The Future of...

For now, I'm not sure what the future of TNB will be. It's been months since I last posted and even longer since I last collected. So, for now, I think it's fair to say that TNB is no more. I will keep this blog alive for posterity's sake and for the off chance that I decide to revisit this venture in the future.

Thanks to everyone that has made TNB such an enjoyable memory for me. I've made some great friends, and a few that I'll consider lifelong. With my current focus on being a fulltime husband and father, restaurant manager, and college student there is little to no time left for hobbies. Even my Tuesday Night Softball has become difficult to fit in.

Once again thanks to everyone along the way! I hope to be back in some form or fashion in the future!

Sincerely,

jv

ps I'm still interested in unloading stuff from my collection so if you think I might have something you need don't hesitate to ask. I'm going to attempt to get some eBay stuff going again by the end of the year. And, yes, there are a few of you with outstanding packages left to send. I WILL get to it at some point.

Wantlists Updated!

Wanna get rid of some crap? Take a look to your right and you'll find my updated wantlists. I'll take some of it.

(latest wanted crap is the 1998 Upper Deck...and I need quite a bit.)

1998 Upper Deck

UPDATED: THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2009

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I NEED THE FOLLOWING CARDS TO COMPLETE THIS SET:

1998 UPPER DECK

(X denotes pending trade)

