Day 82 - Rough Start

So, as of Monday, no more patch. The only nicotine like substance I am currently have is the dopamine my body naturally creates.

It is nice to be free of that patch, one less thing I have to remember or be dependant on, especially first thing in the morning... if you don't know by now, I am not nor will I ever be a morning person.

As far as I'm concerned
- The worm should have stayed in bed
- Waking someone up unecessarily is justifiable means for homicide
- It will only be a good morning until 11:55am upon which it will be time for lunch.

Anyways, since monday, I have noticed that my right shoulder has been aching more, lower back feels tight, and I could probably break diamonds on my shoulders. All these aches and pains are telling me something... I was medicating myself with nicotine as a painkiller, not enough to totally mask the pain, but enough for me to make it go away.

And had an argument with the wife, it was a doozy. She finally got on my case about not going to the doctor. I reminded her that she forgot what she was going to promise me she would do when I would quit smoking. She still has fears that I will get cancer, as one of our friends was diagnosed with lung cancer earlier this year. He had been smoking for twice as long as I did and twice as much per day. I will wait for her to remember, but this really and absolutely confirms a few things.

I quit smoking for myself.

Some people prefer to live in fear, and nothing I do will change their minds.

(Insert segue here)

Rest of the week went smooth, I had my review at the job, they confirmed a lot for me as to where I am and how my job is going. There was nothing but praise for my efforts, and they handed me my job description for me to update. One page description got expanded to three. And if they ask me to cut any of the stuff out... I will refer to the people who I was training that were supposed to take over my responsibilities.

At this point you are probably going, huh?

Come with me and lets examine this nutshell. Doing job, got transferred over to an assembly job, train people to do former job while in assembly (which is more of a demotion, but they needed the people) ... then get a split job between doing former job part time and assembly job part time, then back totally into former job... and more responsibilities of the same nature got thrown onto my plate as other people did not have time to do them.

So what's the problem?

My contract was not updated. I was doing my former job for about 8 months, and still on my contract and paycheque the job title of 'Assembler' was still there.

So, once I get my new job description and pay rate, I'll be making some more decisions. Stay with the current company which has larger mismanagement issues, or quit the job and find something else to go with. I don't have to worry about the lack of jobs in my current environment. In fact, I could push a broom for 3 bucks more an hour.

There has been a lot of anti-propaganda that has been subtly filtered down from higher management on this as well. As in what kind of company would you prefer to work for... as far as I'm concerned if this is the way a third year employee is treated, I'm quite sure there are better employers I could be working for.

Then again, there are days where I could imagine myself working for myself. Entrepreneurialism! My biggest fear is that anything that I would do would not sell and I'd end up further behind with loans and the like. Had I an actual financial cushion, then it would be alright.

And as for the job interviews... I am reminded of the late great Mitch Hedburg.
"Where do you imagine yourself in 5 years?"
"Celebrating the five year anniversary of you asking me that question."

And finally for this blog posting, I had my first smoking dream.

It was so vividly real, I was a passenger in a vehicle, I don't even remember who was driving or where we were going, and in my head I thought 'Fuck it.' I automatically had guilt after one puff which somehow sucked back half of the cigarette.

There was that feeling of guilt throughout the rest of the dream, making deliveries for something or other.

But upon waking up, I still had some of that guilt, and then I realized.

It was just a dream.

Is this my unconcious mind trying to work out these things for me? Replacing in my head a source of painkiller to deal with all the stresses of the week? Or am I on my way to becoming a non-smoker... instead of an ex-smoker?

Frankly, in my opinion the dream is a larger milestone than any number that my meter is recording. If I can change my unconcious desires and hungers, then I will be on my way to being nothing related to smoking, as opposed to being a non-smoker/ex-smoker. Then again, I really don't like labels, and have always been considered 'slightly weird', I can live with that, as my paycheque is not even anywhere near being 'eccentric'.

I'm still here,
Pike

I have been quit for 2 Months, 3 Weeks, 4 hours, 19 minutes and 17 seconds (82 days). I have saved $433.90 by not smoking 986 cigarettes. I have saved 3 Days, 10 hours and 10 minutes of my life. My Quit Date: 8/6/2007 9:20 AM.

Tomorrow will be 1000 cigarettes not smoked.

Make with the Ha Ha already!

