About

In May 2014, I started writing when I gave up smoking and started blogging because the subject was important to me -until then I didn’t even know I liked writing. That’s why my blog is called “The Happy Quitter” because it all began when I gave up smoking after 35 years.

This section of my blog might interest you if you just gave up smoking as well; or if you decided to do so in the future.

“Every time I get used to something, I turn around and she changes it”, that’s one of my husband’s favorite statements. She would be me and He would be the wonderful man I am married to, and, as much I hate to admit it, He would be right. I have rearranged our living room -again- just recently and surprised him with it. His second favorite statement about me is a little bit more private. “I wake up with a brunette and go to bed with a blonde” a humorous remark, about how often I changed my hairstyle and the color over the last 30 years. What can I say, “addicted to the bottle” might come to mind.

I was wondering about my blog, I would like to keep it alive. I can tell by the emails and views of my older posts, that there are still many smokers out there -all over the globe- who want to quit as well. There is still so much to talk about, that involves the tobacco industry and the politics around it. There is always “smoking news”, especially when it comes to the industry’s newest toy the e-cigarette. I would like to continue to write about it, but not on a daily base.

I did what I wanted to do; I paid it forward for one year and stayed focused on my quit by doing so.

BUT…there is so much more to The Happy Quitter than just my smoking past. I am a goofball with serious moments or a serious goofball. I am a rambler and talker, a student and a teacher, a reader and a blogger. I have so much on my mind and none of it has anything to do with smoking. Books, music, history, places I visited, and cultures I was allowed to explore. I am an agnostic believer, a feminist, who believes in spoiling her husband rotten. I am an animal activist and a first-generation immigrant. I was born and raised in Europe and English is my second language. So, please be gentle with me and kindly overlook all the mistakes I am going to make…and yes, you might “hear” an accent now and then.

I am a European in America. There are some tough subjects, that I would like to write about. There are humorous stories that I would like to share.

So, guess what? I am going to rearrange my blog a little bit. Will change the categories, will throw stuff around, and will bug you all with new ideas :-).

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smoking cessation best blogs badge

I can’t believe it, but my little blog was named one of the Top Smoking Cessation blogs in 2015, 2016, and 2017. What an honor it is, thank you Healthline!

>>>link to the nomination 2015<<<

>>link to the nomination 2016<<<

>>>link to the nomination 2017<<<

158 thoughts on “About”

  3. Congratulations on quitting smoking. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done to quit after just ten years of smoking. So thankful to be a non-smoker for the past 30 something years. Thanks for the follow!

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  11. Oh Yippee! I was pleased that we found one another earlier but now that I have read this, I am extra pleased. A question …. whereabouts are your European roots? As you know I’m English living in France (and occasionally Massachusetts) and as such I am supposed to be cool and chic and wait to be told but I’m curious …. 😊

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  13. Interesting! I started my blog back in 2006ish because I had quit my job and gone back to school at 50 years old. It was a way to keep track of my feelings about all that….and then when I graduated I wondered if I should keep blogging, since the original topic wasn’t relevant anymore….and people said yes and I did and I’m glad I did. Even though the topic of my blog is nothing and everything all at the same time. I’m much like you. I like change. Though I don’t rearrange the living room, there seems to be only one way to arrange it…on the other hand, we didn’t HAVE living room furniture for more than a year because my husband threw out the couch while I was away and then we couldn’t agree on what we wanted to replace it. So we had two chairs and that was it for a long time. Change is hard. LOL

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  15. You can feel you have done a real, tangible service to mankind.

    Did you want me to send you a physical copy of my book Border Line. It would be a present with NO obligation to read. If you email me at threadgoldpressATwaitroseDOTcom, we can then communicate off-blog. Hilary

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  18. I smoked for many many years and never gave up.
    I just haven’t had the next one for about 20 years now.
    I believe there are a million ways to do anything that we really want, and need, to do.

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    • How interesting. My husband just decided to take an indefinite smoke-break one day before his birthday this year. He is now 100+ days on this break and he is doing great. I truly believe that we outgrow things -if that makes any sense at all.
      I smoked for 35 years, my better half for over 40 years. Maybe there is just a point when we don’t see too much sense in it anymore anymore?

      I went to a smoking forum, not for support, but because I had questions. They pledge every day N.O.P.E (Not One Puff Ever) and I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t plan on quitting it just happened somehow. Never ever…seemed too far stretched. So, I pledged SNOT instead (Smoking Not Optional Today) and got the giggle out of it.
      (Sorry for the novel)

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      • Outgrow might be an apt word here, dear lady, because people who have tried for years often stop for the flimsiest reasons.
        On the flip side, I once knew an absolutely wonderful lady who gave up almost every year, and I am embarrassed to say I always prayed that she would start again.
        She was just unbearable without it.
        And if you are apologising for ‘SNOT’, you are clearly deluding yourself as to my level of maturity.
        My alter ego once wrote this:
        https://anelephantcant.me/2012/09/27/the-mighty-green-snotter-man/
        Enjoy!

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  20. It is truly nice to find out more about you and thank you for visiting my blog and introducing yourself. I think your English is great and I can say that with authority, because I used to be an English teacher. I’m finding that writing every week is helping me to improve my own English and my writing style, so keep writing. People appreciate caring voices like yours. Thanks, Clare

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  22. Thanks for the follow. I checked out your blog, and I love the layout, it’s a great theme, I might see what mine would look like, like this. I’m not too good at the technical stuff though. I’ve never smoked but admire people who give up!

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  23. I knew I had to check your blog when I read your comment at Diane’s place 😉 And what an absolute pleasure 😀 I can relate to you in sooo many ways ( hint- hair coloring,rambler,talker 😉 ) I am so excited to jump into your followers bandwagon. And kudos to you for giving up the one habit which is deemed as a very difficult addiction to give up and to actually write about it ! 🙂 Cheers and warmest wishes, Minaxi ❤

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