Nosmo King

I smoke cigarettes.  Only a few packs a week but I do smoke.  It's time to quit.  I'm feeling it after I work out, and in the morning and right now actually as I just put one out.  It sucks being a smoker.  I hate it really.  But it's got me and it's not letting go.


I used to smoke a lot.  Really started in the Army.  A pack a day and that continued about the same for 15 years. 

In 2000 I quit and stayed off for 8 years.  It's an interesting story.

My brother in law, my nephews father, committed suicide in July of 2000.  He was a smoker and an unrepentant alcoholic. He left my sister widowed and two boys fatherless.  The boys were 5 and 2 years old. 

A few weeks after his death, I was at the convenience store with my nephew, his orphaned 5 year old, Richard.  Richard was interested why I wasn't buying beer.  His father always bought beer at the c-store.  I told him I didn't drink beer.  He said " Uncle, I'm glad you don't drink beer, but will you quit smoking so you wont die like my daddy? Cause you know beer and cigarettes killed my dad."

WOW. Cheese and Rice, kid.....He had put it together that Beer and smokes killed his father.  Not far from the truth.  What do you say to that?  Well I said, choking back tears, "Sure buddy, I'll quit right now."  And I did.

It was 8 years later when I was starting stand up comedy that I picked it up again.  And it's got me but good.

I'm going to quit.  I have to quit. OK ......  I quit.  Right now as I type this I am done.  If I can give up all these other things that are killing me I can surely put down the smokes.

It's not a question of how or getting a prescription for Chantix (side effects are worse than smoking BTW); it's just about not smoking, today.

So I've smoked my last cigarette.   I've got to live another 40 years and smoking wont help.   I don't want my boy helping someone else quit by telling the story about how his dad died of a heart attack at 50.  "You know cheese burgers and cigarettes killed my dad."

So, I'm a non smoker, again, and I'm a vegan, and I work out 3 times a week.  If I die, tell the detectives to look hard at my ex-wife.

Thanks again Richard, your uncle loves you buddy. 

Confession:  I wrote this yesterday and debated whether or not to post it.  Having slept on it I'm sure.  It's not that lots of people will read it, it's more that once I declare something on this silly blog it becomes a promise to myself.   So its out there. I'm done with smoking.