Just an absolutely gorgeous day in the mid 70’s today. Spent a lot of time doing things around the house, and a significant amount of time exploring. Found a fruit shack that sold all sorts of citrus and stuff, and I had a delightful hand squozed limeade and picked up some Meyer lemons. Also got a cheap haircut and beard trim, so I look just a skosh less mountain man/wanted sign and now look like a very respectable recently paroled January 6th defendant.
Was going to make a dinner tonight but we are both pooped and going to do leftovers. I’m gonna make chicken stuff with cheese and broccoli with some green beans for dinner tomorrow because I need to use up this broccoli and have cheese and chicken and panko. I saved the ends of the loaves of bread I made and tomorrow am going to make french toast with an apple compote with some of the bushel of apples I hauled cross country. So that means I do not have to leave the house at all tomorrow and it is supposed to rain, so I think we are just going to stay in and do some things around the house and watch a movie or two. FWIW- Joelle absolutely loved Anatomy of a Fall. I did not watch, having recently been snookered into watching Saltburn and Midsommar at her urging, and the circle of trust regarding movie selections needs some time to repair.
Oh, yeah- a bunch of you were asking about why I went to the dispensary. Not sure if you all remember but last November and December in the span of a few weeks Lily died, Tammy died, my dad broke his other hip and then got covid in the hospital, and then I got covid and the flu at the same time. I was basically at my breaking point when I went to Florida to dogsit. And I can not restate this enough- I was one minor crisis away from going Leaving Las Vegas last year. So while I was decompressing alone in Florida, I decided that this shit is not working and I needed to change some things.
Long, long, time readers will remember the anxiety attacks and depression from 2007-2009, at which point I went on antidepressants. And I had been on them, never missing a dose, since. And yet here I am, at rock fucking bottom. So I decided to make some changes. I didn’t tell my doctor, but I immediately started titrating myself off the Celexa. I shouldn’t have been on it that long anyway. After getting down to 20mg a day instead of 40, I told my doctor, and at my own pace have weened myself off them.
At this point last year I was on 40mg a day, now I am on 5, and going off when these run out in 12 days. Will be a major relief for a lot of reasons, but most of all because the 10mg pills are super tiny and it is a total pain in the fucking ass using a pill cutter on them to get to 5 mg. I will also add that one side effect of no longer being on celexa is being able to feel my genitals again. That comes in handy.
I’ve also changed how I eat and lost about 20 lbs. and am getting more exercise and looking to shed another 40 this year. Together, along with obviously being happier with Joelle than I have been in a long time (if ever), I am feeling pretty good.
Having said that, I still have a lot of aches and pains. My shoulders are a source of chronic pain, especially the right one from the Lily incident, and my fingers and knees always hurt and I have carpal tunnel in my left wrist. So at some point in September, driving home dinner, I saw a dispensary near Wheeling for Medical Marijuana, which just became a thing in WV, so I popped in to talk to them. Had a visit with a doctor a couple of weeks later, waited a month, and got a medical card.
I was actually super nervous the first time I went in. I have not really smoked marijuana in decades, and the couple of times I tried it were back when I was drinking, and it was just a horrible experience- super paranoid, anxious, really down on myself, etc.
But I spent a while talking to the employees, all of whom are into weed like super nerdy dudes in the late 90’s were all into craft beer and what not. Satvia, hybrid, indica, resin, keef, cartridges, terpines and on and on. And I explained to them that I’m not really looking to get high, what I want is something for pain relief and anxiety, and I’d like to microdose basically. And he knew exactly what I wanted- these little pills that are 2.5 mg of thc, 2.5 mg of cbd, and 2.5 mg of something else. And according to him (I can verify none of the science), the dose is so low and that the cbd binds to the receptors that get you high so the thc can’t, and that it will just make everything smoother and calmer.
And he was right. So I take one every morning and I take one every night before bed, I have not taken ibuprofen or tylenol or any other nsaids, they don’t get me high, and they just make me calmer. I don’t know how to describe it other than to say that is the difference is like eating food that has been seasoned and food that has some salt on it. The food with salt is better, always. One of the very noticeable effects for me is a slight increase in visual acuity.
