08 Aug 2017
Uncle G’s FUN 420 Reviews: Intro to Uncle G’s Corner (#01)
Words and Red Ashtray Photography by Gary “Uncle G” Brown
Twitter @GBrown0816
Seeing how this is an archival website, I’d like to introduce to my newer 420 readers, a series of essays I did for a non-profit pro-cannabis website out of New York City, some years ago. One that I’ve gotten involved with, back in the year, 2011. The webmistress was the wonderful Arlene Williams aka Ganja Granny. I love her to death! The website, Green Ribbon World, sadly disappeared here recently. I was happy and grateful to be a part.
Please note … regarding this republishing. We’re going back in time. Things were different. I was married for the second time. That union was dissolved one day shy of us being a couple 22 years. Add the time we dated, and now its closer to 25 years. No resentment or hard feelings. I’d rather look forward more than backward.
Editing: Versions 2.0 of Uncle G’s Corner…My aim is to clean up any remaining typos and grammar errors. Content remains the same as it first appeared. When I’m finally done (this could take some time) archiving all the past essays published, I’ll start writing new ones. In a way, I already have done so: Uncle G’s FUN 420 Reviews.
Gary “Uncle G” Brown (08 Aug 2017)
First Published on Green Ribbon World: 21 March 2011
Uncle G’s FUN 420 Reviews: Intro to Uncle G’s Corner (#01)
Uncle G’s Corner_Subject: Introduction Part Two
Part two? So where’s part one you ask? Hint. I was already a guest blogger. Right here in Green Ribbon World. Just somewhat recently. I touched on how cannabis helped me get through a difficult medical treatment. After I submitted that to Arlene, we started talking about how maybe I could become a regular contributor. Something monthly, or bi-monthly. Needless to say, the both of us really dug this idea. Wonderful conversations followed. And for the first time, we talked on the phone. Everything up to then was e-mails and such. We found/introduced ourselves on a website called; Daily Buds. Regular communication back and forth ever since.
Feel free to quote me anytime; Ganja Granny is one of the coolest females to walk the planet. Never met a better activist. She truly cares about people. Therefore, I find it an honor and a privilege, to be a part of such an awesome website. Thank you, Arlene!
When we discussed my participating on her website, we talked about names for whatever we would call my column. “Uncle G’s Corner” was the favorite. Here’s how the words “uncle” and “corner” won out.
Besides Ganja Granny, I bounced names back and forth with my pretty wife. One evening, we smoked a bowl and then having a conversation, focused on the word; uncle.
What came to our minds was that one relative, just about every family has. Perhaps he married into the family. Regarding character, he appears to be a total opposite of everyone. The guy marches to his own drummer. Works hard. He gets along with people fine. The kids all like him. Now, take it a step further. This is the one in the family, whose a pot smoker. Most of the family has known about his use of weed now for years. At gatherings, it would not be unusual to hear a certain Aunt say out loud when the uncle was suddenly missing from the festivities; “Bet he’s off doing some of that wacky weed. Everyone knows he smokes pot.” If all around ear shot wasn’t aware of this, they were now. The fact is, no one really seems that concerned. Not that everyone talked publicly about it. Like it was a good thing. Kept kind of like a family secret. The man always comes off like he could hold his own. And the Aunt who enjoys making public announcements such as this, she’d have three lit cigarettes going at once. Be drinking coffee, all day. She’d pour the hot beverage into a saucer. With each hand, she grab a side, and bring it up to her lips. You could hear her slurp. Certainly out of the two family members, the most annoying was actually her.
So that’s how we decided on “uncle”. They tend to have experience. Been around the block more than once. Might even be able to offer some good advice, from time to time.
Now why the word; corner? I grew up in New Jersey. Several times in the mid to late 1970’s, I visited New York City. Always for pleasure. Saw a bunch of kick ass concerts at Madison Square Garden. Sometimes, I purchased concert tickets on street corners. Had to be extremely careful. Hustlers and con artists were a plenty. One highlight was seeing Led Zeppelin in 1977. Yeah, wow! That’s a whole story by itself. More an adventure. One day perhaps I’ll type it out, and have it posted on here. Should be entertaining.
Besides buying concert tickets on street corners, one could also find reefer. Sometimes, whoever selling it, would wait until you were within earshot, and then throw a rhyme at you. Something like this; “Got some weed. Best in the city. Get a 10 buck bag. It won’t be shitty.” If you looked at the dude, he’d smile at you. I’m going by memory. Am sure the rhyme was much better than that. And back to the dime bag, the count usually wasn’t that good. Hopefully, you don’t remember scoring this. Enough weed to make a couple pin joints. If you were lucky. Care for a little weed with you rolling paper? When that’s all you could find. Had to be good enough. Beat having nothing. Not all times the count was lousy. Accounted on who was on the corner selling the stuff. Most times, it was what it was, and you took what you could get.
So I picture the street corner being back in New York City. For the reader, could be anywhere U.S.A. In your mind, try to make it nice and clean. After all, if you’re going to hang on the corner for a spell, then it might as well be a cool place to chill out some.
The corner should have a cool street light. Antique looking. Maybe a garbage can somewhere close by. A fancy one. Can’t have any garbage in it. That could smell bad. Could also bring flies. We don’t need any stinking flies on our corner. Not mine! And certainly not yours, nor one we share.
