Up in Smoke
I've said this before, but I hope I don't have to say it again in the future. While I'm usually not overly compulsive or addictive by nature, the last year hasn't been a year that'll win me any clean-living awards. I've gone back and forth trying to decide between attempting to maintain a certain degree of moderation (I'm always one for the Middle Way) -- or quitting drinking and smoking whole hog -- and recent weeks lead me to think that I should probably cut both out entirely for a spell. As before, I haven't had any accidents, crises, or emergencies in my life that have served as a radical wake-up call, but it's pretty clear these are two habits I could change.

For the most part, it's the smoking that bothers me. But I think it goes hand in hand with my social drinking, so I'm going to cut back on that, too. Supposedly this happened Tuesday. Then I bought a pack so I could share cigarettes with a friend at River Gods, a bar. Pretty successful, huh? Sheesh. Today is now my real quit date, and I feel slightly sheepish even writing about this because there's a chance this won't stick this time, either. But it's on my mind, there's no reason to keep living as I have been, and there are enough friends and folks I know who read Media Diet, so I'm going to draw on you as part of my support community. I'll try not to dominate Media Diet with progress reports, but root for me, OK?

I quit smoking and drinking today.