This was inspired by my last road trip in Victoria. Fresh air, a clean river, birds flocking to the benches. People just enjoying whatever was around them. And somehow my first thought was, as it always is: "Oh, that's got to be a perfect spot to smoke a cig."
But out of everyone there, the only smoke came from the meat shop nearby. Everyone else was simply doing things: reading, licking ice cream, sipping coffee, breathing in the fresh air. Why couldn't I?
The one who could just stop
I was travelling with my love (she smokes too: smoking hot, and smokes a cig), and we talked about it. She'd been smoking much less on the trip, and she told me she could just stop cold turkey, cigarettes included. That's one of the things I adore about her. Me? I know I don't have that kind of discipline.
From that scenery, and from that conversation, I made a choice: I want to enjoy things without having to smoke so much.
The honest numbers
Right now I smoke about a pack a day — twenty cigarettes, give or take — and honestly, that's concerning. I knew quitting cold turkey wasn't realistic for me, so I had a smaller idea: what if I could go from a pack a day to a pack every three days?
Then the harder question: how do I make this journey interesting?
First, I need to actually see how much I smoke: today, this week, this month, this year
Second, logging had to be effortless. No setup, no menus to dig through, just tap and move on.
Third, and the big one: how do I make it fun? it should be fun. What if I built a little ecosystem, with small rewards when I keep to my goal and gentle setbacks when I don't?
A tribute to a place
So here it is: a tribute to Halls Gap, the place that gave me that moment of clarity, rebuilt as a small version of that scenery inside an app. Something to remind me of the promise I made to myself.
Keep the little forest growing
Still Here is made by one person, in my spare time, and it's completely free: no ads, no subscription, no catch. If it helps you even a little, a coffee or cendol helps keep the little forest growing. No pressure, though. Using it, sharing it, or simply telling a friend already means a lot.
If any of this sounds like you, come plant your first day. It's free, there are no ads, and it grows the moment you tap.