[Mb-hair] Re: weed - it's good for the brain!

Sat Oct 15 12:37:19 PDT 2005

Thanks Barbara..
There were four of us.. I am the oldest and We all walked away from that experience knowing that Our lives were not going to mirror our childhoods.
That's what kills me about people who blame their lives today on happenings of their childhoods.. I know everyone is different... but how can a person who was beaten as a child grow up to beat their child? I think you've got to look at circumstances and realize how distructive they are and vow that things will be different.. better.. for your child.
Parenting is extremely important to me,, So much so that for the last 10 years my kids have lived with me. (My wife and I split 10 years ago) Though we are still good friends, She wanted her freedom and I wanted to be a good father.
I guess it's all in prioritizing.

Anyway.. Thanks for the nice pat on the back.. JIM

Barbara Siomos <barbarasiomos38 at msn.com> wrote:
Wow Jim..... Thank you for sharing, I know you did not do it for this reason but hell you had a crazy child/teen hood and turned out to be an awesome strong Guy who worries about his children as we all do. I am so sorry about your Dad and your Grand pop, they were dealt a poor poor hand in life... your Male role models had it tough which in turn gave you strength

You have to take control as a parent... They do not need us as friends they need guidance from a parent, we can be both and should be both.... Hope that makes sense.

peace and love... I am proud to know you.

barbara

-----Original Message-----
From: James Pappaconstantine
Sent: Fri, 14 Oct 2005 21:51:21 -0700
To: mb-hair at islandlists.com
Subject: Re: [Mb-hair] Re: weed - it's good for the brain!

My weed story... a brief background of JIM 

It's long.. it's crazy... it's sad... but it all turns out well in the end.. 

Growing up, My father had MS. It began to take its toll when I was maybe 5 or 6, and quickly over powered the man who used to stand tall as my Dad My Mom divorced him when I was maybe 8 or 9 and he was sent to City Hospital to live the rest of his days. (City Hospital was an awful place, the smells of industrial cleanser reeked in the hallways.) We would go visit my Dad, every week for the first few years.. then every month... till I was about 15 or 16, then friends and other stuff became more important.. least I thought so then. (And I guess in all fairness to myself.. I used to leave there in tears, as he would look at me with these vacant eyes, and was basically a vegetable. drooling, unable to move.. It was more than a kid of 15, hell more than I could take today..) Anyway.. when my Mom divorced him.. I was pissed off... I grew up believing the better or worst, richer or poorer, sickness and in health.. (Looking at it from an adults perspective.. My Mom was all of 22 and
had
four kids and a terribly sick husband..I'm not angry with her anymore. My Dad was just dealt a shitty hand.. hell, my family was.) Anyway.. After the divorce my Mom started bringing guys home from her work and from wherever.. and there were parties and dates and all that stuff.. This really bothered me, so I moved out and in with my grandparents.. (Mom's side.) From 1974 through sometime in 1976, I lived with them.. My grandmother died in 1975 of a misdiagnosed case of Tuberculosis (Sorry bout the spellings) My grandfather followed her a year later.. Alcohol induced heart attack.. brought on from a broken heart. I had to move back home.. My Mom had since married.. Gene, was a biker, drug dealer and mean drunk, but my Mom saw something in him.. Many nights I would come home to the house upturned from one of his drunken rages.. Many a night I would listen to him hit my Mom.. It wasn't a good place to be. My younger brother smoked.. All of our friends smoked.. but I who was und
er the
shelter of my Grandparents for the past few years was not tainted... YET I got my first Job at 15, it was a summer job and I can remember having more money than GOD, or so I thought.. After my first check came in, more great news.. Alice Cooper was coming to town.. and my brother and I had been long time fans. So I bought us tickets in June of 77. That day I came home all excited and went to the fort we had in the neighbors garage..All of the gang would hang there and roll and smoke pot.. I never smoked, just helped roll, as I was really good at it, and then pass it by.. the gang would always try to talk me into it, and that day.. I was just so happy, I said.. fuck it.. and took the joint.. I remember I didn't even get stoned the first time I smoked.. Anyway.. Mom was smoking, Step Dad was smoking, little brother was smoking.. why not.. My Mom found a little bowl and smoking kit in a jacket pocket maybe a week after I started.. She told me, She wasn't happy about it and as
ked how
long I had been smoking.. I replied.. Years. That kinda opened the door. I then started smoking in the house with my Mom and step father.. We'd have huge parties pretty much every week.. I mean crazy parties. Like up front at a concert only through the whole house.. I got kicked out of High School the following year for fighting with the Vise Principal, who dared me to hit him.. (Little man with the Napoleon Complex) So.. I sat home and smoked with my step father.. playing cribbage and spades, hearts and chess as the revolving door of clients came by to smoke and buy many flavors of weed.. It got to the point where I was smoking nearly a half an ounce of dope a day. (that's no exaggeration.) Pot led to Cocaine, and Qualudes, and Crystal Meth and Mushrooms, Hash, Angel Dust, Speed, Acid, THC, PCP... you name it, I did it.. Except I never used needles. I smoked and did anything that was put under my nose from 1977 til 1983 or 84. I had then joined a rock band and was learning
Bass, I
would get stoned and totally not remember the parts just taught to me moments earlier.. I was so flighty.. So.. The thing that draws many people to drugs was the thing that pulled me away from drugs.. Rock n roll. I decided that music meant more to me than drugs and I quit cold turkey.. Not doing anything for the next 15 years or so.. Now.. maybe once a year if I am around friends smoking.. I might take two tokes, just to get a slight buzz.. but can't ever see myself doing it like I used to.. I know many people have no problems with it.. Looks like the tide is turning with this new research too.. but it didn't help my memory any.. And.. I would really hate my kids to start that habit.. I don't think my son would as his asthma is terrible.. but I do worry about my daughter sometimes.. but she is a good kid and though I am sure she has tried it.. I don't think it is her scene.. Anyway.. thought I'd share my drug days.. JIM

