#the box for the cbd I started using to help with cramps

[firegiftlouis]

You it’s that time of the month when I’m shedding random tears over dumb shit 😭

[that-freaky-mysterious-one]

Roll Some Mo'

Summary: Bucky Barnes x Black! Fem! Reader, When you and Sam learn of Bucky's night terrors, you two come up with a solution to his problem. What you two don't know, however, is that will create more problems than initially meant.

Characters: Bucky Barnes, Sam Wilson, and your beautiful self! <3

A/N: mentions and use of marijuana, slight swearing, this is my first fanfic, let me know your thoughts! :D

It was a little known fact that you smoked weed. The earthy, floral scent when it was fresh out the bag? You loved it. Tricks such as the Ghost and French Inhale? Mastered with ease. Not to mention all the afternoons spent bonding with Sam over funny stories about each other's lives. That's wasn't the main reason why you smoked it, though.

You had really bad menstrual cramps. You'd always had painful cramps, but as you got older, they seemed to get worse. So bad, you got sick and had to miss out on some missions, and there was no time for that. So when your best friend Sam took you to a doctor to get a weed card and to a dispensary one day, you had finally found a solution that worked. Though you used medical marijuana with CBD in it, you'd occassionally buy goodies with THC in it, so y'all got high and did all the fun stuff.

It was just you, Sam, and some cannabis against the world.

That's when Bucky crash landed into your lives. He was a bit rough around the edges and closed off to most, but once you sat down with him and got to know him, he revealed himself to be shy and sweet. He was so adorable!

You two had hit it off right away! He was such a sweetheart, and you just adored his innocence and sense of humor.

Then, he told you about his anxiety, and how Hydra had abused him. He told you about the night terrors he'd have, and how he'd never get a good night's rest.

That's when you got the idea to add him to your, as Sam called it, "Avengers Weed Fanclub," circle. You figured this would give him a chance to open up to you and Sam, and hopefully, sleep better at night. You wanted to let him know you truly were there for him.

So that night, after getting him a card and buying various products at your favorite dispensary, you sat him and Sam down on your bedroom floor, and taught him all you knew about cannabis, from how to roll a joint to how much of an edible to eat at a time.

"So, do you want to try some tonight before you go to sleep?" you asked Bucky, hoping he'd be open to this.

"Hell yeah," he exclaimed, making all three of us laugh at his enthusiasm. "Can I try the THC stuff, though? Just to know how it feels."

"My man," Sam said, giving Bucky a high five. "(Y/N), can you open some RAWs real quick while I grind these for Buck?"

"Of course," you say, as Bucky looks between you two, watching Sam open a bag of flowers and load the grinder with them, then to you folding your papers, then back to Sam twisting the cap back and forth, and finally, to him handing you the grinded buds to pack into the paper. He was totally lost.

He watched intently as you used your fingertips to pack the paper. You were tedious with your work, just to make sure every joint you made hit just right.

"Bruh, hurry up, it doesn't take that long to roll a joint." Sam said, obviously joking, but wanting to start smoking.

"Don't rush me, I'm not about to have an ugly lookin' joint that doesn't hit. My joint always look cute and always hit." You responded, earning an eyeroll from Sam and a chuckle from Bucky.

Finally, you added a filter and began to twist the paper closed in between your fingers. When you concentrated really hard, your eyebrows furrowed, your nostrils flared a little, and your lips did the cutest little pout. Bucky was intrigued by this, and he didn't know why, but he was just so drawn to your lips. Maybe it was the way your lip gloss made your lips pop.

But you were just friends. It was just a little crush, and he enjoyed being you friend. He didn't wanna ruin that.

It was after you pulled the final piece of paper closed and exclaimed "Alright, looks good," with that genuine smile that he loved that he snapped out of these thoughts and reached for the joint , careful not to ruin your "masterpiece".

"Have you ever smoked a cigarette before?" Sam asked him, wondering if he had to teach another person how inhale without them coughing a lung up.

"Yeah, I used to all the time," he said, putting the joint between his lips. "Mind giving me a light?"

You put a towel under the door, flicked the lighter with your thumb, and brought the flame up to his joint. You looked up and locked eyes with him, both of you holding each other's gaze. You weren't gonna lie, he was handsome. It was just so easy to love him.

You were just friends, though, and you didn't want to ruin that. You enjoyed his company, and you didn't want to scare him off with your feelings.

He inhaled deep, held the smoke in his mouth, and exhaled forcefully, coughing a little as he did so. All you and Sam could was give each other a look and chuckle to yourselves.

