As an insomniac for more or less my entire adult life, I have tried most every over the counter sleep aid, and sampled the major Z-drugs. For me, I have found that zolpidem (brand name Ambien) and eszopiclone (brand name Lunesta) work very well for getting to sleep, but do little or nothing for my quality of sleep, and I often dream more vividly on those drugs. Good old diphenhydramine (the active ingredient in classic Benadryl, and the primary ingredient in many over the counter sleep aids) works pretty well at both getting me to sleep and keeping me that way, but tends to wear off about halfway through a night of sleep. There is also some evidence that diphenhydramine and other anticholinergic drugs may increase the risk of dementia. As ever, it is wise not to rush to conclusions, but if you have a family history of dementia, that potential risk is worth considering.
Nevada, my previous state of residence, has legal recreational cannabis, and despite a strong aversion to stoner culture, while I was living there I decided to give some cannabis edibles and tinctures a try for a better night of sleep. For the first time in my adult life, I was able to sleep soundly through a full night. With some trial and error, I eventually hit on a 5:1 THC:CBD tincture that produced the best results. But then in August of 2023, I moved from Nevada to a state that will sooner legalize cannibalism than cannabis, and found myself back to a cocktail of diphenhydramine, melatonin and a 2.5 oz over-pour of Henry McKenna Sour Mash Bourbon. That combination is the most effective over the counter solution I have thus far found, but I still typically find myself waking up halfway through the night, and then tossing and turning until waking up like a zombie. I had read previous reporting that thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, delta-9 THC products were brought into nationwide, if not legal, then “not-explicitly-illegal” status, as long as the delta-9 THC is derived from hemp with a THC content of 0.3% or less. The hunt was on. Delta-9 THC is the hypnotic, euphoria-producing chemical in cannabis that is generally being referred to when one makes reference to “THC.” Delta-8 THC had been (questionably) legal even prior to the 2018 Farm Bill, but delta-9 is the “good” or “bad” chemical, depending on who you ask.
After comparing products from several suppliers, I found The Hemp Doctor Delta9 THC/CBD/CBN Full Spectrum Nighttime Gummies. The dosage of THC and CBD was the most similar to the tincture I had been using than any of the others I found, so I decided it would be the most suitable option to try. The gummies are available in watermelon, tangerine or “berry blast” flavors. I opted for the tangerine. The gummies are available in a 10 count or 30 count package, for $17.95 and $47.95, respectively. Despite a smaller quantity being better suited for a trial run, I opted for the 30 count in hopeful anticipation that they would be legitimate and effective. Shipping is by USPS Priority Mail and costs an additional $8.95. The site was running a 5th anniversary promotion when I placed my order, so I got $5 off, for a total order amount of $51.90. That is more expensive than a thirty day supply of generic prescription sleep aids, which seems a bit absurd. There are less expensive hemp-derived delta-9 THC edibles available from other suppliers, but about the lowest price I was able to find for the same total amount of THC and count of gummies was around $28. Eventually, I may explore some of those options, but I wanted to try to find a product that would most closely approximate the one I was using in Nevada, and decided to absorb the higher price to obtain it.
The Hemp Doctor advertises that its products are made in the USA from organically grown hemp, with certificate of analysis and potency reports being verified through third party laboratory testing. A cannabinoid certificate of analysis is available at the website for the Delta9 THC/CBD/CBN Full Spectrum Nighttime Gummies, but the date on that document is 11/18/2022. Call me a cynic, but I would take any of The Hemp Doctor’s marketing claims with a grain of salt. In fact, I would not be shocked to find out that they, and many other suppliers in this legally murky market, are using synthetic cannabinoid analogues, such as those that were formerly sold as potpourri before being chased off the market by drug enforcement agencies and police. While it would be ideal to know the provenance of the substances one ingests, frankly, at this point, I am more concerned that the product does what it says on the tin.
