So, I used to be a smoker. Like, of real cigarettes. With tobacco and smoke and yellow teeth and fingernails. However, I’d like to celebrate the fact that it’s now been over a year since my last cigarette!

<insert celebration!>

Instead, I’ve been using this bad boy:   It’s a vaporizer, for those of you that might be heading down a slightly-less-savory path. The white part is a battery, and the metal-and-juice part is the tank. The liquid in the tank is vaporized by the battery, and voila! Non-carcinogenic vapor. Incidentally, if you’re interested in getting one of these yourself:

• The battery is Itazte and you can get them here, here or other battery options here. It lasts for about 24 hours of heavy use, so I have two – one charging while I’m using the other. It charges with a micro USB cable that I can plug into my computer or wall (or my handy juice box!) and use it while it’s charging, if I need to.
• The tank is a Nautilus Mini, and you can get them here. I fill it about once every two days, and have to change out the wicks maybe every 4-5 days. Two wicks come with the tank, and you’ll need to buy additional wicks for ongoing use. Those are available through the same site.
• I use e-juice from Two Peas In A Pod, but there are so many options out there, I’d suggest going to your local vape shop and finding a flavor that works for you. You can choose different (or no) levels of nicotine and wean yourself off over time if that’s your desire.

There are some that might say I’m still a smoker. To them, I say: WHATEVER. I feel so much better since I quit. I feel better about standing near people since I don’t smell like an ashtray any more. I don’t wheeze in the mornings, and that smoker’s cough is gone. My voice has lost some of the raspiness from smoking, and I can sing higher than I used to. Yes, I still use my binky, but I feel like it’s a fair trade-off, and I’m really, really proud of myself. Accomplishment!