I liked the idea of having a phone booth. Not the kind smelling like urine, on a hot summer day. What a very unpleasant smell for the nose as one would walk past that. And if it didn’t smell like piss, then odds were hanging at the phone booth, were the prostitutes. They stand there, pretending to be talking on the phone, while all the time, just searching for the next ‘John’ to come by. On this corner, none of that happens. And there’s a phone booth. It’s an older, cool looking one. As it should be.
My corner is neat, and for the most part, tidy. Nearly complete. But one thing is missing. Something to sit down on would be nice. Getting older, and don’t need to be standing up all the time. Something better than sitting on the sidewalk. I know, brick steps. From an apartment building. Right there near the corner.
Please allow me to introduce myself. If I could use my real name, I would. Seeing how this is a pro cannabis website, and how cannabis is still illegal where I reside, “Uncle G” is me. I’m a proud cannabis user. But I’m careful who I let know that. Hopefully, we’ll all see a day when that will change. Decriminalization. It be about time, huh? For now, medical purposes are fine. Many aspects of this, still need work.
If the law states it’s OK to consume cannabis, then that should reflect on all aspects of everyday life, including the job site. Going to work high, isn’t cool. Understandable if companies would want its workers to refrain from doing that. Being home and smoking a doobie on your off time, should be perfectly fine. Companies in the States where medical cannabis is legal, should drop the marijuana pee tests, and stop firing its employees for having cannabis in their systems.
I first started smoking weed back in 1973. I was twelve. Nothing I’m proud of. I had a serious lack of adult supervision in my teenage years. Ask me now, and I’ll tell you that one should be at least 18, before using cannabis. I think the body should fully develop first. I read the brain can still be forming, up until the early twenties. Something to take into consideration.
This coming August, I’ll be fifty years old. Am very happily married. I’m a blue collar worker. My wife works with autistic children. For the most part, we have more bills than money. Like the saying goes; life throws you lemons, throw them back. That’s not right. You make lemonade. I have 55-gallon drums of this shit. In a tall glass. With ice. And to go along with it, some smoke. Life’s OK.
Writing for Green Ribbon World, I’ll be reflecting on my past experiences using cannabis. I’ll also be making observations, and or giving opinions as to whatever that is going on at the time, be it public or private, provided I have some interest in it and feel like going down that road. Feedback is encouraged. I’ll do my best trying to respond.
Here’s my major spin. I’m an everyday cannabis user. Lately, pretty much since the middle of 2009. But not a full fledged stoner. Some know the difference. Others will tell you there is no difference. I, of course, have an opinion about this.
I throw into the general conscience that an everyday, average, cannabis user, can live a wonderful, productive life. Excel in business. Make an honest living for themselves. Be happy at home. Handle as much responsibility as necessary. And not just be a fuck up. In this case, that can be defined as a totally unproductive adult human being, living with Grandma. Getting high, 24/7. Bongs and video games. It’s been depicted in movies, more than once. Most are comedies.
When the descriptive words, “pot smoker”, come out in conversation, people usually respond with a smile. That’s what they are projecting on the outside. You see, some folks across our Country, really love and respect the plant. Others, not so much. Inside, they successfully created a different mental image. The potheads pictured, would be grown, adults. Some of the ones casting judgment will imagine them in their underwear. Just because they are losers, don’t mean they have to be unattractive. Look, it’s a pretty blonde stoner, in a G String.
Contrary to belief, a large section of the cannabis community, are mature and responsible. Take care of themselves. Or being in a family unit, have others who rely on them for the basics of everyday living. True, every blue Moon they might have their stoner moments. Under the influence of cannabis, anything could happen. I got several of those stories. Could it have been the side effects, of the weed you think? Scientist has proven, and I bet had a good time doing so, that cannabis has side effects. Are they as bad as alcohol, or many pharmaceutical drugs? Opinions vary.
I am a proud pot smoker. Worth repeating. I’m not a drug addict. I smoke small quantities of cannabis nowadays, on a daily basis. No chemicals added. Grown naturally. Let the plant dry out, and stuff a little of it in a pipe (don’t forget the screen). Get out your source of fire. Bring pipe to mouth. Lite, and inhale. About seven seconds later, here comes that pleasant euphoric feeling. Keep repeating. You’re now high! Some will say that’s a separate side effect, all it’s own. Can be very enjoyable. Nothing to feel guilty about, and certainly nothing worth going to jail, or paying large fines for.
Speaking for myself, I’d wish those fighting to keep cannabis illegal, would instead realize if only just for a second, that the general public using cannabis for whatever reason, is one of the lesser evils one actively participating in this society, can do. Yes, some use it for recreational purposes. And no, I don’t believe it’s a gateway drug. It’s a weed. Good folks in general, people you would leave your children with, will tell you they have medical issues, and how cannabis helps them cope. There are lots of these stories. In neighborhoods, and on the Internet. I have one myself. We’ll talk about this, and many other things regarding the wonderful world of cannabis. In the meantime, toke up, and enjoy whatever it is you like about the plant. I sure will.
Till later,
Gary “Uncle G” Brown (submitted 21 March 11)
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