I don’t care for any of the cartridges or other stuff- I tried cartridges and it is very easy with them to get a very tiny hit, which is nice, but it is vaping and who knows what hell that is causing your lungs. Plus they all seem to be flavored with these noxious flavors- razzleberry blast or some other bullshit. I buy these ten mg edibles that are chocolate tabs, and I break them into quarters sometimes, and those are very smooth and relaxing. And flower (what we used to call bud) is so highly specialized with all these different terpines and strains- like super rabbit holes if you want to lose hours googling. Like everything else, it has become both better and more complicated.
Overall, it’s been great. And it is so cheap. Forty of the microdoses are only about 20 bucks, and you add in the loyalty points and veterans discount, and a month supply is about 25 bucks. Cheaper than antidepressants and advil. I didn’t want to talk about it because who knows what kind of stigma is still associated with it when it comes to employment, and it looked like I was going to be on the job market, but yeah, it’s really changed things for me. My head is less racey, I’m calmer and more focused, my shoulders do not hurt as much and I am not waking up in the middle of the night with a frozen shoulder, and so on. Just a win all the way around.
I wish I could get my dad to try them, but he is worried he will get too dizzy.
The other thing I have noticed, at least at my place in Wheeling, is that almost every single license plate is a veteran, a firefighter, or a retired miner plate. I often wonder how many of them are still around just because of this.
Chacal Charles Calthrop
good for you, John.
I’m doing dry January and it isn’t making the slightest bit of difference for me. I thought maybe I’d sleep better or wake up chippier or whatever, but I’ve experienced no change whatsoever.
So I guess I can keep drinking.
The only trouble is, I don’t especially like drinking, and only do it because it’s so socially acceptable…
Jay
SWMBO does gummies.
Raven
@Chacal Charles Calthrop: There are a million excuses to keep drinking and you can always find one.
Marcelo
My brother is one of those weed nerds up in Portland, and earlier this year during a personal crisis he found me some full spectrum CBD/low THC gummies made by really crafty artisan farm to table people that have been absolutely wonderful for me when I need to get to sleep. I’m glad you found something that works for you.
Also I’m pretty much a lurker (we did meet once in Austin) so I don’t know how much this matters, but fun fact, I grew up in Tempe. I always enjoy my visits to the area and it’s real fun to see you enjoying my hometown. :)
J. Arthur Crank
Good to hear that you’re doing well. I also changed the way I eat, starting about 1.5 years ago. I have lost 30 pounds or so, and weight-wise I am at roughly where I was in College. All of these years I could not lose weight, but in the end it came down to eating a lot less.
Thanks for sharing your experience with THC, CBD, et al. I am looking for ways to sleep better, perhaps these things can help?
strange visitor (from another planet)
so, i’m a very medicated and therapied bipolar guy who got diagnosed in 2011.
can i suggest not an oil vape, but a pax or another dry-leaf vape. they really work very well, they’re much kinder to your lungs and if you get something with a variable-temperature oven, you can get a lot of mileage out of your buds.
i find it really helpful. i use a pax 2. i know they have better models.
ColoradoGuy
What’s interesting is the old-school marijuana of the early Seventies was also 50/50 THC/CBD, at about 3% strength. That’s just how it came, grown from whatever part of world it came from.
The modern 90% THC at 30% strength is the result of decades of hybridization, which is why it feels so weird to us old-timers. It ain’t nothin’ like the old stuff. It’s very very different, and aimed at folks who want to get really stoned in a hurry. Concentrates, even more so, since they can be 90% strength and are very fast acting.
I agree with John that mild doses of 50/50 THC/CBD is the way to go if you just want a bit of relaxation and de-stress. Similar to a can or two of beer without all the downsides of alcohol.
zhena gogolia
Someone recommended Saltburn to me. Sounds like maybe I should skip it.
phein64
@J. Arthur Crank: There are any number of edibles designed to help one sleep through the night. That’s what I use them for. I had to experiment with cutting the gummies in half, then in thirds, to get to the point where I would sleep for 6 hours but not have trouble getting up after 9 hours.
