Fingerplucked E-Cig

[Deleted]

I've mixed up some liquid called 'Sahara' (which I think is supposed to be like a nice hookah smoke) with a bit of 'coffee' liquid and it is absolutely delicious. A beautifully tasty nicotine delivery system and as 'moreish' if not more so than pistachio nuts, which I taste in the mix somehow. It's a very complex and tasty vape, a little bit worryingly lovely. The liquids definitely taste better after a few days of 'steeping'. I'd be interested in hearing about anybody else's favourite flavours
although I might pass on the kitten flavour.

Here is a development that seems a bit daft. The Wetherspoons chain of pubs, of which I am an occasional frequenter, has banned e-cigs.

www.morningadvertiser.co.uk/General-News/JD-Wetherspoon-defends-e-cigarette-ban-in-pubs

[Bassman]

Ok now, it's been two whole days since I stopped smoking. Have to say its going along pretty easy. Don't really feel the need to have a regular smoke, the E- Cig is doing the job. The only problem I seem to be having is thinking in my mind, is there anything I'm missing from a regular cig. I'm sure that will pass in a few more days. So until then I'm just going to keep plugging along. Back to work tonight, another big test.

[Fingerplucked]

I had the same thoughts. Two weeks later I bought a pack of cigarettes. For me personally, it worked out well. The cigarettes tasted like crap. I smoked a total of ten cigarettes over the next five days. Didn't really enjoy any of them.

I don't want a cigarette anymore.  I'm happy vaping.  Maybe one day I'll try to quit vaping, but for now I like things just the way they are.

Note: I don't recommend trying cigarettes after a break. It might be hard to regain your determination. But in my case, it worked out well

[Bassman]

Have you tried to cut back on the nicotine level since you started?

[Fingerplucked]

No.  Maybe one day. First I think I'd like to get to the point where vaping feels just as natural as lighting a cigarette.  Today is day 70 for me.  That's pretty good for establishing a habit, but I had around 45 years to practice smoking and I'm not trying to rush things.

[Bassman]

Jim how long does it take you to go though one of those e-liquid bottles? Hey you would be proud of me,yesterday when I was leaving for work, I was thinking about bring a pack of smokes that I still have at home, just in case. Decided too just leave it at home.

[Deleted]

Jul 2, 2013 7:09:12 GMT -5 Bassman said:

Jim how long does it take you to go though one of those e-liquid bottles? Hey you would be proud of me,yesterday when I was leaving for work, I was thinking about bring a pack of smokes that I still have at home, just in case. Decided too just leave it at home.

Very good, now get rid of that pack, you don't need it.

[Fingerplucked]

The 10ml bottles last me about 8 to 9 days.

Good move on leaving the cigarettes at home. Now do yourself a favor and throw or give those away.  If you can't resist the urge or you're wondering if a cigarette will be more satisfying, you can always bum one from someone else or buy a new pack.  But get rid of the ones you have. You're already on day three now. You don't need them.

[Fingerplucked]

Jul 2, 2013 7:15:52 GMT -5 Marty said:

Jul 2, 2013 7:09:12 GMT -5 Bassman said:

Jim how long does it take you to go though one of those e-liquid bottles? Hey you would be proud of me,yesterday when I was leaving for work, I was thinking about bring a pack of smokes that I still have at home, just in case. Decided too just leave it at home.

Very good, now get rid of that pack, you don't need it.

Yeah, what Marty said.

[Fingerplucked]

Jul 1, 2013 16:09:56 GMT -5 Bassman said:

Have you tried to cut back on the nicotine level since you started?

Damn.  Your suggestion took 23 hours to work its magic.

I just ordered another $90-some dollars worth of stuff, starting with nine 10ml bottles (or three 30ml bottles) of 18mg strength e-liquid, the next step down from 24mg.  By the time I start in on those I should have been off cigarettes for over 90 days, and the 90ml of liquid will last me another couple months.  I also got another couple EVOD clearomizers and a handful of replacement coils. And two new batteries. The "old" batteries are fine, but I should have ordered black the first time around.

It seems a little pricey, but it'll last me close to three months, and I used to spend more than that in two weeks on tobacco cigarettes.

Oh, and they're running a 15% off sale. I think it just started today.

[dradtke]

One big sign that e-cigs are getting popular. An e-cig poster on the door of a convenience store I stopped into.

[Fingerplucked]

I've been scamming them at work and haven't told anyone (other than the smokers) that I've quit.  Today I was in accounting and asked Margaret for a pen to write something down. She pointed at my shirt pocket where I keep my e-cig. I told her that's not a pen. She asked if it was an e-cig.  I said no, and pretended to write with it.

I need a new plan.  I thought I was sneakier than this.

[Bassman]

Was online looking for a few things to add to my wish list, car charger, some more liquids and some other things. Then happen to find a vapor store near my house, so on the way home went to check it out. They had everything that I was adding to my wish list, and the prices were cheaper. The 10ml bottles were $5, and they had 16ml bottles for $8. And the nicotine levels ranged from .9 - 32. I think once I finish this first bottle, I'm going to head over there and pick up a few things. Only thing they didn't have was a blue battery, but I will settle for black. Like you said didn't thing about the color when ordering the first time around.

[Bassman]

Not to say that I'm not excited that I took the first step in quitting. But when I told a few people, like my wife she said " oh well I guess we will see if it works for you" as we'll as some people at work. You would think the would say " that's great " or " good luck" not too much encouragement on the home front here, but now that they were a little bit of a downer and because I'm a little competitive, I just want to stuff it in their face. Did you run into any of this?

