Hall of Fame Speech Of hydranthead

As I gathered with my family for Thanksgiving, I began to think of dinners of past years where my stepmother would want everyone to say one thing they were thankful for. Same thing every year: thankful for friends, family, and for the opportunity to be with both at the holidays. Well, we didn't do that this year, probably because we went our separate ways with our significant others, but that ritual kept coming into my mind as I ate dinner and what I would have said this year.

So, here I am, raising my glass to my first dip free holiday dinner in 11 years, I would like to share what I am thankful for:

1. Actually being able to commit myself to the beginning of my quit. After years of telling people “I’ll quit when (insert holiday/birthday/special occasion)” I finally grew up and realized now is that time. And just like other members of this site suggested, I told everyone I could that I was going to quit. It worked. People at work would have never let me live it down if I caved. (Considering 50% are dippers and said I wouldn’t be able to do it).
2. My mother…….She passed away 5 years ago, and what kept me going the first couple of weeks was the disgusting thought in the back of my mind of how when she was dying, of all the things going thru my head while she was lying there was when I was gonna get my next dip. What’s great about this site is that no one is going to ask me why it took 5yrs to think that way, because they know. Everyone on this site knows how that feels, cause they’ve done it.
3. My girlfriend…..for putting up w*hydranthead for the past 4 + months. The first weeks were terrible. I was an ass and irritable (more than usual) and you didn’t say “boo.”
4. This site…..without it I’m positive I wouldn’t have made it. I can remember as soon as I decided to quit, bringing up Google and putting “quit chewing tobacco” into the headline. We all know the rest of the story.
5. The Units……I feel like I’ve known most of you for years. I really don’t post that often (except for screwing up role call) but the site is the first thing I visit everyday and can’t wait to see who’s up in the site………...only to find a thrusting stormtrooper staring me right in the face. Can’t get enough of that.

Eventually I will win this battle with tobacco. I don’t know when, but I can’t wait for next year to tip my glass once again and say that I’m thankful for being tobacco free for 16months. Thanks to all on the site, for your stories, support, and jokes, especially the Units for showing up everyday and keeping everyone together.