Goodbye Forever

[ruffian]

had my last one this morning after 20 years of doing it. :cry:

C & C welcome.

[darkvibe]

great photo. And congrats on quitting! Now that you posted you have to stick with it or you'll have to face everyone on here :)

[Nick C.]

That's a good photo, did you use a lightbox of some sort?

Darkvibe's right, there's no turning back now.

[thomascanty]

Congrats on kicking the habit! I've been Marlboro-free since June 18, 1999. That first week was a little rough, but I haven't had any cravings for them since then, despite smoking two packs a day for 20 years.

[ruffian]

thanks guys. no lightbox. i used my garage (1 -2 bar fluorescent light and i used a handheld shoplight to control the shadows, 2 white posterboards for background)
i almost went in shock around lunchtime the first day, but the normal places i used to do it are now haunting me.... waking up..... getting in the car.... after meals.... prebedtime..... etc.

[Athena]

Congratulations! On both an excellent photo and decision. I've been in your shoes (Lonnie - I also kicked the habit in 1999) - hang in there!

[thomascanty]

i almost went in shock around lunchtime the first day, but the normal places i used to do it are now haunting me.... waking up..... getting in the car.... after meals.... prebedtime..... etc.

Yeah, it's the routine, mental reminders like that that can be the roughest. Hang in there. It gets easier... :)

[Saralonde]

Nice photo, but even better is that you're quitting. They say the first few days are toughest. Try changing your routine a bit so the mental reminders are diminished somewhat. Good luck!

[J T]

i almost went in shock around lunchtime the first day, but the normal places i used to do it are now haunting me.... waking up..... getting in the car.... after meals.... prebedtime..... etc.

Yeah, there's nothing like a cig after a greasy Whopper from BK. :lol:

Congrats on quitting. One year exactly for me.

[ruffian]

thanks JT. I am craving one (a Whopper and a smoke) right now.

[kevin_c]

Now it's just the booze, red meat, dairy products and dope to give up... :-)

Good luck with the ciggies - hope it lasts!

[SloNeZ600]

Nasty habit; been off then for 20 years+; I found that if you really want to quit it becomes a lot easier to remain on track. Did a lot of gum for awhile but well worth the change: LOL

[Photodawg1]

Nice shot! I smoked for a week in 4th grade and decided I didn't care for it...My poor mom smoked since she was 15 and had a stroke about 15 years ago and while she was unconscious in the hospital for a week I had them patch her. She hasn't smoked since. I am sure she wouldn't have been here yet if she started again. It's okay to be a beast for a few months, whatever it takes. I just looked up and saw a sticky on my wall...a quote from The Jesuits s"The training of the will... that 4 weeks of enforced abstinance and another 6 weeks are extremely critical. Prepare for 3 months of initial recouperation".
Sorry for the rant.

[J T]

Did a lot of gum for awhile but well worth the change: LOL

I used to chew gum all the time when I was smoking to offset the cigarette taste (or rather, compliment it). Since quitting, I barely chew gum at all. Hmm...

[ruffian]

thanks for all the advice and rants :P

Nice shot! I smoked for a week in 4th grade and decided I didn't care for it...

i did that too and liked it :(

[Photodawg1]

thanks for all the advice and rants :P



i did that too and liked it :(

Well, in my teens, I did take to alcohol...:rolleyes: so don't get any ideas about me being a prisspot!

[binderInteractveMedia]

Great job on quiting. I started smoking when i was 8 years old and final quit about 2-1/2 to 3 years ago. Keep it up. Now if i can quit other habits.

SKOOL

[ruffian]

rgr binder. a 20D should be my present for doing so well. :\

[Darknight]

Congrats, my brother, on quitting!!! Just take it day by day and you'll get past those cravings... Nice shot to. :D

[Dragonfli Spirit]

Great shot and fantastic decision.
Hang in there, you've already taken the hardest step - now just take it one day at a time and breathe :)

[ruffian]

thanks all. doing great so far.

[neil_r]

I stopped 23 years ago and have not slipped, mind you the money i was going to save to spend on other things never materialized... :(

Great farewell pic too

[Stefan A]

Great shot. I have never had a smoking habit, but this little timeline would inspire me if I was in the process of quitting. I would imagine many people have seen it, but it's worth posting:

20 minutes Your blood pressure, heart rate and temperature of your hands and feet become normal.

8 hours: oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in your blood become normal.

1 day: Your risk of heart attack begins to decrease.

