Showing posts with label Deemster_Diva. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Deemster_Diva. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Cooler Months, Funner Socks!

I was browsing my favorite online sock store a little earlier and realized it had been a really long time since I posted any new sock pictures! So I'm going to have to rectify that and take some more pics.... especially when the order I placed arrives! But in the meantime, I thought I would give a little homage to my current collection. I don't believe I have posted this Youtube video on this blog yet. I made this one about a month ago, and it gives a good sampling of my current sock collection. Hope you enjoy watching and  maybe you'll even get a little bit motivated to go out and buy some new, fun socks of your own! (or for that special femme in your life... socks are so cheap they are a great "anytime of the year, just because" type gift! So here's my little video, I like to call... Sock Junky!

Peace, Love, Rock 'n Roll!!


Tuesday, October 1, 2013

The Monkey On My Back

I'm trapped in my thoughts, stupid consuming thoughts. They are so simple, so few. But they are ever there. Crushing my skull inward, until my brain, crippling under the devastating pressure, cries for relief. I scan my body for physical pain, somewhere, anywhere(!) that would justify the agonizing crush of my mind. I find nothing. No physical justification. Just the thoughts. Unrelenting.

I survey again, taking inventory of my surroundings. Some physical discomfort is present, yet not intense. A dull throb in my back. Bones tired. Muscles tense. Hands tremble slightly. The tremble intensifies to a shake as I lift my hand off my knee to examine my hands. They shake as though they belong to an old grandmother. Her hands - frail, veins blue and thin - gently reach with love and excitement, caressing the cheek of her newborn great-granddaughter. But those aren't my hands. That's not my story. I'm a 35 year old woman, supposedly in the prime of my life. Yet those are my hands, shaking almost ruthlessly, veins blue and bruised. I shove them under my legs, trying to regain some control. Or rather, to hide my lack of control. My sweat feels ice cold as the breeze comes through the window, though it's hotter than sin outside.

My thoughts are back. I suppose they never left. I was only momentarily able to distract myself by focusing on the physical pain. The TV is on, l guess I've been watching, but I can't recall what's happened. How long have I been watching?

"We should bring a cooler and a blanket. It should be fun, right?" I'm in a conversation! Can I remember what I just agreed to? Can he tell that I only have these unrelated thoughts to any question he, or anyone else, may ask me? Have I responded properly or is it plainly written on my face? I feel the words form on my tongue and my voice says "Yeah, that should be fun. I love Jurassic Park."

<No!> My brain yells <If I agree to come, I can at least go high, right?!? I won't have fun without heroin!>

Shut up, shut up, shut up! I'm terrified he can read it in my face.  He smiles at me, maybe oblivious. Or perhaps just unwilling to address my constant companion, my hidden inner thoughts. Those opinions of the ever present monkey on my back. My best friend. Always predictable. Always with the same response. The infernal repetition. Always. Every sentence of the day.

"Cool. We'll pick up some food and make a picnic of it!"

<As long as I can get high. Otherwise it won't be fun>

The shows back on. His attention turns back to the television. I relax. Focus is off me. He couldn't tell I was thinking about heroin. I made it through another conversation. I try to watch some TV. Doesn't he know that this is the way all our conversations go? Every single one of the day, from the moment I wake till the time I try to sleep again. Although since I stopped using, three hellish, unending weeks ago, I've barely slept a wink. I just pray for time to past, waiting till I can feel the needle pierce my skin, see the blood enter the chamber and taste the heroin enter my bloodstream. Waiting...

<You know you can't stay away from me for long. You won't be happy without me.>

…i know…

<You've made it three weeks clean! You deserve to get high.>

There's the pressure again. My brain pounding against my skull. My eyes close trying to keep my brain from spilling out.

I hear a far away voice pulling me back from the dark.... "What do you want for dinner tonight?"

Ahhhh…! Why won't he just leave me alone! I don't want to eat. I don't care about food. I just want heroin, you idiot! How can you be so blind and inconsiderate!

"I don't know, maybe Subway or something."

I feel sick but I know I have to eat, or else betray the little voice in my head. The voice of my little monkey friend. And I'm hoping he leaves the house, if just to give me moment of peace.

"That sounds good. I'll grab it 15 or 20 minutes. That cool?"

"Yeah, sounds good." I hear myself say. Although the words are detached.

My mind drifts again, though I pretend to watch the TV. I can't focus my attention. I don't want to be this unhappy. I don't want to be a slave. He once said to me that I didn't love anyone as much as heroin. Actually, he's said it a few times. I hated him for saying that. That can't possibly be true. I love people. Heroin is a chemical. But I thought. I thought about my past. Is that true? Could that possibility be true? I thought about my friends, my family, my boyfriends. I've hurt all of them. Every single one of them I've lied to. I've deceived, stolen from, betrayed. And who was always there for me? To comfort me when I was afraid, humiliated, insecure?

Heroin was always with me when I was alone. It made me feel wanted, accepted, needed. Heroin made me feel as though I had a place in this world. It wasn't that I merely loved heroin, I knew that heroin loved me as well. But even beyond that, heroin made me lovable. The rest of the world might not see that or understand, but I knew why. I knew what gave me strength in the eyes of the world. I knew what gave me strength in myself.

I suppose he was right. I do love heroin more than any other person in my life. Well, why not? Who else was with me in my darkest, most vulnerable times? When I was all alone and needed a friend? Heroin was always with me.

But here I am, desperately abstaining. For what? The approval of people who don't understand? Who will never understand? What is wrong with me?

I won't be without you for long. I desperately pleaded for heroin to be there when I was done with this pointless separation.

 <I will always be here for you. You will always need me. In fact, you can't live without me.>

I knew it was right. I can't, so why even bother trying. This is stupid. I shouldn't have to go through all this pain, when I know the second this month is over I'm going to have a needle in my vein faster than you could count to the next minute.

Yet here I was. Trying. Giving it one more try. Maybe this time will stick. Maybe this time I'll learn something new. Maybe this time I'll clue into this secret that every other person in the NA rooms seems to understand. Maybe....

