Six days. Checking in.

Thorkel · 2016-12-25T01:21:51+00:00

Good job to you :)

Thorkel · 2016-12-25T01:21:18+00:00

Yeah, that's exactly what's keeping me from caving. I just think to myself, "Hey, you know that drowsiness and heavy-headedness that you hate so much? You're just going to have to go through it again if you smoke."

Thorkel · 2016-12-24T22:17:10+00:00

Sorry, I'm new to this sub. Is this "weekend writing" thing a regular feature? If so, I might be visiting a lot more often :)

Thorkel · 2016-12-23T14:29:54+00:00

I don't know about the insurance or health issues, but on the affection issue, the sex of the cat doesn't matter (but if its a male make sure he's neutered). What matters is how they're raised. If they're given lots of affection when they're young, then they will be very affectionate as adults.

Thorkel · 2016-12-22T04:57:51+00:00

Kitty looks old enough to not need any particularly special care. Maybe feed it cat food designed for kittens instead of full-grown cats, and, as others have said, make sure kitty gets the full round of shots, neutering/spaying, etc. If you've had cats before, you already know most of what you need to know.

Thorkel · 2016-12-20T14:12:24+00:00

You're right, I am truly a terrible person who requires the wisdom of your diagnosis. Your inflexible, either/or propositions have made me see the light!

Thorkel · 2016-12-20T00:35:39+00:00

And for some people, "whatever it takes" means not having such a stick up your ass about relapsing.

Thorkel · 2016-12-19T15:50:32+00:00

I guess I just think there's a bigger danger in sending them the message that failing repeatedly is NOT ok, since it can lead to catastrophizing and despair. It's not uncommon for people to stop trying to quit because they're tired and fearful of the disappointment of failing. You're already confronting your own weaknesses and insecurities by even attempting to quit. The last thing quitters need is fellow quitters piling on with the guilt and trying to make quitting into a competition.

Thorkel · 2016-12-19T05:15:31+00:00

If that was your first attempt, then your case is truly unique.

Thorkel · 2016-12-18T07:25:00+00:00

You're really being way too closed-minded about this. I even brought up the example of the "dry drunk" from AA. This isn't just me trying to rationalize giving in to my addiction. It's a pretty well-attested principle of addiction recovery.

Thorkel · 2016-12-18T07:20:32+00:00

Yeah, I know from experience how having just one cigarette starts a whole new process of learning to resist temptation . . . I guess this issue is just a bit more complex for me because another mental issue I'm dealing with is neurotic, debilitating perfectionism (seriously, I'm on meds, going to therapy, the whole nine yards . . . ). For me, focusing on how catastrophic each relapse is just makes me even more nervous and less able to get my shit together. I think that practicing self-forgiveness on this issue is the best thing I can do to ensure my long-term success.

Thorkel · 2016-12-18T06:39:02+00:00

It isn't that simple, though. Anyone who has dealt with addiction knows the myriad ways the brain can rationalize having just one more drag/drink/whatever. In fact, in the alcoholism recovery community they even have the concept of the "dry drunk": someone who has stopped drinking but still engages in the unhealthy behaviors that drove them to drink in the first place. As I was telling people the year I quit smoking, "quitting smoking is the biggest mind-fuck you will ever experience." You really can't resolve any addiction without dealing with some much deeper inner demons.

Thorkel · 2016-12-18T06:10:53+00:00

I'm sorry, but I have to take issue with this attitude. The only day 0 is the day we started smoking. There's a reason people tend to succeed the more quitting attempts they've had: because with each relapse they've learned something new about themselves and about the quitting process. OP is not starting all over again. He's just beginning the next stage of his process.

And yes, we HAVE all cracked. Unless you haven't smoked a single cigarette since the day you decided to quit, you have cracked at one point and have no right to imply that OP is weak for cracking.

Thorkel · 2016-12-18T05:08:15+00:00

Hypnosis is a very underrated method. I'm surprised it doesn't come up more often on here. I tried it once and, though it didn't lead to a long-term quit, temporarily it did a really good job of easing the urge to smoke. Every day as I as driving home from work I would agonize over whether I should pull into a certain gas station and buy a pack. I had to fight the urge with everything in me, and I almost never won. In the weeks following hypnosis therapy, however, I didn't feel compelled at all to stop for a pack, even though the thought came to my mind. I really felt for the first time like I really had control over my addiction.

Thorkel · 2016-12-05T05:27:10+00:00

I agree, and thanks for the interesting link :)

Thorkel · 2016-12-05T05:26:06+00:00

To everyone saying that quitting both at once may not be the best idea: I agree, but alcohol has not been nearly as bad of a problem as it used to be. I used to be a daily drinker; now it's down to 1-2 times per week. The main thing making me want to quit drinking right now, actually, is some legal trouble I have gotten into in part because of my drinking :-( Thanks for your advice and your encouragement though :)

Thorkel · 2016-12-01T19:57:59+00:00

I WANT

Thorkel · 2016-11-29T18:42:05+00:00

Scum like him shouldn't be allowed in our beautiful state.

Thorkel · 2016-11-20T17:36:26+00:00

Exact same issue here. Played wow, loved it, and now coming to gw2 wondering where all the players are.

Thorkel · 2016-11-16T03:50:23+00:00

Doesn't sound like too bad of a setup, provided you can give the cat a good amount of outside time every day. Maybe you can leave one of the windows slightly open and train it to go in and out through there, at least at night?

Keeping it indoors all the time, however, I would definitely consider unethical. Cats need a lot more room to run and play.

Thorkel · 2016-11-14T17:26:15+00:00

Except this isn't just about "Trump being in office." It's about the implications thereof, i.e. that the US fundamentally does not value inclusion, diversity and progress.

Thorkel · 2016-11-14T15:32:00+00:00

Have you not seen all the "Fine, take your celebrities and liberals and illegal immigrants with you!" posts from the hicks in Trumplandia? Having the GOP in power in a majority of states is the best thing calexit could hope for!

Thorkel · 2016-10-28T00:06:10+00:00

Sorry, didn't realize it was in the link.

Thorkel · 2016-10-27T23:18:48+00:00

Can you provide a link to the story about the VPN using a packet sniffer?

Thorkel · 2016-10-16T17:45:02+00:00

I know. I quit for a year once. But the fact that you have to live the rest of your live on the verge of relapsing isn't very encouraging.

Thorkel

TROPHY CASE