The Quit Smoking Report Ezine

The Quit Smoking Report 10/06/99
Published on the first and third Tuesday of each month

Brought to you by The Quit Smoking Company
http://www.quitsmoking.com

In this issue:

<> Letter from the Editor
<> Article: The Desire
<> A Word From Our Sponsor
<> Smokers' Stories

You can read previous issues of The Quit Smoking Report on our
web site. Just visit: http://www.quitsmoking.com/ezine/

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Hello again everyone!

This issue is a day late due to scheduling conflicts, and mostly
due to a run-in I had with a big bag of cotton candy! Sorry for
the delay.

I'm very excited about all the great things going on at The Quit
Smoking Company. The Top 5 contest was lots of fun and the
results are in (see below). I'm working on a future article on
weight loss that you won't want to miss. Plus a whole lot more
that I'll be telling you about soon.

+++

The article in this issue is a chapter taken from the book
"Inhale/Exhale". I think you'll really find some great comfort
in the words from author and ex-smoker Pat A. Wills. This is a
great book by someone who quit, then wrote about it to help
others. Enjoy!

+++

Here's one very nifty program that I found, and I want to share
it with you, my subscribers. It's not quit smoking related, but
it applies to anyone who is surfing the web (that's just about
everyone reading this). This program actually pays you to surf
the web and can easily cover your monthly Internet access fee.
It's free to join. The average user received a check for $47.77
in August. Over 2,000,000 have joined and it's spreading like
crazy. As long as you're surfing, you might as well be earning!
Just don't spend the money on cigarettes! Promise?

Folks, this one really does work. I personally recommend it.
Check it out here:
http://www.quitsmoking.com/surf/

+++

Now, on with the quit smoking stuff!

The Top 5 List contest was a success. About 55 people sent in
their top 5 list. For those of you who missed it, the idea was
for people to send in their "Top 5 excuses for not quitting
smoking". This was all fun and games, and the entries were
judged based on humorous content.

I'm going to continue "The List", but in a slightly different
fashion. The list will be a "Top 10 List". Each person will only
have to send in one "point" for the list, rather than an entire
list, like in the top 5 list contest. Many people sent in
entries with one or two of the five "points" in their list being
very humorous, but the others didn't quite make the "funny
grade." This made picking a thoroughly funny entry difficult.
Thanks go to my wife and neighbors Ken and Sherri for helping me
judge the contest.

I've picked out some of my favorite individual excuses for not
quitting and put them on an "honorable mentions" page on the web
site. You can visit that here:
http://www.quitsmoking.com/top10/archive/990921/honor.htm

So without further ado, here are the top 3 entries for the Top 5
List:

The third place winner gets a free Quittin' Time Quit Smoking
Clock (TM) -- http://www.quitsmoking.com/clock/index.htm

The winner of the third best entry is Cynthia Jenkins. Here's
her list:

"Top 5 excuses for not quitting smoking"

5. What else am I supposed to do after making love, talk?
4. Food just doesn't taste right without nicotine.
3. I'm waiting till my teeth are so yellow they look like gold.
2. What, quit and what then would I do with all that money?
1. It annoys my friends and parents.

The second place winner receives a free clock PLUS Nicolite --
http://www.quitsmoking.com/nicolite/index.htm

I don't yet have the name of the winner of the second best
entry. But here's the list:

"Top 5 excuses for not quitting smoking"

5. because what would all those medical insurance companies do
without me.
4.because polluting my lungs is one of the things I do so well.
3.because I'm trying to help clog all those ozone holes in the
atmosphere.
2.because if I had all that extra money I'd have to take my
family to Disney World
1. I haven't quit smoking cause I'm saving the coupons for a Joe
Camel Casket

And the first place winner receives a free clock, Nicolite and
an E-Z Quit Artificial Cigarette --
http://www.quitsmoking.com/ezquit/index.htm

The winner of the first place entry is Victoria I. Bracknell.
Here's her winning list:

"Top 5 excuses for not quitting smoking"

5. I have to help support my brother-in-law's nephew's friend,
who works in the tobacco industry.
4. I can't quit until my all my lighters run out of fluid.
3. Last time I quit, I was fiddling with my hands in public and
got arrested.
4. I'll put someone's eye out.
Top reason for not quitting:
1. Right now, coughing is the only exercise I get!