If you have any for trade, please contact me
by clicking this link

1998 Upper Deck
510	NEEDED
1	Tino Martinez HIST
2	Jimmy Key HIST
3	Jay Buhner HIST
4	Mark Gardner HIST
5	Greg Maddux HIST
6	Pedro Martinez HIST
7	Hideo Nomo HIST
8	Sammy Sosa HIST
9	Mark McGwire GHL
10	Ken Griffey Jr. GHL
11	Larry Walker GHL
12	Tino Martinez GHL
13	Mike Piazza GHL
14	Jose Cruz Jr. GHL
15	Tony Gwynn GHL
16	Greg Maddux GHL
17	Roger Clemens GHL
18	Alex Rodriguez GHL
19	Shigetoshi Hasegawa
20	Eddie Murray
21	Jason Dickson
22	Darin Erstad
23	Chuck Finley
24	Dave Hollins
25	Garret Anderson
26	Michael Tucker
27	Kenny Lofton
28	Javier Lopez
29	Fred McGriff
30	Greg Maddux
31	Jeff Blauser
32	John Smoltz
33	Mark Wohlers
34	Scott Erickson
35	Jimmy Key
36	Harold Baines
37	Randy Myers
38	B.J. Surhoff
39	Eric Davis
40	Rafael Palmeiro
41	Jeffrey Hammonds
42	Mo Vaughn
43	Tom Gordon
44	Tim Naehring
45	Darren Bragg
46	Aaron Sele
47	Troy O'Leary
48	John Valentin
49	Doug Glanville
50	Ryne Sandberg
51	Steve Trachsel
52	Mark Grace
53	Kevin Foster
54	Kevin Tapani
55	Kevin Orie
56	Lyle Mouton
57	Ray Durham
58	Jaime Navarro
59	Mike Cameron
60	Albert Belle
61	Doug Drabek
62	Chris Snopek
63	Eddie Taubensee
64	Terry Pendleton
65	Barry Larkin
66	Willie Greene
67	Deion Sanders
68	Pokey Reese
69	Jeff Shaw
70	Jim Thome
71	Orel Hershiser
72	Omar Vizquel
73	Brian Giles
74	David Justice
75	Bartolo Colon
76	Sandy Alomar Jr.
77	Neifi Perez
78	Dante Bichette
79	Vinny Castilla
80	Eric Young
81	Quinton McCracken
82	Jamey Wright
83	John Thomson
84	Damion Easley
85	Justin Thompson
86	Willie Blair
87	Raul Casanova
88	Bobby Higginson
89	Bubba Trammell
90	Tony Clark
91	Livan Hernandez
92	Charles Johnson
93	Edgar Renteria
94	Alex Fernandez
95	Gary Sheffield
96	Moises Alou
97	Tony Saunders
98	Robb Nen
99	Darryl Kile
100	Craig Biggio
101	Chris Holt
102	Bob Abreu
103	Luis Gonzalez
104	Billy Wagner
105	Brad Ausmus
106	Chili Davis
107	Tim Belcher
108	Dean Palmer
109	Jeff King
110	Jose Rosado
111	Mike Macfarlane
112	Jay Bell
113	Todd Worrell
114	Chan Ho Park
115	Raul Mondesi
116	Brett Butler
117	Greg Gagne
118	Hideo Nomo
119	Todd Zeile
120	Eric Karros
121	Cal Eldred
122	Jeff D'Amico
123	Antone Williamson
124	Doug Jones
125	Dave Nilsson
126	Gerald Williams
127	Fernando Vina
128	Ron Coomer
129	Matt Lawton
130	Paul Molitor
131	Todd Walker
132	Rick Aguilera
133	Brad Radke
134	Bob Tewksbury
135	Vladimir Guerrero
136	Tony Gwynn DG
137	Roger Clemens DG
138	Dennis Eckersley DG
139	Brady Anderson DG
140	Ken Griffey Jr. DG
141	Derek Jeter DG
142	Ken Caminiti DG
143	Frank Thomas DG
144	Barry Bonds DG
145	Cal Ripken DG
146	Alex Rodriguez DG
147	Greg Maddux DG
148	Kenny Lofton DG
149	Mike Piazza DG
150	Mark McGwire DG
151	Andruw Jones DG
152	Rusty Greer DG
153	F.P. Santangelo DG
154	Mike Lansing
155	Lee Smith
156	Carlos Perez
157	Pedro Martinez
158	Ryan McGuire
159	F.P. Santangelo
160	Rondell White
161	Takashi Kashiwada RC
162	Butch Huskey
163	Edgardo Alfonzo
164	John Franco
165	Todd Hundley
166	Rey Ordonez
167	Armando Reynoso
168	John Olerud
169	Bernie Williams
170	Andy Pettitte
171	Wade Boggs
172	Paul O'Neill
173	Cecil Fielder
174	Charlie Hayes
175	David Cone
176	Hideki Irabu
177	Mark Bellhorn
178	Steve Karsay
179	Damon Mashore
180	Jason McDonald
181	Scott Spiezio
182	Ariel Prieto
183	Jason Giambi
184	Wendell Magee
185	Rico Brogna
186	Garrett Stephenson
187	Wayne Gomes
188	Ricky Bottalico
189	Mickey Morandini
190	Mike Lieberthal
191	Kevin Polcovich
192	Francisco Cordova
193	Kevin Young
194	Jon Lieber
195	Kevin Elster
196	Tony Womack
197	Lou Collier
198	Mike Difelice RC
199	Gary Gaetti
200	Dennis Eckersley
201	Alan Benes
202	Willie McGee
203	Ron Gant
204	Fernando Valenzuela
205	Mark McGwire
206	Archi Cianfrocco
207	Andy Ashby
208	Steve Finley
209	Quilvio Veras
210	Ken Caminiti
211	Rickey Henderson
212	Joey Hamilton
213	Derrek Lee
214	Bill Mueller
215	Shawn Estes
216	J.T. Snow
217	Mark Gardner
218	Terry Mulholland
219	Dante Powell
220	Jeff Kent
221	Jamie Moyer
222	Joey Cora
223	Jeff Fassero
224	Dennis Martinez
225	Ken Griffey Jr.
226	Edgar Martinez
227	Russ Davis
228	Dan Wilson
229	Will Clark
230	Ivan Rodriguez
231	Benji Gil
232	Lee Stevens
233	Mickey Tettleton
234	Julio Santana
235	Rusty Greer
236	Bobby Witt
237	Ed Sprague
238	Pat Hentgen
239	Kelvim Escobar
240	Joe Carter
241	Carlos Delgado
242	Shannon Stewart
243	Benito Santiago
244	Tino Martinez SH
245	Ken Griffey Jr. SH
246	Kevin Brown SH
247	Ryne Sandberg SH
248	Mo Vaughn SH
249	Darryl Hamilton SH
250	Randy Johnson SH
251	Steve Finley SH
252	Bobby Higginson SH
253	Brett Tomko
254	Mark Kotsay
255	Jose Guillen
256	Eli Marrero
257	Dennis Reyes