"I'm going to go pick up the sandwiches. Want me to just make a snap decision while I'm there?"

"Sounds good." I mumble.

He kisses me on the cheek, since I avoid turning my lips to meet his. He is unaffected or unaware of my unexplained bitterness when the door closes behind him. I'm alone again. Thank God.

I try to empty my mind while I watch the TV. I'm not really interested, so I play with my nails, filing and cleaning.

"… I can feel it running through my veins…" I hear the TV say. I don't know what the context is, but the statement sets the monkey's voice off again.

My veins. I put the nail file down and turn my hands over to examine the top of my hands again, skin, nails and veins. My nails are dark and filthy underneath. No matter how often I try to clean them, the blackness sticks.  Soiled with visual reminders from the black tar, carbon from the chemical reaction between flame and metal and from a general avoidance of a purifying shower. I've put of the unpleasant task since I started this futile fast. The reminder of the hot water cooling and mingling with the cold sweats on my body during withdraws gave me the chills. How unpleasant, I shuttered. Although I knew, if only for the sake of the public, it was soon unavoidable.

My veins, now they were the true traitors. They gave my secret away, no matter how hard I tried to hide it. The blood red scabs, the bruising. They told my past. Not only the heroin, but the meth, the coke and all the other drugs I maintained directly into my bloodstream and straight to my brain. Over and over again. But mostly they told about the heroin. The telltale signs of a junky. The lowest cast of American society. A cast I was not only proud of but one I clung to, like an obsessed lover.

Although I sometimes tried to hide them, in less critical situations I wore them like a badge of honor. What would I be without them? How could I make it through a day without stabbing a syringe in them 5, 8, 1 0 times a day and still be happy?

<You would not be happy. Only I can bring you happiness.>

My head hung in shame. No, of course not. I could never be happy without heroin. How could I even think otherwise? I'm the traitor.

I heard keys jingle and moments later the door opened. I stuffed my hands back under my legs, lest I betray the voice in my head.

"I got a turkey club" he said cheerfully.

"Awesome" I spit the word with poison, though I was unsure if the tone gave away my true unhappiness.

<You don't need a sandwich. All you need is heroin. Soon.>

I know....

The internal struggle was killing me. I know that people were happy living without heroin. Billions of them the world over. I saw them on the streets, going about their business, raising their families, going to the movies. All without sticking a spike in their veins. But how? How do they achieve this? That couldn't be my life, could it? Had I been happy before heroin? Had there been a time before heroin? I could barely remember anymore. I didn't even want to remember.

Yet there was a softer, weaker voice. I felt it struggling to be heard over the louder, more oppressive voice of the monkey.

<it is possible. you know it is. don't give up. you are lovable.>

I looked over at my boyfriend and took the sandwich he was handing me. "I love you" he said.

"I love you, too." I wanted to cry.

Friday, August 16, 2013

Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n Roll Quiz!

Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n Roll?? How could I not take this quiz?? lol. My three favorite things!! Feel free to answer the quiz on your own too! It's a fun way to kill 15 minutes

Sex

1. How many times have you had sex?
For real? How could I possibly answer that question. I’m 34, starting having sex at 16, have had 7 serious relations, and between them filled the gaps with countless lovers, one night stands, and regretful drunken flings

2. Is sex really important to you in a relationship?

It’s extremely important to me. When I start a relationship, the sex needs to be almost daily. But it can taper off a bit as the relationship settles in. Although, it still better remain frequent and passionate. Otherwise, there is no relationship. You are just friends without the sex.

3. Do you like to have sex with people of the same sex, or the opposite sex?

I like both. I’ve had lots of lesbian lovers, and committed relationships. Although the majority of my partners have been men

4. How was the first time you had sex [details if you don’t mind]?

It wasn’t bad at all. Of course, it was fairly short. But we had been high school sweethearts for a year by the time we lost our virginity to each other. I was primed, since we had lots and lots of finger play before then. So it never hurt. I remember there was a nice euphoria after, although the sex itself wasn’t mind blowing. But by the 3rd of 4th time, we started to get the grove and it got pretty damn good.

5. How many different positions have you tried?

Countless numbers.

6. And how many different places have you done it?

Again countless numbers – every room in the house of course. Parents beds. The beach, on boats, camping. A hockey game. At bars. At parties. The list goes on.

7. How long does sex usually last for you?
Depends on the circumstances (how many drugs are we both on is a big factor). But probably about 20-30 minutes. I did have one boyfriend who consistently lasted hours. That was too much to handle. (so was the size of his member, lol)

8. Ever worry about getting caught?

When I was younger. Not now.

9. Have you ever been caught?

I’ve had sex in front of people, but that’s not actually getting caught I guess. No, not in the act. I got caught when people found out later though.

10. What position do you like best [don’t be shy!]?

I love doggie, and cowgirl.

11. Why is sex better rough?
There is an animalistic feel to it. Like you are breaking all the rules of conventional society and behaving with your cardinal instincts. And as a female, I love the feeling of being completely dominated

Drugs

1. How many different types of drugs have you done [list them]? Ha, I don’t know if I can list them all, but I will give it a try, lumping some together in categories.
Cannabis
Cocaine
Crack
Methamphetamine
Amphetamine
Heroin
Morphine
Hydrocodone
Oxycotin
Opana
Various other Opiate prescription drugs
Mushrooms (many varieties)
LSD
DMT
4-ACE-DMT
5-MEO-DMT
2C-Family (2c-I, 2c-b, 2c-e, etc, etc, etc…)
Ketamine
MXE
Benzo’s - Xanax, Temazepam, Klonopin, etc…
Barbiturates
Alcohol
Cigarettes
Nitrous Oxide
Spice
Salvia
MDMA (ecstasy pills, molly)
I’m sure there are more, including RC’s, but I can’t think of them all right now

2. How many different types of alcohol have you drank?
Jeeze, again, too many to list
Beer
Wine
Rum (light, dark, coconut, etc)
Vodka (lots of flavors)
Wine Coolers
Tequila
Schnapps
Whiskey
Bourbon
I don’t even want to go on…

3. How was your first time getting drunk/high?
First time was fun. I drank vodka straight up.

4. Do you prefer drugs or alcohol?

Drugs a hundred times over

5. What is your favorite drug?
Hard to choose a favorite. But Heroin, LSD, DMT and Pot certainly top the list. Although I’ve had abuse problems with almost every drug I’ve tried including sever problems with Meth, Coke Benzo’s and Ecstasy.

