T Putney HOF Speech – Irondipper
Those of you who don’t know or could care less, the Ironman triathlon is an endurance race the consists of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run. People who are nuts enough to train and complete these events are looked at as being very health conscious and fit.
Allow me to take you back to July 2007. I am competing in Ironman Lake Placid and am on the bike portion of the race which is beautiful and challenging. I think I made it more challenging for the poor bikers behind me as there helmets and faces were probably peppered with second hand Kodiak juice!
Thats right, I probably knocked down a can of the dead weed that day on the bike and run (I am surprised my sorry addicted ass didn’t figure out a way to swim with it in). My name is Tom…T Putney a proud member of January 18 F.U.R.Y and I’m damn proud to be quit with you today!
Folks, I can’t even count the number of times I have stopped using nicotine over the past 30+ years. I once logged a stoppage of close to 18 months before failing.
I grew up with parents who smoked like chimney’s (mom passed at 52 I loved her deeply, dad finally quit a few years ago. He is now 70). I can recall sitting in the backseat as a kid with the windows up and the AC on and having a tough time seeing out the window through the thick fog of smoke. I saw nicotine use as acceptable, as my biggest role models at the time were using it.
Like the cool athlete dude I thought I was at 16, I bummed my first dip from a friend I played baseball with in HS. I saw him in the hallway during school and asked him for one. He said “open one of your books”, and threw a pinch of Kodiak into the book I opened. I reopened the book later in the school day during one of my classes, and threw in my first dip. I have no idea how I didn’t throw up because there was nowhere to spit. I loved it and was pretty much hooked from that day. That began my 31+ years of the nic bitch controlling my every moment. She loves being in the background wearing you out mentally as you are always planning your next fix.
I was a heavy user over the 31+years, topping out at 10 cans a week at the end. I own an investment advisory firm and am a financial planner. What kind of financial planner pisses away over $200 a month killing themselves? Not this one anymore. At least not for today!
My wife of almost 25 years (she also has done Ironman tris and is doing one this July at 48) never liked me dipping. I always felt bad doing it around her, but I did anyway like an inconsiderate addict. She has put up with this garbage controlling me for our entire marriage. She has been a huge support for me in my quit.
October 16th 2017 was a great day for me. I spit out the last dip around 4Pm and I felt peace. I never felt peace in the past when I stopped.
About a week later I found this site. I registered, posted something on the Jan 18 forum and walked away for a week. On October 30th (my wedding anniversary) my wife and I went out to dinner. When we got home, I let her know I needed to check that thing I signed up for. So I logged back in to KTC and went to the most recent post in January 18 and made a comment on it. Within seconds, I was blasted on the forum and peppered with PMs. I thought these people were a bunch of nut jobs.
I then got into a PM war with CNC. He was pissed because I was MIQ for 7 days. I didn’t know what the hell he was talking about. What the hell is MIQ?! I told him I needed to be walked through how to post roll. At 14 days quit, I was still in a pretty big fog. I sent my number to a number of people who lit me up on PM asking them to call me and walk me through posting roll. The only one who responded via phone called me the next morning at 530am. His name is DOGONHUNT. I have posted 131 days in a row first thing in the morning since that call. Thanks Dan!
Let me wrap up…New folks reading this who still have the shit in your lip, this site is outstanding! It has kept me off the weed for 138 days. And the process is simple. Make your promise daily right after you wake up everyday and keep that promise for 24 hours. Repeat the next day. Other optional things that can further strengthen you odds for success, you will learn as you go.
While not everyone agrees with them all the time, I want to thank the Admins and Moderators of this site for all they do behind the scenes. Also, the HOF conductors who do a great job (special thanks to swilson and 69franx for the great work they did during Jan 18’s HOF month. I’d also like to thank the vets. I’ve read so many great posts by guys in this community who have been quit for a long time, and I thank you all for getting me through some rough days. I haven’t contacted Wildirish317 personally, but his intro and other words of wisdom are outstanding and have really inspired me.
Last but not least, to my wild brothers and sister of ALL the F.U.R.Y, thank you!…………….0000000 I am proud to be quit with you today!!
NOTE: This piece written by KillTheCan.org forum member T Putney