258	Richie Sexson
259	Pat Cline
260	Todd Helton
261	Juan Melo
262	Matt Morris
263	Jeremi Gonzalez
264	Jeff Abbott
265	Aaron Boone
266	Todd Dunwoody
267	Jaret Wright
268	Derrick Gibson
269	Mario Valdez
270	Fernando Tatis
271	Craig Counsell
273	Danny Clyburn
274	Brian Rose
280	Ben Grieve
282	Ken Cloude
284	Kevin Millwood RC
285	Paul Konerko
286	Juan Encarnacion
289	Gary DiSarcina
296	Allen Watson
299	Tom Glavine
300	Chipper Jones
302	Mark Lemke
303	Ryan Klesko
309	Mike Bordick
310	Cal Ripken
311	Geronimo Berroa
314	Tim Wakefield
316	Jeff Frye
319	Robinson Checo
320	Nomar Garciaparra
322	Tyler Houston
324	Terry Adams
325	Sammy Sosa
326	Scott Servais
327	Manny Alexander
328	Norberto Martin
331	Robin Ventura
333	Keith Foulke
334	James Baldwin
335	Chris Stynes
336	Bret Boone
337	Jon Nunnally
338	Dave Burba
341	Mike Remlinger
342	Pat Watkins
343	Chad Ogea
345	Kenny Lofton
348	Enrique Wilson
349	Bruce Aven
350	Manny Ramirez
351	Jerry DiPoto
353	Kirt Manwaring
354	Vinny Castilla
358	Scott Sanders
359	Deivi Cruz
360	Brian L. Hunter
370	Joe Oliver
373	Brian Moehler
375	Bobby Bonilla
376	Al Leiter
377	Josh Booty
380	Felix Heredia
384	Shane Reynolds
388	Bill Spiers
390	Johnny Damon
392	Jeff Montgomery
393	Glendon Rusch
394	Mike Sweeney
395	Kevin Appier
396	Joe Vitiello
397	Ramon Martinez
398	Darren Dreifort
400	Mike Piazza
402	Ismael Valdes
406	Jeff Cirillo
408	Mike Matheny
413	Pat Meares
417	John Smoltz PH
420	Livan Hernandez PH
421	Kevin Brown PH
422	Marquis Grissom PH
423	Mike Mussina PH
424	Eric Davis PH
425	Tony Fernandez PH
426	Moises Alou PH
427	Sandy Alomar Jr. PH
428	Gary Sheffield PH
429	Jaret Wright PH
437	Dustin Hermanson
440	Vladimir Guerrero
441	Ugueth Urbina
446	Dave Mlicki
447	Brian Bohanon
448	Mel Rojas
455	Ken Griffey Jr. UE
456	Larry Walker UE
457	Alex Rodriguez UE
458	Tony Gwynn UE
461	Chad Curtis
463	Joe Girardi
466	Willie Adams
468	Dave Telgheder
469	Dave Magadan
470	Matt Stairs
471	Bill Taylor
472	Jimmy Haynes
474	Midre Cummings
476	Mike Grace
477	Mark Leiter
478	Matt Beech
479	Scott Rolen
482	Jermaine Allensworth
484	Jason Schmidt
485	Jose Guillen
491	Matt Morris
492	Royce Clayton
494	Wally Joyner
495	Trevor Hoffman
504	Kirk Rueter
505	Barry Bonds
508	Julian Tavarez
509	Rich Aurilia
510	Alex Rodriguez
518	Kevin Elster
520	Juan Gonzalez
521	John Wetteland
523	Darren Oliver
524	Roger Pavlik
526	Woody Williams
527	Alex Gonzalez
528	Robert Person
529	Juan Guzman
532	F.Cordova/R.Rincon/M.Smith SH
533	Nomar Garciaparra SH
534	Roger Clemens SH
535	Mark McGwire SH
536	Larry Walker SH
537	Mike Piazza SH
538	Curt Schilling SH
540	Ken Griffey Jr. SH
542	Shane Monahan
543	Gabe Kapler RC
544	Eric Milton
545	Gary Matthews Jr. RC
546	Mike Kinkade RC
549	Norm Hutchins
551	Masato Yoshii RC
556	Carlos Lee RC
558	Kerry Wood
561	Manny Aybar RC
563	Jarrod Washburn
564	Mark L. Johnson
567	Mike Caruso
568	Cliff Politte
570	Magglio Ordonez RC
574	Darron Ingram RC
578	Kevin Witt
580	Alex Gonzalez
582	Wes Helms
585	Daryle Ward
587	Preston Wilson
588	Jim Chamblee RC
589	Mike Lowell RC
591	Francisco Cordero RC
592	Rolando Arrojo RC
593	Braden Looper
594	Sidney Ponson
598	Danny Klassen
599	Larry Sutton
601	Randy Johnson EP
602	Greg Maddux EP
603	Roger Clemens EP
604	Jaret Wright EP
605	Mike Piazza EP
606	Tino Martinez EP
607	Frank Thomas EP
608	Mo Vaughn EP
609	Todd Helton EP
610	Mark McGwire EP
611	Jeff Bagwell EP
612	Travis Lee EP
613	Scott Rolen EP
614	Cal Ripken EP
615	Chipper Jones EP
619	Tony Gwynn EP
620	Ken Griffey Jr. EP
621	Kenny Lofton EP
622	Juan Gonzalez EP
623	Jose Cruz Jr. EP
624	Larry Walker EP
625	Barry Bonds EP
626	Ben Grieve EP
627	Andruw Jones EP
628	Vladimir Guerrero EP
629	Paul Konerko EP
630	Paul Molitor EP
631	Cecil Fielder
632	Jack McDowell
634	Brian Anderson
637	Andy Stankiewicz
638	Tony Batista
639	Omar Daal
641	Brent Brede
642	Jorge Fabregas
643	Karim Garcia
644	Felix Rodriguez
645	Andy Benes
649	Walt Weiss
650	Andres Galarraga
652	Ozzie Guillen
653	Joe Carter
656	Jim Leyritz
662	Mike Sirotka
664	Damian Jackson
669	Mike Jackson
672	Paul Assenmacher
673	Eric Plunk
675	Darryl Kile
676	Luis Gonzalez
677	Frank Castillo
678	Joe Randa
679	Bip Roberts
680	Derrek Lee
681	M.Piazza Mets SP
681A	M.Piazza Marlins SP
691	Bobby Bonilla
692	Marquis Grissom
695	Orlando Merced
696	David Ortiz
698	Otis Nixon
701	Rich Becker
702	Al Leiter
703	Chili Davis
709	Tom Candiotti
711	Bob Abreu
714	Desi Relaford
722	Robb Nen
726	Kevin Stocker
729	Dave Martinez
730	Fred McGriff
737	John Flaherty
739	Roberto Kelly
741	Danny Patterson
742	Aaron Sele
743	Tony Fernandez
744	Randy Myers
745	Jose Canseco
749	Fred McGriff SH CL
750	Travis Lee SH CL

