Don’t K!ll My Vibe

Never would I have imagined I would live in a time when cannabis is legal, and I feel lucky to be able to have this option. I am not typically a drinker, I like to mellow out. I’m always working and thinking all the time so on the days I want to chill and unwind, I mean it.

Though my parents were pretty open talking about their friends’ party lives when we were growing up, they made it a point to let us know those things were unacceptable in the house.

Fair. But still, one of my parents’ go-to family glamping destinations is the Philippines’ cannabis capital. We’d also watch Cheech and Chong and drive around listening to the Doobie Brothers. My favorite t-shirt when I was 12 was a royal blue baby tee that had the “Play Dope” spoof logo with the “Play-Doh” kid and no one said anything. I was such a poser! But the length and the sleeves fit me perfectly and it matched so nicely with my chunky shoes.

I didn’t really start smoking until I was in my early 20’s. By that time, I was already very self-sufficient. It felt like I didn’t need to keep secrets from my parents despite their resentment and the stigma they still cling to. It was such a terrorizing conversation to have with my parents when I was in my late 20’s. They were dead set on the idea that it’s a gateway drug. I get where they are coming from. The people they knew did processed chemicals that allowed them to stay awake to grind the entire day, that was what they saw. Doesn’t help that my dad is highly allergic to alcohol too.

Now that it is more mainstream and more research is being done to find out its benefits, my parents and I get to talk about cannabis a little more openly. Especially in terms of investing in the industry and watching the trend of jobs, it is creating for people. My parents just moved from the Philippines, this is so new to them. Research the news, and you’ll see that you can’t do that in the Philippines.

Cannabis allows me to be in the moment, I will always prefer smoking over drinking. Just like with alcohol, I take breaks every now and then, I avoid spoiling my tolerance with anything. Different strains, alc% have different effects on your body so I go based on mood. Ironically, it gives me the drive and motivation to be creative. I look forward to saving my energy for those 2 days of the week to create whatever matters to me at that moment.

On most weekends, or when I go out at night time I smoke instead of drink alcohol. A joint however is something I save for special days or when I go to the beach. A friend once told me that he quit for a bit because he wasn’t worthy yet. And that stuck with me. Now I get it. It’s just one of those special things that if you vibe with, you don’t want to overdo and spoil.

A very happy 420,

Ericke