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks to everyone who
participated! I really enjoyed reading all the entries. Again,
be sure to check out the honorable mentions for some more
funny stuff:
http://www.quitsmoking.com/top10/archive/990921/honor.htm

Now, here's the next list topic:
"Top 10 uses for my ashtrays, now that I've quit smoking"

The rules are different this time. You DO NOT have to create an
entire list of 10. In fact, you may send NO MORE THAN TWO (2)
"points" for this topic. In other words, you may send two uses
for your ashtrays. You don't actually have to have quit smoking
yet; in fact, you don't even have to be a smoker. The judges
will choose the 10 best "uses" from all the entries. No prizes
will be rewarded for this contest, but all winners will be
recognized by name, so be sure to send your first and last name.
Let's see who can rack up the most winning entries. And finally,
this should go without saying, MAKE YOUR ENTRIES FUNNY! This is
a HUMOROUS top 10 list, and all entries must be funny, or your
keyboard will shock you the next time you receive The Quit
Smoking Report. Only kidding, but please make your entries
funny, and do keep it clean, please.

To enter, just email your entry to [address removed - contest over]
Include your full name so we can give you credit. All entries
become the property of The Quit Smoking Company.

For complete details and rules, check out the web site at:
http://www.quitsmoking.com/top10/

+++

Remember, you can read previous issues of The Quit Smoking
Report on our web site. Just visit:
http://www.quitsmoking.com/ezine/

Fred Kelley
fredk@quitsmoking.com
The Quit Smoking Company

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GUEST ARTICLE: Chapter 1: The Desire
(From the Book "Inhale/Exhale" by Pat A. Wills
http://www.quitsmoking.com/books/inhale/index.htm)

Find yourself a soft chair under a good light. Relax with a cup
of coffee, tea, or a beverage of your choice.

Now, and this is very important, do not think about not smoking.
Be sure you have enough cigarettes close at hand. Sit back,
relax, INHALE-EXHALE, enjoy it, smoke all you want. Don't worry
about it. You will not start the program until tomorrow, or the
day after tomorrow, or the next day. It is strictly up to you.
No other human being will do it for you, and that is a cold hard
fact. Light up, let's talk about it.

I honestly do not care why you wish to stop smoking. The reasons
are yours and none of my business, or anybody else's, for that
matter. To me they are irrelevant and unimportant. I can only
speak for myself. I am neither a saint nor a preacher, not do I
wish to play God. I offer you no magic pill, clinic, or diet.

I offer you yourself, the only person who can truly make this
decision. No set of rules apply to all smokers. What applies to
one, has no value to another. To lump all smokers into one
category can be of no help to you.

It is not my intention, and I will not attempt to delve into the
medical, physical, and mental aspects of prolonged use of
tobacco. There appears no need to ramble on about the dangers of
smoking. I would only be insulting your intelligence.

Any of us who can read, see, or hear, are aware of its dangers.
You are as cognizant of the facts and fictions, the medical
opinions, the warnings, and the arguments against smoking as I
am.

It would serve no purpose for me to try to scare you into
stopping, would it? If scare tactics worked, they would only be
successful for a short period of time. The seldom read warning
on each package of cigarettes has not caused you to quit. The
restrictions on television advertising has had little effect on
your habit. The prohibitive notices in stores and restaurants
probably have not cut your daily consumption.

We smokers are a determined bunch. We find ways to have our
smokes. There are always excuses that work if we are not ready
to quit. Who hasn't told himself when he is trying to stop,
"After the day I've had, I deserve a cigarette." "I've been
under tension, I needed a smoke." "When I'm relaxing and having
a good time, a couple of cigarettes won't hurt." The truth is
you probably deserved something better than the resumption of
your addiction. A kick in the head is not much of a reward.

My only concern is that you have a sincere desire to reduce your
smoking...or to quit. This is in essence the first step. If you
have come to this decision, and the fact that you are reading
these pages now should tell you something, you are honestly and
wholeheartedly well on your way to giving up some or all of
those cigarettes forever

To generalize the habit and the cure is self defeating. Your
reasons for smoking are not the same as mine, or anyone else's.
One smoker may be loyally attached to a certain brand, while
another may vary his cigarette selection from time to time. When
you smoke, how you smoke, where you smoke, how much you smoke,
are very individual decisions.

When confronted with a "No Smoking" situation, some can quietly
endure a period of hours without too much discomfort. Others can
tolerate the restriction just so long before excusing themselves
to a smoking area

We are, after all, individuals, with our own backgrounds and
personalities. From our unique individual selves we must
therefore draw whatever help we can expect. We alone know what
our weaknesses and our strengths ace. We alone must decide how
they can best be utilized in our desire to quit smoking.

