The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[Agent H]

Let me tell you about how a smoker thinks. I'm at the age where within a few years from when I started smoking, nothing much was said about the dangers of it. However, when it finally came out it was so mixed with other thoughts on the matter that it managed to not only fog up the message, but even when understood the habit was so ingrained that those of us that did smoke became rebellious to the claims.

From one side we heard about the harmful results of smoking and because of the habit, could not image life without smoking and decided to take the chance. Not everyone dies of lung cancer that were heavy smokers, just a lot of them and we felt is was worth the risk. Then all the crap started up about second hand smoke and how if they caught a whiff of cigarette smoke they would surely die from it and that kicked in the rebellious part of our brains. On a very basic level we felt that was a crock of crap. I, personally, spent my childhood surrounded by smokers. With the exception of my Mother every relative I had, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins were smokers. I spent hours confined to cars with all the windows shut tight and it was like living in a cloud of smoke. No one I knew had respiratory problems like exist today when smoking is almost gone from society. So we rebelled and in many cases decided that death would be preferable to not being able to smoke. I know that for some unexplainable reason younger people now had allergy problems related to smoke, but believe me when I tell you that this is a very recent problem and if it did exist back then we never heard about it along with peanut butter allergies. If it were as prevalent back then as it is now, I'd probably be using a ghost writer to say all this.

What is always the catalyst to quitting is to have something personal happen that directly affects yourself. A couple warning shots were fired over my bow. The first one was when my children told me that they could always find me in a big store by following my cough. That one stuck in my mind because frankly I wasn't aware that I was coughing all the time. The second happened many year later when I was having major coughing spells and many problems with Bronchitis. It was then that those two thoughts merged and for the first time my stupidity was superseded by common sense and I decided to quit. After many failures I finally found the way to be able to do it. It started with an RX for Wellbutrin for about a month before the nicotine patch allowed me to stop for a few years, then stupidity kicked in again and I started the process all over. Even patches contained some degree of nicotine so to taper down to zero I resorted to vaping were I started where the patches left off and then just easily reduced the nicotine to zero and that was 10 years ago and I have not had a craving since then. It was my Doctors recipe and my added flair at the end of that my addition of the Vape. I never got addicted to anything in the Vape process. I just used flavoring and the declining nicotine for a smooth transition.

Although, fortunately, I have not had any indication of smoke related cancers, that is no guarantee that it won't become a problem in future years. I have mild COPD and minor Emphysema from it though. Either one could become a big problem at some point. My advice to anyone that is a smoker and has been for a long time, do yourself a favor and, at least, get lung cancer screening yearly. Something caught early has the chance of being cured. If you wait to long it might be to late and I think you will find out at that point that you will not prefer death to not smoking. The real way to help yourself is to quit before that happens. You will be amazed at how good life is without that monkey on your back. Much to your amazement, you will find that you don't miss it at all.

first off amazingly well written post. Second I cannot stand second hand smoke. Like I will start coughing uncontrollably for a full minute. So of course almost everyone at my job does it. And they do it all the time. We have a covered entrance on one side and some of them the minute there’s no orders will go out by this entrance and smoke and talk to each other for like 20 minutes straight! And this makes it an annoyance for anyone who uses that entrance and I will get an headache from it every once in awhile and sometimes when they’re not allowed to smoke they will go out by the dumpster and do it.

 

[Figgy1]

 

[Goofyernmost]

View attachment 854431

The problem with that for me is that I don't like Milk Chocolate and I didn't see any for dark chocolate, so I'm not interested even at half price. Tomorrow what is left will be even cheaper. Milk Chocolate is way to sweet for my palate. That's one of the problems with living down south, I always order unsweet tea and the idea that someone wouldn't like Sweet Tea down here will make you have to repeat... yes, I said unsweet. If I just say I don't like sweet tea the look of disbelief is something to behold. They will accept, to some degree if you tell them you are diabetic and that is the only reason why you can't have it. Even then! They're skeptical.

 

[Lilofan]

Let me tell you about how a smoker thinks. I'm at the age where within a few years from when I started smoking, nothing much was said about the dangers of it. However, when it finally came out it was so mixed with other thoughts on the matter that it managed to not only fog up the message, but even when understood the habit was so ingrained that those of us that did smoke became rebellious to the claims.

From one side we heard about the harmful results of smoking and because of the habit, could not image life without smoking and decided to take the chance. Not everyone dies of lung cancer that were heavy smokers, just a lot of them and we felt is was worth the risk. Then all the crap started up about second hand smoke and how if they caught a whiff of cigarette smoke they would surely die from it and that kicked in the rebellious part of our brains. On a very basic level we felt that was a crock of crap. I, personally, spent my childhood surrounded by smokers. With the exception of my Mother every relative I had, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins were smokers. I spent hours confined to cars with all the windows shut tight and it was like living in a cloud of smoke. No one I knew had respiratory problems like exist today when smoking is almost gone from society. So we rebelled and in many cases decided that death would be preferable to not being able to smoke. I know that for some unexplainable reason younger people now had allergy problems related to smoke, but believe me when I tell you that this is a very recent problem and if it did exist back then we never heard about it along with peanut butter allergies. If it were as prevalent back then as it is now, I'd probably be using a ghost writer to say all this.

