Laurie

Oh, and IceGudi and Siobhan (and everyone!) thanks for your awesome support. I am not doing any gum, patches, etc. It started out because (duh!) I though hypnotism was going to do it for me. I couldn't have been more wrong - I could not have planned this any more poorly. But somehow it's working, so I'm sticking with it! Anyway, no nic replacement because I didn't think I'd need it, and by the time I thought about it seriously I'd begun Allen Carr's book and he doesn't recommend it. If you smoke, or get nic from a gum or a patch, you're just prolonging the addiction. Now that's not to say this whole thing might not fall in on me like a house of cards, and I'll find myself trying to go that route another month from now! Anyway, thanks for everything guys - for listening and for putting up with me!

Hey, everyone! Day 3 was quite challenging. We're having a snowstorm here in Detroit, and it took me 2-1/2 hours to drive home from work. This is usually PRIME smoking time for me. I'm trapped in the car, bored, frustrated, no birds or kids around me to worry about. But I did it. I drove all the way home without one and viola! The world didn't end. I'm not in a loonie bin. It's ok! Oh, and I did finally get some sleep last night. I took Unisom and got like 5 straight hours which felt like heaven. So I have got to share this with you. I have discovered a book about quitting that is awesome so far (I'm only about halfway through). It's called Allen Carr's Easy Way to Stop Smoking. Have any of you heard of it? I downloaded it for free - shoot I don't have the web address I got it from. But if interested, you can Google it, or ask me, I'll make sure to bring the full address home from work. Any way, I love this guy. He is not a doctor. The only credential he has for writing this book is that he used to smoke sometimes 100+ cigs a day. He became obsessed with WHY. Why can't we quit? We are intelligent, we're not stupid. We know this is the absolute dumbest habit EVER and yet we continue to do it, and we're scared to try to quit. So it's very interesting reading. I haven't got to the part yet where he reveals what this "Easy Way to Quit" is. Even though I'm already technically quit, I like reading this to keep me inspired and motivated.

Made it through another day. I am learning sooooo much this time around. First of all, I didn't sleep again last night. So, I went to work, pulled up QuitNet.org and basically posted an apology. Sorry, guys, I cannot do this. I was not counting on sleep deprivation on top of everything else. I need to start over and make sure (1) I quit on a weekend (and take an extra day or two off) so I don't have to face people. (2) Have sleep aid drugs on hand. I CANNOT DEAL with the lack of sleep, people! and (3) Do some Wellbutrin or something so I won't cry (or feel like I'm going to cry at all times). So, what did the people at QuitNet say to me? Well, I can tell ya, they did not let me off the hook. One said that I sounded like I was looking for permission to smoke, and that I wasn't going to get it! Overwhelmingly the message I got was, "You've got two days, girl. What are you going to do with those two days? Blow it?" I'm about to cry again typing this. Those people (and you guys) are saving my life. I HIGHLY recommend the QuitNet to anyone who is contemplating quitting. There is so much more known about smoking and why it's so hard to quit these days, it's unreal. I picked up some over the counter Unisom today, hopefully that will help me sleep so I can face tomorrow smoke free. Baby steps... Baby steps... Hee-hee (remember the movie What about Bob?)

Oh, and way to go, Siobhan! You're an inspiration to us all...

Today was very up & down. Mostly down. For some reason I could not sleep last night, so it was (a) Monday, (b) I'm dead-tired, and © now you're saying I'm not gonna smoke? WHAT!?!? Somehow I made it through, and I have not smoked yet. I'm not going to make any crazy guarantees at this point, but I am just miserable enough that I don't want to smoke (after all the hell I've been through) but I don't know what it is that I want either. Am I making any sense? I know what you mean about staying busy, Dan. During one of my previous quits, I pulled every, single weed out of our brick patio (even the teeny tiny ones). And there were a lot of 'em! LOL Ok, I'm off to clean Klaus' cage. Thanks for listening, guys!

Yeah, I actually thought it was kind of mandatory to move their stuff around, and also to rotate toys in and out in order to keep them from getting bored. I do this every other week, approx. Even down to the smallest thing, like angling his ladder in a different direction.

Yeah, Klaus just likes to sit on my shoulder (a little boring, I know). We gab at each other, and play peek a boo, too when he's not on my shoulder.

I've heard different opinions on whether or not to wear a glove. Personally, I don't think it's a bad thing. My husband sometimes has to pop one on to get Klaus to go in his cage (this is if I'm not around to bail him out, and he's in a hurry).

Aw, I'm sorry to hear that, Alfie. I agree with Judy, see if it's just a bad day, like we all have!

Very cool, thanks Dan!

