My last cigarette was Friday night. And I had only one Friday. So only one cigarette since I bought the vaporizer thingy, Thursday around seven p.m. Totally smoke free for 38 hours. Only one cigarette in the past 62 hours. And it’s been pretty easy. I’m still getting the relief from vaping, and the nicotine. And I’m breathing much easier, not coughing hardly at all, and my taste and ability to taste are returning.

I hadn’t really planned it. I’d thought about stopping at that vape store for months, but didn’t know I would until I did, and didn’t know what to expect. And even after I bought it I wasn’t planning on quitting. I was thinking of cutting back, and maybe quitting sometime this year. But I found I had no need to smoke with the vaporizer, even during a tough day at work. Just one short slip, a single cigarette, and I didn’t much like it, so I haven’t wanted to slip since. What’s the use? I have all the benefits I always had smoking with the vaporizer, with nearly zero downside. Perhaps I’ll back off nicotine some day, this year, next, whenever, but there’s no hurry at all. And this is something for which to be very grateful. I’m smoke free. And I’m not going insane and feeling suicidal as I did thirteen months ago, nor homicidal as I did like nine months ago, and nor am I feeling like I can’t function, like there are only two choices, smoke or stay in my room all day. I can live a normal day today, can be productive and reasonably clear, and can feel good, regardless of what I do.

I just realized I can vape and chew gum at the same time, unlike smoking. Smoking makes the gum taste distasteful. Yep. Confirmed. It’s cool. I’m a vaper and I’m loving it.

And… I just checked today’s word count. I was at 1492 words. That’s a good and respectable number, and it’s only 9:30 in the morning. I’ve got lots of day still available to get some stuff done.

Vaping is a miracle, a godsend. Seems a little extreme, but it’s true. I feel more clear. I can breathe. The smoker’s cough is nearly gone. I can vape while chewing gum. I can vape in the house. I can vape in my car and not feel like people are going to judge me (Mom, women I might date).

I hope the fucking politicians don’t fuck it up. But even if they do, they’ll probably only regulate and tax it. Won’t stop me, but will only annoy me a little. It’s snowing. Just flurries. Nice. That’s where I want to focus. Word count. Breathing easy. The pleasure of a good pull. Tasting my coffee. Alison Krauss. Good stuff.