I placed my order, and 6 days later, I had a small plastic tub of tangerine flavored gummy squares with ~12.5 mg THC, ~15 mg CBD and ~5 mg CBN per square. The tangerine flavor is reminiscent of the artificial orange flavoring one encounters in many over the counter cold remedies, vitamin C lozenges, and the like. It is not unpleasant, and does not linger long, but also not noteworthy for its deliciousness. But then, no one is eating these for a delicious snack. The flavoring is more than adequate to the task. The tincture I had been using in Nevada was, depending on the batch, ~12 mg to ~15 mg THC and ~3 mg CBD per milliliter serving. The dosage of THC being so similar, I took a full gummy a couple of hours before bed to see what kind of results I would get. Unlike smoking cannabis, edibles and tinctures take longer to take affect as they are absorbed into the bloodstream primarily through the intestine and processed by the liver (tinctures are partially absorbed sublingually, so effects can be felt a bit sooner than with a chewable gummy). The tincture I had been using usually took around 35-45 minutes to begin taking effect, with peak effects kicking in after about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. I expected similar results, if not a bit longer, from the gummies, and was not disappointed. It took about an hour to begin feeling noticeable effects, with peak effects at right about the second hour. Having been using my previous tincture for several years at the same dosage, I expected similar results, even despite a roughly 5 month abstention. Here, I was mistaken. Whether my cannabinoid receptors were sharpened by the absence, or perhaps the delivery mechanism, origin of THC, or the so-called entourage effect with the additional CBD and CBN plays a role, when that second hour rolled around, my happy stupor was substantially fuzzier and heavier than that to which I am accustomed. Shortly thereafter, I laid down to go to sleep.
I was able to fall asleep quickly, but the real test for me is staying asleep without disruptive dreaming, tossing and turning. The next morning, I woke up to the sound of my alarm clock for the first time in at least a month, as I had been waking up anywhere between 20 and 45 minutes prior to the alarm, usually after having spent the previous 2-3 hours vividly dreaming, tossing and turning. I remembered no dreams, and woke up on the same side on which I had fallen asleep 8 hours earlier. Best sleep I had experienced since I moved. Nevertheless, one cannot rule out the placebo effect, so I was curious to see if the results would be durable. The next night, and every night since, I reduced the dosage to a half gummy, and obtained a less dramatic result much more similar to the tincture I had been using previously. Unsurprisingly, the time frame of action is unaffected, the intensity of the result is just lower. A mellower buzz is sufficient to get to me to sleep, and also just more pleasant for me, subjectively. It also means 30 gummies will last me 2 months, which is a nice unexpected cost savings. On the half gummy, the results in terms of sleep have not been substantially different. In the roughly 2 and a half weeks since, I have been consistently sleeping through the night until my alarm goes off, and experiencing much better sleep quality. I typically turn over twice during the night, and have only a sporadic handful of remembered dreams. Upon waking, I have yet to experience any hangover effects or grogginess. In fact, after a night of quality sleep, I find that I am much more alert and functional when I get up. I begin my day with a cup of caffeinated tea, but lately I had been taking an additional 200 mg caffeine pill before clocking in to work in order to stay alert, with a second pill added at lunch as needed. With the improved sleep I have been getting, I have been able to dispense with the additional caffeine pills, and the accompanying jitteriness.
So, in answer to the question “Does it do what it says on the tin?”, resoundingly yes, it does. I cannot guarantee The Hemp Doctor is, in fact, using lab-certified, organically grown hemp to derive their delta-9 THC, or if they are securing THC from cannabis plants through less than legal means, or if they are using a cheap analogue from a Chinese basement laboratory. Whatever the case may be, the Delta9 THC/CBD/CBN Full Spectrum Nighttime Gummies produce results practically indistinguishable from state-legal cannabis products. This particular insomniac is pleased, and happy to recommend this product to anyone who needs a little pharmaceutical assistance with sleep.
One final note: If you are in a job where drug testing is an issue, these gummies, or any similar type of delta-9 THC product, presuming they are legitimate delta-9 THC and not an analogue, will leave detectable THC metabolites in your urine that will cause you to fail a standard urine drug screening. This is not innocuous CBD, you’re dabbling in the “real deal.” Even if selling and purchasing these products is, at least, “not explicitly illegal,” having THC metabolites in your body is not without legal and professional risks. Plan accordingly.
Nice. I had similar results. Not only did I stop tossing and turning, but I stopped getting up to take a leak (not your problem yet). Solid sleep through the alarm next morning.
Don’t jinx it.
Just this very morning, my alarm woke me up at 10:30 after hitting the sack right around 2:15. I woke up around 7:00 to roll over, which has as much to do with my mattress as anything, as my hips tend to get sore after too long on one side. No remembered dreams; certainly none that woke me up. I will be strapping into the wage cage in 15 minutes, and the full night of sleep definitely makes that more pleasant.
