Commit to Quit

I am making the commitment to quit smoking on January 1. Not for a New Year's Resolution, but because my friend, Natalie, tells me that the almanac lists it as the day to quit (according to the moon).

Here's why I'm going to quit:
1. I will live longer.

2. My children will live longer.

3. I will breathe better.

4. I will feel better.

5. My home will smell better.

6. I will no longer feel like a hypocrite when I encourage my students to stop/not start to smoke.

7. I will have fewer wrinkles than if I continue to smoke.

8. My Cardiologist will be happy.

9. My fingers will not be yellow.

10. My teeth will not be yellow.

11. Life will smell better.

12. I will be able to allow people who don't smoke to ride in my car. Right now the odor embarrasses me.

13. I will no longer go to work smelling like an ashtray and worrying about it.

14. I will save money and I can use it to buy yarn. (Think about it - a pack a day is around $4.00. I could buy two balls of sock yarn a week!)

15. I won't have to worry that my finished objects stink. (Like smoke, that is. They may very well continue to stink in the proverbial sense.)

16. When I stress out because I need a cigarette, I can knit; thereby increasing the amount of finished objects I turn out.

17. I will no longer scout any area, looking desperately for the smoking section.

18. Food will taste better.

19. My children will be proud of me.

20. I will be proud of myself.


And here is how I will quit:
I have wanted for a while to knit a beautiful Noro scarf. While I could never justify $45.00 for yarn for one scarf, my very wise friend Anita pointed out to me that I could use it to my advantage. She advised me to buy the yarn, but said that I should not start knitting the scarf until my 'quit day'. Every time I feel the urge to smoke, I should sit down and knit a row (or two. Or seven. Or 29. Whatever.)

By the time I have finished the scarf (which frankly, may get knitted up very quickly!), I will have a beautiful (although expensive) reminder of the feat that I have accomplished. The money I have saved on cigarettes will more than pay for the cost of the yarn I spent for the project. I will know that I can and will be able to break this nasty habit. And I will have a stunning scarf to show for it.

Thanks Nat and Anita for the encouragement. Everyone else, please bear with me.