John Cole
@zhena gogolia: I know a ton of people who loved it. I was not one of them.
Joelle
@Marcelo: heyyyy Marcello (I used to have a friend named Marcello!). Please let us know when you are around. We can hit up Harlow’s for breakfast. I’m glad there’s other I Love Tempe people out there. I really feel it’s the most perfect place to live on earth,
Another Scott
I’m glad you found something that works for you, John.
There’s a dispensary up the road that (according to their web page) carries some 5/5 gummies that sounds roughly similar to what you describe (if one cuts up the pieces). It’s good to know there are options.
In doing some poking around just now, it looks like there’s at least one set of folks trying to be vertically integrated and get huge before there’s much competition. Yay?
Hang in there.
Cheers,
Scott.
Raven
@Joelle: I have a friend who teaches at the ASU School of Social Transformation. John has my email .
Devore
The weather in Tempe is going to just keep getting better now. The coldest and rainiest days are typically in December and some in January. Desert hiking season is not that many weekends away
zhena gogolia
@Joelle: What about the Grady Gammage Auditorium? (I haven’t been there, but my husband has.)
NotMax
Not unanimous agreement about that.
;)
Geminid
I think cannabis is very good for pain. Some people can’t tolerate it for various reasons including anxiety issues, but my understanding is that good CBD oil, gummies etc. deliver most if not all of the pain relief without the THC. Not that I have anything against THC; it’s just not for everybody.
Catnaz
Hi John, been lurking here for years. Husband and I moved to Tucson from Chattanooga in spring of 2022. We very much like it, and yes the dispensaries have some fine shit for whatever ails you .
NotMax
@zhena gogolia
The trailer was sufficient to kick it from the Maybe list to a solid Nope for me. As always, YMMV.
TaMara
John Cole in love may just be my favorite Cole.
Several of my critters are on CBD – locally grown and prepared by a woman who really knows her stuff. Good for pain, anxiety and elderly cat issues.
Fun fact – you have to have receptors for CBD and THC to work for you – and dogs have extra receptors, which is why the CBD works well on them (and vets caution to make sure it has imperceptible THC) Guess who doesn’t seem to have enough to get any benefit? Yup, the lady who dispenses it every day to the critters.
I doubt it’s why I can’t drink, but alcohol has little effect either, except to make me feel horrible the next day. Hangover w/o the fun, I guess. I was a fun time in college, LOL.
FelonyGovt
I have been having pain in my leg at night for 2 years now (comes from spinal stenosis, I’m told) and it’s getting worse and I’m not sleeping and getting cranky. The other night I tried eating a cannabis cookie before bedtime. It made me quite stoned but didn’t do anything for the pain. I guess I need to try the THC/CBD blend at much lower dosages.
mrmoshpotato
Rainy in Santa Clara, and 12° here in Chicago. Going below zero again tonight. Oh yes.
Go 49ers!
And hopefully there’s still snow around tomorrow in Orchard Park for throwing during the Chiefs-Bills game.
Omnes Omnibus
@mrmoshpotato: How can you be so consistently wrong about your sports picks?
KrackenJack
Good for you JC. Confession is good for the soul. I think the stigma is essentially gone. Anytime it has come up in social settings, a majority of people are either curious or have already tried it. A smaller percentage are regular users – maybe 20%. The cannabis delivery folks here are selling a lot of other less legal add-ons.
mrmoshpotato
@Omnes Omnibus: It’s only a 6 point game.
Sister Golden Bear
@NotMax: Splitter!
sab
@Chacal Charles Calthrop: They say it takes at least a month to notice a difference.
debit
I loved Midsommar. Based on a spoiler, I was going to give Saltburn a pass, but am now reconsidering.
John Cole
@Joelle:
god damnit joelle you can’t go letting them think you like them they’ll never go away
Kristine
I’m going to laugh about this for at least a week.