What is always the catalyst to quitting is to have something personal happen that directly affects yourself. A couple warning shots were fired over my bow. The first one was when my children told me that they could always find me in a big store by following my cough. That one stuck in my mind because frankly I wasn't aware that I was coughing all the time. The second happened many years later when I was having major coughing spells and many problems with Bronchitis. It was then that those two thoughts merged and for the first time my stupidity was superseded by common sense and I decided to quit. After many failures I finally found the way to be able to do it. It started with an RX for Wellbutrin for about a month before the nicotine patch allowed me to stop for a few years, then stupidity kicked in again and I started the process all over. Even patches contained some degree of nicotine so to taper down to zero I resorted to vaping were I started where the patches left off and then just easily reduced the nicotine to zero and that was 10 years ago and I have not had a craving since then. It was my Doctors recipe and my added flair at the end of that my addition of the Vape. I never got addicted to anything in the Vape process. I just used flavoring and the declining nicotine for a smooth transition.

Although, fortunately, I have not had any indication of smoke related cancers, that is no guarantee that it won't become a problem in future years. I have mild COPD and minor Emphysema from it though. Either one could become a big problem at some point. My advice to anyone that is a smoker and has been for a long time, do yourself a favor and, at least, get lung cancer screening yearly. Something caught early has the chance of being cured. If you wait to long it might be to late and I think you will find out at that point that you will not prefer death to not smoking. The real way to help yourself is to quit before that happens. You will be amazed at how good life is without that monkey on your back. Much to your amazement, you will find that you don't miss it at all.

Prayers to you battling COPD. I’ve lost family members to that which became more progressive but at least they were on the oxygen 24/7 in the last few years to assist them . Good thing they had a Generac whole house generator to keep all the power on including the oxygen machines during power outages.

 

[donaldtoo]

first off amazingly well written post. Second I cannot stand second hand smoke. Like I will start coughing uncontrollably for a full minute. So of course almost everyone at my job does it. And they do it all the time. We have a covered entrance on one side and some of them the minute there’s no orders will go out by this entrance and smoke and talk to each other for like 20 minutes straight! And this makes it an annoyance for anyone who uses that entrance and I will get an headache from it every once in awhile and sometimes when they’re not allowed to smoke they will go out by the dumpster and do it.

My 92-year-old Pop smoked for 12 years, then quit 3 months before I was born. He quit cold turkey. My 86-year-old mother never smoked.
But, of all the friends we had back in the day, virtually ALL of their parents smoked.
Mrs. Fiorentino, a neighbor, even smoked a pipe. My last 2 Little League baseball coaches both smoked. The head coach smoked cigarettes, and the assistant coach smoked cigars.
The dugout floor after every game had butts from both, plus sunflower seed shells that we munched on during the games…!!!!!

The first job I had in high school was at a local go-kart track. The married couple that owned it both smoked. Her cigarettes, him cigars. He was a portly, gruff but a good man, WWII vet, and she was 18 years his junior. She passed from lung cancer at age 56. He lived quite a while longer, but eventually passed from complications of diabetes.

The second job I had, 3 months before I graduated from high school, was at a local architectural firm. All 8 people there, except myself, smoked a lot.
I smoked on occasion, when we’d go to happy hour, by “bumming” a cigarette or two, but that was it. BTW, the drinking age here was 18 back then.

My wife has never smoked, but her military father smoked like a fiend. Her Mom was a bit of a closet smoker. Her father died of a heart attack back in ‘97, and her mother died of lung cancer in her room in our home on August 2nd of ‘24.

My Aunt, and Godmother, died from lung cancer several years ago, after a decade-long battle with it…never used any tobacco in her life.

My next youngest bro was recently diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He smoked a few joints and took some bong hits back in the day, but was not a smoker beyond that.
My youngest bro smoked for several years, quit a while back, and has had no issues, so far.
It all just seems like a crap shoot, anymore.

Funny thing is, I was so used to smelling cigarette smoke, etc., back in the day, but if I even catch a whiff these days, I’m like…

 

[FutureCEO]

Maybe, wonder if it's a top loader or front loader. That could make a difference. If it's a belt in a top loader he should walk the belt into an auto parts store to get a replacement. Cheaper and lasts longer if they have one that fits. Should probably replace the hoses if there's mold. If it's a front loader and the support spring went he should check for barrel damage before going further.