2 days: Your sense of smell and taste improves. Nerve endings start to re-grow. Mucus in your airways begins to break up and clear out of your lungs.

2 weeks to 3 months: Your circulation becomes better and breathing improves. It becomes easier to walk.

1 to 9 months: Coughing, sinus congestion, shortness of breath and fatigue decrease and you have more energy.

1 year: Your risk of heart disease is now less than half of what it was a year ago.

5 years: Your risks of cancer of the lung, mouth, throat and esophagus are less than half-of-a-pack-a-day smoker.

10 years: Your risk of dying of lung cancer is now similar to nonsmokers. Pre-cancerous cells have been replaced.

15 years: You are at no more risk of heart disease than if you never smoked[/LIST]

[Anthony J Howe]

What a good way to kick the habit, to take a photo of your last pack and then share with POTN members, your committed now, keep it up and btw a good shot with good light conditions.

[ruffian]

Thanks Stephan and Howe. Great List and I already "feel" better... except for the anxiety (SP?) of not having one. I don't want to get mean (irritable) but I feel it happening more often and quicker!!!!!!

[cgratti]

Nice picture man.

Glad your trying to quit the habit. Maybe this can be some incentive for you.

Take whatever the price of a pack of smokes is for you and the amount of packs you buy a week and place it in a jar, after 1 year see how much money you have and go out and buy some photo equipment with the money. A BIG reward and an eyeopener for you to see how much you were spending on cigarettes.

[Darknight]

Nice picture man.

Glad your trying to quit the habit. Maybe this can be some incentive for you.

Take whatever the price of a pack of smokes is for you and the amount of packs you buy a week and place it in a jar, after 1 year see how much money you have and go out and buy some photo equipment with the money. A BIG reward and an eyeopener for you to see how much you were spending on cigarettes.

Oh man... great idea!!! Ruffian, that would be a killer idea and I'm sure you could talk the wifee into it!!! Do it... do it... do it... do it... There's a Rebel or 20D with your name on it dude!

Dark

[ruffian]

word up brutha man... she's seen cgratti's post and pretty much agreed with it.... off to look for a jar and label it "20D" Woot!!!!!

[Darknight]

Lucky...

[Maureen Souza]

Congrats on quitting. I am a Regisered Nurse and can't even begin to tell you the horrors I've seen from patient's who smoked.
Keep adding to that 20D jar and you'll find you have the $$$ in no time.

[AccidentalArt]

Congrat's! not a moment too soon :)

[CarsRFun]

great photo great choice.

[ruffian]

thanks to all for the encouragement. Good to go after 3 full days, so far!

[lakiluno]

congrats. Good luck quitting. (And now you'll have lots of money to spend on photos!)

[ruffian]

2 weeks !!!!!!!!! no slips.

[darkvibe]

2 weeks !!!!!!!!! no slips.

congrats!

[kevin_c]

Well Done, keep it up :-)

[thomascanty]

2 weeks !!!!!!!!! no slips.

Excellent! Has it gotten easier for you by now?

[Mandragora]

congratulations!

on my 3rd day, i cried for a full 36 hours straight. oh, to be clear, i was working and conversing and all that, just had tears streaming down my face all day.

on the 13th went back.

im moving soon and going to take that as an opportunity to quit again. you know, no memories and all that.

i bet you feel great!

good luck!

[ruffian]

i had some "nic fits" but I removed the source of the agression and it went away.
lotsa gum and now I run 2.5 miles every other day.
im moving soon and going to take that as an opportunity to quit again. you know, no memories and all that.



I moved recently also... great time for changes... just pack em all in a "lifestyle" change!!!!

I have like 75% more lung capacity!!!

more advice - clean out car (windows etc.)

I'm converting my old smoke pit into a studio for my hopeful 20D !!!

[Balliolman]

So what are you going to spend your fag money on?

[Titus213]

Congrats! Smart move, stick with it. Not only will you feel better and live longer, you'll smell better, sound better, and be richer. What a deal!

[ruffian]

"So what are you going to spend your fag money on?"



Canon 20D

Hopefully.

[catsith]

put your cigarette money in a jar, and see how many L lenses u can buy!! (buy the dslr first of course)

[lakiluno]

I was searching for pictures using light tents, found this, and wanted to find out if your still quitting...

if so...keep going!

[SoaringUSAEagle]

Best of luck to you. My dad has been smoke free for three years now after 34 years of smoking. And my mom is getting ready to hit 1 year smoke free after 12 years of smoking.

