CELEBRATE!!!!!

[Sootie]

My dear friend Tommy @pir8fan  celebrates 13 years of FREEDOM from nicotine today.....12/31/2022.

Sadly----Tommy is no longer on this site with any regularity despite my hounding him about how much he is needed and missed. Everything changes. So, be prepared for that you "younguns" !  There is nothing wrong with change as long as we do not fear it and we learn from it.

But---back to my primary subject. Tommy joined EX just shortly after I did. I had quit in November 2009.....he, on the LAST DAY of 2009. We began to talk privately on message boards (they were fun and I wish we still had them). We laughed, argued, discussed and yes-----gossiped---our way through the beginning of our quit.  We had a blast! I could not wait to get home from work at night to get online and talk to Tommy and read what had been written that day in the community.

Our friendship then continued as our quits became stronger and longer. We had the distinct pleasure of meeting in person at an EX gathering in Florida, then in Tennessee and then in Virginia. What fun we (and everyone else who attended) had at those events!

Some of you may know that Tommy and I share a unique gift in that we can argue about things and see (most!) things from different sides and yet through it all, we remain fast friends and devoted to each other. If you find someone like this in your life....never, never let them go for this is a TRUE GIFT FROM GOD (whatever you conceive God to be).

I miss Tommy being on this site and I am saddened that the new quitters cannot benefit from his wisdom and insight on quitting smoking. But DO search out his past posts at pir8fan.

Please join me in wishing Tommy a HAPPY 13th ANNIVERARY of QUITTING!!!! My dear friend....wishing you many, many more years of freedom from addiction!!! And wishing us many, many more years of blessed friendship.

Sudie

[YoungAtHeart]

Ah, those get  togethers!  What fond memories!  Here is a blog with photos from one of our events in Virginia Beach: 

 https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/t5/Journals-Blogs/Photos-from-EX5-Brunch-in-Virginia-Beach/ba-p/1...

So sad this pandemic has put a wrench in those possibilities.  I was privileged to travel with @SkyGirl, @elvan and @djmurray to a few of them, and what a blast we had!  I miss ALL who no longer participate here, but was blessed to have them on those and my quit journey, as well.

Congratulations to  @pir8fan  on his monumental quitaversary! Tommy, I hope you are well and still cruising and crusin'!!

Thanks for the blog, @Sootie!

Nancy

[Giulia]

Yup, Tommy's input here was so helpful.  Fortunately it's still locked  in the pages on EX and can be unlocked with a little work.  Wish we had the ability to just hone in on a person's blogs like we used it, but alas - no longer possible.  Anyway....

Happy 13th Tommy.  And here's to MANY more!

[Snowdoggie]

@pir8fan Big congratulations to you on your 13 years smobriety. Way to go! I quit almost a year ago. I have read many of your old posts. Inspiring!!🥳

[Maki]

Congrats , wish you too would come bk . 
Hope you in some way celebrate this special day . 

[indingrl]

 sweet @pir8fan  I love and thank you for helping me in 2010. I understand your reasons for exiting this site and have tons of empathy too. Change is hard in a godless society today. Nope nope nope is what YOU TAUGHT ME TOMMY one day a a time!  It still working beloved brother. Thanks again for loving me to STAY nope no matter godless society. NOPE365 with you Tommy!

[indingrl]

@Sootie  for remembering our beloved @pir8fan  TOMMY NOPE BROTHER! 

[ShawnP]

A little birdie told me (tommy) about your blog.  He helped me so much in my quit as well. Congratulations Tommy on 13 yrs!!! big hug and Sootie, big hug to you too. Miss you all.

[djmurray]

Thanks for the blog, Sootie! Please send my congratulations to Tommy. I'm exactly 5 years behind him, having smoked my last cigarette right about now 8 years ago. I've been very bad about coming to this site, and I hope in 2023 I'll do better. Happy New Year and love to you all.

[sweetplt]

Happy and Healthy 2023 to you and your’s @Sootie …

Colleen 1490 DOF 

[pir8fan]

Thank you so much for helping me celebrate 13 years! Friendship like ours is indeed rare! Thank you for all your kind words!

Thanks also to all of you who remembered me and contributed to this blog! The successes we find at this site are because of people like you helping others! Thank you all for helping me be who I am today!

❤️❤️❤️.   Tommy