I came into the kitchen while my mom cooked lunch for the next day. I sat on the dinning table chair and told her “Mom im going to interview you. Its for a my writing class. its a website were making on whatever subject we want and I choose Quiting Smoking, is that ok?” and she answered “Of course [hija], go ahead.” I began with taking out my paper to doc down notes to remember and began my interview.
Most teenagers don’t know exactly what they get into or double think of what they are getting themselves into. It all starts with peer pressure we think our friends will never introduce us to anything that will harms us – we thought wrong.
“The cigarette and smoking for me now is like a good friend. It’s always by my side when ever I need it – it never leaves me by myself.”
Ana, My mom, has been smoking for about 37 years and has tried quitting about 3–5 times. On one of those she was succesful for about 4 months until a family problem came up and made her start again. Ana was the age of 15 when she got introduced to her first cigarette which was one of her best friends. She didn’t see the reason on why not doing it if her father did it as well. She would always hang out with her friends and 95% of her friends smoked as well but for her smoking made her feel like A woman.
How did your family react when they found out you smoked?
My father didn’t say much to me about it. He caught me when I was in my room with my best friend studying for an exam because he smelled the smoke, but he just opened my door room looked at me and walked away. My mother had passed away by than.
What are the different ways you have tried quitting?
So many times ive tried quitting. I used the patches, the pills, The Truth About tobacco program and also the fake cigarette – I stopped using the fake cigarette – I didn’t like it because for me I wanted to QUIT.
Getting to the end of the interview a question popped up in my head that I’ve been wanting to ask her through out the interview (wished I never did ask). My question to her was
Are you thinking of quitting anytime soon?
I dont think so, the cigarette and smoking to me is like a good friend. It’s always by my side when ever I need it – it never leaves me by myself.
I was going to continue asking more questions but with that one was enough. I stopped the interview told my mom thanks and went to my room. It hurt me that she responded in that form. I thought to my self may be the reason why she continues to smoke is because im not with her as often, im out doing my own things.
She smokes about a pack a day, costing her about $7.00 per pack. She doesn’t have a particular time of the day when she does smoke. It’s just done whenever she wants or feels like it. It doesn’t make her feel like it did 37 years ago but it’s still giving her that “support.”
Most people continue on smoking because they are afraid of letting go no matter the harm it may do. They are comfortable with what they have and how it makes them feel when its close to them because without it they are not part of this world.
A Help to your Addiction 
Sweet Profile!
I liked how you incorporated the peer pressure from her friends as a reason why she started to smoke, as well as that her father nevery talked to her about it because he was also a smoker. One thing that I would like to hear more about personally is how her addiction to smoking has made her feel. I think other people who struggle with this will feel a stronger connection to her and your blog.
Wow, great job. Your profile looks great, they layout is very easy to read. I liked how you got a lot of information in a short amount of space. I also really liked how the you did the “block quotes”. It really makes your point stand out. I might describe how the interview started; give some details of the actually setting of the interview and the person you’re talking to so we know that the interview has started. It also might help us get a better image of who the person is today. It might help show that a smoker is a person; not just a smoker
Your pics are pretty dope.
Sweet pics! I like how you seperated the questions and answers. It would help to explain that ana is your mom. It would help us see why you wanted to interview her. I would do just a few more questions. Maybe the question of how much more cigarettes cost now than when she started.
That top picture of the crawling ashes is so sweet.
This is great! I love what you’ve added to it since your peer reviews, too. The opening scene is great for setting the mood. I can feel how much this means to you even while we hear your dialogue that sounds like you’re trying to be casual about it for your mom, and that makes the emotional connection even stronger when you get to your question about whether she plans to quit and how you had to stop the interview there. I also how how you try to see it from your mom’s point of view about how she needs the cigarettes for support. Is she a single mom? Maybe you can give us a few details about why she’s changed her mind and doesn’t want to quit anymore. In the earlier question, she emphasized that she didn’t like the fake cigarette because she wanted to quit, so why is it different now?
It’s working well so far. As we learn more of the grammar, come back and fix up your quotation marks and such and then it’ll be in even better shape. 🙂