Right, kids change things. My father used to smoke and the memory of both the visuals and the smell are so vivid, I didn’t want my kids to remember me like that. Good on you!

Same, I’m also almost 19 months in, after so many tries.

How did you do it?

Turns out what I needed wasn’t an iron will but to understand why I smoked. I tracked every cigarette for two weeks, writing down the time and the reason - boredom, a context switch (“I just arrived at the office, now I need to get ready”), anxiety, needed a break…

Once I had that, I could start identifying the reasons for my cravings more easily, which in turn made it easier to switch to a healthier alternative, knowing the craving would pass.

Another two weeks later, I had already cut down my consumption from like 20 to 5 cigarettes a day, which felt wildly empowering. At that point, quitting entirely felt doable, so I did. That feeling made me excited to quit.

I mean, it was still not a walk in the park, but motivation was so much higher than before. I still used nicotine spray for a while to help with the worst cravings.

Ist nur leider ein Joseph/f, kein Johannes.

Dr Johnny Ryan said “Today’s court’s decision shows that the consent system used by Google, Amazon, X, Microsoft, deceives hundreds of millions of Europeans. The tech industry has sought to hide its vast data breach behind sham consent popups. Tech companies turned the GDPR into a daily nuisance rather than a shield for people.”

That sounds refreshingly direct.

This one made me feel a lot of things.

Many of the songs I sing are ones that once made others think of me. It still hurts.

Some of the images I draw from are what others made for me. I still dream of them.

Sometimes, there’s a scent passing me by, from their kitchen, his hiding spot, her bedroom. I’m still there.

I may have to lay down for a bit.