Raf

I've been pretty much out of commission the last couple of weeks. By the time I even knew about Edouard, it was already making landfall.

The timing was no coincidence.

DADDY!!!!!! Yup, it's true. On Father's Day this year, Mrs. Me came up to me with a little stick that had a great big PLUS sign on it. A visit to the doctor confirmed it and, if that weren't enough, a follow up visit last Monday showed me what that plus sign added up to. Leave it to the Almighty to make one (me) plus one (Mrs. me) equal three! Oh Baby! She's due in February.

A little word of advice: The Greasespot Cafe is filled with people at various stages of "recovery" from their experience. Some folks don't take kindly to any expression of positive feelings associated with TWI. Others would rather belittle you or deny your testimony if you have anything but the utmost respect for Wierwille and company. Between those extremes are a lot of people who totally understand that getting out is a process. Some of us have remained Christian and still hold many TWI-related beliefs. Others are in more traditional Christian churches, the kind TWI disparages. A handful are in other types of religions, non-Christian. And a bunch of people are atheists, too. As you participate in these boards, maintain a positive, friendly attitude and you should get along fine. Take a good amount of time trying to be understood, but take twice as much time trying to understand. Feel free to check back in here or with the moderators if you feel you want or need it. I wish you well on your TWI recovery path.

Oops. Is this thing on? Tap tap tap... Ahem. Here goes: "All the arguing in the world can't change the decision of the umpire."

Radar rulezzz!!! Foshizzle!

It has now been 24 days since I've had a cigarette. I've decided on my own to reduce my Chantix intake to one pill a day (it's supposed to be two). If I feel the urge to smoke coming back, I'll go back on the regular dosage, then talk to my doctor: no sense trading one expensive addiction that will screw with your body for another that may drive you crazy. I've experienced no psychological effects on Chantix, but I have noticed my sleep is a little less restful. I'm not typically one who remembers my dreams, but lately they've been a little too real. I'm dreaming about board meetings and obligations and things like that. Then I wake up feeling like I've just lived a day in my sleep; now I have to live one in real life. The feeling dissipates within an hour, but for now: Waking Up Is Hard To Do.

Funny you should mention that...

Wow. look at all the pretty pictures. cake. balloons. roses. beer. and garbage. thanks, guys, you're all heart!

Serious note: no, I have not been eating more. I've tried to be cautious about that. It's starting to feel normal again not to smoke. That's what I enjoy: the feeling of - not feeling anything about smoking. I don't miss it. I don't crave it. I know, mentally, that it's a snare I could very easily get caught up in again, so I continue to talk about it to my friends . They need to understand that I'm serious and come down on me if I dare light up again. But so far, not much of a temptation.

I was going to try a new physical regime, but the wife wouldn't let me bring them home. heh heh heh. KIDDING!

Three full weeks.

So far, everything's going great. It has now been 20 days since I puffed on my last cigarette. I've saved roughly $100 (not to mention the amount of money I've saved avoiding the situations that tempt me to smoke: between alcohol and cigarettes, I've probably got roughly $300 more in my bank account than I otherwise would have. Wow.

total coincidence: Guillermo del Toro is considering a remake of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. I'll be first in line to see it! He's the guy who directed Hellboy and Hellboy 2. I believe he's also been tapped to direct The Hobbit

Sometimes I forget the pill. Don't want the cigs anyway, :)

I'll take it that's an exaggeration. No food? Bad thing!

It's not today. It was within a week of today (not saying whether it's earlier or later). Happy birthday, old friend.

I don't even know what day I'm on anymore. Spent last week at a convention in Chicago (there was no "me" time, so forgive me for not telling anyone I was there). Lots of temptation, but I didn't give in a single time. So let's see... It has now been 18 days since my last cigarette. Think I'll celebrate by taking the $90 I've saved and spending it on my wife. :)

Anyone ever see "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark"? Made me afraid of the dark.

11 a.m. came and went and I didn't even notice it. Woohoo! I am now in week 2!

A little late to rejoin this part of the conversation, but indulge me: The problem I have with the word "disgruntled" is that it's dismissive. The word implies lack of justification for any such feeling. It doesn't say or mean the same thing as "awakened." It doesn't mean "fed up." It doesn't mean "recognizing, after all these years, that you've been HAD by a predator." I am not a "disgruntled former follower" of The Way. I am perfectly content. When I look back on that time in my life, I am grateful that I came away unscathed. And when I see what others went through, my emotions are similar to many of theirs. Disgruntled? No, thank you. I prefer "morally outraged!"

Gene Wilder See no Evil. Hear No Evil Kevin Spacey

Clear and Present Danger?

I no see nussink. You got a link? Of course, now it shows up. Nevermind.

Well, Harry and Lloyd never went to Alaska, so I'm thinking, who'd be dumb enough to utter that line? And the only name I can come up with is Homer Simpson. Is it The Simpsons Movie?