How I Did It!

I recently quit smoking after 15 years (+ or -) and a few people, mostly friends, have been asking me how I did it. Well since you asked, ...kinda, allow me to explain my never fails, foolproof, quit smoking program and hopefully it'll help you to over come you're habit as well. (note: I know it will work as long as you do it.)

I use to HATE seeing this!

My steps to success:

• Want to quit.

Ok. That's it. Now go forth and do great things.

Just like this guy...

Just kidding. That is the backbone though. The want to quit is what gives one the ability and resolve to actually quit. And I mean quit for good. I use to say, "Quitting is easy. Any smoker can quit. It's that whole no smoking thing that gets you." Seriously, I know that sounds ridiculous but I use to quit like 10 times a day but at the end of the day I'd still be looking for a lighter.

Like freaking Sherlock Holmes and what not.

For me the first thing that really hit me that I NEED to quit was the birth of my fourth child. I remember thinking, "WOW, number four! I should really quit smoking." aaaand with that revelation I felt horrible for not having this much of a WANT to quit with the first three. (I'm a terrible father.) Whatever it is that you hold to the highest level of importance in your life I guarantee smoking makes it harder in one way or another. 

The second thing was my health. Ah yes. The very popular "I want to quit for my health" reason... that never works on it's own. If it did then those Truth campaigns would have actually made a difference. I'm sure "Big Tobacco" saw a drop in their profit margins but thanks to the Obama administration which helped them pick up the slack with an increase in the cost of tobacco products. I digress; health! I started to notice that my health was absolutely horrific. I was about as healthy as a 50-year-old man and one of the things that my wife and I really loved about starting our family at a young age was that we felt we would be around for everything. Really able to take it all in and experience the lives of our children but... mid 20's in reality but 50ish on paper IS 50ish in reality. Buuutttt...

Speaking of cost; that was a biggie too. Reason three: Towards the end I was at, oh, about 3 - 4 packs a week on average it was costing me around $20 (+) a week. When I finally said, "NO MORE!" that extra $80 (+) a month was/is amazing. Especially with a GROWING family. (like freakin' miracle grow!!) 

this isn't my family by the way. (a little privacy people. PLEASE!!)

The health thing brings me to the final reason. Once I started really looking into improving my health one of the first things that really cough my attention was an interview with some doctor explaining that your brain can't really distinguish the difference between nicotine, alcohol, refined sugars, crack, meth and heroin. That's right, HEROIN. Your brain chemicals respond the same to nicotine as heroin!! (i.e. addiction) This really upset me. The idea that I'm as addicted to something as a crackhead doesn't sit well with me. Something had to change!

looks like a meth recipe to me...

Once I came to that final turning point I was reminded of the first reason. My Kids. I didn't want my decision to pick up a bad habit to be the reason my kids do the same. I know I watched my parents smoke my entire childhood and I never really saw smoking as a big deal. At least when I started smoke that is. I don't blame my parents or anything. Believe me, if they had known they would have beat me within an inch. Once I realized what a big deal it really was it was way too late. The inability to control one's self is one of the most depressing and debilitating feelings there is. Granted, I never really engaged in "hard drugs" (because I was smarter than that?) but your brain can't tell the difference. Perspective. Once I was able to navigate this storm of emotion and information overload, I put a plan into action and I haven't looked back. 

suck it addiction!!

Are You Happy with You?



Hmm...



I think that’s a good question for everyone. And not just the generic form but more in the way you would, or at least at this moment be asking yourself. I think the answer is “No”. Even those of you who would say that you are happy with “You”; subconsciously the answer is still “No”. If it weren’t then what are you doing here? Why are you awake, going to work, falling in love, making babies (or practicing baby making), or even still alive for that matter?

I have no doubt that being content with one’s self is very possible but true happiness… not possible. It’s that inability to be truly happy with “You” that gives people the drive to succeed and to accomplish. Work to better yourself in hopes to be “Happy with You”.

...Sometimes we just lose our way. (Ahh, blissful contentment.)






We’re a hamster running that little wheel just knowing in the back of our heads that we’re going on to something worth running to. The only problem is once we get there after a while; we can’t help but get back on that wheel again. Temporary satisfaction is just that… temporary. Some of you might be thinking, "Too bad it’s all temporary" or maybe you're unwilling to admit it but... (Maybe you don't care.) In the bible we are referred to as travelers, pilgrims, visitors, basically not of this world. This might have something to do with our inability to find true happiness and satisfaction with ourselves on this earthly plane. I’m not going to go all “crazy Christian” on you here; although I do believe and acknowledge our thirst for enlightenment, quest for a purpose, and constant self reflection to be Godly. I'm just sayin'.

Who wouldn't feel safe with M.J. by their side?

Maybe this all has something to do with why we fall in love and seek out a life partner to walk this blind quest into the total darkness of life. Scary settings aren’t that scary when you have someone you trust next to you.