6. Have you ever been to a rave?

Yep

7. Do you take any prescription drugs [for medical reasons or not]?

Yep, all the time. For medical use (anti-depressants, amphetamine, benzo’s, soma, birth control) and have taken tons recreationally.

8. Do the parties you go to generally have drugs/alcohol?
Yes. All of them.

9. Have you ever tried IVing drugs?
Yes, I almost exclusively IV any drug possible. Heroin, Meth, Coke, I’ve love IVing LSD, and have tried MDMA among other drugs.

9. Are you a social drinker/smoker?

I’m a daily smoker and a social drinker now. Although there have been times where some would call me a raging alcoholic. Since I do junk daily (along with pot) I don’t drink daily anymore. Very rarely actually.

10. Is anyone in your family an alcoholic/drug addict?

Yes, many people in my family have been alcoholics.

13. Are you addicted to any drugs? Or have you been?

Yes, I’m addicted to heroin (I’m a junky), Crystal Methamphetamine (and a tweaker) and Cigarettes. I’ve considered myself addicted to other drugs in the past, and I was addicted to them. But nothing compares to the hold that junk and meth can have on you. They make all other addictions pale in comparison (besides alcohol)

12. Been to rehab?
No, I’m not ready to quit yet. Although I was able to stop a raging meth problem 2 times on my own. I also go o NA meeting and see a therapist at the Needle Exchange.

Rock&Roll


1. Who is your favorite band?
Phish, hands down. But the Disco Biscuits aren’t far behind.

2. Do prefer rock to rap?

Yes. I’m a Rock ‘n Roll girl.

3. What was the last concert you went to?
Phish at the Hollywood Bowl.

4. How much money would you pay to see your favorite band perform live [I mean you’d have front row seats and all that]?
I’ve paid over $350 per ticket to see Phish. Probably a little more than that for some shows. And they were never front row seats!

5. Do you have any band tees? Which ones?
Many Phish shirts, multiple Grateful Dead, Janes Addiction haha. I’ll definitely get t-shirts for STS9 and The Disco Biscuits too.

6. Do you sing along to songs all the time?
All the time.

7. Are you a music junkie?
Absolutely! I’m the definition of a music junky.

8. Who is your favorite old rock star?

David Byrne

9. What is your favorite movie involving rock music?

This is Spinal Tap

10. Would you ever be in a band?

I was in lots of bands earlier in life, including a jazz band. I played piano.

11. How many shows do you go to in a year?
There have been years I’ve seen close to 50 shows a year, if not more. An average year, I still see over 30 probably.

All of ‘em together


1. Why do people associate the three of these things together?
The obviously go hand in hand. You take lots of drugs at shows, then you get horny on the drugs, listening to mind blowing music and go have sex after the show.

2. Out of the three which is your favorite?
Can’t choose one. I couldn’t live without music though. Or sex for that matter. I could live without drugs, but I don’t want to.

3. Would you give up the other two to have a lot of the other one?
I have struck a very nice balance. So I am not going to give up any of them.

4. Ever associate them together yourself [ex: sex with music]?
Of course, as I mentioned, they go hand in hand.


5. Do you have any advice on getting into any of the three?

Just experiment with new things. Listen to music you've never heard before, try a new position between the sheets. And don't be scared of new drugs, if you want to try them. But don't feel pressured to do anything you don't want to!

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Making Veins Pop!

So I recently did something really stupid while trying to get that precious shot of junk into my body. My veins were shot from overuse and I was having problems trying to find a vein to go in for days. I'm sure this is a nightmare that plagues many IV drug users. I've literally spent hours at a time trying to find a veins, blood everywhere, arms and feet swollen and aching, perhaps even bruising on your neck. This time was just like that. Until I found a pulsing vein in my left pointer finger. I wish I could say this was the first time that I had attempted to go there, but it wasn't. So I knew the risk ahead of me. But I had made it there before, but percentage of success has been low, so I knew the risks. But I was desperate to make the shot and at this point would try anything. So I made the plunge and stuck the needle in a tiny, tiny little vein. The vein itself was probably smaller than the 29 gauge needle I was using. But finally... I registered blood. But as soon as I gently pushed down on the plunger the whole area swelled up. I tried to register again, and nothing. With an exasperated sigh I pulled out and kept digging to get the remainder of the junk anywhere I could find, after having wasted the portion I inserted into my delicate finger. I know how stupid this all sounds. And how pathetic and desperate. At the time I felt pathetic and desperate, especially since this struggle with my veins had been going on for days. I eventually found a working vein and was able to use it for a couple of days (another unsafe practice) but my body was able to heal where I had been relentless poking and prodding at it. When the swelling in my hand went down, I was able to see an abscess on my finger. UGH. And abscess on my finger?? That fucking sucks.

Since I'm a black tar heroin user, and an ex meth shooter, abscess are nothing new to me, and we take care of them ourselves at home, only going to the doctor when we don't have antibiotics left. But still, any type of infection or injury shouldn't be taken lightly when it comes to self administered IV injections.

