I started smoking on my eighteenth birthday because, well, I thought I looked cool. My forays into the smoking world expanded upon reaching St Andrews where, my first year, a good 30 to 40 percent of the students/population smoked on a regular basis. I figured I would quit after graduating … didn’t happen. I decided to quit when I moved to New Jersey … didn’t happen. I was really going to stop when they passed the smoking ban … didn’t happen, and I froze my ass off on a regular basis.

Now, though, I got myself a prescription for Chantix. I know, I know, many of you will think that’s the lazy man’s way out, taking a prescription instead of using self control to quit, but as many of you know, self control isn’t always my strong point where habits are concerned. Basically, Chantix blocks the receptors in the brain that usually suck up all the nicotine … so you can smoke and smoke and it’ll do nothing for you until eventually you realize it’s hopeless and quit.

Of course, I’m not one for remembering to take pills on a regular basis either, but Chantix really seems to work when I remember to pop one. In fact, every time I take it - and they say you’re meant to keep smoking while you’re quitting, which is how I got sold on the idea - the cigarettes I have a) taste awful, and b) make me feel nauseous. So if I’m able to maintain the daily pill schedule, I think I’d definitely be an ex-smoker within a few weeks.

Anyway, I was perusing the site of the 2008 Bloggies (think the Oscars for bloggers) and made my way over to the “Best Writing of a Weblog” category, where I found the winner, Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. And - would ya look at that - I was thoroughly horrified-slash-amused (terrible, I know, but I can’t help it) by the first post I saw. Little kids aren’t as oblivious as they seem.

Finally, I did the math: if I were to quit smoking, which I fully intend to do soon (though after the Brits leave - Becks is my smoking buddy, and it would be too hard to give that up while she’s here), the cost savings per month would amount to half of a car payment. That’s a good incentive right there.

Yes, I bought a car this weekend, and it’s a beaut. Wait for pictures, ‘cos you know they’re comin’.