Isn’t that hell on your sheets & mattress?
You assume I sleep in MY bed.
Maybe I should give some to the cat so it will stop waking me up.
I kick those little furry buggers out and close my door. They go nuts every three hours at night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEqJjzN4J7s
The one cat runs around talking to herself. The other licks my hair.
We had a cat that would pace across the headboard in the middle of the night. If we shut the cat out of the bedroom, it would just cry all night.
Were still missing the weather stripping on the garage door because the cat was suffering separation anxiety and tried to claw her way into the house at night. The second kitten is now in the same phase, so I’ll replace the seals in a couple months when she accepts her fate.
I will say it took about 4 months to get them used to always sleeping in outside the bedroom. But it was worth it. They know when it is time to leave and do not complain.
I had a cat (RIP the eponymous Zwak) who slept on my shoulder every night. Didn’t hurt that she was the whopping 4 lbs.
Mine get me up between 6 and 6:15 every morning. One will enter talking, another will stomp around on the bed and head-butt. If necessary, a third will come in and start pawing at the sheets. I can’t remember the last time I used an alarm clock at home.
I don’t know how they adjust to clock changes in fall and spring, but they do.
Wait, rats living with cats? WHAT HAS THIS WORLD COME TO?
Human sacrifice… MASS HYSTERIA!
Just one more vote against having pets.
I usually sleep pretty well, but last couple nights there was a deer or something in the yard and our Australian Shepard decided to make sure we all knew there was an intruder on her yard.
Feel like a zombie today.
Marijuana never really did much for me except put me to sleep.
Would love to try something like this for my insomnia. But I won’t touch anything TBC or CBD related until FedGov comes to a sane policy on the evil Mary Jane.
more fucking typos
THC
TBD?
BFD
TCB!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOoKzw3JSCM
KFC!
TCBY?
FJB
I must say, Biden is King Dumbass. His own people recommended de-scheduling it, and he has done nothing. If he wants votes that is a cheap way to get them. Instead he cancels college debt for people who most likely hate him for his stand on Palestine.
https://norml.org/blog/2023/08/30/report-leaked-hhs-letter-calls-upon-dea-to-reschedule-cannabis/
The good news is that Hunter will have SCOTUS overturn the laws on gun/drug possession.
That is a positive note.
SCotUS would sooner fuck over the entire Biden clan, than the DEA.
Leave my fantasy alone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTOB-tkekEM
Yep. I get to watch the Mrs drift quietly into sleep (we both have some issues with going to sleep) while I either stay up until I am overly tired or a couple glasses later. What a bunch of horsecock.
Thanks for the review, this was helpful.
I have been having the same sleep issues for years, and have been experimenting with similar sleep aids. Mrs. TOK brought back samples of Lazarus Naturals CBD gummies for sleep. (Sorry about the link, this is the only one that got through my work firewall). These work pretty well for me.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/lazarus-naturals-cbd-gummies-elevate-your-wellness-journey
This week I’ve been eating a bite or two of a pot cookie a friend gave us, and my sleep has been really good. But the guy makes stuff really strong so it has to be a small dose.
While in Denver this weekend a teammate of mine also with sleep issues tried a few edibles. Saturday afternoon he sampled two or three and just disappeared for three hours while we had a pizza party. Then he just rolled in and told us how he just went to his room and passed out.
They’re deplorable, but they might be useful
The Democratic National Committee initially responded by calling his withdrawal “a shock to those of us who could’ve sworn he had already dropped out.” The statement drew immediate backlash from people who said it was a gratuitous attempt to humiliate Hutchinson.
Zients’ call to Hutchinson effectively marked a repudiation of the DNC — and a particularly swift clean-up job by the White House.
The chief of staff’s damage-control effort reflects the central importance of anti-Trump Republicans in the 2024 campaign.
The Biden reelection operation has identified those Republicans as a core constituency. Though Hutchinson is a conservative, his firm rejection of the former president has set him apart from the vast majority of Republicans. The former governor has said he will not vote for Trump if Trump is convicted in one of his current federal or state trials.
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre, when asked about the exchange during Wednesday’s press briefing, said President Joe Biden has a “deep respect” for the governor and “admires the race he ran.”