The lack of usable veins is nothing new to any experienced IV drug user. IMing is a good way too inject your drug without the hassle of having to find a vein. But of course this comes with risks too. Dirty needles pushed into your muscles can lead to extremely deep abscesses. And of course, for anyone who is use to the immediate rush of your drug hitting your brain almost instantaneously with 100% bioavailability, it's hard to give up. But when I have completely exhausted my veins, I try to take a break and settle for IMing for a few days to give my veins some time to heal. It's easier said than done since the desire for that instant shot to your brain is so strong. But if you do have the willpower to go 4 or 5 days settling for 85% bioavailabilty, it's amazing how fast your body can heal itself. Suddenly you have veins again! It's especially useful after shooting coke, when you are doing a shot every 15-20 minutes! But even with heroin, think of all the injections you are doing in a 5 day period if you have any type of sizable daily habit. On an average day I do about 2 shots in the morning, at least 1 mid-day shot, and at least 2 in the evening. About 5 shots a day. Even when I have lighter days, I try to keep the same amount of shots, but use a smaller dose. On heavy days, it can be considerable more. But on average that's 25 shots in a 5 day period. Think of all the havoc that can wreak if you are using the same veins over and over again. When meth was in the picture the daily number was considerably higher, with the added danger of meth itself. It literally eats away at your veins and skin.

Since no IV drug user, myself included, wants to resort to IM shots, even for short periods of time, it's best to proactively keep your veins healthy and fresh. There are a number of precautions you can take to keep your veins to top shooting shape. So I've put together some tips and tricks to help your veins "pop" as easily as possible. There is tons to write about safe shooting, but for the purposes of this blog, I'll stick with how to easily access a vein and maintain vein health.

Preparing the Vein -
You want to make sure he vein is accessible and easy to shoot in, ie. there is a large amount of blood pumping through it, making it easy to hit. This helps keep injections to a minimum, you only have to puncture the skin once, avoiding all those repetitive attempts, which aren't only dangerous but EXTREMELY frustrating.  I used to do a generic fist pump, which works okay, and I still do when I'm in a confined space like a car. But for people with more weathered veins, it doesn't always do the trick. Pushup are another commonly known trick, and it works okay. But I don't always find it the most effective. My SO taught me to swing my arm like a propeller. While this might look a little silly if you are fixing in the presence of company, it does get the blood pumping. I've seen this written about on multiple other safe shooting websites as well. One in particular, targeting meth IV users, says to swing your arm like a "propeller". It has a cartoon that lists various other tricks and tips that are useful.



So here is my list. Hopefully you will find some of these tricks helpful!

* Avoid cigarettes, as they tend to constrict your veins

* Stay warm - fix after a hot shower if necessary. If you are cold your veins will go in hiding. If you aren't about to take a shower, you can use a hot water pack and rest it on the desired area. Or simply run hot water on your body from the sink.

* Pump blood to the vein, be it fist pumping, propeller arms, pushups, anything to get blood moving to that area. I hop and skip when shooting in my feet/legs.

* Drinking coffee can help. Stimulants will get the heart pumping and widen the blood vessels, helping your veins pop out. (When I was experiences vein difficulty, I used to shoot meth first, although that's not recommend, lol). Coke, however, has he opposite effect since it is a vascular constrictor.

* Stay hydrated. Drinking water can actually help veins keep pumping.

* Slapping the vein. There is controversy over this technique. I've read online that it is a myth and doesn't work. But I typically believe what I see, and countless times I have slapped the desired vein to help it pop out more, and low and behold, it works for me.

* Use a new needle. Yes, this is a obvious safe shooting practice in terms of hygiene. But I'm including it for vein health as well. A used needle will rip apart your veins, damaging them and making them inaccessible. I've included a picture of a needle before it's first use, then after many uses. Just imagine that thing trying to pierce your veins. Using a fresh syringe will definitely help your veins say healthy and usable longer!


* Last but not least, use a tourniquet. But beware that improper use can be extremely dangerous. You must be careful not to wrap it to tight or leave it on to long. You run the risk of blowing a vein. Proper use dictates that the tourniquet must be removed after you register and before you push the plunger down to prevent blowing a vein. However in full disclosure, this is something that I tend to overlook. But I have suffered consequences, damaging a vein in my ankle due to improper tourniquet use.

Using these tips, along with hygienic, clean, safe shooting practice will make the whole experience way more enjoyable. The other thing to keep in mind when picking a vein to shoot in is the location on the body. There is a hierarchy of safe shooting spots. I won' go into detail, but the order goes as follows

1. Arms
2. Hands
3. Feet
4. Legs
5. Breasts
6. Armpit
7. Neck
8. Penis
9. Femoral Vein

Anything from #4 (Legs) down should be avoided. The legs are controversial, they aren't really dangerous, unless you shoot into the wrong type of vein, and it isn't always easy to decipher. So to error on the side of caution, I generally avoid my legs, until I'm desperate.

The last thing I'm going to touch on is damage due to repetitive use. Common sense should have told me not to shoot in my finger, and the same is true with overuse. Each time the needle penetrates the skin, then the vein, you are doing damage. It might be imperceptible at first, but time after time it adds up. It's something I struggle with every time I strap on a tourniquet. When you've killed all of your veins and pickings are slim it's natural to hit one vein over and over again if you can actually register. But it can cause long term or permanent damage. Easier said than done, I know. But it is a good rule of thumb.

All I've covered here are tips for accessing and maintaining healthy veins. There is tons of more info out there on safe shooting tips. Here is a good resource to start with if you are interested in reading more about IV drug administration. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Here is a good link to start with if you want to read more. http://wiki.bluelight.ru/index.php/Drug_Injection Bluelight is filled with good information and resources about all sorts of drug related issues. I frequent it regularly, and the people there are generally open minded. You can get answers to questions the rest of the Internet would just blast you for. Of course it still is the Internet, so don't expect it to be completely slander free!

Peace, Love and Rock 'n Roll!



Friday, March 29, 2013

Own a Home AND be a Junky?! Good luck with that one...

So obviously it’s been a little while since my last entry. Blog straightened up and was ready to start posting again, but I’ve had a distinct lack of inspiration or motivation. My heart just hasn’t been into it. It made me ask the question, “Why?”. Do I have nothing to say? That’s not true. I’m always ready and willing to talk to people about most aspects of my life. And being that this a blog that basically chronicles my life, I should have no problem there. Has nothing happened that’s been interesting in the past month or so? Maybe writing about my job search or house maintenance projects just ain’t that exciting. Am I not ready to face people, electronically or IRL, since I have yet to fulfill on my commitment and quit narcotics (if only for a short period of time) like I keep promising. That might be part of it. I’m sick of solely talking about drugs within the limited context of “quitting”. Yes, I’ve said I’m going to quit a thousand times. No, I have not succeeded for longer than a 72 hour period of time. And honestly, I’m okay with that. But it’s not what the rest of the world wants for me, or what society says a good, well adjusted person should want for themselves.

