StringJunky

If you want to take your coffee to the next level, you need to do it the Italian way with a Stove Top Moka Pot/Cafetiere. As you use it repeatedly, a film of coffee residues builds up inside the top section and improving the depth and flavour of each successive cup. The first two or three goes, chuck the coffee away to get rid of the taste of aluminium. Only clean the top occasionally when the residues get too much. Never clean to a polished finish, in either chamber, or else you will continually. taste aluminium - Let the bottom chamber calcify. Bialetti are the original makers. This is the original way to make espresso I think. http://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Moka-Pot That's my "I've-just-given-up-smoking face.

I agree, it does help to get the endorphins going; I'm riding my bike 16km twice a day at a brisk pace. I did it 4 times yesterday; I left my phone so I had to do it again. Legs were like jelly after that session. I can see the logic but I'm trying to get this out of the way in the shortest reasonable time. Today is the first day I've had an easy time and was unfazed with my relatives smoking in front of me in the garden. I'm hoping I''m over the biggest hill now, mentally. Yes, you are right; I mustn't give up giving up. We all dream of a perfect blemish-free path trodden on the way to abstinence but it rarely happens. I think it is a mistake - and I have been guilty - to think one has failed completely just on the basis of a single relapse and then carry on as before. Just what I need: a kick up the arse. I've got my next session with my Quit51 advisor tomorrow and another CO test. I experience acute depressive moods quite often and they frequently screw up my resolve such that I quite often fail to reach completion in tasks that take a while to do, like this one. I've been 3 weeks on the Zyban now and they are still not causing me any problems - as you might know, they have quite a bad rep for messing people up mentally. Although I get moody it is nothing I don't experience normally.

Yes, Ophiolite. I appreciate your autobiographical candour.

As far as I'm concerned, yes. I own myself, with the caveat that no one else is dependent on me e.g. children.

The point is that one doesn't choose to be alive therefore, imo, one has the right to choose go back to a state of non-existence. One may choose to to die to save someone's life; has that person's life no purpose?

You have a very narrow and judgemental view of the motivations of suicidal people. It's only stupid to you... the suicidal person doesn't give a f- what you think. Contrary to your view, I think some suicidal people are profoundly level headed and in control, like those with a terminal illness or otherwise insufferable existence. Some people may kill themselves for philosophical reasons... like because they have realised life and most people suck at the core level. Perfectly valid reasons to shrug off ones mortal coil imo.

I had half a fag very early Friday morning; I was feeling really pissed off about an unrelated matter. I had no intention of giving up giving up when I did it. I did it and just going to forget about it and carry on. I feel ok now and still want to stop.

Thanks Arete. I shall absorb what you've posted. My current forks only have preload. The battle's not won yet but I feel OK. I go riding my bike when I can taste the fags in my mind.

In CharonY and Arete, he's likely getting as good and experienced advice as he'll find anywhere. My thought as well. It might give him some mental space and detach him enough from his feelings to look at himself and his situation more objectively. . At the moment, Tampitump, you are nailing your own feet to the floor. Seriously consider going to your doctor and tell them your situation with a view to getting some form of antidepressant; it'll help to give you a break from your most persistent negative thoughts and feelings for a while so you can analyse yourself better.and more dispassionately. .

I'm 54 and been smoking since I was 17. A recent xray showed my lungs to be within the normal range. If those pictures didn't work on me then they won't work on me now. I appreciate the effort though. What's really pissing me off is nicotine stained fingers, not lungs. Even after 3 days it's nearly gone. I smoked rollups and smoked them down to nearly nothing, no filters, so the smoke played hell staining between my fingers that held them.

Tell my brain that; the habituated part.

Yesterday was hard because I wasn't in a good mood anyway; life stuff. The feeling for a smoke is pretty strong at times but I can over-ride it because the Zyban seems to detach me from the full brunt of the withdrawal symptoms. I stood in a shop queue yesterday waiting to pay and thinking "I need to get some fags"! Today, I'm a bit more chilled and went on a 32km bike ride earlier, to a relative's and back, to tire my body out a bit. It's done the trick and I should sleep ok in a bit.

It's about being noticed.

If there was such a thing, it would be on a Schedule and tightly controlled. Apart from that, I doubt there's any such thing.

Big-headed much? The arrogance of ignorance comes to mind.

Thank you.

On day 1 I feel pretty chilled and handled all the exposure to other people smoking and other triggers ok; I knew the craving feeling would pass, The Zyban seems to detach me from the craving feelings but they are still there. I found myself saying " I could with a fag (cig) but I'm not having one" and then just forgot about it. I've stopped the coffee for a while because it's too strong a trigger for me and it doesn't taste right without smoke mixed with it.; it's tea-only for a while.

Thank you guys. I definitely felt the urge this morning. It's a good job I didn't sneak a smoke this morning because my Quit51 advisor would have found out with his CO meter. I was a good boy and didn't have one, so my reading was 8 on the meter after 9 hours stopping from Sunday night; Last week's reading was 16. if it had been over 10, he knows I've been smoking. It's good that they've a means of checking compliance with the programme. It also gives the smoker objective, visible evidence that their efforts are doing something in the right direction. I distracted myself today by riding 10 miles/16km to a relative's house, cutting grass for two or three hours and still have a 16Km ride home; should be pretty laid back and tired tonight. I think the Zyban seems to be doing a pretty good job of not letting me feel too much anxiety and stress. It is certainly helping me stand to up to the urges and making those craving episodes tolerable. I have the option to extend the Zyban from 9 to 12 weeks if I think I need it. I shall watch out on that day. Thanks.

Firms like Tesla are constantly working on increasing energy-density of storage systems; there's plenty of attention and money being thrown at it. It's commercial priority is very high, especially given that electric cars are emerging beyond the novel.

Stopped last night.

Thanks.. I have a litre and wanted to split it. What plastic for 36% hydrochloric acid?

What plastic type/s do I need to store it ? It's a pure grade.

Yes, until one reaches that point of visualising oneself as an ex- <insert addiction> addict, it's not going to happen. I learnt this from my time with using drugs recreationally.

Thinking about your post again and people 'piling it in' in the run up to any form of cessation is actually setting yourself up for failure because the 'come down' feeling, from that period of excess at the end, will be that much worse and could encourage you to give up before you've started. It's my opinion that if you feel you the need to go on a mad scramble of excessive consumption before cessation you are very likely to fail because you don't really want to do it....but you feel should; 'should' is not a strong enough motivation in breaking a strong addiction. I want to stop, but I know nicotine and long-term habituation are hard things to deal with but my heart is in it and I don't feel a panicky urge to smoke more because, deep down, I love smoking; I don't. This is a relationship I want to end forever.