Sean Courtney wrote:
On 10/15/2005, Robin McNamara wrote:

> There are many things that marijuana is good for both physical &
> mental. Our government refuses to study it properly & spreads garbage
> propaganda of how bad it is for you. Carl Sagen, said that marijuana
> gave him intellectual insight.

I don't blame the government, and I'll tell ya why: ours is by far not the
only government to outlaw it. Very few countries allow it.

My overall thoughts:

1) Whether it be pot, tobacco, or hickory, putting ANY smoke in your lungs
ain't safe -- that's why the fire department tells you to get as close to
the ground as you can, so you don't breathe it in! And that's why your lungs
force it out.

2) The stuff stinks...literally! Either that or the stuff I got a whiff of
at the McCartney concerts (and the one Brian Wilson show I went to where
someone lit up a blunt -- I'm sorry, but 1) you shouldn't light up when
you're ten feet away from a recovering drug addict, and 2) of all the songs
in the Brian Wilson/Beach Boys catalog to turn on to, "Sloop John B" is NOT
a good one to do that to!!!!) I've been to was rancid....seriously, that
stuff smelled like....well, sadly, what my feet smell like right now. 

3) However, I wouldn't step in the way of legalizing it. In fact...here in
NJ there's this guy known as "NJ Weed Man" who's been arrested several times
for possessing the stuff. He's RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR!!! and promises to
legalize the ganja here in the state. I'm seriously
thinking of voting for the dude -- he's much more qualified than the two
bozos in the democratic and republican parties who are running. I'm not
bashing republicans and democrats or anything, but the candidates for NJ
governor just don't give me a good feeling.

4) It really would be in the government's best interest to legalize it, what
with the taxes they could put on it, medicinal qualities, etc.

5) Uhhh...nothing else, really...I just wanted a fifth point. :)

--
dauber at banana-and-louie.org
* ICQ: 28677921 * YIM: dau_ber * AIM: ddaauubbeerr
blog: http://scattered-frog.blogspot.com
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