Allrighty folks, get your bookmark

Little Becky - Prank Phone Calls.
The sweetest girl you've heard, makes prank phone calls. My favorite is Becky calling the demolition company... to blow up her school.

http://www.johntedwards.com/2006/10/15/little-irish-girl-prank-calls/
http://www.johntedwards.com/2006/11/03/more-becky-the-prank-caller/

As for work... feeling a lot better now that I don't have to do this sort of thing... anymore. Found this off of a link from Fark.com, read for the war stories, then go rent Clerks.
http://www.customerssuck.com/
http://www.customerssuck.com/strip/index.php?date=2006-04-16

And geek reading to keep me distracted from the cravings... in no particular order.
http://www.leasticoulddo.com/
NSFW? They recently had an open casting call for the voice of the main character, I recorded off a quick demo and sent it off. No word as of yet, who they cast... Not keeping my fingers crossed, but how cool would that be?

http://www.sluggy.com
Sluggy freelance has been around quite a while now, huge readership, take a week off and start from the first strip.

http://www.pvponline.com
This strip keeps improving, wish my writing style would have such an acceleration curve.

http://xkcd.com/
is sometimes obscure, other times it really is laugh out loud... then get ready to explain it to people who just don't get it.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/
For all your video gaming comic needs, definitely NSFW

http://nodwick.humor.gamespy.com/index.htm
For all your D20 gaming comic needs

I'm still here,
Pike

P.S. I know it's a bunch of links for the post, but I look at it this way... If I can help someone distract themselves from their cravings by getting them to read humor, the world will be a little better place, one chuckle at a time.

Meter Flash!
I have not smoked for two months, one week, four days, 13 hours, 27 minutes and 48 seconds. That's 870 cigarettes not smoked, saving $383.12, which will be spent on my geek stuff. As well, 3 days, 30 minutes of my Life saved so I can catch up on movie watching.

Short and to the point

"We're saving it for posterity."
"Someone get on the phone and call Posterity. Tell him to bring a truck so he can pick his crap up."

-Myself, on news that we were holding onto old electronics for future reference that no one will look at ever again and not disposing of them.

How to Survive a Horror Movie and How to be an effective Evil Overlord

The following is not my list at all, just culled up from the internet. I do think that one day I can do up a british style comedy/farce using the information from these lists. If I ever get the time to do one up.

The following links are for entertainment, (aka they should make you laugh, grin or smile) and if you are like me, would probably like to get some of these put onto a t-shirt.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil_Overlord_List
http://www.globalguardians.com/eviloverlordwiki.html
http://www.eviloverlord.com/
http://www.sff.net/paradise/overlord.html

Just to give you a taste of what's in store... here's how to survive a horror movie.
http://forums.timesdaily.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7341022675/m/2551074877/r/4801005877

17. When it appears that you have killed the monster, *never* check to see if it's really dead.

16. If your companions suddenly begin to exhibit uncharacteristic behavior such as hissing, fascination for blood, glowing eyes, increasing hairiness, and so on, get away from them as fast as possible.

15. Do not search the basement, especially if the power has just gone out.

14. Beware of strangers bearing tools such as chainsaws, staple guns, hedge trimmers, electric carving knives, combines, lawnmowers, butane torches, soldering irons, band saws, or any device made from deceased companions.

13. If appliances start operating by themselves, move out.

12. Stay away from certain geographical locations, some of which are listed here: Amityville, Elm Street, Transylvania, Nilbog (you're in trouble if you recognize this one), the Bermuda Triangle, or any small town in Maine.

11. If your children speak to you in Latin or any other language which they should not know or if they speak to you using a voice which is other than their own, shoot them immediately. It will save you a lot of grief in the long run. NOTE: It will probably take several hundred rounds to kill them, so be prepared!

10. If you're running from the monster, expect to trip or fall down at least twice, more if you are of the female persuasion. Also note that, despite the fact that you are running and the monster is merely shambling along, it's still moving fast enough to catch up with you.

9. When you have the benefit of numbers, *never* pair off and go it alone.

8. Do not take *anything* from the dead.

7. As a general rule, don't solve puzzles that open portals to Hell.

6. Don't fool with recombinant DNA technology unless you're sure you know what you are doing.
5. Never stand in, on, above, below, beside, or anywhere near a grave, tomb, crypt, mausoleum, or other house of the dead.

4. Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even as a joke.

3. If your car runs out of gas at night, do not go to the nearby deserted-looking house to phone for help.

2. If you're searching for something which caused a noise and find out that it's just the cat, *leave the room immediately if you value your life.*

and last but not least...

1. If you find a town which looks deserted, it's probably for a reason. Take the hint and stay away!