[Fingerplucked]

My wife didn't offer much encouragement, but I didn't expect her to. She's been through this too many times, I'm guessing hundreds. So far, at 71 days, this is my second longest stretch without a cigarette. The longest attempt was 5 months, and I was miserable each and every day, always feeling like I was on the verge of caving in. This time around things are relatively easy.  Still, Jadene has seen it all. I learned a long time ago not to talk about quitting, at least not much, because I'd just get everyone's hopes up, only to squash them. So this time I didn't say much, and neither did Jadene.  I did say something at one of the milestones, maybe 30 days, and she said congratulations, but other than that, nothing. That works for me.

My daughter showed a little excitement when she noticed it had been weeks since I had gone outside for a smoke. She had some questions and I explained what I was doing, how long it had been, and how much money I had saved.  That was when I was still using the Extreme kit that looks like a cigarette. When I switched to the Ego, she started teasing me that I looked like I was smoking a crack pipe. We don't talk about it much anymore other than Haley's comments about my crack pipe.

Other friends were very supportive and offered lots of encouragement. I thought I was going to have to explain and defend my use of e-cigs, but it seems like everyone around me is already sold on the idea. I purposely had not told my younger brother that I quit, because like my wife he had a strong interest in seeing me quit, but he had been through too many previous efforts. So I didn't say anything until one day he asked if I had ever considered using e-cigs. I played dumb and asked him what an e-cig was. He tried to explain it.  That went on for about ten minutes at which point I couldn't contain myself anymore and told him I had quit smoking about two months ago.

If your situation is similar to mine with those closest to you having a big interest in seeing you quit, and having been through previous proclamations of your being smoke free only to see you fail time and again -- give them a break. Even if you think you know that this time you really have given up cigarettes for good, there's no way that they can know that. There's no way that they can know that you're not going to disappoint them yet one more time.

Hang in there. They probably want you to quit almost as much as you want to quit.  They just need to feel that this is not like Lucy pulling the football out of Charlie Brown's way just before the kick -- again.

[Fingerplucked]

Jul 3, 2013 2:06:10 GMT -5 Bassman said:

Not to say that I'm not excited that I took the first step in quitting. 

Oh. And you didn't take the first step. You took the only step you needed to take. You're not smoking. You're already done. It's over. Regarding smoking, the only thing you can do now is go back to smoking, get pissed at yourself, and try to quit again.  Or just keep doing what you're doing now, and consider the matter settled.

You may decide later to try to kick the nicotine addiction. That will be another step. But it no longer has anything to do with smoking. You're already an ex-smoker.

[Marshall]

Jul 3, 2013 2:06:10 GMT -5 Bassman said:

Not to say that I'm not excited that I took the first step in quitting. But when I told a few people, like my wife she said " oh well I guess we will see if it works for you" as we'll as some people at work. You would think the would say " that's great " or " good luck" not too much encouragement on the home front here, but now that they were a little bit of a downer and because I'm a little competitive, I just want to stuff it in their face. Did you run into any of this?

That's GREAT ! ! ! !

I'm very proud of you guys !

[Bassman]

Made it though the first week, going to run out to the vapor store to get some more stuff.

Just like to say Thanks you everyone for the words of encouragement, its greatly appreciated.

And a special THANK YOU JIM, without you I would not be doing this, Thank you VERY much for everything you have done. Maybe I'll try this biking thing. only problem is my wife may tag along.

[Fingerplucked]

You're welcome, although you get all the credit. You're the one who quit, so congratulations.  Now spread the word and help another smoker when you find one with an open mind.

I don't see a lot of vapers around. I do see a lot of smokers on my drive home.  Seems like around one driver in four is smoking. I used to vape in-between lights, when I'd be less noticeable, because I felt kind of dorky with my e-cig. After about a month my thinking started changing. I realized I was the smart one and that if those smokers knew what I know, they'd be vaping too.  So I started feeling less self conscious about it.  Now I don't care who sees me vaping. In fact, I WANT smokers to see me. I want them to wonder what I'm doing and/or why I'm doing it, and I want them to give it a try themselves.

Biking is good. Any aerobic activity that you enjoy would work just as well. Whether you're hammering the pedals or pounding the pavement, it's a great reminder of why you quit smoking in the first place, and it's impossible not to think how much worse you'd feel when you're climbing a hill an hour or two into your ride.

Electronic cigarettes can also be fun. I normally take a short break every hour or so, depending on where the best benches (with a back rest and shade) are on a known route. I start with half a peanut butter & honey sandwich, then vape for a bit.  When I'm on my own I just relax and enjoy the scenery, the weather, the passing bicyclists, ... in short, I love it all except for the bugs which can be bad in places.  The other day on my group ride we took about twice as many breaks, but they only lasted about 2 minutes while the ride leader pointed out various historical landmarks.  With a choice between vaping and eating, I chose vaping on 3 out of 4 breaks. I told people I had oxygen in there. I don't think anyone believed me, but I did get some strange looks.

And be careful where you're getting your e-liquid.  E-cigs aren't regulated. The FDA tried to seize control a few years ago, but failed. I have mixed feelings about that. The government made a real mess of the tobacco industry, and if the end result is to make e-cigs just like cigarettes, I hope they never get their hands on the product. But regulation can also make sure that you're buying what you think you're buying when you get e-liquid.  A few years ago the FDA? tested various e-liquids and found small traces of harmful chemicals. They've never been able to replicate the findings, but for me it's enough to want to stick to a reputable manufacturer with something to lose if they get caught marketing bad product, rather than a no-name supplier out of China.

[Marshall]

You ARE dorky. But it has nothing to do with cigarettes.

(But in a cool way, though)