The mold came off. I brought laundry to my parents on Easter. The apartment place is giving me a new machine

 

[Agent H]

Well the dishwasher is broken again. Now it’s pitching forewords. I don’t even know why it’s happening. I was loading the dishwasher this morning and it fell forward out of nowhere.

 

[Lilofan]

My 92-year-old Pop smoked for 12 years, then quit 3 months before I was born. He quit cold turkey. My 86-year-old mother never smoked.
But, of all the friends we had back in the day, virtually ALL of their parents smoked.
Mrs. Fiorentino, a neighbor, even smoked a pipe. My last 2 Little League baseball coaches both smoked. The head coach smoked cigarettes, and the assistant coach smoked cigars.
The dugout floor after every game had butts from both, plus sunflower seed shells that we munched on during the games…!!!!!

The first job I had in high school was at a local go-kart track. The married couple that owned it both smoked. Her cigarettes, him cigars. He was a portly, gruff but a good man, WWII vet, and she was 18 years his junior. She passed from lung cancer at age 56. He lived quite a while longer, but eventually passed from complications of diabetes.

The second job I had, 3 months before I graduated from high school, was at a local architectural firm. All 8 people there, except myself, smoked a lot.
I smoked on occasion, when we’d go to happy hour, by “bumming” a cigarette or two, but that was it. BTW, the drinking age here was 18 back then.

My wife has never smoked, but her military father smoked like a fiend. Her Mom was a bit of a closet smoker. Her father died of a heart attack back in ‘97, and her mother died of lung cancer in her room in our home on August 2nd of ‘24.

My Aunt, and Godmother, died from lung cancer several years ago, after a decade-long battle with it…never used any tobacco in her life.

My next youngest bro was recently diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. He smoked a few joints and took some bong hits back in the day, but was not a smoker beyond that.
My youngest bro smoked for several years, quit a while back, and has had no issues, so far.
It all just seems like a crap shoot, anymore.

Funny thing is, I was so used to smelling cigarette smoke, etc., back in the day, but if I even catch a whiff these days, I’m like…

View attachment 854458

Remembered when I was a kid smelling all that cigarette smoke in the smoke filled cabin when many just lit up when flying. Back in the day some airline staff I heard even gave out complimentary cigarettes for guests to light up in the cabin. How Willie Nelson is alive to this day and actually still performing is a miracle.

 

[Figgy1]

The mold came off. I brought laundry to my parents on Easter. The apartment place is giving me a new machine

Before the new one comes bleach the walls in the dryer area just to be safe

 

[Figgy1]

Well the dishwasher is broken again. Now it’s pitching forewords. I don’t even know why it’s happening. I was loading the dishwasher this morning and it fell forward out of nowhere.

That sounds like it wasn't anchored properly. Now handwash all the dishes, it's the very least you can do, considering you eat like my boys

 

[Agent H]

That sounds like it wasn't anchored properly. Now handwash all the dishes, it's the very least you can do, considering you eat like my boys

So I need a big anchor?

 

[donaldtoo]

Remembered when I was a kid smelling all that cigarette smoke in the smoke filled cabin when many just lit up when flying. Back in the day some airline staff I heard even gave out complimentary cigarettes for guests to light up in the cabin. How Willie Nelson is alive to this day and actually still performing is a miracle.

Yea, I remember the smoking on planes from back in the day. I flew on DC-3’s, DC-6’s, Constellations and 707’s.
I don’t remember complimentary cigarettes being given out, but I always made sure to get my complimentary pilot wings to pin on my Navy blue blazer…!!!!!
And yes, Willie is somethin’ else. He was born the same year as my 92-year-old Pop, but won’t turn 92 until April 29th…!!!

 

[wdwfan4ver]

I know that for some unexplainable reason younger people now had allergy problems related to smoke, but believe me when I tell you that this is a very recent problem and if it did exist back then we never heard about it along with peanut butter allergies. If it were as prevalent back then as it is now, I'd probably be using a ghost writer to say all this.

Allergy problems connected to smoking is not new, but a lot of people were unaware of it because I believe you had to have to be an allergist or have allergies.

My first allergist mentioned smoking connected to asthma and allergies. This was was back in the 1980s. This was not common knowledge at the time and most people had no idea including my dad.

My parents found that information out from that allergist at the time due to meeting with the allergist after my younger brother and I were first tested for allergies.

As far as myself, I still recalled my eyes gave my problems at a Green Bay Packer preseason game in 1997 due to someone smoking in a non smoking section of Lambeau Field.

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

@StarWarsGirl

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

@StarWarsGirl

 

[Mr Ferret 75]

@StarWarsGirl

 

[StarWarsGirl]

 

[Figgy1]

@StarWarsGirl

 

[Figgy1]

@StarWarsGirl

 

[Figgy1]

@StarWarsGirl