Weed Is More Benign Than Booze

I’m with the boys this weekend, by the grace of my special girl. It’s been ages since I’ve seen them. I’m so happy it’s hard to describe. As we move towards more milestones, the times we spent fooling around, dreaming about our future— we’re here now.

Now, as boys tend to accomplish, mischief ensues without fail when we link up. I arrived last night to find the guys already drinking, a myriad of alcoholic beverages. Lockwood likes whiskey. I’ll drink a beer or two, to keep up with the gang. Mikey drinks like a fish, and Jared doesn’t ever miss a beat.

So, my hot take follows: weed doesn’t hurt as much as alcohol. Yet, society stigmatized the herb and let people drink themselves into cirrhosis, liver failure, DUI’s and worse. I don’t understand. My take isn’t really original, either. The fact remains, that people more popularly and widely consume alcohol, which comes as a surprise, because I am not confident anyone escapes hangovers.

The hangover, a general malaise following drinking, I read comes from dehydration. Alcohol affects the body in a sinister way; we urinate in an effort to rid ourselves of alcohol. We cannot hope to process it, save for small amounts, yet all my guys drink like they’re on a binge! 10, 20 beers only lead to a blackout. Sean was actually mad today; I would be ticked off too if I couldn’t remember a thing after arriving at the tavern.

I just don’t remember the last time I threw up because I smoked too much. Then again, I’m not aiming for incapacitation when I consume…

The Male Loneliness Pandemic Poses A Problem

I am onto a good idea for my novel. I hope, dear reader, that if you agree, you’ll follow, vote, comment or delegate to support and encourage my writing, my sharing.

Whether or not you believe more men are feeling lonely lately, the research holds. Even anecdotally, the pandemic radically transformed how men communicate. I visit my office and it’s empty, but that’s a new thing. That culture is long gone. We crane our necks to look down at our phones all day, too.

Without unifying qualities from many of the typical avenues men walked in the past, it’s no wonder the problem faces a larger number of men than we think. It pains me to mention, a young man who attended the same school that I did, joined the fraternity that I did, and largely met people I am connected to by one or two others, took his life some time two weeks ago by driving into a body of water.

I won’t speculate when there’s information and resources to study, to help alleviate the pressures we face as men, but story is real and true. Even moving to a new state has changed how often I connect with the boys and my guys from back home. I’ve felt alone before, too, though speaking for myself, I’ve haven’t always felt confident enough to divulge all my emotions. I usually find diversion in my writing, workouts, long walks and music, though nothing compares to the company of peers and confidants.

I’m fixing myself up this weekend. Score quality time with my crew and burn one to blow away any negativity and stresses from life and the week prior. Hearing about each others’ continued endeavors and hustling back and forth on a basketball court, even during freezing temperatures and slight flurries reminds me I am not alone. I got my boys with me. Dear reader, remember, you are not alone either. Writing allows us to connect over time and distance.