Let me back track a few statements. No, I am not okay with that. I do want to be able to go a significant amount of time without junk. I want to be able to take trips and not have to worry about traveling dirty. I want my track marks to fade and not be so obvious to anyone that sees me in a short sleeve shirt. I want to have control over the substances I take the same way I have control over what food I eat. I said last night, I want to cut down on red meat consumption. No more than 1x per week. And I fully plan on realizing that goal without any grief or hardship or personal mourning. I want to have that same type of control over drugs. I was a vegetarian for over 14 years. I woke up one day and said, “I’m not eating meat anymore”. And that was that. I never looked back, I never struggled with it. Once my mind was set one way, that’s just the way things were. So why can’t I have that same type of control when it comes to recreational substances? I believe that in the long term, after much discipline, self-awareness and some abstinence, that I can successfully execute that type of control. However, I do believe that the only way I can make that type of self control a reality is by cutting my DoC’s out entirely for a while and kicking the physical dependency. All the while reformatting my brain to not be so weak and susceptible to triggers. I need to know that I can have a craving, not succumb to it, and be completely okay. Not taking a hit every 2-4 hours is not going to kill me. Neither is not taking a hit for a week or a month or more.

I know that is not what they teach you in drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs. Total abstinence is the only way. Once and addict always and addict and so forth. And I believe that to be true as well, to some extent. But just because you can become addicted, or maybe are more prone to addiction than your neighbor, does not mean that it can’t be controlled. Why would I agree to quit something for the rest of my life, when I personally find no problem in the act of taking drugs responsibly, enjoy the high, have no negative preconceived notions about drug use, drug users, or culture? I do not believe that in my life personally, drug use equates to automatic failure. I can be a completely productive member of society, hold a well paying job, maintain balanced relationships and still be a daily heroin user. I believe many people can. Unfortunately, the negative attitude of society on IV drugs users pigeonholes many people.

Drug users and non-drug users alike believe that the two worlds are not compatible. I can’t hold a good job and be a junky. I’m unfit to be a parent and use drugs. I can’t associate with non-drug using peers, they will feel I am inferior. To a point that last one can be true for many relationships with those that don’t understand drug use. But that does not  make it true. In no known universe does not taking drugs equate to superiority.  But it is such a commonly held belief that many drug users believe it themselves, leading to an extremely high percentage of low self esteem among drug users, especially “hard drug” users. Why? Because that’s what they were taught to believe? Would self-esteem be such a prevalent issue among drug users if that concept wasn’t ground into us at such a young age from all corners of life? Would people be as likely to fall into crime if we were taught that you could hold a steady job, be a professional employee, a good parent and be a recreational drug user? 

I have found no reason (beyond unfounded stereotyping and uneducated criticism from the outside world) that myself, or anyone else can’t live a completely normal and successful life, and happen to take IV drugs at the same time. I was a walking example of that success. Held a great paying job. Bought my first home on the beach in Los Angeles. Had all the little luxuries of life and had a daily heroin habit for many years. It wasn’t until I reintroduced meth into the picture that my world came tumbling down. I’m not naive enough believe that any extent of drug abuse is manageable. And therein lies the problem. Where can you draw the line between manageable and unmanageable. That answer is going to differ from individual to individual. And unfortunately, any of us who want to play the role of “life long drug user” are going to be faced (probably repeatedly) with this dilemma. Especially when you are dealing with drugs like meth, because they have a tendency to sneak up on you and take over your whole life before you realize what’s happening. And by then, you may have a very big hole to dig yourself out of.


I was recently struck by a very bizarre comment from a friend of mine that I would have never anticipated in a billion years. Until the past year or so, when my drug use was leaked across the entire internet, and coast to coast to my family and friends, I remained extremely secretive and closeted about heroin, and IV use in general. Unfortunately, I had already fucked my life up so bad with meth, that most everybody knew I had had a problem with that for a number of years. But I had put it in my past and hadn’t touched it for 7 years. When I picked it back up again, it was with the extremely naive belief that this time I knew what it could do and I would be strong enough to avoid its pitfalls, and still use daily. Boy was I wrong. I lost my job, my house, many friends and caused my family a great deal of pain and anguish. I have since cut meth out, and never plan on using daily again. Immediately my life started turning around. I felt healthier. I was being more productive. I put on weight. Things started generally going the way I designed them. Since this all went down, I came out to an old friend about my heroin addiction. To my absolute shock, he pretty much called me a liar. I couldn’t be addicted to heroin, especially to extent that I use, and still be that put together. Real junkies don’t own homes and have good jobs. All of this was through text message mind you. When I first received that text, I literally didn’t understand what I was reading. Why would I lie about something like that? And why would someone doubt me? I texted him back for verification that what I was reading was actually what he meant. It was. At first I turned defensive, thinking things like “I can’t believe that you would call me a liar after I had the courage to tell you”. But to his points, all of the bad things he was pointing out had actually happened to me in the last year.

Although I do contribute most of those failures to meth, balancing a life style of 2 hard core IV drugs is going to take its toll on your life no matter what they are. So I can’t say it was entirely meth’s fault and heroin had nothing to do with it, that would foolish. I shot back some text outlining all of those bad things that had happened to me, some of which he hadn’t known about until then.

But I’m kinda sorry that I reacted that way. Mainly because it contradicts the point I am trying to make in my life, and what I believe can be true for many drug users. That you can achieve that balanced life and you aren’t doomed for life on the streets just because you’re a junky. I should have taken it as a compliment I suppose that I was able to lead a life that most people would never recognize as one of a junkies. At least for a while anyway. Who knows what direction my life would have turned, or what misfortunes I could have avoided if I had stuck to heroin and hadn’t touched meth again. It’s pointless to speculate. Maybe all of this would have happened eventually, but be spaced out over many years, rather than a Babylonian downfall. Meth has a tendency to expedite things like that Winking smile.

