How I Finally Quit Smoking
— For Good.

Edition #65 — January 25, 2005

On New Year's Day, January 1st, I started working on an eBook entitled How I Finally Quit Smoking — For Good. I describe it as "A first-hand account to inspire you to quit too."

I had set today as my "release date" but over the past 48 hours some significant additions have been made so I'm delaying the release until it's good and finished. I suppose that a wine taster could tell if a wine has been short-changed its required stay in the cellar cask. And so I want to assure that no avid reader would wish my book a little more time to ferment for the sake of reaching its optimum depth and flavour. I figure another week or so and I can give that little sucker a swift kick out the door for good.

But seriously, it's become a labour of love. A free eBook spanning more than 100 pages. And every day it gets better and better. So I don't want my attachments to a deadline to determine the final quality of my work. After all, my commitment to the words are something I'll have to live with for the rest of my life. Hopefully I'm not too much of a perfectionist or I'll be writing this same announcement next year.

So if you know someone who's struggling with a nicotine addiction, this may provide them with a much needed boost and support as they're going through withdrawal. It's on the way.

And some of you know, I quit smoking in 1997. I wrote a lengthy essay about my experiences and have, for years, wanted to turn it into an eBook for internet distribution. This year I'm delivering the goods. I'll keep you posted and let you know where you can download it.

What If?

I've imagined at times what our world would be like if certain key figures hadn't been assassinated while others had. Like if someone would have taken out Adolf Hitler the moment he opened his big mouth. And all the rifles jammed for the men who killed Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy, etc.

And I've imagined what it would be like to hear a speech from a president that used plain decisive language that spoke of a commitment and tangible outcomes, rather than platitudes and lies.

For some reason I wrote a speech this week. It was for the perfect president leading a perfect nation. It could be your country, and your leader. Just pretend. And I'll leave you on that note.

"

My dear people:

We are in a midst of a great economic boon and unprecedented technological growth. Our industries are flourishing and our jobless rate is at its lowest rate in our history as a nation. We are 'cleaning up', as they say.

Never before has the world been safer from terrorism, hunger, disease and apathy. And never before have our bonds with our foreign allies been stronger. Today, we are working together in a way that was inconceivable to most nations only ten years ago. The world is finally coming together, and everyone is benefitting.

Health care across this great nation is now universal, and our emerging green industries are thriving. As I said, the jobless rate is so low as to be almost non-existent. I credit our burgeoning green economy as we make the dramatic switch from oil and coal and other fuels from our so called "ecological dark ages" to the pure, clean alternatives that have always been available to us, and which we will no longer ignore. We have come to realize that change and profit and growth go hand in hand and that stagnation, piracy and selfishness must not be the message we send to our people, or to our neighbours in this world. Nor to our children and theirs. We must have vision. We must care.

I'm also happy to report that for the first time in over a century farming is on the rise as increasing numbers of city dwellers return to the wide open spaces to plant corn for fuel, hemp for paper and clothing, and various other cash crops — and all of them sustainable without pesticides and herbicides. They are becoming part of the new green economy that is keeping our automobiles and buses running, getting us to work on time, and taking our children to school. I wonder what the people who used to put on the Farm Aid Concerts are doing these days?

We are redefining ourselves as a green nation. We are now seeing a decline in deforestation since pulp and paper industries began looking towards the field instead of the forest for their future supplies. Subsequently, formerly commercialized habitats are being returned almost to their former pristine conditions while stable populations of animals once considered endangered are re-establishing themselves in these reclaimed environments. I hope they have some patience as we clean up our lakes and rivers of contaminants so that we can all enjoy the benefits of a healthier future without disease. No longer will we be poisoning ourselves for the sake of the almighty dollar. And that is not just my own sacred vow. It's now a part of our constitution.

Attitudes are changing the world over but especially here at home. This year alone, California have seen a monumental 60% increase in bicycle sales over last year and a 300% increase over the last five years. We used to wait for the world to change. But there's a different sentiment growing. The people are changing, and they're taking the world with them. It's almost too good to be true. It's like a wonderfully optimistic dream. But here we are, we're making it come true. We're living inside our collective imagination.

Ladies and gentlement — I don't ever recall such an optimistic outlook for our country — at least not one that was sincere and with the evidence to back it up. All I can say is, if this is how good things are today, then I can hardly wait for tomorrow to come around! Bring it on.

Good day, and God bless.

"

(roaring cheers, hardly a dry eye in the place. Somebody waves a flag. It's a liberal. A conservative waves at him and smiles.)

(I wish),
Roland Kriewaldt


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