Ali McNally

I’m trying to quit smoking. While my health beckons for abstinence from nicotine, it took a slap in the face from the plethora of overdue bills for me to finally give in. I can’t breathe and I’m broke–it’s time to quit.

I’m a professional quitter. I’ve been doing it since I was in elementary school when I quit saxophone lessons and liking school. In high school, I quit swimming, playing guitar and the student newspaper. For three years, I’ve tried to quit smoking, on and off. The most recent attempt was this past Christmas-into-New Year’s. I think that time of year has become a tradition.

I know that there’s a 90% chance that this time will be yet another one of those failed efforts, partly because I try to wean myself off of a pack rather than go cold-turkey. Weaning works for about a week. Once I’m at one a day, I relapse either from boredom or bar-dom.

 We’ll see…