Tuesday, October 24, 2006

I musta been outta my Frakkin mind

Some of you may know that for a while there I was a heavy smoker. By heavy I mean that for at least six months I went through 10 packs a month. I shudder to think about how much that cost me, both monetarily and healthwise.

Just over three months ago I was out the front of my work enjoying a quiet cigarrete, as I was want to do when the weather presented itself as such when my boss pulled up in front of me. This is an unfortunate byproduct of working in a building with executive parking next to the ashtray out the front.

Richard (not Giles this time) said to me:

Mike, when are you gonna give those things up?

I took a drag of my cigarette and said to him:

Richard, that was my last one.

Really? If you have truly just given up smoking right here in front of me I'll give you one hundred dollars.

It's a deal.

Well, let me tell you. The first week was hell. I was like a small insane puppy which has been given a shot of adrenaline. I honestly couldn't sit still. I wanted to move all the time, pick things up, put them back down in a different order. It's a strange thing to watch yourself go slowly mental and be kinda smug about it.

I argued with myself constantly. "Just one more. It won't hurt", I would tell myself. But I knew the dangers of that trap. I've given up before, I know how easy it is to cave.

Last Friday was my 100th day. Now I don't even think about it. I sometimes like to get up and go for a wander outside, but I think that is a consequence of having very little fresh air in my cubicle. On Friday everyone in my office gathered in the boardroom and we had cake to celebrate. Richard even gave me $100.

Richard has offered the same deal to our new secretary and she has accepted the challenge claiming that I have inspired her. I'm not sure how to take that, but it makes me feel proud, like I have accomplished something grand.

Tomorrow marks Nat's first week. She's been going crazy but I keep reassuring her. It will be okay. Some day soon she will be so proud of her achievement. I understand what she's going through.

I took the $100 and bought a heap of DVDs. For those of you who read Nettie's Blog you would've heard that we went to carousel on Saturday. I bought:
and yes Nettie, I even found a copy of Battlestar Galactica Season 1 today.

I just wanted to take the opportunity I guess to thank Richard so much. It was never about the money (although my DVD collection really appreciates it), it was always that you believed in me that kept me going. Whenever I felt like having a cigarette I would just imagine trying to tell you that your faith in me was unfounded. I couldn't betray that trust.

Well I'm gonna go cry at tissue commercials or something now but I'll be back sometime soon to spout wisdom (or at the very least some serious ranting).

Good night world.

2 comments:

Nettie said...

Well, I'll have to say that I'm proud of you too darl. I saw how hard it was for you but you pulled through in the end. And I'm sure Barb appreciates it (she never did enjoy kissing an 'ashtray')

And those damned tissue commercials with the puppies make anyone want to cry (especially if you have a burlap sack full of leaves for a body...)

Wolfbyte said...

I wish...

I wish I could just hold a puppy.

Just a puppy.