#smokerprobs

As we all know, Life = Stress...  'Tis not optional.

You do not have a choice.

You sink or swim.

But life goes on, no matter what.

So much as I hate to be Debbie Downer, life gets hard... and sometimes, everything goes wrong all at once. SMOKING IS NOT THE ANSWER.

My whole family smokes. I grew up with it. I always hated it. But when life started beating me up, that was where I chose to turn. My father at age 64, is a Cancer survivor, has had a major bypass in his leg, and has been diagnosed with Emphysema, and COPD. There is no way to repair the years of damage caused to his lungs. Even with all this in mind, when I started fighting stress and anxiety, I started smoking. First one when I had anxiety attacks, then every so often, then i was smoking a pack in three days, then a pack in two days. Right now I smoke a pack a day... In about 8 months, I have gone from never touched a cigarette, to a pack a day smoker.

We all know smoking is bad, life threatening, and unhealthy... but for some strange reason, not only do we do it anyway... but we NEVER EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!!

Now, I certainly don't think that my blog is going to change any smoker's mind... but I am hoping that it will change mine.

I am a photographer because I think photographs are important. There is just something mesmerizing to me about the way our mind connects with images. It's just beautiful. Not only do we see an image, but it gives us a feeling, and that feeling sticks with us. So that is why I chose to do an anti-smoking ad campaign for my advertising class. Because if I pour myself into making a statement, and creating a visual picture of how BAD this is for me, it will stick... and so far, it kind of has. Here are the images I've created. 

Actually go check out TheRealCost.gov... It will freak you out.

I'm going to share a little secret with you.... This picture gives me goosebumps. For the simple purpose, that this is a picture of me. There is something about seeing a photo of yourself, with words attached to it, reminding you that what you're doing is eventually going to kill you.

Smoking is not cool... but I didn't start smoking to fit in, I started because I thought it would help me handle life.. It's actually just one more thing for me to stress about. :) Ooops! Well, no matter how far you travel down a wrong road, it is never too late to turn back. So here I go... I'm going to try to leave this behind.. again. These images are my motivation... a crude reminder that I'm not helping anyone by smoking, and certainly not myself.