CaseyL
Oof. Just got back from dinner with a friend at Ada’s, a Turkish-Italian place near Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. Fabulous, fabulous restaurant. Went there the first time a few weeks ago with another friend, and decided I needed to work my way through the menu.
They’re a little pricey, but the Turkish-Italian fusion is excellently done, and the portions are HUGE. I once again brought most of my entree home in a box.
Now I need a nap.
eclare
I am so glad that you found something that works for you, JC!
Looking forward to the day medical is legal here in TN, fuck it’s even legal in MS at this point, but that day is probably decades away. I don’t know if Jack Daniel’s has too much of a hold over the legislature or what.
Go Bills!
mrmoshpotato
@CaseyL: Can you explain Turkish-Italian fusion after your nap? :)
Grumpy Old Railroader
Well hell. Confession is good for the soul. Bought my 1st pound of Columbian in 1973 for $160 and it lasted Mrs Grumpy and I about 6 months. Now back then $160 was a chunk of change as I was making big money on the railroad @ $24.64 a day. But from little acorns . . . yeah we planted the seeds and became home growers so
neverrarely bought the stuff but it was fun growing it, talking to the plants, constantly on the lookout to weed out the male plants.Mrs Grumpy grew some dyn-o-mite weed while I was working on the railroad but then they started drug testing in the 80’s so I had to decide which was more important, my job or the weed. So I converted from being a pot head to a week-end alcoholic. But nearing retirement I managed to get off the booze and then I retired 12 years ago.
Fast forward and I connected with a friend who was our neighbor growing up and on in to school and afterwards for a few years. Well, he was growing so turned me on to a few buds and Holy Sheet, it was potent! I didn’t much care for the way it just knocked me on my ass and down for the count so I really thought my pot days were done.
Then my #1 (of 4) son talked me into trying some store bought weed that was Sativa and I was like “Oh Man, this is what I remember liking about weed. I can do stuff with a little buzz and just keep going.” So now I do the online dispensary and use Leafly Web Site to see what the good and bad of each strain is and then have some delivered straight to my door. I toke maybe once or twice a week just because I can. But I use a vaporizer and grind my flower very fine before packing it in the vaporizer. I’m not burning my lungs with smoke and can just take 3-4 hits and am good for several hours in the evening.
My general advice is stay away from Indica as it will lay you out unless you just want to sleep then go for it. But if you want a little pick me up buzz stay with the Sativa.
mrmoshpotato
@eclare: Hopefully there’s still some snow in Highmark. The celebratory snow throwing was hilarious.
JoyceH
How’s medical marijuana for arthritis?
And for pets? This puppy is driving me mental! She’s making great strides in house training but she’s in the nipping phase, and can’t seem to leave poor Jazzy alone! And Jazzy can’t defend herself very well because she’s still coned. The surgeon said I could remove the cone yesterday but to watch and make sure she leaves the foot alone – I’ve tried her cone free a couple times and she starts in on the foot. So I’m home room monitor and Whimsy spends a lot of time in the yard or crate. I know nipping is a phase, but geez, how do we get through it?
MagdaInBlack
@mrmoshpotato: I googled “Ada’s” and played my favorite game: what would I order if I were there.
You too, can play 😉🤗
Ruckus
@Chacal Charles Calthrop:
I stopped drinking long ago, when I gave my standard answer to a doc about how much I drank and his response was not to say anything but to look at me as if my answer could not possibly be anything but bull and shit. I thought about this for a couple of days and realized that he was right. I wasn’t drinking too much at one time but I was doing it far more often than I’d noticed. So I stopped completely. It improved my life, not drinking. It’s been well over 20 yrs and I don’t miss it at all. I don’t do anything to get high/lost/out of it/escape, I live my life day to day and while of course some days life shits on you, it is still far better for me, being completely sober/not high, being just me.
Now that’s just me so I can’t put my life upon anyone else. But I’ve known people who drink because other people in their lives drink and they feel the need to be a part of that. My point is that if you actually don’t like drinking, why are you doing it? I liked it and still find for me stopping was best. And what Raven said.
