!! AND Don't CHEAT!! Do the patches until you just can't remember WHY you're doing them!!! Spend a HUNDRED dollars on them NOW.... and save thousands in the long run!

If you've smoked for any length of time, you are as much an addict as an alcoholic or crack addict! It's tough to believe, but it's true! You can lose it ALL over JUST ONE SMOKE!!! So, DON'T do it!!!

You're welcome to PM me anytime if you need more support ( or ballbusting!) :lol:

But, it's YOUR thread.... and I'd just like to see you succeed!!!! Really!!