When in Rome

As I was having caffeine with Mike one morning, I kept seeing people passing behind him, going down or coming up a ramp. 

On the sidewalk was a man with a clipboard and a walkie-talkie, but I had no idea what was going on. 

Mike's noggin' - as petite as it is {snicker} was blocking this entire sign. 

Ok ok. His head isn't AS big as the sign, but the whole depth of field thing really did block the wording. 

Massachusetts, it seems, is licensed for recreational and medical marijuana. I kind of assumed as I was driving past Lenox and saw t sign for a dispensary, but I was also going about 75 mph, so might not have really caught if it was for medical use or not. 

For the next day or so, I toyed with going back. While certainly have smoked pot in the past, it's been a long long while, as I never enjoyed the smell etc. 

While in Amsterdam I looked for some edibles, but I felt like a fraud being in there, as I knew nothing. And when we were in San Francisco, we never even made the attempt. It never even crossed my mind 

But as the blog title suggests - when in Rome. 

After consulting with some traveling companions who had already been in, they gave me the lay of the land and what I needed to do and for which to ask. They bought actual pot - I was going for edibles. 

I knew some info about them but not enough either for purchase or for first time use. Yes, I get it is recreational, but I guess I wouldn't take a jet-ski out without learning a thing or two about it. I didn't learn or read enough I think. 

I knew that edibles are fairly unregulated, so you could get a good mellow high or you know, a fucked up trip. I've done enough drugs in my life that this can be said about every illegal (and now legal) substance you ingest or snort up your nose.  If you're using needles, I have no experience with that and cannot compare. 

After going to Curaleaf, I opted for the tropical gummies, which were the lower dosage - as again, the fairly unregulated, let's start of safer.  You have your choice of gummies that really mellow you out or ones that keep you more active. I opted for the latter. 

A few days later, I stopped in B Well and got the lower dose gummies for the active ingredient. 

40 gummies for someone who doesn't do pot seems like a lot - and it is. But I'm not coming back anytime soon probably, right? When in Rome..........again. 

It should be noted I did none of these in P-town. I wasn't sure how I'd react and we had limited time there. Also, I was staying on my own, so you know, better safe than sorry. 

The first Saturday home I tried the tropical low energy one. Actually, I tried half. Nothing. An hour later, another half. Nothing.  I meant to look up if I were taking them right, but never did 

Cut to this last Saturday, an hour before our weekly Zoom call. One full one of the active kind ingested. 

90 minutes later or so, I felt good. I had two beers on top of edible. I had snacked a little bit since lunch, but not truly had a meal since. Morty and Becky thought I looked tired on the call. I think that is just me, and not me under the influence, I'm sorry to say. 

I went to bed with a little buzz, but nothing big time. It is not a high like smoking - at least that was my experience 

The rest of my experience doesn't end well - though I don't think it had a thing to do with the edibles. 

The next morning - Sunday - I got up. Sat around for a bit and took Shep out for a walk. Half-way in, I went, "uh-ho". A weight was sitting in my gut. I wasn't sure how it was going to end, but we made the walk and then my GI distress manifested itself in ugly ways. 

Then add to that, chills.  Or sweats. Headache. Muscle aches. Skin sensitivity. Really wanting to vomit but not actually happening.

This would last all day long - and then some. 

Of course, NOW I do research on this stuff. 

It is highly unlikely the edibles produced something out of a Beetlejuice deleted scene. 

They suggest avoiding drinking alcohol while doing edibles. Noted. They suggest hydrating before, during and after. I did not do that either.  Sure I had water with dinner later, but like HYDRATING hydrating, no. I did not do that. 

My neck had been stiff earlier on Saturday, and we did picnic at lunch. Maybe that salad I bought wasn't all it could be? 

While I'm sure I will try a gummy again (38 to go!), it just might not anytime soon. 

Song by:  Nickel Creek