Cardboard Connection

As a side note to my previous post, I'll be spending some time getting familiar with Cardboard Connection 2.0. Some of you may remember the single article I wrote there late last year. I have intended to write more for Mike but failed miserably.

If you are a currently a user at CC, please do for me whatever it is that you do to make someone your friend. I haven't gotten that far in figuring out how it works. If you're not a user there, you need to check it out ASAP.

Cardboard Connection WILL be a deciding factor in the crumble of the Beckett Empire.

Him. Me. You.

I mentioned in a post a few months back that I know how TNB will end. The first chapter was a chronicle of bringing my son into the hobby. Honestly, this hasn't been considered a success in the truest sense. I think that over the next few years this will become a much easier task. But, for now he has Ben 10 and Transformers and Nintendo Wii/Gameboy Advance that eat up his time. Pictures of grown men from a sport that he doesn't fully understand or enjoy yet find no precedence.

I kinda feel the same way. With FaceBook and Stumbleupon and Comcast Cable, how can cards compete anymore?

The second chapter of TNB is Me. During the first few weeks of the posts drought at Treasure Never Buried I was working furiously to update my want lists. This second phase was to be an attempt to unload some stuff I didn't want in exchange for some stuff that I did. While I have my checklists updated, My Collections on Beckett updated, and a few new (old) sets on the queue I've yet to filter this over to the blog. Now, I've lost a great deal of the reader following that I used to have which would have proven fruitful in getting some trades going.

Not to mention that during this time I've pretty much lost my fervor for collecting.

I've yet to buy a single 2009 Baseball product, other than one blaster of 2009 Topps American Heritage. It's not that the recession has put a halt to it, it's that I see the posts written over the last 6 months that contain the same cards we were scanning and posting a year ago with only a slightly different border.

With controversy surrounding Razorgate, Topps inability to take new (or good) player photos, and now Upper Deck's decision to drop the best sets and retread last year's crap I find it to be an uphill battle for me to care anymore.

Unless something drastic happens within the hobby, I don't see myself buying anything other 2009 A&G this year. Why pay $20 bucks a blaster or $100+/- for a hobby box of the same pictures? Where's the sense in that?

For me there is none. And in that vein of thinking, it's pointless for me to purchase 2009 products (as of right now). And without purchasing new product, or even slightly caring to investigate it, what is there for me to blog about?