I think that you will be pleasantly surprised to find that what
you now consider an almost hopeless task will become a chance to
prove your own strength.

The real reward will be the control over your own life and
habits. With the abilities you now possess, you can break the
smoking habit. All other considerations aside, you will
demonstrate to yourself a power over your own life that can be
used in many areas of your day to day living.

But for now, one thing at a time.

We tend to feel guilty, at times, when in truth there is no
guilt attached. Because someone makes a statement about our
smoking certainly does not make it a fact. We owe no apology to
anyone because we smoke. This is our decision, and is not based
upon other's opinions. Quite frankly, it's none of their
business.

Who hasn't heard these questions or statements?

"FOOD TASTES BETTER WHEN YOU QUIT SMOKING."

Says who? For some maybe, for others food tastes pretty good
when they smoke. Witness the person who smokes between each
course of a meal at a restaurant. Lots of smokers seem to be
enjoying their food.

"NEVER SMOKE WHEN YOU FIRST GET UP IN THE MORNING."

Why not? Maybe they taste just great that time of day. Some
smoke their first cigarette of the day before they are hardly
awake, while others wait until their first cup of coffee, or a
certain hour of the day.

"CIGARETTE COSTS TOO MUCH, THEY ARE A WASTE OF MONEY."

What price pleasure? Who should be the judge? We spend our money
on things that we want, and that brings us pleasure. Food,
clothes, boats, hobbies, the list is endless.

"CIGARETTES ARE DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH."

A risk we have obviously been willing to take for quite some
time. Many things are dangerous to our health. Life, after all,
is terminal.

"IT'S A NASTY HABIT."

To a non-smoker perhaps. To a smoker, and there are many, it is
a pleasant habit for the most part. While we smoke we observe
many unpleasant habits exhibited by non-smokers.

"YOU SMOKE TOO MUCH."

So what? Many people eat too much, drink too much, talk too
much. Persons who are excessive in other areas are just as
unpleasant as they think smokers are.

Resolve NOW to forget what others think or say. Their opinions
are no better than your own. Start to think about what YOU want.

It's time to be honest with yourself. You want to quit or slow
down. That is all that is important. Each of us has his or her
own reasons, opinions, likes and dislikes. The important thing
at this point is that you want to put an end to your smoking.
Notice that I emphasize you, for you will be in control. Your
reasons are your own and they have little bearing on anyone
else's.

If this sounds a little selfish, why not? You're not hurting
anyone. You're not asking anyone to take on your
responsibilities. You haven't burdened them with your problems.

The effects and rewards of your efforts on others is, and must
be, secondary.

You are going into this alone. There is no companion on this
earth, no matter how willing, who will be able to share the
journey. Go ahead, be a little selfish.

As you think of saying farewell to the old "gasper," the white
tube full of manicured tobacco leaves, make a mental note, or a
list, of some of the pleasures and pains you will be leaving
behind. Will the parting be so unhappy?

How badly will you miss the futile search for a smoke when the
stores are dosed and the house empty of cigarettes?

Don't forget the great taste of a day old butt pulled from an
ashtray in an emergency.

Remember fondly the desire for a smoke when you just put a
cigarette out.

Recall the times when you realized that the day wasn't half over
and you were on your second pack.

Will you look back longingly at the hot, fast, tortured drags
that tided you over during a non-smoking period?

Recall the price, that always irritated you, and the knowledge
that you would meekly pay double if necessary.

[There's more of this article but not enough room in this email
to send the entire thing. To read the remainder of the article,
go to this web page:
http://www.quitsmoking.com/books/inhale/chapterone.htm#end

This article is the first chapter in the book "Inhale/Exhale".
For more information and to order the book, visit this page:
http://www.quitsmoking.com/books/inhale/index.htm

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A Word From Our Sponsor:

IT'S TRUE! If you start the all natural, 4-formula Smoke-Away
smoker's support program today, by this time next week, you
could be a non-smoker for good! Quit without the cravings.

Read this satisfied user's letter: "Thank you Smoke-Away! It is
amazing, after 20 years of smoking, I am an ex-smoker! After the
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never light up again. Not just for my own health, but for my
daughter, Marisa, as well. Thanks again." -Ms. Mona Gammill

Get full details at our web site.
http://www.QuitSmokingIn7Days.com

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SMOKERS' STORIES

If you can help these folks with your suggestions please send
them email.