“The president knows him to be a man of principle who cares about our country and has a strong record of public service,” Jean-Pierre said. “This morning, the chief of staff here, Jeff Zients, called the governor to convey this and apologized for the statement that did not represent the president’s views.”
Sure. They’ll undoubtedly be happy to overlook the willful destruction of the economy and being treated as cultural pariahs for the patriotic privilege of voting to keep the cartoon villain at bay.
And- I finally figured out what has been rattling around in the back of my brain about Karine. She looks like she just wandered off the set of The Little Rascals.
Buckwheat’s long lost love child?
Night of the Hunter, more like.
Isn’t that the guy who got 1/5 of 1% of the votes total? He almost fell into the “other” category. I could have done that by showing up as a candidate with a $100 bill taped to each moob and a red tie around my….
He did what Dems think Republicans should do, lose gracefully.
Though Hutchinson is a conservative
Who? And I doubt it.
Thanks for the review, this was helpful.
I have been having the same sleep issues for years, and have been experimenting with similar sleep aids. Mrs. TOK brought back samples of Lazarus Naturals CBD gummies for sleep. (Sorry for no link, they are blocked by my work firewall). These work pretty well for me.
This week I’ve been eating a bite or two of a pot cookie a friend gave us, and my sleep has been really good. But the guy makes stuff really strong so it has to be a small dose.
While in Denver this weekend a teammate of mine also with sleep issues tried a few edibles. Saturday afternoon he sampled two or three and just disappeared for three hours while we had a pizza party. Then he just rolled in and told us how he just went to his room and passed out.
Mighty Boosh wrote a piece about making pot brownies. Highly entertaining.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTVe9sGKloA
The girlfriend is a fan of these, which are CBD + Melatonin (no THC).
I’m subject to random drug testing. I’ve never been tested in my 16 years here except during my initial hires (I was laid off for 368 days, then re-hired after my 22 year old protégé moved on) but testing positive is not worth the risk. I bristle at the thought of The Company controlling what I do on my own time (they now think they can police what I say on the internet), but I did sign the fucking contract when I was desperate for a job.
The dread-lock-haired rock climber/mechanical engineer used to get tested at least once a year. Now that he cut his hair, he hasn’t been tested. So much for “random”.
When I had long hair, when I walked into the testing center for a previous job, they made me handle the sample (under their eyes) the whole time. My guess is so that I wouldn’t be able to claim they messed something up if it came back positive (which it wasn’t going to). None of the other employees who went to that same testing center had the same experience. When I went most recently for the past couple of jobs (with the shaved head), there were no such care given.
I also recall when I was a teenager (with long hair), one place was doing hair tests, and the manager took my sample hair, looked at me, and dropped it into the trash. He then said, “You pass.”
” the manager took my sample hair, looked at me, and dropped it into the trash. He then said, “You pass.”
Thats great.
There was a solid chance I may have passed regardless!
This may be the first break I will have in my 20 year record of ‘random’ drug testing. Word is, this location has not seen one for the past 6 years except for our breathalyzer test we sometimes get.
The way we do the tests are weird anyway. Supposedly randomized list comes out, managers are to start from the top and select the random number assigned for that test. So if 14 people are on the list and that test needs 4, the first 4 on the list go do it. If you are on leave or opposing shifts, you are not required to come in. I have never seen a tester come, except if someone was under suspicion or an accident occurred, other than morning.
So night crews could very well partake if they are responsible or don’t shift to days and happen to have a DT come up.
I got tested when I got hired for my current job, but it’ll probably be at least a year until they retest, if they ever do. It’s remote, so I don’t think they give much of a shit, except for ticking the HR box during the hiring process. Also this isn’t the kind of job I’d be devastated about losing.
My crummy state has banned it effective this year.
Wow. The new Joemala theme song?
https://rumble.com/v46x699-been-waitin-for-this-one.html
That’s amazing.
Crackhead Hunter with a beard looks kind of like Jordan Peterson.
They certainly will make you sleep, how well is dependent on the individual. Too much might affect you the following day, so be careful and experiment knowing this. Little to no physical issues with use, but the federal and employment implications are certainly a consideration.
but the federal and employment implications are certainly a consideration.
Depends on who your father is.
