I decided not to smoke for a while now too. I smoke a full pack a few days ago, the last working day, which we celebrated by bathing w/the wife for hours drinking cold ciders & me smoking too.
I'll refrain from it at least until I get back on my feet after the work year.
It's funny, despite you might think teaching isn't such a hard job etc. still every start of the summer I get this period where I'm completely useless. The first days of holiday I'm active and start some overdue work projects etc. but before long, it all comes crashing down, maybe because all those stress hormones release or whatever...in any case, the day before yesterday I slept like 9 hours straight, then yesterday I could not get up from the bed basically the whole day. I was completely dizzy and out of breath (I have BPPV now and then) and all over just sore and listless. Just spent the whole day indoors trying not to move much. Today, not gonna do anything either, but feeling much better already, slowly recuperating.
The first week of holiday goes like this usually. Don't want to smoke, not even have beer, just sleep and feel weak and sore all over. But it'll pass. I now know better than to get going the moment the holiday starts, I've done that a few times, i.e. gone out to a big party somewhere or a rock gig...and it always ends with me literally going unconscious at some point, regardless of the level of alcohol intake. A few years ago I had just a few beers but still passed out, became a real zombie and woke up 16 hours later(!). One needs to be careful of that; I read somewhere of a study that teachers almost always get their heart attacks when the holidays start and the stress releases finally. They also said the stress hormone levels of teachers reach the levels of average population only after approximately six weeks of holiday, which only leaves ~2 weeks of stress-free holiday
I dunno about that but if it weren't for at least this long holidays, I'd pick another profession for sure.
So at least for a couple of weeks I shall do nothing, just sleep, lay in the house and watch TV some, get rid of the stress hormones, and not smoke or drink either. Just sleep lots. Then I'll be in good enough condition to start enjoying the holidays.