Rick Cross
<RLC.COH5_5PO.HENMAIL2@gty.ci.henderson.nv.us> writes:
Subject: You can do it! - Smoke free for nearly 9 months!

I have been receiving Fred's e-mails every month since February
'99, and have thoroughly enjoyed them. The stories, happy and
sad, can help you stay off the cigarettes.

I quit on January 1st, 1999. I smoked for about 10 years and
chewed tobacco before that for 5 years. I always said I did not
need a day or reason to stop, I would just stop. Well I didn't
and I thought with it being a 'New Years Resolution', what the
heck!

I bought a 2 week supply of a brand name patch, used a patch for
the first seven days, then used the next seven over the next two
weeks.

By the time I was out of patches, I was free of my addiction. I
will say one thing and I'm sure that everyone will agree, mind
over matter. I had made up my mind that I would stop, and that
was all there was to it!!!

The patches really helped. I encourage those of you who've just
stopped cold turkey to seek a stop smoking aid!

And to top everything off, this year has been extremely
stressful but I haven't started back up and I WILL NOT!

Let's see, in March, I was in my first traffic accident in 15
years, and my 17 year old daughter became pregnant and
subsequently got married and moved out.

In April, a small leak developed behind our clothes washer and
by the time the plumber was called, it did $2000 damage to the
surrounding area. Two weeks later, the hot water heater went out
and also caused a minor flood. Our plumber came out and
installed a new hot water heater, put the old one on the curb to
be picked up and the wind knocked it over on our brand new car
and caused $1800 in damage.

In June, my sister (5 years older than myself) discovered she
had three block arteries and had a triple bypass, when she was
getting out of the hospital, my wife went in for routine surgery
and had complications and was in a lot of pain.

Our dishwasher went out and it took several weeks and
threatening legal action against our home warranty company
before they replaced it. After it was installed and working, it
leaked and cause $1400 damage to the wood parkay flooring in the
dining room.

My daughter's new husband got laid off from work and they moved
in with us, I got into another traffic accident (not my fault
this time), I can go on.

And through all this, I REFUSE TO GIVE IN!

You can do it! Don't stop trying! You WILL feel better in the
long run! You are stronger than cigarettes!

Remember, it's a mind game. Make up your mind to be free of
cigarettes for the rest of your life!

Rick

[Editors note: You can now purchase nicotine patches
and gum through our affiliation with PlanetRX.
Visit http://www.quitsmoking.com/patches.htm ]

+++

Due to the length of the other information in this issue, I
wasn't able to include more than one smokers story. Watch for a
special issue devoted to stories, next week.

Want to read more stories from successful quitters? Order a copy
of "The Last Puff - Ex-Smokers Share the Secrets of Their
Success". Read the fascinating success stories and interviews of
30 ex-smokers. For more information and to order visit:
http://www.quitsmoking.com/books/lastpuff/index.htm

====================

Where's your story? I'd sure like to share it with the other
subscribers to this email list. Submit Your Smoker's Story

I hope to hear from you!

Next Issue (special stories-only issue): 10/12/99

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You can find additional helpful quit smoking tips and
information at http://www.quitsmoking.com/quitinfo.htm

While you're there, take a look at our products page at
http://www.quitsmoking.com/products.htm for some helpful
quit smoking tools.

Read and post messages: http://www.quitsmoking.com/bbs.htm
Quit Smoking Cartoons: http://www.quitsmoking.com/cartoons/
Quit Smoking Chat: http://www.QuitSmokingChat.com
i-quit-smoking.com email: http://www.i-quit-smoking.com

The Quit Smoking Company web site is a part of the growing
Prosperous Internet family of web sites. Visit
http://www.ProsperousInternet.com for information on starting
your own Internet business.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Until next time, EAT COTTON CANDY AND DON'T SMOKE ;-),

Fred Kelley

The Quit Smoking Company
Phone: 770-346-9222
Fax: 770-475-5007
Web: http://www.quitsmoking.com
Email: mailto:fredk@quitsmoking.com

To have your email address REMOVED from our list
CLICK HERE TO REMOVE

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CLICK HERE TO ADD

© Copyright 1999 Fred H. Kelley
This email may be freely distributed and forwarded
as long as the entire email remains intact.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor or professional therapist.
The information included in this email is my opinion and the
opinions of the people sending in their comments.
Fred Kelley and The Quit Smoking Company make no warranties,
either expressed or implied, about the truth or accuracy of the
contents of The Quit Smoking Report.

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