Monday, January 29, 2007

Smoking

I want to give up smoking.

I want to give up smoking.

I want to give up smoking.

If I repeat this to myself often enough I might even believe it. I don't mean that I don't want to give up smoking. Nor do I believe that I don't want to give up smoking. I simply haven't believed I want to give up smoking.

Dieters don't lose weight - they have a 'target weight'. So dieting becomes about hitting a target. I believe most people can derive a sense of satisifaction from hitting a target.

So where is the target in 'giving up smoking'? How can I turn the 'giving smoking up', the sense of cessation; the 'stopping smoking' from the sense of loss to the sense of gain.

I will first list all the benefits I can think of if I didn't smoke
  • I won't smell like an ashtray
  • My clothes won't smell so much
  • My teeth won't get so stained
  • I won't spend so much money
  • I'll reduce my risk of heart attack
  • I'll improve my circulation
  • I'll reduce other health problems associated with smoking.
  • I won't have to stand in the rain and cold to have a fag anymore.
I think I need to develop some NLP. Or maybe try hypnosis.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Yet more adventures in a Rover 114

Well it had to happen really.
The Rover blew its head gasket.
I was traveling toward the M1 on the M18 and thinking I'd be home by 4.30 when I noticed the temperature gauge was through the roof. I pulled in to the hard shoulder but I have no idea how long it had been like that. All I know is I had been driving for about 15 minutes.

I called the RAC and they let me know that this was my fifth call out and after this call I would be paying them £59 to come out to me until my renewal date. Luckily that's only two weeks away.

I finally got home, with the car on a flat bed, at 7pm. I then had to walk half a mile each way to get some milk.

I've booked it in to have the cylinder head done. It's going to cost me £390 plus a tow in of £40.

I hope they can fix it.