I can drink myself into a stooper every night but heaven forbid I take a gummy. /signed FedGov
Trump saw a decisive win in Iowa earlier this week, as Hutchinson and other anti-Trump Republicans have struggled to break through in a Republican Party that remains under the former president’s strong hold.
Trump’s robot slave army, in thrall to Trump’s voodoo mesmerism. If only there were some way to free them.
former president’s strong hold.
This continues to be completely wrong. A huge chunk of the Republican party (and of the general population) is completely fed up with the current federal government. Trump is just a huge flaming bag of dog shit that is being hurled at the Washington establishment.
There are definitely true believers out there, but much of Trump’s support comes from people that just want him to tear things down and don’t care how he does it.
Moore said it 8 years ago. Trump is the biggest fuck-you in political history.
much of Trump’s support comes from people that just want him to tear things down and don’t care how he does it.
Hear hear!
THC of most strengths turns me into a useless, paranoid mess. Maybe I’ll try one of the very light versions of sleep products. I usually just drink myself to sleep like a normal person.
Tbh, I still take a night cap a little bit before the gummies just to unwind, but the sleep quality is a lot better on the gummies. Alcohol wears off too quickly.
Booze never affects my sleep unless I drink enough to pass out. Who can afford that much bourbon?
Pat, thanks for writing an article on a libertarian subject so close to everyone’s heart!
Almost suitable for TOS.
But not enough TDS?
My local drugstore sells the Delta 8 and Delta 9 gummies and they lay me out like Mike Tyson went upside my head and that’s taking only a third of one. I’m a chronic insomniac and they’re the best thing I’ve ever taken for it with no hangover whatsoever.-very much recommended for anyone with sleep issues.
DeWine is currently pushing to put the D8/D9 products into dispensaries now that Ohio has recreational marijuana (that can’t be sold or purchased yet).
Got to figure out how to best get the cronyism and state system in place first.
Pilot error
The tale of Teslas being stranded in Chicago and unable to charge due to the frigid weather is only a small part of a much bigger story.
In order to find out exactly what the problem was, Kyle Conner of Out of Spec Reviews on YouTube took it upon himself to fly into Chicago to experience what was going on firsthand.
What he found was a whole bunch of issues that compounded the charging problem and it wasn’t limited to Teslas. In fact, Tesla Superchargers were the best of the bunch there, as usual, with the bigger problems being linked to Electrify America and EVgo charging stations.
——-
Let’s discuss the bigger issue in Chicago though and that’s the massive EV ridesharing fleet. When Kyle visited a Supercharging site in Chicago, nearly every Tesla there was either an Uber or Lyft rental car. There were Uber/Lyft Chevy Bolts and other EVs too.
These rideshare EVs clogged the charging stations and since most of these cars are rented out in an already-cold state and then often driven slowly and on very short trips, these cars never warm up sufficiently. Add in the fact that most Uber/Lyft drivers likely know next to nothing about EVs and preconditioning and you can begin to see why they contributed significantly to the charging issue in Chicago.
Additionally, most of these drivers don’t know that in extremely cold weather, it can take 45 minutes to an hour after plugging in before charging starts. During this time, the car draws a small charge to heat the battery so that it can accept a charge. If you unplug during this process, then it starts over when you move to another charger. So, if you see that you are drawing a small amount of power from the charger, keep the vehicle plugged in until that rate increases. This may take much more time than anticipated.
Interesting article. I can’t help thinking these Lyft and Uber “rentals” are “advantageously” priced .
Kyle is a good reviewer and one of the first serious EV reviewers He wasn’t just one of the Tesla fanboys.
“Additionally, most of these drivers don’t know that in extremely cold weather, it can take 45 minutes to an hour after plugging in before charging starts.”
While the line stacks up, whatever preconditioning people did fades, their batteries draw down and eventually freeze, etc.
I wonder how EVs are doing in Minnesota?
I’m assuming similar issues in urban areas, but something tells me this may be specific to the size of the available charging and locations and people that don’t have access to home charging and population density.
Minneapolis, the largest city, has a population of 430k. Chicago has almost 2.7m.
However, this fiasco was completely foreseeable to most anybody that wasn’t a politician.
If you want to relax, CBD is king,
also good for blood pressure
I get the CBDistillery sleepy time gummies. They work ok but I still wake up at 4ish and can’t go back to sleep. And I don’t take them every day.