It can be done. They both just quit... My mom had tried quite a few times and I think she has finally done it. My dad was amazing and just quit lol.

[edcs2]

Nice photo. Quit just over 3 years ago after 29 years on the habit. Good Luck.

[cgratti]

How much is in that jar man?

[ruffian]

Bought a Rebel (black) and kit lens - it's on the FedEx truck as we speak :) - any minute now.

Haven't had one since the pic! Doing great and feeling fine

THANKS POTN!!!!!

[kevin_c]

Bought a Rebel (black) and kit lens - it's on the FedEx truck as we speak :) - any minute now.

Haven't had one since the pic! Doing great and feeling fine

THANKS POTN!!!!!

Well done - All part of the service :-)

[ruffian]

JUST ARRIVED!!!! UNPACKING NOW!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOT.

[kevin_c]

Don't forget to sit down and read the manual BEFORE using it...;)

[ruffian]

i've downloading the PDF manual weeks ago... and watched the online tutorials like 20 times since clicking the order button.

[lakiluno]

Well done - you'll enjoy it :D

So....how much of the rebel was paid for by that jar?

(Great photo by the way!)

[thomascanty]

Congrats, again! Have fun with the new toy.

[Transit]

gee you Guys don't have health warnings on the packet ?
spose the tobacco loby is too strong

Pete

[WxGuesser]

how much do smokes cost these days? just think of all the $$ you'll save.... more glass!

[thomascanty]

gee you Guys don't have health warnings on the packet ?
spose the tobacco loby is too strong

A health warning doesn't do a whole lot of good when you're hooked. We do have them on every pack, but who's really going to pay attention to it?

[Transit]

I spose pics of lip cancer and diseased lungs further encourage people to give up

[ruffian]

let's see approx $140.00
$4.00/pack x 5 weeks.

[BrandyMcK]

Awesome job ...

I need to convince my husband to do the same although i know he has to want it bad enough himself to do it...

[ruffian]

totally agree. YOU gotta be ready, not for anyone else.

metabolic syndrome, Diabetes, CAD, and High Cholesterol scare will do it too!!!!!!!

[Cleo199]

I haven't read all the replies, but congrat's on the decision! It's been 8 years and 3 days since I had my last cigarette. And I sold them for a living...... I was up to 1 1/2 packs a day and decided I really did like breathing. :)

Good luck with it!!!

ETA: your smokes are only $4 a pack? Ours are $9.00 a pack, for the cheaper brands! $4????

[JohnnyG]

Tough habit to break for sure!

I quit over 20 years ago and I'm thankful that I did!

Good luck to you!

[ruffian]

just bought my 75-300 Lens too. This is going well for me :)

[Wes]

My Dad gave me my first smoke at age 5, thinking it would make me sick enough never to start. I spent the next 7 years waiting until I was old enough to buy my own, and have been smoking since then. Thanks Dad!
Keep up with the will power, and good luck to you. By the way, really nice shot!
Wes

[BrandyMcK]

looking like it's still going great keep it up...

[ruffian]

WES - same thing with me. I caught my brother smoking and was going to tell on him.
he beat me up and blackmailed me into doing it to so I wouldn't/couldn't tell on him.
Have YOU Quit Wes??????

Brandy! - yes still going great and reaping all the benefits - that new lens kicks butt.

[Skrim17]

WTG!! I'm also a 1999 quitter, the day my sister in law told me she was pregnant with my nephew.

I like the shot as well!

[Miniflash]

Coming from a girl who never smoked and still got lung disease ...you don't wanta get this ~the shot reminds me of my fathers ciggs ..lol ...Oh and I use to collect cigg memoribila lol sorry for spelling

[Wes]

WES - same thing with me. I caught my brother smoking and was going to tell on him.
he beat me up and blackmailed me into doing it to so I wouldn't/couldn't tell on him.
Have YOU Quit Wes??????

Brandy! - yes still going great and reaping all the benefits - that new lens kicks butt.


I haven't quit yet...working on it...but I quit crack and heroin, so that's a start :lol: (kidding!!!!)

Wes

[FotOz]

I gave up on my 23rd birthday - 32yrs and 1 day ago. I didn't give up for good, I just decided that each day was going to be a "no cigarettes day" for me. And that's they way it's been for over 32 years. I have helped friends kick the habit, by getting them to not have a cigarette, just for today. They then make that their policy and philosophy each and every new day. So far I have three lady friends who love me to bits because they have quit. It's not hard quitting, it's just harder not quitting. Think about it.

