I Quit, Care To Join Me? Smed’s HOF Speech

I wasn’t going to write this today … I was going to wait a while and let today sink in. All of my brothers here on KTC reaching out to me made me want to capture today though:

It’s no where NEAR the end of my quit journey, but … today marks a fairly significant milestone for me; today is the 100th day I’ve been free of the shit called Chewing Tobacco (i.e.: Copenhagen, Cat Turd in my lip, shit in my teeth, Can O’ Death). I call it a milestone … because I realize I’m an addict … I’m addicted to Nicotine … and I always will be. Each day I grow stronger, each day I realize I’ve come a little closer to kicking nicotine to the curb for good <but I’ll never be done … I’m an addict>. I was a dipshit and put that evil crap produced by Big Tobacco in my lip for 32+ years. Do you youngsters realize that when I started chewing most households had to actually get up to change the channel (of 4-7 stations by the way … unless you were loaded and had that fancy “cable” stuff everyone was talking about), that most phones actually had a cord attached, that Olivia Newton John’s “Let’s get physical” was a #1 hit on the radio? That’s right … I’m frickin’ old <and apologetic for not coming up with a more rocking tune>. It’ll take me until I’m 64 years old to have the numbers of years without nicotine equal the number of years poisoning myself with it … geez!

To my friends, my family members … really anyone who still uses nicotine in any of its forms:

You CAN quit! It’s the hardest thing I’ve probably ever done, but I’m doing it. I used to think Copenhagen actually helped me … calmed me down … gave me energy … helped me crap in the morning … made problems of any size more bearable. I’ve got a deadline, just a quick pinch. I’ve got a stressful road trip, just a quick pinch. I’m fishing/golfing/hunting … yup, take a pinch. I’m awake and breathing … kill me please I’ll have a dip. I now realize with the help of KTC that problems + nicotine = 2 problems. I’m taking it one day at a time, and you know what? The days added up! Shit, anyone can quit for a day, right? Can you wake up and promise yourself “I won’t use tobacco today”, regardless of the reason? If you have to, make that promise for the next hour, then make it again for the next hour, and keep doing it until you’re ready for the one day at a time! Lean on me if needed, or anyone else here for that matter … we’ll help you power through. Nicotine is actually out of your system for good with 72 hours or so, but your brain WILL jack with you and ask you to come back to that evil weed … that you NEED it! I’m here to tell you that you don’t … but you must always be on guard.

The main reason for this rant / preach is to share what can be done, to hope you’ll do it too, and to ask you to keep me accountable. To get past the oral fixation issues <don’t say it … its’ been said> I’ve been using Jack Link’s Jerky chew, so if you see me throw something in my face other than brown and meaty looking <again, don’t say it> I would expect you to call my ass on it … because that’ll be weak sauce …. and I’m not weak sauce. Eventually, I won’t need the jerky chew … but for now it keeps the poison out of my lip, and out of my system. Whatever it takes to stay quit <within the legal limits of your particular state, weirdo> … do it and stay quit!

Register for the forums, log in, and PM me and ask me for help … I’ll be there. Most of the others here on KTC will be too. We all want you to quit … not tomorrow, but TODAY! I can’t begin to tell you all about the brotherhood on here, the great dudes < July 2014 Quit Group – SALUTE> and ladies … I also can’t make you quit. YOU’VE GOT TO WANT IT! You also need to realize that we’re damn serious about our quits here, and we will ask you to promise yourself and us each and every day (by posting roll … login and check it out) that you will be 100% nicotine free for that day … just that day! Pretty damn simple! Keep on repeating, and see how far your quit gets you!

Lastly, since I mentioned 1982’s #1 hit earlier, and the apology that immediately followed probably didn’t get it out of your head (unless you’re too young and had zero idea what I was talking about), click HERE for what I can only assume is the reason my brain remembered her…

And for god’s sake don’t YouTube it! I warned ya!

See you on roll call …

NOTE: This piece written by KillTheCan.org forum member Smeds