Elections are already fake, so…
Klaus Schwab suggests thst AI replace democratic elections. His father, the Nazi industrialist Eugen Schwab, would be proud.
This is one of the things we’ll ask World Economic Forum VVIPs about this week. Follow our work at http://WEFReports.com
Is this guy for real? I mean, C’mon, this has to be some kind of performance art, right?
Ich bin so echt wie ein Donut, Motherfucker.
His father, the Nazi industrialist Eugen Schwab,
It’s like a joke.
Wut?
Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett claims “Republicans are targeting communities of color” by sending illegal immigrants from the border to “sanctuary cities” like Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia
Oh, I get it. “Republicans *insert action*,
colored peoplepeople of color hardest hit.”Grievance flowchart was not checked for an infinite loop apparently.
I have hope that this is starting to not work. See Fani Willis.
The narrative falls apart when they start to rely on “who you gonna believe, me or your lyin’ eyes” too much. Biden says the economy is great but everyone sees the high prices. They say the border is the Republicans’ fault but there Biden is suing to stop Texas from blocking anyone from entering. We can only hope the same for all this lawfare BS.
I’m guessing yes, but did you ever try magnesium, glycine, and L-theanine supplements?
Not glycine, but magnesium and L-theanine I’ve tried. Kind of varying results. Diphenhydramine zonks me out better than most anything else OTC, it just doesn’t keep me down through a full night.
Sounds like you’re making a bomb. Aren’t you already on enough lists?
Also, where is all of the cool stuff we can make out of hemp? All we have to show for it is a bunch of oils (to which, I am glad it helps sleepy Pat).
For that final sleep solution, there’s always hemp rope.
Some people do find light bondage to be relaxing.
I’ve heard that taking a shower really knocks ’em out.
Shoes and shirts. There are a lot of shoes and shirts made from hemp. They are still “alternative” products, and are priced non-competitively against cotton products. So you rarely see them outside of skateboard shops and the like.
Well yeah that’s what I mean though. It’s supposed to be this wonder material but it hasn’t even cracked the paper market.
NIMBY? Local guy who owns a turf farm converted a couple of fields to raise hemp one year. Between people losing their mind because of the smell (you could smell his fields from a mile away), and some going out to steal the product, he gave up on it after one try.
The smell was pretty strong. Reminded me of walking out of a casino in Vegas on a recent visit. Like a punch to the face.
Other than clothes and rope what were you hoping for exactly?
Paper, plastics and bio-diesel.
Ooh, like Cheech and Chong’s fiberweed van from Up in Smoke? They really were ahead of their time.
Also, where is all of the cool stuff we can make out of hemp?
I priced an order of hemp t shirts for somebody several years ago. They were ridiculously expensive.
Great minds think alike.
I’ve ordered from here before:
https://www.hempest.com/
Decent stuff but not super great and, yes, a tad spendy.
How was the underwear?
As the pages have fallen off the calendar my nightly exercise consists of 3-4 trips to take care of personal things. If I slept longer or better I might find myself embarrassed for not recognizing the symptoms and not getting up (in time).
Lots of dreams, some good, some not so good. Usually I can go back to sleep easily but occasionally I’ll be awake for a long spell and then just get up and solve world problems. After a night or two I’ll get back to sleeping 8-9 hours, minus the nightly personal time.
I hope those of you that are sleep afflicted can find a solution that will work. Getting old isn’t a panacea however but I do recommend it.
As I get older I find myself sleeping less and less. I haven’t slept for 8 straight hours in years unless I pass out or completely exhaust myself.
5-6 hours is usually all I can string together. Melatonin or benadryl only make me wake up drowsy.
Might have to try this.
Heh…
Re: EVs
Posted too early this morning, not sure how many saw it. Short, sweet and good for a few chuckles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wox47IYvIeQ
That was pretty good. What a damn bad joke, retarded even.
Your description fits the entire EV debacle.
Excellent article, Pat – I appreciate the level of detail.
I’ve been contemplating some gummies to calm my stupid brain at night in lieu of that sweet, sweet booze. In fact, my SIL left a few last time she was up, just haven’t tried any yet.
I think they’ve actually THC (legal weed state), so I dunno if I need to take it easy w/ alcohol if I take one.