[ruffian]

I've tried not to "preach" but I want to tell every smoker I meet how much better I feel,
and that they should ask themselves everytime they light up if they really NEED that one or not.

[Cleo199]

I have helped friends kick the habit, by getting them to not have a cigarette, just for today.

I used a calendar for about the first six months. Each day I went smoke free, I put a the # of days it had been since my last cigarette. If I had kept up that calendar, today would be day # 2944. I also made myself believe that the crankiness was all in ones head. That I could control it. I had tried to stop smoking in July of the same year and when I tore a strip off of a customer on day #3, I decided I wasn't ready to stop smoking yet. When I tried it again in September, I told myself that people said I would be cranky so I was. This time around, I *will* be in control of my temper. *I* am the one who started smoking and I shouldn't take it out on others because I finally decided to stop. I did much better the second time around. In my head I did........ my husband begs to differ......... :)

[ruffian]

Celo - good job so far. and I thought the same about the anger.

it wasn't until the Doctor "confronted" me face to face and asked me, "Why was I jeopordizing my health and the health of everyone around me?, Especially knowing my family history" And of course I "shut down" on him. and he saw that but he also saw thru it and I didn't have a really valid answer for that. and he was the first one to ever "really push me. I mean my loved ones tried but never pushed too hard. this guy wasn't taking my "bs"

ALL IT TAKES IS A PUSH - THE RIGHT PUSH.

[montreal]

Your doctor is a good man.

[Chook]

Nice shot!I really like it.Congrats on giving up smoking.Ive been smoke free for nearly a year now.Best thing i ever did.:)

[FotOz]

Hey Chook. Welcome aboard. First post, I see. Kambalda - is that suburban or rural? BTW congrats on saving some clean air.

+*+*+*+*+* WOW! I see I just made my 300th posting. I know, I know. Some are into the thousands, but I do have another life apart from photography. :)

[ruffian]

12 weeks! thanks to all supportive POTN members!

[cgratti]

Congrats.... Post a pic of the jar or the camera equpiment you bought with your smoke money....

[Cleo199]

12 weeks! thanks to all supportive POTN members!

It's smooth sailing from here on out. If I haven't already mentioned it, the 3rd day, 3rd week and 3rd month are the toughest. A customer in our store said her husband quit smoking and had a difficult 3rd year, but he made it without lighting up.

[Stav_98]

Good job! Also a 20 a dayer at the moment. Off on a no smoking holiday next week to try kick the habbit...dreading it!

[kevin_c]

WELL DONE! - Just keep it up :-)

[ruffian]

for my rewards see my gearlist - everything above my A610 !!!!!!!!

go for it STAV_98! It is well worth it!

out next week to get the 50mm 1.8

[ruffian]

gear list updated.... this is soooo worth it.

[ruffian]

how'd it go Stav ??? been away until just now.

[Mortgage101]

Grant me strength!!! This is the next step in my life to give those up. My Aunt's both died at 35 and 38 from smoking related illness.

[liza]

Congrats on giving up the habit. I did over Labor Day weekend in 2004 after smoking for over 30 years and have never regretted it. I wish my companion of 7 years had the strength to do the same, but he died of lung cancer in January 2006 at age 43. After seeing the progression of his illness, I'll never light up again.

[ruffian]

going for the peleng 8mm fisheye next... is that a good one? anyone got one?

it really pays to QUIT!

[JohnnyG]

I went from 3 1/2 packs a day to none over 23 years ago. I haven't had one since. You can do it and it's hard. No doubt about it. But, it's worth all the pain for sure.

[Yiskah]

Ruffian, How's it going?

[kenyc]

thanks guys. no lightbox. i used my garage (1 -2 bar fluorescent light and i used a handheld shoplight to control the shadows, 2 white posterboards for background)
i almost went in shock around lunchtime the first day, but the normal places i used to do it are now haunting me.... waking up..... getting in the car.... after meals.... prebedtime..... etc.


Yep. Congratulations and hang in there, those spots and situations keep coming back and causing that urge for years (at least for me they did) and it's been about 20 years since I quit.

KAC

[ruffian]

yes! still doing great. not even an urge anymore. gear list updated again also!

[kordan]

Congrats on the decision to quit. I honestly hope you stick with it.