I've been moved to both laughter and tears by this thread!

I tried to quit smoking for 9 years before I actually got *determined* to be a NonSmoker. I had quit for a year, once, then got hooked back by "lighting one up for a friend", then smoked for another year before I got tired of the "hacking", being unable to sing a note, and generally feeling very ill most of the time. (I found out many years later that I was ill all the time due to allergies --one of which was, yep, Smoke!)

But this time I knew I needed to have *something* in my mouth and hands most of the time and since I felt it would be degrading to be sucking on a pacifyer in public, and waaay too fattening to be sucking on food items, I bought myself a large $10 bamboo flute and went outdoors to a nearby park to try and teach myself how to play it.

That was great! At first it gave me the same slightly dizzy feeling I used to get from "bacca", but that passed within a week. It strengthened my lungs, gave me a voice while I was waiting for mine to heal, and satisfied my cravings. It forced me to *breathe*. And like someone said above it made exercising so much easier.

When that old thing broke, it was like losing an old friend. I've been looking for a replacement ever since, but I never smoked again. I'm not even sure how long it's been --16 or 17 years? I have no interest at all in smoking. Recently, at a little drum shop in Ithaca NY I found my new flute. It's a 6-hole solid maple Spirit Flute, but right now I keep the third hole covered so I can have a C-minor flute. My partner bought it for me because I played it in the store and I loved it and he loved the music I was making with it!

Thank you for the wonderful and inspiring "I Quit!" and "I'm Quitting!" stories! and congratulations to all, especially to Rick and to Jeri!

And the best of luck to those who are still struggling to BE NON-smokers!

~ Jande