But back to my original thought. Yes, I want to have better control of this drug. Any amount of control at this point. And I recognize that abstinence is the only way to gain enough separation to look at this situation through clear eyes. So like most drug users at some point throughout their drug using career, I have been struggling with “quitting”. Which is really more like “abstaining for a while” in my situation. And once again, I’m taking on the challenge next week of not using for 14 days. But since quitting is not the end goal here, I’m refusing to address it as such during this break. That would imply some sense of failure if and when I return to a more moderate intake.

In the meantime, I’m going to try to continue blogging. Maybe furthering my depth of topics and addressing other current topics of interest – like the fact that Phish has announced summer tour dates, and how I’m heading to Oakland for 2 nights to see TAB.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

It's 6am... do you know where your meth pipe is?

Yep, that's an actual Crystal shard we got.
GD! It's 6am, I've been lying in bed for hours hitting the pookie, smoking a little meth. Been dreading the morning, since it will be my first morning without H in Lord knows how long. I've made the commitment once again (but this time by my own free will and volition) to quit my sweet Brown Sugar for 12 days. (Maybe 14, we'll see how I feel by the end of the 12 days).

My SO is quitting for way longer, (like around a year) and I'm trying to be respectful. This was his last day for meth (his weak spot at the moment) so he wanted to do it till the last minute, which I would too. But now all I want is to feel that lustful sensation of a spike penetrating my veins, and that beautiful sight of a red plume bursting through the syringe filling any air pockets, and giving you the signal of quick relief and release.

Of course those are the good days. Perfect shots, like you have a fresh arm, ripe for the slamming. And thank goodness I had two in a row, deposit a nasty meth miss and an abscess currently. Yesterday I spent three hours trying to find a place for one fix without any luck, and by that time I'd split my shot into two syringes because of the amount and thickness of blood, drained half a syringe of blood clots, and IMing was out of the question. 
*just FYI for those that don't know.... you can't IM a shot with too much blood in it. Your body doesn't know what to do with that much blood, and trust me the outcome isn't pretty. Last time for left upper arm was swollen and oh so painfully sore for what seemed like ages. But better than a lot of abscesses I've had.*
 
Times like that, where I poke for hours and hours, wasting much of the day, ripping apart my arms/hands/legs/feet/neck/whatever, that I curse it, and wonder why I do such things. But then, barely 2 hours later, I'm thinking about prepping my next shot. And no matter how much I swore I wasn't going to IV, I'll IM this time - I swear! - whatcha know... before you can say Bob's Your Uncle, I'm swinging my arm to pump blood into it and tying off.

So... I'm facing the morning without heroin. Without IVing. Without my morning sex practically. That orgasmic sensation that allows me to check me inbox, make my calls, face my colleagues and generally get on with my day.

So here I am, at 6:30 in the morning now, smoking meth. Meh, it's not doing much for me, but I knew it wouldn't. I wasn't going to sleep anyway, so what's the harm?
I have my drug therapy appointment today at 1p. I haven't told her about my commitment yet. I know she'll be happy. I hope I can do it. You can always find junk outside the center (The Center for Harm Reduction, it's also the Needle Exchange). Hope I have the will power.

But this isn't my blog for the day. I've got some I'm debating between posting... we'll see how my day goes. Leave me a comment or send me a message if you have a suggestion and I'll tailor my post accordingly :)
So reader be warned. You are about to witnesses 2 weeks of an already certifiable nut case quit Heroin. It may not be a pretty site... (maybe I'll keep you updated with pictures.) But it might lead to some interesting blogs. If I'm obsessed with drugs when I'm on them, the obsession is tri-fold when I'm kicking. But hopefully my arms will get some healing time in!

And since I'm doing this for moi and only moi... I will be completely honest with my progress. In fact, I'll even make this a little wager. The first person to subscribe and accurately post to my blog their guess on when I'll cave and first use again, wins a price. Price TBA, but it will be something cool.... like your very own drug travel kit (tailored around your Drug of Choice!). Maybe a subscription to the Heroin of the Month Club.... as featured here!


Or a signed copy of a classic Heroin book. Or something similar (obviously, if you don't do drugs, we'll think of something else, like some certified used panties or sox designed by yours truly. I also make organic body oils and lotions. Mostly for healing track marks, but really just for healthy skin. As well as jewelry focusing around wire work, unique stones (like jade or lapis lazuli) and bead stitching... so I'll customize the prize to fit your taste. And I'll be 100% truthful. So go ahead.... start your bids. Remember, I go to the Harm Reduction center (walking through Skid Row and the Midnight Mission there and back again at 1p today. Great places for balloons, which I may have been known to pick up now and again ;) lol.

But for now, I'm still facing my first morning getting out of bed to a stark, cold reality. There aren't even any sharps in the house if I did find that magic nugget. But enough of that self-pitying and whining. Lookout for my next post later today. Topic: Unknown!

Now to see if I can get an hour of sleep in before the SO wakes up, so we can get up together, and drink mounds of coffee to start this sobriety thing.Wish me luck :)
Peace, Love & Rock n Roll :)

D_D

One more thing... I'm waffling between Suboxone and Methadone. Anyone have any input? I've been on them both. But can't decide what I want to go with this time around, for these purposes. (Last time I was on Subs, I hid them and spit them out later, so I could slam at work. Until I was found out and was watched while I finished them. Not going to happen this time!  This time the choice is mine :) Gotta start something tomorrow (Pardon, today I suppose....it's 7am now. Lord Almighty. Maybe just one more hit from the pookie since I can't slam ;)

Friday, December 28, 2012

Silk Road Pt 3.


This the 3rd edition of my Silk Road posts!

