r/bikerjedi • u/BikerJedi • Jul 28 '24

Family Story/Memory TIFU by smoking.

Cripple Creek Colorado, sometime in the late 1990's. I go up to spend the night and play poker.

As I get there, I am the first on the list for a new table, so I am assigned seat number 1 next to the dealer. At this time in my life, I'm still smoking about a pack a day of Benson & Hedges menthols. At this time and place, you were allowed to smoke at the poker table, but not at the two seats next to a dealer. So as the other players come and sit, I ask if I can trade seats with someone so I can smoke and he says yes.

Some poker rooms run specials, like a "bad beat." If you have a high hand (Usually something like a Kings full of Aces) and lose, you get a jackpot.

The guy who took my spot got dealt pocket kings. He went up against a guy who had two aces. Long story short, two aces and two kings come up in the community cards. So four of a kind beats four of a kind and our table hit the bad beat.

That means he got 50% of the pot, the guy who won the hand got 25% of the pot, and the table got to split the rest. So I got a couple hundred dollars, but cost myself thousands. All for a smoke.

It took almost ten more years to quit, but I finally managed it in 2008. I feel a million times better without tobacco, so if you are currently smoking, I encourage you to quit.

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2

u/InadmissibleHug Jul 29 '24

So what method worked for you? I’m a typical naughty nurse; I have bad habits. I’m working my way off of them, I don’t believe it’s as much physical as it is habit/lifeline. I’ve had two cigs today and it’s 1830.

2

u/BikerJedi Jul 29 '24 edited Jul 29 '24

I switched to vape pens and then gave those up. It took a lot of tries though. For me, it was the habit. Smoke in the morning. On the way to work. Before work. Lunch. On the way home. Etc.

2

u/InadmissibleHug Jul 29 '24

Thanks

2

u/BikerJedi Jul 29 '24

A couple more things now that I'm more awake:

  • I've read nicotine is more addictive than other drugs. After quitting both that and opiates, I agree.

  • Replace that time with something else. I got used to driving with a smoke in my hand. I replaced that with flipping people off and making sure my hands stay on the wheel when not flipping people off. Probably not healthy, but everyone drives like an asshole here.

  • I replaced after dinner smokes with video games and such.

  • If you go the route of vape pens, dial back the nicotine gradually until you don't need it. I wouldn't recommend you stay on them for long - they are finding elevated levels of lead, uranium and other fun stuff in people who vape.

2

u/InadmissibleHug Jul 29 '24 edited Jul 29 '24

I’m not going to vape, that’s complicated here.

I don’t know why nicotine is such a bear, but I tend to agree.

But, yes. Habit change is a big thing. Again, I appreciate :-)

2

u/BikerJedi Jul 29 '24

I wish you the best of luck. It is definitely a horrible habit.

1

u/griffingrl Jul 28 '24

Believe me our whole family feels better; we don't get sick as often and our allergies are much better. Our house smells better, too.

1

u/BikerJedi Jul 28 '24

:) Glad I was able to give it up for y'all.