Thursday, April 23, 2015

the thundering cranial pageant of being Right

Forgive my absence...busy you know?
So I went to Vancouver's 420 "celebration" in order to garner an informed opinion. I don't do weed (drugs) but I'm not opposed to "organics".
Here's the caveat, ANY illicit chemical concoction is absolutely out and I believe, for the record, that the people who abide in chemical drug experimentation are being absolutely reckless, ignorant and stupid. (To my friends that do chemicals, I love you...QUIT IT!)
Where was I?
Right...420. What a pathetic display! I'll get back to that in a shake (pun intended)
So I'm still on that anti-bummer drug citalopram and it seems to be helping. I liken it to a foggy car windshield. You can certainly drive the car with a muggy window but you're basing your operation of the vehicle within an opaque deficit if I can use the term. Drop a few milligrams of citalopram and it's like hitting the defogger switch. Now your decisions are based on clear, accurate information. No more conclusions made in the fog. I also have the balls to clarify information when necessary (insert ovaries if applicable)
I have a friend that has been on a cocktail of anti-depressants, anti-convulsive and anti-psychotic drugs for about 9 years. I really like him...but I often wonder who he REALLY is. Does he remember? Is that pre-dose guy a bastard? A disaster? Does he recall the gorgeous, heady odour of an apple pie cooling on a window sill in August? Do they do apple pies in skid row?
A friend of mine is on 350mg of happy drugs. I really enjoy her company! I love who she is today...
She tells me that she needs that amount. Who am I to say? What do I know. 10mg keeps this Tyro out of the Dark Places.
Like I said, I really like her...would I hang with her if she WASN'T on that dose? I think yes...but that remains to be seen. If anyone has earned Happy Drugs, its her by a long shot!
I stopped over at Steve's place. You remember Steve? Lives rough along the Fraser River, has that tent...well you should see his Shangri-La now! Buddy has a fine squat! I'd live there proudly. He found work and has even allowed a dude named Brock to "live" there for a few days until "his money starts coming in".
I'd way rather my tax money go to these guys BEFORE Harper's millionaire pals....but I digress.
Local news recently reported a fire in East Vancouver along Hastings that claimed the lives of 2 Squatters. 2 visitors to the derelict building slated for demolition to make way for the Strathcona Village condos were however rescued as they dangled from windows. They tried in vain to reach their friends, a 66 year old and her son (to be confirmed)
Every local news station is mute on this story now as backhoes clear the rubble. No flowers, no candles, no marker...no care.
Homelessness
Meanwhile in Richmond, arson claims the life of a woman and nearly kills her son. I keep hearing about THAT story!
Did I mention that the Strathcona fire was preceded by a "very loud hissing followed by a bang in the basement" ?  No inquiry here...insurance claim is better than paying for demolition. (oh yes I did!)
I got a friend in the DTES who has a vice. I like him, but I hate his vice. Don't get me wrong, he's a hell of a guy standing in at 340 lbs but he can be as pissy as a picnic wasp after being swatted away from the Mennonite jello salad. The guy respects me, I call him on his bullshit and he threatens me if no one is around. He really likes my wife too.
His vice? Sex Trade Workers. He lives in a SRO hotel that is true shite and he trades a warm safe night for these women for...whatever they negotiate. I liken him to some parasitical crawler you know?
Like I said, I like him...hate the vice!
How best we govern our fondness of other humans only after we have clouded our opinions of them with our own moral code, community standard and prejudices?
To my knowledge, this guy has beaten at least 3 men because they continued to "bum" smokes off of an incredibly obese woman with mental health issues as she sat outside the local Mission. He too has a code that he lives by! He's like a Watcher of the Wretched. I tip my hat to him...but deep down I'd enjoy adjusting his attitude! God help me!
There was a room fire at recovery house for women mid last week. I stopped in as I do several times a week only to read a note on the door in big letters:
SORRY. YOU CAN NOT SLEEP HERE TONIGHT. YOU WILL HAVE TO GO TO TRIAGE, THEY HAVE ROOM. WE ARE WORKING AS FAST AS WE CAN TO CLEAN THIS UP
Ever seen Triage? What a jewell of a resource!
http://www.raincityhousing.org/what-we-do/emergency-housing/
But imagine if you will, coming home to that note. What a kick to the fragile mental well-being! Triage is amazing...but it isn't anyones home I don't think.
So...420
I've heard about this in the Grouphome, from guys on the street, the media blah blah blah but I'm a cynic. I had to see for myself. WHO is dying to get weed legal? WHO is using weed openly? WHO is hoping for change?
So I rode to the Art Gallery from work and spent 45 minutes trying to find parking. Our Mayor has really allowed City Hall to convert Vancouver into a NO CAR city. What a tool! Hard to park my motorbike? Really? ( I pay the same meter price as a car...only the City has given us designated spots. Not at a third the whack...full grab)
My heart sank as I walked thru a crush of under 20's smoking joints IN THE FACE of cops. They knew they'd not be bothered, so they acted quite appropriately like KIDS. I pressed on towards the band playing Bob Marley tunes (colour me shocked)
I passed a booth where 3 heavily tattooed clowns wearing American basketball attire amped up the sleepy crowd as they tried to keep their 1/2 pound joint lit. Is this the equivalent to chugging cokes? All I could think about was their resumes. They claim the weed has NO EFFECT on their abilities etc. So why smoke it? I'm so square! I've smoked weed once in over 2 decades. I'm talking out of my bum.
Tell ya what, tell me that you enjoy getting baked like a fresh caught trout in a cast iron skillet along the river and I'll give you my blessings...excuses? Isms? Piss off!
So on I squish.
I came upon the food trucks. What a display! I saw guys and pretty young women...girls really, attacking tacos, grilled cheese sandies, burritos and hotdogs like hyenas on a warm carcass blotting in the Serengeti Plain sun. There wasn't a crumb left on the pavement and I'm certain I heard growling! The seagulls overhead lamented at the spectacle.
Allow me to mention the Medicinal Dope Pushers.
Marc Emery didn't see this coming I'm sure! I lost track of just how many booths were set up with Medicinal Carnies calling their product. So many promises, so many jokes, so much smoke...
Who creates the names of this stuff? I can't even recall any but boy was I giggling. (contact high?)
Marc my words (sic) Walmart is gonna offer weed right after Starbucks and LuLuLemon.
So WHO was there? Best estimation has been at 15,000 humans.
I'm not a total washout at guessing ages...good grief, I've woked in the humanities for over 20 years...
I'm going to estimate that 90% of the people I saw between 4;15 and 5;35pm were under 30.
I'd go "all in" betting that 75% of those people were under 20 and 80% of THOSE people have She-Shes. I was surprised.
I was expecting Bikers, Deadheads, Hippies, and Surfbums. Nope, totally blindsided.
I'm 51 years young, I don't do drugs (mmmmm beeeeer) and I now have an accurate portrayal to support my fear of the deteriorating health of Canada. If these people are next in line to Govern, either it's gonna be a slow summer Alabama slumber or a dazed, lackadaisiacle takeover by a clever clan of cronies that don't smoke weed.
In any event, I'm sure I'll be too old to give a shit!
Peace

CAVEAT
Feel free to disagree, challenge, comment, send accolades or death threats...I'm in no way 100% correct on anything I ever write! But in THIS case....I'm right!