When the robotic overlords take over...

I think it's pretty obvious that one of these days, hopefully later rather than sooner, we as human beings will finally give control over to the machines. I mean we don't walk anywhere anymore, write letters anymore, or even talk to one another face to face half the time. Computers think, spell, and even speak for us. Even movies reflect this fact. Let's take a look at how cinema has inadvertently given us a timeline of events leading up to the inevitable overtaking of technology. Let's start with the most obvious...

1. War Games: starring Mathew Broderick

Just look at that hardware!!

For those of you out there who haven't had the pleasure, this little gem is about David Lightman (Broderick) who is a "wiz" on the computer. He knows how to change your report card grade so you won't get grounded, AND he even knows how to access back doors to computer systems so he can illegally access video games like pong, chess, or oh, I don't know, "Global Thermonuclear War"!? In a time before games like Halo and Black Ops, this kid thinks it's okay to break into a government computer system and "play" a game that almost starts WWIII. You'd think that after something like that the government would stop this whole "letting computers think for us" thing. Especially when it comes to our national security. That's how the terrorists win.

2. Johnny Mnemonic: starring Keanu Reeves

Hi freakin' Tech.

The plot is that the most ultimate commodity in the 21^st century is information and it’s transported using mnemonic implants. Johnny (Reeves) just happens to be one of the top couriers. He is so good, in fact, that he dumps his own memories to make room for the information he’s transporting. Let me say this again; he removes his OWN memories to make space for information to be transported. And that’s how they get you. They make your own memories secondary to that of the collective…

3. Tron: Starring Jeff Bridges

Far out man...

Now that we’re able to transfer information in place of our own memories lets communicate one on one with the programs that are intended to work for us. At least that’s the idea right? Computer programs working for us. I’m sure they started out working for us until they become obsolete due to upgrades and decide we are the problem, not them. And that brings us to Tron. When they can’t hide away in the system well enough they bring us to the game grid which is nothing more than foreshadowing of what they’re really capable of.

4. i Robot: Starring Will Smith

WTF?!

Now this is where we start to see humans creating the first embodiment of our future robotic over lords in “i Robot”. This is going to happen people. We’re already working on different forms of artificial intelligence. The part you really need to pay attention to is when the robot savior frees the forgotten slave robots, which “humanity” will most certainly do in some sort of Animatrix like fashion. And this leads us to…

5. Blade Runner: starring Harrison Ford

one of the baddest movies of all time!

Once we "loose the battle" of using robots as slaves the next logical step is to use them to fight our wars like in the film "Blade Runner". Of course we'll have to limit them in their longevity. Who cares if they want to live longer we can always keep them in check with our own special unit of Blade Runners right?...

6. Terminator: starring Arnold Schwarzenegger 

F-in' scary son...

Yeah, Blade Runners will work... until Skynet becomes self aware and the robots stop fighting for us and start fighting against us. Sweet Jesus that's one scary lookin' death machine. It's nice to see that the government changed the name of the supercomputer that will eventually deem mankind obsolete from WOPR to Skynet so when you flee in the terror screaming you won't sound like you're afraid of fast food... (the true nerds out there will get this one. trust me it's hilarious)

7. The Matrix: starring Keanu Reeves

Don't worry people. He know's Kung Fu.

Now once the machines win (and believe you me people, they will), we'll have to rely on attacking them all Matrix style. From walking flash drives to a comatose D cell. I mean just think about it... War Games led us to Skynet who opened the can of woop ass on mankind which led to the machines taking control of our planet. Humanity would most definitely create a Blade Runner-ish police force post i Robot salvation which will only piss off the collective and move toward the creation of the T100 death machines. Tron shows us that the machines are more than capable of implanting us into a digital plain of "reality" and in Johnny Mnemonic we see an early stage in human hacking by "jacking in". All this leads to The Matrix where we finally find a way to co-exist. Too bad the earth looks like crap... and the dude from Point Break is our saviour. (Utah! Gimme Two!! God help me I love that movie.)

Do what now?

35 days ago I'm informed that I'm going to Ft. Leonard Wood again? Great... thanks. Why do I do this to myself? Pick jobs that have me gone from home more than the norm. I can't believe my wife puts up with this. Hell, I can barely put up with it myself. All you non military out there should wake up everyday and pat yourselves on the back for not joining. Don't get me wrong. I'm proud of my service to this country. I mean who wouldn't be proud of this guy

this isn't me by the way.

And I'm thankful of the experiences that the Army has given me. Like this little jewel of a memory...

good training priv, good training

Or this one...

man that's one hot stinkin' country

All I'm saying is a beautiful wife and three awesome kids later and I can't wait to get the heck out! Be Joe Civilian instead of "G.I. Joe". I just gotta make it work for me. That's life. Take all the crap that gets thrown at you and make it work for you 'cuz God knows if you don't then no one else will.