48 hours and counting

I've now gone two days without smoking and all the nicotine has apparently disappeared from my body. Thanks to Paul's emotional blackmail, I don't blame you for using it, I have been looking up some information about the effects of smoking, the things you turn off to deliberately when smoking. I wouldn't say there's anything new in any of it, just the fact it is far less common now than I would have guessed from being out at break and lunch at school when all the kids seem to be smoking!

It shows how misleading appearances can be. Another factor would be the difficulty I'd have with my youthful looks of getting served as the age rises to 18 to be able to buy cigarettes.

I managed 18 months last time and perhaps if it hadn't been for Natasha's illness I wouldn't have started again. I don't know. Sometimes you just look for excuses although it was a terrible time. I've struggled to get to the point where I feel I can cope without having a smoke but I'm there now and have as good a set of reasons for stopping as anyone, as Paul pointed out.

I managed my longest run this morning as well. 8.5km which is over the 5 mile mark. I might run instead of smoking but it does get boring. I usually listen to Mark Kermode's film reviews on podcast which helps pass the time but otherwise it's whatever is on the radio in the gym and there is an unhealthy obsession with The Feeling and Razorlight.

Just downloading 'The Last King of Scotland' and 'Little Miss Sunshine' as BT say my internet connection is going to be between 2 and 8mbps from tomorrow and Kevin was chatting about films at football the other night. It's ages since I downloaded anything.