Updates, as promised.

Like I said, all I had to do was get a job, and everything else would fall into place. I know hold in my hands (well, put down while typing) the keys to my very own car-- my first. Granted, it's about as old as my youngest sister and lacks even a cassette player, but it runs great and will be getting a few changes to reduce emissions, and a paint job eventually. (The interior smells like island coconut, so I might need to deal with that too... Nice & beachy, but I hate pina coladas...) Can't drive it yet  (no license plate or insurance) but once that's taken care of this weekend...

One of the main reasons I could so easily identify with Captain Jack Sparrow was his thirst for freedom... To him, a ship = freedom. And like a true pirate, now that I have my ship, I'm finally free to explore the world ^^" (walking takes too long, and my bike seriously needs a new seat... ouch...). Today was a very lucky day indeed. (I literally saw the car for the first time walking home today from work, & it's a miracle that it fit within our price range AND mileage limit, and was being sold at KBB value. That was a tiny little margin... but now it's mine! Even if it is an American car, with a faded "proud to be an American" flag on the side, bought from a rather cute but smoking guy with a huge pitbull and a pickup truck...  My idiot dad saw said things after I mentioned the damn flag sticker (& how I wanted to replace it with an Obama/Nader sticker or socialist sign for the hell of it, lol...) & suggested they could be tea partiers... Quite an unnecessary, stereotypical comment... But they were very nice, honest people, so really, who cares? I can go places whenever I want to!) Ok, back to politics!

Ok, so maybe it's not so bad...

I suppose I should look at these changes not as a complete sellout (which it certainly feels like) but as an example of my willingness to keep an open mind... I have to say, as annoying as I find it, it's been the easiest way to share and update things, and I figured out how to make the Facebook hacks actually work- which would have been close to impossible without twitter. So I suppose it does have some merits. My account is private, so what you see on the side is all there is for the most part. Now to figure out how to get care2 and change.org updates here as well, and we're in business!

In other news, life is looking up. Been working (!!!) for the past 2 weeks,and tomorrow, Earth day, I will be turning my myriad of veggie plants into a proper garden. Still car shopping and debating grad school and moving out, but so far... Eh. Anyway, enough about me! There's so much going on in the world... Will be back later to update, as I have to go work now!

Free Book!

 
I can honestly say I've never tried the stuff, but I've done quite a bit of research on it (particularly the links of usage to the development of psychosis or schizophrenia). I've never been drunk either, but I know from experience that it's easier and safer to deal with people who are high than those who are drunk. Potheads don't really do all that much except try to steal your kit-kats. Drunk people and alcoholics try to attack you or start a fight, or (College was... interesting.) So Happy 420 to those of you who do partake, don't drive or operate machinery (even if no one has ever died from pot alone...) and try to remember not to destroy the kitchen; and for the rest of us content to research and help prove for the sake of medicine that it's actually helpful and relatively harmless compared to things that are currently legal, I present to you a book I've been wanting to read -- free for an entire 24 hours, to download, to share, etc. (Use Facebook Connect if you don't have a Scribd account. It's faster. Enjoy!)

Fox, Arventano, and & Tvert's "Marijuana is Safer: So Why are We Driving People to Drink?"

 And should you want to purchase the book: Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?

And original article - on Alternet.org.