So let's talk mushrooms. Those which are hallucinogenic in nature that is.... My strategy up until the Silk Road, was to stock up with any many as possible through out festie and tour season and try to accumulate enough to last me all fall winter, until the next heattie show came along with a good lot. This time, I decided to test out the product on the Silk Road - which I still plan on doing more of. Actually I want to start growing them, but that's a different story.

All the mushrooms – which were already a good price – from the Netherlands were about say 15bc. (I’m rough guessing the prices here since it doesn’t really matter - but at the time it was about 3bc =$1). Then there was this one guy offering his for almost half of that AND he shipped from the states, so free shipping! (and hopefully faster) I think standard shipping is always free within the states - at least it used to be. Although some sellers do offer the expedited shipping, that can be risky too. Not always a good idea to be able to track your drugs. And you don't want to have to sign for them and have proof floating out there somewhere that you signed for a package of Back Tar Heroin of whatever.  So despite the massive difference in price AND knowing the best product comes from the Netherlands (again in the category) we bought ½ oz of them. But it wasn't enough money to shed a tear over if something did go wrong. Sure enough, almost the next day they were there.  
 
***Here I am going to add a slight disclaimer. My view may be slightly askew due to an overuse, both long term (about 2 decades) and really heavy short term use (previous 6 months – a few times a week) to psychedelics. Clearly this will affect tolerance of each drug in and of itself, but should NOT produce cross-over tolerance between most of them. Although it has been theorized and some case studies have shown that certian RC's may produce slight cross tolerance between other psychedelics, mushrooms have never been included in those studies. Still, we did take an entirely different batch of mushrooms the weekend before and didn’t trip either. But the legitimacy of that product was never confimred. Although they looked, smelled, tasted and felt like legitimate shrooms, without at least another person verifying their potency, I couldn't make a blanket statement in either direction as to whether they were "real" or not.***

They came vacuum sealed and everything looked solid. Once I received them I let the seller know. He requested that I release the funds, which I was hesitant to do, since I hadn't tried them yet, but my last few transactions were so smooth, I figured "why not?". I gave the required 5 star but wrote "WAITING TO SAMPLE PRODUCT. WILL POST REVIEW IN FORUM WHEN VERIFIED."
We took them about 2 hours before and EOTO show in Tahoe, which was right across the street. We had with high expectations after such disappointing experiences with tripping on anything for the last 2 months. By the time we had to leave – all hope was abandoned. They never kicked in. We had all the effects of being on mushrooms without any of the actual visuals/body buzz/ euphoria/giddiness/tripping. So they had ALL of the slight uncomfortable feelings associated with mushies, slight tummy upset, desire to curl up in bed, bizarre equilibrium effect, social awkwardness, which usually passes in 30 minutes, transforming into social glee and laughter for me. But this lasted for the next few hours, with none of the fun side effects.  I know that Golden Teachers can vary in potency and strength – and obviously we both have an extremely high tolerance for pretty much all drugs in general. Maybe we could have tried more but we ate a lot to begin with. We don't shy away from those challenges. But with all of the positive reviews of this product, I was/am slightly suspicious that they hadn’t worked right off the bat. So, I figured I would give them to my bff who has no tolerance for this kinda thing at all, just to make sure that they didn’t work.  Haven’t heard anything about them from her yet (doubt I will now since she’s since “broken up" with me after 14 years, bitch). Hope they didn't work out for her either. Knowing her - she probably got freaked out by them and thew them away - whatever. Who cares. If I want to put a spike in my arm, that's my business.  Anyway - back to the Silk Road...

So - we got some more mushroom locally and decided to hold off trying them until our bodies were purged of psychedelics drugs. Even though there's supposedly no cross tolerance between L/Shrooms/RC’s etc. I've quite a bit of experience that would suggest otherwise, specifically with 2C products and that’s not supposed to happen either. 
The seller is still selling and the ratings are still coming in that they are high quality. So the rating system is clearly not a foolproof system. Or I was just a special case, and really need to cool off on my psychedelic drug intake. (which I have).

So I'm still winning the game overall - but it's by no means a sweep, with the SR scoring +2 points on me in the custie'd category.  Again, I made a mistake in judgment basing my decision on price and not taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture – why were they so cheap?? Why would I by from the state when I know they are sub-par to the Netherlands? Lesson Learned.


Next Purchase - MDMA – One of the best deals on the Silk Road

So again so time passes with a few smooth (even fun and enjoyable) transactions. Communication can be hit or miss with the sellers, but the product was always good, even if not always 100% accurate – at least effective.  And that’s all I ask for, really ;-)


All the MDMA experiences have actually worked out really well for me – even if it was weird. I f ound a great guy selling MDMA in Molly form and tested about as high as possible on the Reagent test, 84%.  It came in a standard time frame, great package, packaged as directed, good communication, A+ all around. Strike that, A++++++++++ when the next package came. A week after we took and had a BLAST on the amazing product, another shipment from the same town but different address came. Another bag of Mahl!  Okay – well that’s weird. This is my third shipment of mysterious, un-paid for drugs, only one of which was bad. I didn’t ask him about it because I didn’t want to raise any red flags, but we decided to take it anyway (contents unconfirmed) and rolled tits. So that was that and then I pretty much stopped thinking about that transaction. 


It was so good though, that we wanted another order ASAP for my birthday.  Fast forward 2-3 weeks later. I placed another order and as I mentioned earlier, I always place 3-6 items at a time. I had ordered a bag of 2C-E. I didn’t know the EXACT address it was supposed to come from but I remember it was at least some place on that side of the world (Netherlands).  In the appropriate time frame- a bag from the Netherlands (again) came with a baggie of unmarked clear white powder, 1 gr. 

Now, it makes sense that no one labels their drugs in the mail when they ship. And typically people don’t use their own home address, or at least their exact (or detailed) addresses, but it certainly makes it frustrating when you place multiple orders and are dealing with product that is similar in color and bitterness -like many RC's being sold today.  It gets confusing.  Then add the fact that 15mgs of one can flip your world upside down for 15 hours and be close to a dangerous overdose, and 20mgs - your pushing daisies, you need to be careful!


