I’m Craving and It’s Complicated #BreakItOff

This whole quitting smoking thing is complicated. There are so many stop smoking aids these days that I don’t really know what to do.

I’ve heard a ton of great things about Allen Carr’s book but I haven’t had my hands on it yet. I picked up a pack of Thrive nicotine gum yesterday at Shoppers Drug Mart but it made my tongue feel funny. I inhaled through a straw yesterday to mimic smoking but it looks weird when I do that in public. I chewed plastic spoons when I was trying to quit in college but people looked at me really funny when the spoon was all messed up with teeth marks.

Right now I’m using the Break It Off iPhone app to register my cravings when they come up. It gives me a chance to identify that I do want a smoke and then to tell myself that I’m not going to have one.

Note: So far I’ve added 4 triggers to the default list provided: Just Ate, Coffee, Headache and Jonesing.

I’ve also been using the video camera that Break It Off sent me to make some short videos and talk about this whole process on the YouTube. I’ve promised that there will be minimum swearing, nudity and violence in the videos but I hope you’ll check them out anyway.
This is only day 2 so I know that I’m not looking at any awards or medals or achievements yet. However, I can not remember the last time that I went 34 hours without a cigarette and that’s where we’re at right now as I write this.

Note: Reggy is also part of the #BreakItOff campaign – follow her on the Twitter to see how she’s doing and to cheer her on.

Alright friends – it’s time for me to go distract myself. I think maybe I’ll take the garbage out and wash a dish or two… who knows, maybe being a non-smoker will make me a better house keeper.

Hope that y’all have a good Sunday. Be prepared for a lot more content now that I’m looking for distractions!

Smile. Awesome.

2012 And A Better Me

I’ve been thinking a bunch over the last few days. You see, I worked hard at making 2011 a year of Silver Linings and Awesome. And now we have a new year and it’s time to start working at a new goal.

I’m thinking… be a better me.

It’s vague (which I like) and it’s positive (which I like) and I can set my own goals as the year goes on and opportunities arise (which I like).

We’ve established that in 2012 I will turn 30. I have established that there’s nothing but a bottle of Just For Men that’s going to reverse the slight greying of my hair. I have also decided that this is the year that I give a real, true, honest fight to my addiction with cigarettes.

Note: I’ve started the smoking thing. It’s been sucky. You’ll hear and read more about it I’m sure.

To go along with the quitting smoking thing I’ve thought about other aspects of my life that I can improve with a little attention and care.

I’ve started playing around with some fitness options and will continue to do so as the year goes along.

I’ve also promised myself that I would commit more time and effort to creating content for this blog and other projects that come up.

Note: Find me Sundays at photojunkie.ca – we talk sports, differently.

Now, please don’t think that just because we’ve flipped the calendar we will also abandon Silver

Linings and Awesome things. That would just be silly. I mean, it was such a good way to go about things. And it was largely a good year.

We’re just going to take that positive energy and focus and add it to this new work of making myself better.

So feel free to come along for the ride. I’m hoping that there won’t be much more than a few speed bumps on the way. I’m also hoping that I’m going to have your support as things get messy and cleaned up.

2012 is here and it isn’t going anywhere for another 11+ months. We might as well get used to it and make the best out of what we’ve got.

Smile Big. Be Awesome.

#BreakItOff – The Beginning

Hey y’all. Happy Saturday from my little corner of the world.

In case you didn’t see it on the Twitter or Facebook I have some news to share.

I’m quitting the whole smoking thing.

Yup. I know that I’ve said it before. Heck I even blogged it before. But this time I think I have the support, desire and drive to quit.

I’ll be working with and using the Break It Off campaign to do my quitting. We’re working to build the world’s biggest break-up with smoking.

Check out www.breakitoff.ca to see videos that have been uploaded. See the cool resources that have been made available to everyone and please feel free to let any smokers in your life know that they are welcome to join us.

Note: Please do not be pushy in referring friends and family to this or any other quit smoking program. Trust me, it’s not helpful.

As I work on this whole quitting thing I will be taking video and photos and blogging about it through good times and bad.

Soon you’ll be able to see my Break-Up video on the Break It Off site and last night I made little vid while I smoked my last cigarette before bed.

Feel free to stop in here or on the youtube channel at /joshua1murray to see what I’ve come up with.

Warning: I may cry at some point.

Check out the first video. I felt like one of those kids on Intervention when I watched it back this morning. Yikes.

Have a good day friends. Wish me luck.

Free Tickets! Landmark Showcase Competition 2012 at The Mod Club!

The Toronto Indie Music Scene has been hot for years and this weekend 5 local bands will be taking a step closer to exposure and the radio and your ears and more!January 28th and 29th Landmark Events are hosting the Landmark Showcase Competition 2012 at The Mod Club. (722 College St. West)

Side Note: That’s this weekend.

Scully and the Last Calls will be performing as part of this 2 day event that offers the 5 top bands a ton of great prizes, including:

1. Recording Time at: Red Rhino Recording
2. Mastering Sessions
3. Outer and Inner-City Industry Showcases (The Mod Club Theatre and Club Soda)
4. Your press kit shopped and heard by any 5 major or indie labels of your choice through our music lawyer with a guaranteed response!
5. Global distribution through ‘Noisy Planet’ (www.noisyplanet.net)
6. Music sent to a music publicist for review and possible media campaign!
7. and more…

The boys in the band are super excited to play the Mod Club just 2 weeks after taking the stage at the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern. (It’s been a good start to 2012)There will be a lot of bands on the Mod Club stage between the 28th and 29th and there is going to be a lot of talent… that’s the great thing about Battle of the Bands and Showcases and whatnot – you never know what amazing new talent you’re going to see!

If you want to go to the Mod Club for free this weekend to see Donovan, Justin, Seamus and Peter play as Scully and the Last Calls and to see who takes home those awesome prize packs – we want to send you!

We’re giving away 2 tickets to the showcase – and here’s how you win!!!Step 1 – Copy & Paste this: I want to see Scully and the Last Calls/ @lastcallsmusic at The Mod Club! Let Me Win!

Step 2 – Tweet it (@lastcallsmusic) OR post it on the Scully and the Last Calls FaceBook page (HERE)

Step 3- Do it by Friday at 6pm!Step 4 – Cross your fingers and hope that you win!

Tell your friends.