So, here I am again. In this cold and desolate place where I feel as if I'm cheating on someone that I care about. Every Wii game I've bought could have been a hobby box or two. Every month my new NetFlix invoice comes in the mail I think, "I could have gotten another blaster from Wal-Mart."

One unexpected side effect of the Me chapter is that I've discovered a newfound love of the game itself. This is something that has been lacking in my posts over the last year. I find myself drawn to Sporting Goods stores, looking at gloves and $400 DeMarini bats and backstop hitting nets. I find myself more excited about the prospect of this Baseball season than ever before.

Who knows, maybe this will spark a change in direction for TNB. Maybe it won't end, but rather morph into something else.

With the prospect of being the creepy old fat guy in your kid's college class this fall, I anticipate that my time (and possibly my finances) will make it even harder to collect, if in fact I care to at that point. Over the next few weeks I'll begin uploading and updating my wantlists at TNB. Sometime around the 1 year anniversary of Treasure Never Buried, I'll transition into Chapter 3. You.

What I can't trade away, I'll start sending out as Team/Player packages to some of you that have been with me from the start. And, my eBay auctions will increase as well.

TNB began with a simple essay, a one time effort at articulating where I was at that time and ultimately, unbeknownst to me then, where I would be now.

The hobby is convoluted mess. A tradition ran by those who only want your dollar. My favorite quote is, "You are not who you think you are, you are who everyone else thinks you are." I understand the business aspect of card manufacturing entirely, but I think the companies need an overhaul of their intentions. If the powers that be continue on this path, the hobby as we know it will die. Not that I think it will ever go away, but those in power will effectively write their own demise.

Who knows, maybe I'll still be around to see it. But, I'm not holding my breath.

eBayMacJobCollegeTBall2 - The List Decreases

I did manage to knock two things off the list.

Vacation - 6/7ths of a check mark - 1 day left before I hit the trail again.

DogLove - 1/2 of a check mark - I got a dog. However, Yoga, my other dog, doesn't love her yet.

I introduce the newest addition to the Voyles' household. Sadie, a Dachshund/Yorkie mix, or a Dorkie, for short. She's 7 weeks old (January 10) and so far is extremely energetic. Yoga hates her. She's an annoying little punk that has him terrified.

We're already looking into buying all of the Dog Whisperer DVD sets soon and we're burning Google's servers up looking for answers on how to help them adjust. It's frustrating for both dogs because Sadie is used to having bigger dogs around and she wants to play with Yoga and then cuddle up and sleep beside him. And it's frustrating for him because he just wants her to go away.

He hasn't shown her any affection, attention or concern since she got here yet she still looks for him constantly. If he goes outside without her, she cries at the door for him. He looks for her constantly as well but only to make sure he knows where she is if he needs to run away.

Neither dog is wrong, but we're working to get the two worlds to collide. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

As far as the other stuff...

Job - Hopefully this'll be off the list after my 2nd interview sometime next week...

Mac - Imagine that...I've got to "convince" my wife to let me buy her a computer. I've got a great wife...lol...

College - I can't do anything until August when the new GI Bill takes effect

T-Ball Season 2 - We find out our team this week and start practice.



I've got some card posts coming soon too, I just have to find time to get back into my collection. I have some scans from an '08 Chrome break a few weeks ago that I'm dying to get on here. I don't have a video, but it was a great box.

Anyway, thanks for reading, guys and gals!

Yes Ma'am, Daddy!

eBayDogLoveMacJobCollegeVacationTBall2 - (Order May Vary)

That's where I am right now, for anyone curious. That's where I am, where I want to be, where I need to be, and where I'm going to be all tied up in a neatly wrapped, bow-topped package.

Let me clarify...

In some semblance of order...

eBayDogLoveMacJobCollegeVacationTBall2

An often-loathed #d list...



1. I'm currently on vacation. A much needed week of nothing but wants and as few needs as possible. I've informed my two assistants that they shouldn't get their feelings hurt if I don't answer their phone calls. With an Area Manager and a Vice President of Operations on call, they shouldn't need me. Too bad if they do. My app heavy iPhone is on silent.

2. TBall2 - The tee has been purchased. The batting helmet has been fitted. The glove and cleats dusted off and the forms filled out. Season 2 of TBall is here!! I'll be working on the Tball Season 1 Montage Video over the next few weeks.

