We’re not out of the woods yet.
As I send this blog out today, my eighth since I began, I realise it is my 31st day off the smokes and at the risk of repeating myself, I am very proud.
Crave nation
It seems so obvious, but the biggest struggle, the biggest challenge to stay off the smokes is the craving. They still come. There is no real pattern to them, but I am told by the experts that they will dissipate and get further apart.
Use the four Ds – deep breaths, drink water, distract yourself, delay.
I’m still a little unsure as to how to delay a craving. You either have it or you don’t. It’s not like I can tell the craving that I won’t be ready for another few minutes and would it mind waiting.
Cardiff Blues
I went to Cardiff last Thursday for three nights of gigs in their brilliant Glee Comedy Club. I shared a bill with the brilliant Gary Delaney (pic below) who some might know from Mock the Week on BBC.
It was a fantastic weekend and Cardiff was hopping as Ireland were in town for the Six Nations. Cardiff really is a rugby city and what struck me about Welsh rugby fans is that they come from all walks of life.
It can be said that rugby is the exclusive domain of the well-to-do middle classes and higher in Ireland, but in Wales it really is the people’s game. They all love it.
On the Friday morning I received this text from the HSE, on day 24 of my off the smokes crusade and it made me laugh:
I watched the match on Saturday in a pub right outside the Millennium Stadium as the ticket prices were exorbitant. You could hear the roar from the stadium as the match kicked off.
My nerves were shot as the Welsh rushed into a 12 point lead and I would have killed for a cigarette right there and then. But then I told myself to cop on. Simple as that. The craving passed.
Gleeful Glee
That evening, the 3rd of 3 gigs that weekend in the Glee Club, I knew I would be playing to a crowd very much in a happy place given the result of the rugby.
Of course I wanted Ireland to win
, but if there was a silver lining to the defeat, it was that my audience were going to be much more jovial. Here’s a stupid picture of me doing my sound-check.
As soon as I walked out on stage and spoke, they recognised the accent and laughed, almost mockingly. I told them that I had not seen the rugby, that I had recorded it to watch later and not to give me an spoilers.
They enjoyed that and I was off and running. A lovely gig and a fantastic weekend at a proper comedy club run by professionals.
The torment of St. Patrick
The St. Patrick’s day celebrations proved to be a tough day for me. No, I didn’t join in the festivities. I was at home. Maybe I was bored or whatever, but that was one of the toughest days yet off the smokes.
For some reason, the cravings came in waves and although I managed to keep them at bay, it was an exhausting effort and I slept well that night.
I was likening the cravings to the snakes and willing St. Patrick to drive them out, but to no avail. These snake cravings were strong and they weren’t going anywhere in a hurry.
I drank so much water, took so many deep breaths and tried to distract myself with other things, but it was a real toe-to-toe battle.
I was thrilled when bed time came and I could get to sleep and kill whatever was left of the lingering cravings.
Amsterdam calling
I’ve survived this long, but the ultimate battle comes this weekend. As you read this I will be on a plane to Amsterdam on a stag party for an old friend of mine.
There are nine of us going and we’ve all known each other since we were kids. This is going to be a real test of my resilience, but I am determined. People have told me that I don’t have to smoke. They’ve gone all Marie Antoinette and say I can do cake.
Cake? They do John Player Blue cake?
Till next week.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
