Program Interrupted

No, this has nothing to do with the new year, or resolutions. This has more to do with me entering a new decade in 11 more days. That’s right, Lady Jess will turn 40! And rather than dread the symbolic number, I embrace it. Every decade has brought improvement on the last, important lessons learned, and something new to look forward to. Forty should be no different. But I do have a few plans to help it on it’s way.

1. I’ve been smoking for too many years to admit. I quit once for a period of eight months, but slipped right back into it when I found myself around friends that smoked and social drinking. Why? Because I had no substitute for those conditions. Also, I’m going to say this right up front. I like smoking. I like the motion, I like the nicotine…which by the way does have positive health benefits. What I hate is the cost, the smell, and the eleventy billion dangerous chemicals and compounds that make it so dangerous.

In that vein I have spent hours talking to people and researching about E-Cigarettes. I have as a result, decided this is the way I’m going to go. Some will argue that it isn’t really quitting smoking, but I don’t really give a rats ass about that. Maybe I will still be getting my nicotine, but I’ll be doing it without the aforementioned chemicals, smell, and cost of tobacco. Frankly I think that’s what makes the anti-smoking establishment so angry about E-Cigs. We can still have our nicotine and do so with much less risk to ourselves and others, they (like any other group that wants people to quit an addiction) want people to quit cold-turkey or with expensive on going replacement therapies.

Well let me tell you, I’ll never touch another patch. They did help the last time, but at the cost of wanting to rub sandpaper on my skin to stop the infernal itching. I’m apparently allergic to the adhesive. My final patch left a big red square swollen itchy welt for weeks. The gum? hard as a rock, and very bad for my jaw problems plus it sticks to dental work. Inhalers? This is what makes me laugh. They do make nicotine inhalers! But they aren’t constantly reusable, you have to go buy more! Where with an E-Cig, I buy the set up, the juice, and an extra battery, and refill/replace as needed for as long as I need/want.

The important thing is no more tobacco.

2. Return to photography! But this time with a more manageable setup. While I really loved working with a DSLR it isn’t exactly convenient to carry around unless you know what you’re going to be shooting. If you have a place and subject in mind, it’s great. If you just want to walk around and capture whatever catches your eye while you’re walking, not so convenient. In that vein I’m probably going with a Canon G series. I’ll still have my DSLR here, but a purse sized alternative will be nice.

3. I say this every year, but use my blog more.

Meanwhile, I have finished my Associates Degree! I’m a week away from starting my first semester of my Bachelor’s Degree now, 2 more years and I will be DONE with this college stuff! It’s getting a tad harder, as I’m having to take 5 classes per semester this time, in order to finish before my GI Bill assistance runs out. But I figure as long as I don’t have more classes than days in the week I’ll be ok!

Here’s to a new year, and a new decade!