Monday
Nov162009
A Video In Which The Palinode Interviews Me, Schmutzie, About Why I Quit Smoking
Monday, November 16, 2009 It walks! It talks! It's Chatty Schmutzie!
Without any further ado or senseless exclaiming, here is my face and my voice all together for the first time ever on this website, thanks to the Palinode's fancy interviewing and video editing skills:
Summary: I have an intense fear of death and have things I want to accomplish without subjecting myself to an early one by throat cancer, so I quit smoking so that I could sleep at night and not lay awake imagining my own demise over and over. Quitting has mostly improved my ability to sleep, except for when it doesn't. Damnable mortality. Then, I talk about my hopes and dreams. Also, there are dancing cigarettes!
Reader Comments (14)
One instance where it pays to be neurotic.
Well done. It's not easy to quit.
i agree, very well done. you are so "womanly", your voice is beautiful and matches your face. (sorry, i know it's hard to take compliments but i am sincere, promise!)
i haven't quit smoking yet, but am sowing the seeds from your speaking aboot it ;)
Congrats on unleashing your face and your voice! Well done on quitting smoking. I've been thinking about it for a while but you've inspired me to take action. Cheers!
Oh, thumbs up to the Palinode for his editing skills!
I absolutely adore you. And all those dreams? Work 'em. You are capable of any of that and more.
I totally agree with Leah about being womanly and your voice and how it matches your face.
Robin
WOMMANNNNN....LYYYYYYY.
SCHMUU-UUUUUT....ZIEEEEEE.
So nice to see your face/hear your voice!! And what a lovely duo they are. Helps me so much as a reader of this blog and a very visual person to feel more connected with you.
Though I don't know what kind of impact it will have, I'm sending this post to my mom. She has been smoking for most of her life and it terrifies me to think she might not be there for me/my children/her grandchildren one day because of that choice but at the same time, it's one of those things you can't push a person into unless they really, truly, are ready to commit, 100%.
Thanks for this.
Leah, Ada, and Shelley Greenberg: This is what I was hoping, to inspire. My reasons for quitting had more to do with hopes and dreams than with the physical side effects of addiction, and looking ahead rather than miring myself in the tedium of quitting is what helped me to stop.
Thank you, Schmutzie! You are amazing and adorable, and your glasses are fabulous.
This is really inspirational, not only because you quit a possibly fatal habit, but you voice your dreams and aspirations. It feels very powerful to me. Not only "I don't want to die" but "I want to create." And of course, I love seeing you and hearing your voice!
Oh, and I also felt a recognition/connection with your desire to tell and honor people's stories, like a different version of your 365 day project. I was so sad when you were finished with that, so I'm happy there may be more of the same or similar from you!
I'm really proud of you, Schmutzie. Quitting is one of the hardest things you'll ever do, and you're doing it.
Holy crap, it's Schmutzie! I love having a real you to go in my head. I will put her in the spot previously occupied only by the written you, and they will get on marvelously.
(Come to WA. We will drive to Mexico and tell each other stories.)
I agree... I love being able to put and actual real person Schmutzie with the written word Schmutzie. You should do some type of video series.
Also... congratulations on quitting. I imagine it's extremely difficult... but you have such fabulous reason for giving it up.