@FelonyGovt:
I have some issues that cause me pain, the worst being migraines. I started to get them occasionally 50 yrs ago until they seemed almost regular and there was no concept of a treatment, until 25-30 yrs ago and the drug zolmitriptan came to market. This is a lifesaver to me. Also I take vitamin B2 and magnesium which slows the migraine progress and cuts down on the severity and the number of experiences.
My take is that it’s just life. Some of us get it and some of us get it harder. I believe there are more of the second part of that. As the old saying goes “It’s not ours to question, it’s ours to wonder what the hell?”
mrmoshpotato
@MagdaInBlack:
Hehehe! Ooooo-ing and aahhh-ing over a menu is fun. Also, mmmmmm-ing.
eclare
@MagdaInBlack:
Oooh! I love that game, off to play.
Odie Hugh Manatee
“I will also add that one side effect of no longer being on celexa is being able to feel my genitals again.”
The way it’s worded my first thought was “Did the medication stop his hands from doing that?”
Yutsano
Well…since I’m a federal employee, I’m hypersensitive to THC, and CBD seems to do nothing for me, all I can say is y’all enjoy yourselves. I have zero objection to legal weed, but it doesn’t really do anything for me.
MagdaInBlack
@eclare: I “ordered” the scallops.
ronno2018
wow, fantastic report! you are doing it right. hang in there!
Kelly
@JoyceH: Medical marijuana for arthritis relief varies a lot. It helps most people I know that have tried it. For me it focuses me on and heightens my senses of whatever I’m doing. River swimming on a summer afternoon is a full body rush. However if the arthritis in my hands and wrists is acting up weed often heightens my sense of pain and focuses me on the pain. Not ideal but it eases quickly.
I enjoy a bit of weed and it is so cheap we quit growing our own. Home grown tomatoes are a better use of our garden space.
eclare
@MagdaInBlack:
Mediterranean whole trout…we can split one of those yummy sounding appetizers.
Yutsano
@CaseyL: Sounds like we’re going to need to try this once I get back from recovery in March. Or we finally arrange that meet-up to welcome me back to the wet side and we invade this place. It sounds wonderful and I’m drooling already!
MagdaInBlack
@eclare: 🤗🤗 I like how you play.
Eta: the pistachio baklava is too good to share, tho 😉
Omnes Omnibus
@MagdaInBlack: Sac Kavurma.
mrmoshpotato
@MagdaInBlack:
@eclare: I’m torn amongst the Sac Kavurma, the Pan-Roasted Jidori Chicken, and the
Linguini Pescatore.
Time to look at the appetizers.
ETA – I like dolmas, but gotta go with Prawns Fra Daviolo. Mmmmm
MagdaInBlack
@Omnes Omnibus: I was torn between that and the scallops.
FelonyGovt
@Ruckus: I don’t mind the pain so much as I mind not sleeping more than 4 hours a night. It gets really old.
Omnes Omnibus
@MagdaInBlack: Something hadn’t seen before that sounded good.
Jackie
@mrmoshpotato: How can you be so consistently wrong about your sports picks?
As a Seahawks fan, 😂 GOOOO PACKERS
Odie Hugh Manatee
Radio nooz is braying that the Orange Menace is “racking up the endorsements from Republican members of Congress with over half of them endorsing him in the leadup to the New Hamp…..” blablablah. No, the Quislings are sucking up to Hair Furor to curry favor with his voters so their seats in Congress are safe. Republican members of Congress are so impotent that they are incapable of standing up to ONE GUY.
If they can’t stand up to one bully then how in the Hell are they expected to protect our country? It also explains their position on Ukraine; because their Dear Leader is owned by Putin and the Quislings must do his bidding.
eclare
@mrmoshpotato:
All of the appetizers sound wonderful.
mrmoshpotato
@Jackie: Hehe. I see SF beat SEA in both matchups.
mvr
Just going to say I am one of the many folks on here who care that J Cole is doing well. This bolog got me through the aughts and I am forever grateful.
mrmoshpotato
@eclare: Oh yeah!
mrmoshpotato
WHOOP THERE IT IS!
