Sunday, March 16, 2008

operation 11: HABIT

when you say the word "habit" to me, there's only one. ok sure, i have plenty...good and bad...but the main, primo, ultimate, really-hard-to-break, big kahuna of habits was smoking. i was hardcore for fifteen years. at the time i quit, that constituted half my life. i knew it was stupid, i knew it was disgusting, but i was HOOKED.

then i met an acupuncturist called kathy goldstein, who saved my life in so many ways i cannot even count them. plus, she helped me ditch the evil weed. it wasn't easy. to tell the truth, there are still days (luckily they're infrequent, now) when i want a cigarette so badly i am practically drooling. that's when i remind myself how hard i had to work to quit. then i think about the tobacco industry spending millions of dollars a year hiring lobbyists and attorneys to protect themselves, and advertising agencies to attract new customers, and scientists to figure out how to make what is perhaps already the most addictive substance in the world even more addictive. i ask myself if i'm willing to give them one more dollar of my money. today's answer is a resounding,

"HELL NO!"


i'll worry about tomorrow's answer tomorrow.

(ashtray image from the internet, printed on kodak premium photo paper; dymo labeller)

(text inspired by a conversation i had with lovely husband jeff when i read this assignment. in the course of it i rattled off the exact amount of time which had elaspsed since i quit smoking, and received an incredulous, "YOU'RE STILL *COUNTING*???!!" in response. yep. i'm still counting. maybe i always will. ...BUT... i'm still not smoking. go, me!) :)

(ps: i know what you're thinking. you're thinking, "hey-- lauren never did "operation 10: GOT TALENT" did she?" and you're quite right, i did not. but i'm working on it. and when it's done, you'll be the first to see it. but see, i knew this one was going to be MUCH faster, so i decided to play out of order. because it's not a PAPER JOB...it's a PAPER ADVENTURE! savvy??!) :)


read about this week's paper adventure assignment, "HABIT" here.
read more by paper adventure's elise blaha here.
see the 85-member paper adventure flickr gallery here.

15 comments:

  1. Wow..... I love it!!!! I know that habit is a wrong one.. got it for years and years, and I still admire the people that can quit! Good for you girl! Love the page!!

    (and go work on 10 now.... would love to read about your talent!!)

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  2. Congratulations on staying off the evil weed. How about counting up how much money you've saved ... because you're worth it ;-) x

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  3. Ah yes. Ciggies. Yummy and delicious but oh-so-evil.

    Hooray for quitting all those years ago!

    I'm a quitter too, only very rarely do I miss it though.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog and for the suggestions!

    Oh and...I love me an ellipsis (or ten) too!

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  4. Have I told you lately that you rock ... hugs ... and accupuncture ... yet another thing we have in common.

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  5. Congrats girl, you really rock!!
    Love this page!!

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  6. YOu go girl!! Well done thats a great achievement!!
    Page looks awesome :)

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  7. oooooh, this is awesome.
    congrats for quitting and congrats for sticking with it.

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  8. congratulations!!!! We asthmatics in the world THANK YOU EVERY DAY FOR NOT SMOKING!

    That must have been hard, and who knew you would be able to commemorate it in March of 08!?

    P>S>I have a DYMO labeler and I'm pretty sure its the best, most stylish, and quickest way of journaling. :)

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  9. Way to go on staying smoke-free! And YOU, Miss Lauren, are one habit I refuse to kick! ;^) xo

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  10. CONGRATULATIONS! What a fantastic page and achievment!!
    xxx

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  11. Just think .... for 13 years, 1 month, two hours and 20 minutes (plus more now I guess), you haven't stunk (stank?)!! Well .... not of stale ciggies at least ....

    ;)

    ps. Go you!

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  12. Seriously? You are counting?!?! Along with Jeff I am incredulous!!

    But still - you go girl! You realy do rock. Have just been catching up on the last few posts and have loved them all. As to parcels in the post from the UK I wouldn't like to say whether there may or may not be another en route in the next little bit. ;-)

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  13. I am so proud of you! I think I have an addictive personality, but smoking has never been one for me. Food is my main issue...or is it collecting scrapbook paper and cardstock? LOL! I stress eat. My weight has climbed so high the past two years. I don't know if Kathy Goldstein can help...I tried accupuncture for it years ago, but no luck :)

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  14. Wow! That was a very touching "mini-l.o." I'm very proud of you.

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