Looking back, I guess it's been around 19 1/2 years since I was nicotine free. Before that I was clean for 5 years and had only smoked for about two years before I kicked the habit the first time.
Peb's has been off the smokes since Monday. Can't begin to tell her how proud I am of her for making this decision! Her quitting however, can't be and isn't the only reason I'm making the choice. This has to be about me and stopping something that ultimately, I know is killing me.
So day one starts here. All encouragement offered, will be gladly accepted.
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A funny thing about commuters and the cold. The vast majority of them, just can't wrap their heads around the rocket science of -34c (-29f) and shiny roads! I don't remember exactly what age I was when I learned all about water's freezing point. But I do remember learning it! As I recall from those lessons, water typically freezes at a point slightly above -34 Celsius.
(at least a degree or two I'm certain)
So why is it that on a three lane artery into the big smoke at 5:00am, with a start to the day at a snot inducing -34c, commuters see the shine on the blacktop and assume the roads are just wet?
My normal one hour drive to work today, took a little over an hour and a half. One may assume that driving at an appropriate speed for the conditions was the main reason for the addition of 50% more driving time. That actually only added probably ten minutes or so. No, the main reason time stretched out so much this morning, was from a group of us trying to avoid the 21, (TWENTY-FRIGGIN'-ONE !!!) idiots that we had drive past us at nearly Mach I and put their vehicles into either the ditch, or center guardrail.
Twenty one in just this one trip down, is a mind blowing number for me! I've seen 50 car pile-ups, rolled over tractor trailers, no less than five multi-vehicle accidents within a 16 km (10 mile) stretch of the highway and after missing an accident myself with some delicate and deft driving skills, I've had a Dump Truck pass within a foot or two of me at about 95 KPH (60 MPH) while the driver was trying to avoid the same pile up.
But to watch in amazement and realize that it was going to happen over and over again so I should start counting, as 21 moronic wastes of flesh made the same mistake of heading out to the fast lane that just looked "wet," so they could really make up some time over there, sends my brain into overdrive! Five days a week I drive with, near or around these imbeciles twice a day. At first, I started thinking that I should really fear for my life each and every time I take to the commute. But something happened as we reached the relative safety of the non-snow covered and dry pavement of the South. You see, when you do this at the same time everyday for long enough, you make driving buddies out of a few out there that also make the trek. Not buddies that you're probably ever going to sit down and have a beer with, but the type that will give you a wave or nod from time to time. Buddies that will either let you into a lane when needed, or know you'll return the favour for them some day out of courtesy for a fellow long-drive zombie. For the most part we all know to stick together, for we find safety in our numbers and know that we are all watching each others backs.
Well as we reached the top of the city and found ourselves on way more manageable pavement, on four separate occasions one of my "buddies" drove past one by one and looked over and laughed. With their arm, (or arms) in the air and a grin that was obviously meant to say, "can you fucking believe that?" each of us went our separate ways. I'll see all four of them again on the way home tonight, (I always do) and I'm sure there will be more laughter about this mornings trip. Maybe in a sick and twisted way that only long time veterans of commuting could ever understand, laughing at the destruction and danger that occurs is the only way to handle it?
Maybe I should be the initiator and make the first move? Perhaps I should make the universal signal for, 'let's go get a drink' to all my "buddies" on the road? Then we could sit down and discuss everything we've ever seen on the highway to hell over the years. There would be some fascinating stories in that conversation I tell you!
But I'd better not. That beer and all the laughter would lead to two, and two would surely turn into a Scotch. A Scotch would lead to me looking for a smoke and a smoke would be me failing at something miserably. So instead I'll look over and give a nod or a wave, maybe share a grin or a laugh and then go along on my merry way.
It is day one after all!
My sincerest thanks for dropping by....