I decided to hold on to the bag for a little bit and see if maybe the other product would be easier to recognition. Strangely, I wound up with 4 random bags of white powder. Supposedly from two different sellers, but who knows maybe really coincidentally they worked together in conjunction on the Silk Road?

Now I had my entire order of products. The Mahly was the same fantastic roll. The 2C-E was awesome and combined with LSD, they make the Universe's hetty'est cocktail :)
but I'm still left with the unanswered question of "Where are all of these free drugs coming from?? And more importantly WHO IS SENDING THEM TO ME!!! Can all of this possibly be a dissociated string of coincidences? Doesn’t seem likely.

I did take the "risk" blindly sampling one of the random bags - turned out to be 2C-I and I tripped face off of it, quite a few times. Still have some actually - was going to save some for this NYE.

So there is nothing I can say about that specific mailing that would point to a conclusion. I'm really doubt I'll get an answer to any of this, but at least I came out the winner - I guess?  Over all I have wound up with way more drugs than I had actually purchased, but they were all legitimate, so  again – if the Universe wants to send me free drugs through mail order – who am I to complain? But still the whole thing can be hit or miss, and although appreciated, I’m always a little apprehensive when the random bags arrive. And although there have been a couple of orders where the seller has then disappeared, despite a large number of positive reviews, the overall success rate has me coming back. After all, it still beats the number of times I've been ripped off IRL copping on the streets or at Shakedown at a show. So I'll keep coming back!
One of the most common questions I receive about the Silk Road is "How does the pricing compare?" Well, that is completely dependent on what your are buying and where you live.


). Here is a general breakdown by most popular categories:

Psychedelics (Of all sorts - L, shrooms, RCs etc.): Normally much cheaper than I can find in and around California.
**Side besides my less than successful purchase of shrooms from the states, most shrooms almost always come from the Netherlands - this is a great (although not foolproof) way of securing a high quality product. I've honestly found this to be true for most products purchased from there – The Netherlands take the quality of their drugs seriously!**
Dissociative (Ketamine, MXE, PCP): Comparatively equal.  So I found no value in purchasing them through the Silk Road- unless you are unable to procure locally, or they just aren’t available in your area for some reason

Uppers - Depends.
Coke - Much pricier on SR but might be worth if for quality. They have a variety of EXTREMELY Superior coke available. But you’re gonna have to pay! (worth it IMHO)

Meth/Adderall - About the same locally. It's dirt cheap everywhere.

GHB:  Cheaper if you can buy in quantity.

MDMA - Seems to be the best overall Street/SR ratio. Really dirt cheap compared to the street value in Los Angeles. Also - ALWAYS (at least in my experience thus far) they have been highly superior to what you can buy on the streets. Since it’s almost all from the Netherlands (if it’s not, don’t buy it) you can still find early 90's standard ecstasy and they don't pass this shit "Molly" off as real AND it almost always comes with a Reagent Test results.

Opiates –
Heroin – This is an interesting one. When I started shopping on the Silk Road it was one of the best deals around. At least the Heroin was. It was much cheaper than Los Angeles street prices . You could go higher in value and buy China White or other super quality H when they had it - for much higher, but it WAS a rare commodity, Now #4 Heroin is littering the Silk Road. So it’s up to you and what you can get in your town as to whether it’s “worth it” or not. Maybe you are from the West Coast and get white powder in a stamp bag – you might be willing to buy at a higher price than someone who can get it on par or cheaper than the SR. Or you’ve never tried Mexican Black Tar, it would be in your best interest to give it a go an buy some at $100+ a gram, just to give it a shot over on the east coast. Yadda yadda, you get my drift.

Scripts - ALL OPIATE PRESCRIPTIONS ON SR ARE NOT WORTH IT. They may be high quality (and you can get OC's vs. OP's) but you will be prison rape on the price. Hands down one of the biggest rip offs - if you can secure elsewhere. But they are counting on getting the people who are uncomfortable buying from the streets or purchasing H at all. RE: Think your local soccer mom.

Opium – Completely hit or miss if they have it. They will go through dry spells of months at a time and then have 3 or 4 dealers at once selling. In my opinion, because of its scarcity.... if it's available, buy it! I've never had fake opium or anything that was sub-par quality from the SR, and when I do buy, I'll buy in bulk, just because I don't know when it's going to go away or come back again, and I love having it around. I had a guy I was buying from at a fairly expensive, but not outrageous price on SR, but he told me he had to close shop because the processing of the opium was getting way to expensive.  

Other – This “Other” category is very vague - anything else really. HGH's are one of the more popular- but I won't know how to compare prices - I think it's really high in demand though, because the stock seems endless and current. Psych drugs off all sorts, sleeping pills, barbiturates, ludes, crazy types of benzo’s etc.

I bought some Phenobarbital, randomly one day because I saw it and seemed to be a reasonably good price (actually dirt cheap) and isn't offered frequently in my circles - so that was worth it. I've been searching high and low to find Methaqualone, but have only found substitutes like Ettaqualone, but it's a crap shoot. You never know what random obscure drug that you've always wanted to try (or never heard of that piques your interest) so it's hit or miss. It seems that (like the ones I've mentioned above) since they are sold all over the world - to the point of abuse - across different countries, they will eventually be available to us at some point through the SR - so if there is some pill or drug you can’t find right away – keep checking in and be diligent. It’s most likely going to show up one day. And then it will be there for a day or two – or it might spark a new trend and gain its own category. You never know what’s going to happen!

So in conclusion to the pricing questions, I purchase by the following criteria that is important to me: price, local availability, quality vs price, dealer rating and perhaps novelty (like the Phenobarbital).

Hopefully that helps answer some of the questions you've had about the Silk Road and how that website works, what's available and how to buy, etc. As I mentioned, my next SR installment will be more technically driven and focus more on Tor, security, bitcoins etc. Please drop me comment if there is something specific you want addressed around those categories, and I'll try to get those questions answered first!

Hope everyone is having a great holiday vacation!!

❤ ☮ & ♪♬



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