SF 24
GB 21
Go Lions! Go Chiefs! (but I’d be fine with some more snow throwing tomorrow)
Jackie
@Jackie: Oh boo 😭 Damn the Niners.
Jackie
@mrmoshpotato: 💩
Jane2
Watched Anatomy of a Fall today and listen to Joelle…it is excellent.
freelancer
John, nobody worth their salt judges you.
Idk if anyone remembers me commenting here, but my name is Nicholas and I used to go by freelancer on here. I’ve been reading your site for 20 years-ish and I’m sorry for what you’ve lost lately.
I moved to Phoenix in 2011 and have loved it ever since. Today was great, I rode my bike to the second run theater in Tempe and saw Chinatown on the big screen. I suspect we’re neighbors, after a fashion.
Just wanted to say hi to you and your community again and wish you all the best.
Freelancer aka Nicholas aka No Look at Flash
mrmoshpotato
@Jackie: Why is the poop smiling?
StringOnAStick
@mvr: Here, here for that! I’m glad he’s found love and happiness.
@Chacal Charles Calthrop: We hang out with a group that drinks socially plus we all live in a brewpub filled, lots of tourism town. I decided months ago that I don’t like alcohol, don’t need the calories from it and that since alcohol is a depressant, I really don’t need that at all. Even better is my decision is accepted especially after I once explained that alcohol is a depressant and I am very careful about such things; we’re not a bunch of high school kids egging each other on so if you don’t want to drink, then don’t. Trust me, they’ll get over it. You don’t have to drink to be social. One guy brings his new found alcohol-free gin and vodka, and makes himself drinks with that, so maybe consider that.
Prescott Cactus
@Kelly:
I’m about half way through an adventure with physical therapy (PT) and the therapist told me that they (research) have found that exercise provides the best relief for arthritis, IF the pain levels aren’t at 6, 7, 8, +. Getting out and working it is better than letting it become under used. YMMV.
Ohio Mom
@Odie Hugh Manatee: “Genital numbness” can be a side effect of SSRIs, as is weight gain. Not surprised Cole is losing weight since discontinuing the Celexa.
Also, advil is terrible for your kidneys. Another drug it’s good not to be on.
Kelly
@Prescott Cactus: Yep. Just the right level of exercise. Paddling my kayak is really good if I stay well within my conditioning and skill level. Splitting firewood is surprisingly good. Stacking firewood is OK if I am very careful how I pick the sticks up. Running a chainsaw goes very bad quite quickly.
Odie Hugh Manatee
@Ohio Mom:
Oh I know and have heard of it. I was just laughing at the thought that John was incapable of reaching down and grasping the ‘situation’.
The wording is what led my mind off into the weeds. Or maybe it was the weed that led my mind off… ;)
Oh, and add me to the peeps who like hearing from Happy Cole.
NotMax
@Prescott Cactus
Would welcome the relief of a 6 or 7 when it chooses to flare up.
lurker
@Odie Hugh Manatee: first time I read that phrasing I thought that must be some shoulder injury…
Odie Hugh Manatee
@lurker:
lol!
Odie Hugh Manatee
@lurker:
lol!
Prescott Cactus
@Kelly:
But it makes for a good movie script !
Prescott Cactus
@NotMax:
Ouch times two.
Ramalama
@freelancer: Chinatown on the big screen. Jealous about that more than living in AZ, you know, no snow.
Paul in KY
@Geminid: It really helps my chronic knee pain. ACL/MCL rips years ago & now bad arthritus.
Betsy
Already googling what those pills could be. Sounds wonderful.
Marcelo
@Joelle: I was there for Thanksgiving but I should be back later this year. I’ll reach out when I’m heading back out there.
For me the iconic Tempe eatery is The Chuckbox by the university. It’s exactly as it was in the 80’s and 90’s, it still has some of the best burgers in the country, and it remains elite. I used to go to Nello’s Pizza a lot when it was in Tempe, but now it’s in Mesa. That place is great but you have to go to Mesa…