Comments on: I Don’t Wanna Grow Up

By: Slade Ham

Slade Ham — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:26:28 +0000

I apologize for not stopping by and acknowledging this comment. Thank you, Sadeethya.

By: sadeethya

sadeethya — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 21:21:19 +0000

I am now officially a fan of Slade Ham. I love his writings. Honest.

By: Irene Zion (Lenore's Mom)

Irene Zion (Lenore's Mom) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:54:29 +0000

Slade,

What a wonderful take on mirrors.

I have to rethink this now.

Thanks.

By: Slade

Slade — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:18:12 +0000

Despite quitting, I still hang out outside with the smokers. They are way cooler people. I equate being a non-smoker with being a Dave Matthews fan. It’s a cool thing to be, but you have to accept the fact that everybody else that does it is a total douchebag.

By: Slade

Slade — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:16:07 +0000

I remember my first one at 17 as well. It was an amazingly sinful, lightheaded feeling that was amplified by the fact that I could buy twenty such sensations for only $2.00. And my hair was long too at the time…

Viva la ketchup!

By: Slade

Slade — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:13:52 +0000

Mirrors are such enemies. What I like is the rare occasion that I pass one, glance up, and catch myself smiling as I say, “Damn, I really made it this long?”

By: Jeffrey Pillow

Jeffrey Pillow — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:11:42 +0000

Two years ago I quit with Chantix. Fractured my big toe in the process. Woke up one night with my arms flailing beating the shit out of my bed and managed to take a chunk out of the drywall with my foot. Most intense and lifelike dream (nightmare) I’d ever experienced. Thank God I wasn’t married then and living with my wife. I probably would have broken her nose and taken the dog out.

By: Stefan Kiesbye

Stefan Kiesbye — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:47:03 +0000

Growing up only makes you feel old. And the changes one sees in one’s body are frightening enough. No need to change one’s reckless attitude too. And while I don’t smoke, and totally understand that not smoking is better for your health, I love all the people standing outside their homes or office towers and smoking, and letting me bum a cigarette once in a long while.

By: John

John — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:26:45 +0000

I justify my vegetable intake with french fries and onion rings. Those definitely count. Screw what the nutritionists say.

By: John

John — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:25:08 +0000

I tried the Chantix, and the crazy dreams it gave me pretty much ended that after a week. I dreamed of, not kidding, David Bowie, who at the time was telling me that I was dreaming. And then I woke up– in the dream. When I finally actually woke up, for the first time in my life I couldn’t tell if I was still asleep. It was a very disconcerting feeling, and it lasted a good three hours.

I still envy your “no smoking” and “eight minute mile” thing. I’m in the god-damned military and I can barely run a nine minute mile. That makes me very unpopular. But so does my constant arguing over the stupid shit I see every day, so they can just take my over nine minute mile and stick it up… oh, never mind.

Great post, by the by. I love to hear I’m not the only one struggling with all of this.

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:50:57 +0000

I have only smoked one cigarette in my life. I was 17 and my hair was long. I couldn’t take the smell in my tresses, so that was that for me.

As for the rest… it’s only just begun to hit me that I’m no longer young. And it’s freaking me the fuck out. Good to know I’m not alone.

Ketchup totally counts as a vegetable. Tomatoes, right? Wait, that’s a fruit. Nevermind.

By: Simon Smithson

Simon Smithson — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:09:53 +0000

It really does help the old identity formation, doesn’t it? And part of me kind of enjoys the identity of a non-smoker.

Yep. It worked.

By: Irene Zion

Irene Zion — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:08:11 +0000

Slade,
I really know what you mean, but it’s WAY worse for me.
In my head I’m at the MOST 23, then I pass by a mirror and see my grandmother passing by.
I wanted to be Peter Pan too.
Sucks to be human.

By: Slade

Slade — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:05:11 +0000

I remember my first one quite clearly. This is easy to say now that I’ve quit, but I don’t know that I regret all those years of smoking. It seemed to serve a purpose and it solidified my identity at the time. I’ve come to be comfortable with even my worst decisions over the years.

So was Sarah impressed or what?

By: Simon Smithson

Simon Smithson — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:49:26 +0000

Quitting smoking is such a complete and total bitch of a thing to do. High on my list of Things To Do Should I Ever Have Access To A Time Machine is go back to a certain night, about ten years ago now, and slap my stupid seventeen-year-old self for taking that first drag.

Then again, I wanted to impress Sarah deLacey, and she was pretty good-looking, so, you know. It seemed like a good idea at the time.