3. Mac - Lori wants a MacBook. Pro, Air, something. I plan on working on raising some extra dough to make mama happy. Hence #4...
4. eBay - Over the next three months I plan to kill most of my collection. Honestly, I've seriously considered ending my hobbydom all together. That's still up in the air. Lot's of factors affect the decision. At this point, it's pretty obvious from my lack of posts that I don't have time, motivation, desire, etcetera.
5. Job - Something's gotta give. Long Story Short, I was demoted. I was informed via email that I wasn't the General Manager of my restaurant any longer. Here's the funny part...I was demoted by the former General Manager after the current recession (not my performance) forced him to have to return to work at the store level. I suppose the pay wasn't commensurate in his eyes with his experience and so he was proactive in grabbing what he felt was his. No harm no foul, right? I wasn't demoted by my boss, the Vice President of Operations. In fact, he confirmed that I still maintain the position and that the former General Manager was mistaken. All that being said, I don't want the position anymore. Being stabbed in the back and demeaned in the eyes of my staff and management team isn't high on my list of ideal ideals. After my vacation, I'll gladly explain to my superiors that I would prefer to remain as an assistant. Someone else can have the headache. Hence #6
6. College - I'm slowly trending towards figuring out what has to happen for me to start what I should have so long ago. I've honed in on a Computer Science Degree and will go from there.
7. DogLove - We're fixing to head to some animal shelters to find my Chihuahua, Yoga, a live-in gifrlfriend. Preferably another dog, but from the picture of the Chihuahua below, cats might work too...

And there you have it. My proactive Mid Life Crisis. I know that it's a prerequisite for death so I'm getting mine out of the way now.

(Date not exact in photo...but pretty close...)

Speaking of iPhone apps, my iDie app says that I have exhausted 38.6927% of my life already. I only have 17,134 days, 8 hours, 39 minutes and 50, 49, 48 seconds left to go.

I better get crackin'

84

"This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes."

Morpheus, 1999



While the red pill sounded more fun (and more like my personality) I took the blue pill.

84 of them to be exact.

I'm tired of saying, "I'm officially a non-smoker." Instead, I will now say, "I'm officially a former Chantix junkie." I'm sincerely glad that both phases of my life are over.

I'll admit that I've had a few smokes since the first of the year, since I decided to quit for good. And, while I've only had a few that I've truly wanted, I can honestly say that I have had zero that I've enjoyed. The smell, the aftertaste, all of it. I'm glad that it's over.

It hasn't been easy. That much is true. Smoking is the most frustrating of all catch-22s I've found. When you are frustrated or anxious, you want a cigarette. But, when you are attempting to quit, you can't have a cigarette when you're frustrated or anxious which makes you frustrated and anxioius which makes you want a cigarette even more, one which you can't have, which in turn makes you even more frustrated and anxious . . .

. . . No matter how hard you try you can't find a place to put the period at the end of anything you feel.

Eventually, you feel like your head is going to explode and you can't think straight and you're yelling at people who don't deserve it. You find yourself flicking the ashes off of your pen, or even worse, taking a drag off the unlit end. You tap-double tap your cigarette pockets as if motioning a runner in the distance to steal. You crack the window of your car no matter the occasion, temperature or current precipitation.

But then you wake up one day and you grab the coffee and kiss the wife on the way out the door, heading off into the sunrise. You make it through the morning and it doesn't even cross your mind. You go through your new routines, your new habits, and you continue to build a new way of interacting with your nicotine free world.

And then, you smell it on someone from 20 feet away. It hits you like 10-month old chocolate pie. At first, your mouth waters and your eyes glaze. You instinctively reminisce the aroma, the flavor, the feel of a long forgotten friend.

Then, your nose starts to burn. Your eyes water a little and the smell begins to repulse you immediately. With every step the smoker takes in your direction, the smell becomes worse. And even though your body, your mind, your everything tells you that you want one, you know that you don't. You know that you'll smell that way when you light one up. You know that people will smile and shake your hand throughout the day and now you'll know the truth of the look on their face.

Tomorrow, I'll be on my on. The Chantix will start to wear off and work it's way out of my system. The wonderfully bizarre dreams will turn into the dull black & white ones that I was having before Christmas. I don't know how strong the urges will be or if they will ever even return.

But, I do know that people won't be repulsed by my smell before they ever see my face. I know that friends won't struggle to breath while in the room with me. I know that my clothes and my car won't smell like an armpit at Woodstock at any more.

To hell with it...

"I'm officially a non-smoker!"