Might be a good idea to dial it back a little, but as I said upthread, I still take a night cap before the gummies without any problems.
Once you try them, you may naturally dial back on the booze. Most people I know did.
I dispensed with that 2nd overpour I mentioned.
I’ve wrote about this before, so I’ll summarize.
My inability to get to sleep was mental: I couldn’t turn off. I worried about the past, the present, and the future.
I have given up on the past almost entirely: I don’t entertain it, reflect, or even look at photo albums…it’s buried; it is what it is; it’s sunk.
NewWife changed the score, of course: our days are fresh and fun-filled and spontaneous.
Success helped a lot. My son’s undergraduate success meant that most of the boxes were checked. Assets help: I have more every day and fewer years to burn through it.
Work is better. I’ve never had more autonomy or made more money or had less stress. I did my best work for others for decades and only made the cursory living, the standard 401k, insurance and tires bit.
But a big problem was political anxiety. I still think feel like America has peaked and that my privacy and freedoms will only shrink from here on out, but I listen to podcasts when I turn in. I listen to calm, mature, freedom-loving Americans, and hearing a reasonable and familiar voice calms me down and I just turn off and fall away. The next day I start the podcasts over and listen to them for real, for content.
I would stay up all night for years. Now I lay down before ten and am gone in a couple of minutes. I bounced out of bed around 4:30 today and just jumped into the day. I am mostly fixed and happily worn out at the end of most days.
Are you a consultant, contract worker, or a small business owner now?
I’m president of a small mechanical design-build shop.
We basically don’t have emergencies. It takes a week to cost out and propose a solution to a client. Once ordered, I’ve basically got a month to design, a month to fabricate, and and a month to install, but I generally don’t have deadlines. I get to people when I can, and hitting shutdowns is only done on very long leads. Nine times out of ten I’m waiting on them to finish the building or for other suppliers’ equipment to come in; I can get steel and motors, so I just don’t have much lead-time.
The owners almost never disagree with me. We’ve thrown out all the zero-value procedures from 1964: we don’t track when you’re in the office or having a molar filled because we either trust you to manage yourself or fire the fuck out of you if you’re not getting it done. We don’t have meetings; most issues are solved or decided in five minutes. Everyone has a credit card: I’m not having a $300 discussion about approving each $500 purchase….get what you need to do your job and be smart about it and take care of whatever you buy.
We don’t spend $1,000 on engineering time to solve a simple problem; if something seems marginal, toss some steel or horsepower at it. Make sure it works, don’t cut corners….and guess what: we spend pretty much zero time fixing or revisiting anything. Steel and concrete and motors are cheap; time is expensive; use the client’s money to cover our ass and keep moving. Any penny-pinching clients can fuck right off: cheap shit and cheap thinking is expensive; this is one-off territory….we are not trying to cut a pound or a nickel out of 20,000,000 units per year.
Send me a PO with a zillion lines of your attorney’s BS on the back and change the terms to net120 and I’ll just let you know: sign my proposal and shoot me the down payment or we can’t be bothered. We’re not ISO9000. I don’t have forms or records or paperwork other than safety training. I have errors and omissions insurance and a track record, and you want some of what I’ve got or you don’t.
No secretaries: make your own coffee. No paper forms or pencils. No inventory and no counting: order materials to the project number; build it, ship it, throw everything left over in the dumpster and start on the next thing.
I have the strangest erection.
work boners are the second best boners because they are just so rare in this life
I need a gig like that.
I went from working for a reasonable company that had trust in its employees and leadership to one that requires you to meet with 6 VPs every time you need to make a decision. My projects’ biggest risks are now time for phase gate approvals and change orders instead or real issues with the products or revenue.
phase gate approvals and change orders
I’m a total quality guy and F500 refugee, so I’ve done all that….and still do…but we don’t do specs longer than five pages and entire sales drawings are three pages at the most. When I get an RFQ that sends me to a portal where there’s 300 drawings and over a 100 pages of specs and a bunch of gotchas in the terms, I just let it go, thanks anyway: I am not spending a month reading fine print so I can compete with three other firms for a shot at making 10% of sales.
Need X in 60 days? Okay, here it is out of 1/4″ plate with a 300HP motor, that’ll be $90k. Anybody else even going to get you an approval drawing this month? That’s the life you wanna live: weld it up, slap our colors and safety stickers on it, throw it on a truck, bolt that pig down, fire it up, go have lunch.