Did I miss something? What's a "Sticky?" Okay, so today was the day - I went to hypnotism. I went with my husband and his brother. They both are already smoking again so apparently it didn't work well for them. I am struggling today. I WANT a ciggy. I learned at the seminar today I don't need one. Trying like heck for mind-over-matter as far as wanting one. I think the mistake I made was going in thinking it was going to be magic - that I'd walk out as though I'd never picked up a cigarette in my life. It was very helpful, I would say, in helping you understand the addiction better. I also purchased a CD, and while going a little batty here earlier today I sat down and listened to it. It helped a little. All I can say now is, "One day at a time." Thanks for listening, guys!

The Rock Band game we bought came with the game disc, the guitar, the drum set, and the microphone. It's pretty much just a matter of assembly & hook up once you get it out of the box.

My son got the game "Rock Band" for Xbox for his birthday. Have been having a blast playing with it this afternoon (I'm the singer!). Any Guitar Hero or Rock Band fans out there?

Yes, Mike Rowe is a cutie!

Hey, I just started a thread on this yesterday, what a coincidence! I'm making ANOTHER attempt this Sunday (day after tomorrow, yikes!). I'm trying hypnotism, and I promise to keep everyone posted, even if I fail - I will be truthful. What have you tried so far, if at all? Have you ever visited QuitNet.org? I find it to be a very helpful quit support site. (I'm on there as "ParrotLadyMI").

1. I am not afraid of spiders. In fact, I order people not to kill them, and if one is somewhere I don't want it, I put it in a Dixie cup & move it somewhere else. (I've heard they're good luck!) 2. When I'm not on here or playing w/Klaus, I love to read and garden. 3. To help get myself through the Michigan winter I force bulbs in the house (have a monster Amaryllis on my kitchen counter right now). 4. I go completely nuts for a marching band. LOVE marching bands. Especially the drums & the tubas - something about the people with the tubas waving them around as they march gets me every time. And I am like Baloo the Bear from the Jungle Book when I hear a beat. Crazy man, I'm gone! 5. I am horribly claustrophic. My biggest nightmare is to suffocate or drown. I have made people switch places with me at a restaurant table because I somehow got "smooshed in" where I was sitting. 6. I have an amazing 11-year old son who is HUGE. He wears a men's size 12 shoe and I'm just now noticing many don't go beyond 12 in their size range. Ha-ha. What's next? Special order, I guess. 7. My son might be huge due to my genes, I am 5'11" which is pretty tall for a woman. (Dad is the same height I am.) 8. What bothers me is people who wallow in their problems and won't try to do anything about it. 9. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Finance. I'm proud to say I put myself through school. I'm sad to say my personal finances are not the greatest. I'm like the shoemaker who's kids are barefoot. 10. One of the best concerts I ever went to was the B-52's a few years back. I expected them to come out with walkers and wheelchairs. I was blown away when they came out and ROCKED! That's the only concert I can say I was sore from dancing the next day.

Yes, maybe if I show Klaus a video of Tracy and her birds kickin' it, he'll get into dancing as well. I dance (gently) with Klaus on my shoulder and I'm not sure but I think he'd prefer I didn't. (And NO I am not a bad dancer!) Also, I have seen "dancing" perches. They are flexible and you attach them to the side of the cage, put on the music and watch 'em go. I don't have one of those for Klaus (yet).

Today it was baby food squash over pasta! I was hungry myself & didn't want to sit and hand-feed it to Klaus with the bread, so I made him his own little bowl, and he enjoyed it!

Great job! Congrats...

Yeah, overwhelmingly people have trouble with bath time. Greys do like to get wet, but they'd REALLY rather do it themselves, on their own terms. So starting in baby-hood is probably a good idea.

Very nice! Jeez, they look like a pro did them!

Aw, what a sweet bird! Personally, I think they know what they're talking about. Klaus doesn't talk yet, but he whistles the appropriate whistle depending on the situation. (When you walk into the room, it's a wolf-whistle i.e. "I'm glad to see you!". When you leave the room it's a calling-the-dog whistle i.e. "Hey, get back here!".)

Ooooh, I like the one where he's stretching. They look so graceful when they do that!

I usually just use hot, hot water and these little scrubby sponges that I buy very cheap (I think I get 6 of them for 89 cents). So they can be tossed when they get gross. If Klaus has dislodged his newspaper to the point that there's poop stuck to his bottom metal tray, I use Fantastik all-purpose cleaner, then rinse, rinse, rinse & rinse some more with cold water to make sure it's all gone before I put the bottom back in. This is done when Klaus is not around me.

Hi, and welcome!