Same. My cope is a little different though. I’m more or less resigned to it, and kind of settling for holding out as long as possible in my own little corner of the world that I can actually control.
I don’t know how people sleep through the night using alcohol. For me I will nod off, then after a few hours I toss and turn worse than ever.
Alice Cooper used to keep a few tallboys by the bed for just that problem.
GAH! That avatar…
Heh heh. He really did pick a winner.
Small amounts of alcohol actually kind of stimulate me. Make it harder to sleep.
I snore. Alcohol only makes it worse. I avoid it as a night cap.
IF you snore, you most likely have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea kills brain cells, only without the fun of our preferred methods. You should look into getting a CPAP. You can get the prescription done online now – I need a new one and can’t find my 13 year old prescription, so I’ve been poking around some of the online sellers.
Question: Thank you, Steph. Regarding the Gaza tunnels, that were discovered and how much larger they are than anticipated. I was just wondering, given the UN’s big role in Gaza, UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency), the role it has played in humanitarian efforts, has there ever been any indication to the UN that tunnels, you know, tunnels are being built under the city?
SGT SchultzSpokesman for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres: Not to us. I mean, it seems to me that all this infrastructure was built in a highly secretive way. I mean, just to see it as an observer, to think that the UN had any understanding of what was… any information about those operations, I think, is: No is clearly the answer for that. Mr. Ignatiou?https://press.un.org/en/2024/db240117.doc.hhtm
CWABOA
“Why won’t those stupid peasants trust us?!?!”
“the existential threats of runaway climate change chaos” <—Believe our horseshit and not your lying eyes
Crisis ini trust? You are a bunch of lying, two-bit grifters. We could start there and hang the lot of you. That would restore some trust. Less radically maybe y'all could stop lying your asses off. Do you really think we dont know you are lying? Maybe the main body of herd animals swallow whatever shit you shovel but a substantial portion of us are not herd animals and know damned well you are lying. Doubling down on your lies isn't going to win us over.
Jesus, what a bunch of lying trash.
“requires deep reforms ”
No, Mr. Guterres, it is a “slogan or a PR campaign” until you tell us what the “deep reforms” consist of.
Then we can respond in appropriate fashion which, I’m pretty sure, will be GFY.
“has there ever been any indication to the UN that tunnels, you know, tunnels are being built under the city”
Everybody fucking knew. The Israelis have been complaining for years that concrete, etc. was being diverted to build tunnels. You can’t dig out that much cubic in a heavily populated area without everybody knowing about it.
Patriots new coach Jared Mayo is more worried about color than character:
https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1747673488712671456
Morgan Freeman STUNS Reporter On Black History Month
How do we get rid racism?
Go train black freak. The coach explains Ernie for racism. The Gentlemen
only if it comes from a place of love of course
Freeman is a native Memphian who grew up in Greenwood.
Again we see: competent people are not interested in political games.
Pretty sure that he believes racism only flows in one direction.
The lack of Asian players.
*Patrick Chung has entered the chat*
(But, yeah)
“Samoans! Let’s get more Samoans!”
Why are white people so under-represented in the NFL?
Good to see they’ve got their finger on America’s pulse and gotten someone with that mindset (only about three years past the sell by date). He should make for some funnily stupid controversies though.
He has 4 years coaching experience with the inside linebackers and is now the head coach. He might want to take it easy with the takes.
Mayo was a complete badass at Tennessee. He not recruited for his color or his opinions: his ability is all that mattered…..go figure.
Mayo always wins,
Miracle whip sucks,
I like miracle whip.
I just gagged.
Ditto. My wife hates it and refuses to buy it. I’m not sure she wouldn’t throw it out if I bought it myself.
My wife buys heat-free jalapenos and picante that tastes like tomato sauce. That is my Hell. I have to buy my own hot sauces.
I can put you on the pepper list next season…
I need to be.
Ah. So the Pats are going the woke route. It’s an interesting strategy. Let’s see how it pans out.
The good news is that it can’t go much worse than last season.
True.
We’ll see. Mayo wasn’t bad at all as (de facto) DC – suck-ass record aside, the Pats D was one of the best in the league. They just couldn’t score worth a damn.
You say that…