After a couple more hits, all he could muster up was, "Delicious," in a low, husky voice with a smirk on his face. You and Sam bust out laughing, because you knew it was already starting to kick in.

-------------------------------------------------------

After a couple of hours of smoking more joints, talking about Steve's hilarious past behind his back, playing UNO, and having a genuinely good time, Bucky said "I'm tired,", followed by him yawning.

"Yeah, it is pretty late," said Sam, yawning as well. "We should probably go to sleep."

You got high, but you never really had the symptoms of it. The red eyes, poor muscle coordination, none of it. You just became goofy as hell. You did get the munchies sometimes, though.

These two, however, looked burnt as hell. Both of them were slumped up against your bed, with red and droopy eyes. They were fighting sleep and were currently sharing their third bag of chips.

"Alright, well, 'night guys," you said to both of them, getting up to light a Nag Champa. You loved how fresh weed smelled, but after it was burnt, totally different story. So you used the incense to rid your room of the smell.

"'Night," they said in unison, both tripping over each other a couple of times before actually making it out your room, leaving you rolling around on the floor laughing.

Finally, you gathered the strength to get back up. After a couple of minutes of watching T.V., you blew out your incense, changed into a t-shirt, and climbed into bed, letting sleep consume you.

---------------------4 hours later-------------------

Your eyes blinked a couple of times, trying to adjust to the darkness of your room. Usually, when you woke up in the middle of the night, you had a certain gut feeling, and it was never good. Something just told you to check on Bucky. Just to make sure he was okay and still asleep.

So, you got up, put on a robe and some slippers, and walked to Bucky's room.

"Bucky," you whispered into the dark room, earning no response. "Bucky, you okay?"

You pushed the door open a crack, just to look in to see if he was asleep, but you saw nothing.

"Bucky?" you called out, walking into his room, turning on his lamp, and looking around, only to find nothing.

"Damn it," you whispered to yourself. Now you had a man who had never been high before running around the Avengers Facility.

"Bucky," you called out softly. You were starting to worry where Bucky was. He was supposed to be asleep, not be wandering around the facility. What if he left the facility? What if he hurt himself? "Bucky," you called out a little louder. "Bucky, where are you?"

"Dude, shut up. I'm trying to sleep," Sam said groggily, rubbing his eyes as he left his room to see what you were up for. "What are you going on about, anyway?"

"Bucky's missing."

"WHAT?"

"Shhhhh, I don't want to wake anyone else."

"Oh, so you can wake me up at 3 a.m., but everyone else is supposed to be able to sleep?"

"Can you help me find him?"

"No, I'm goin' back to sleep."

"Please?"

"Uh-uh."

"Sam, I'm begging you," you said, tears starting to prick your eyes from the worry taking over you. "Please."

He took a long look at you, rolled his eyes, released a dramatic sigh, and muttered a "Fine." This earned him a tight hug and multiple rushed "thank you's" from you.

"Yeah, yeah whatever," he said, patting you on the back. "Okay, you can stop now. If we don't find him, I'm takin' my black ass back to bed."

You guys looked everywhere. Well, maybe not everywhere. The facility was big as hell, and there was no way in hell you were going to search the whole base. You did, however, look everywhere you two thought he would be.

You searched the gym, the firing range, the lounge, etc. It wasn't until you went into the kitchen that found quite an interesting sight.

Did you find Bucky? Yes. How you'd found him? Well, let's just say when you two found him, surprised was an understatement.

Bucky was sitting on top of the refrigerator, eyes bloodshot, with the most blank expression, eating Sam's box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. He was so fried!

" Oh, hey guys," Bucky slurred out. "How you doin'?"

"Bucky, how the hell did you get on top of the refrigerator?" Sam asked, pinching the bridge of his nose and shaking his head.

"It's kinda complicated."

"AND ARE YOU EATING MY CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH?"

"Dude, chill. I'll buy you more in the morning."

"Sam, can you just help me get him down?" you somewhat whined back at Sam. You just wanted to get Bucky back to sleep so that you could do the same.

"Please come down, Bucky" you said, reaching your hands out for him like an infant wanting to be picked up.

"NO!" he shouted, frowning like a toddler and folding his arms over his chest in pure childishness.

It took awhile for you to get him down. With Sam arguing with Bucky on whether he should take his weed, and Bucky just being plain stubborn at this point, you didn't make any progress for awhile. You decided to insert yourself, telling Sam you'd take care of it and to just go back to sleep.

"Don't have to tell me twice. Good luck," with that, Sam was gone, allowing you to focus on getting Bucky down.

"Bucky, it's 3 a.m., how and why are you on top of the refridgerator?"

"I woke up in the middle of the night hungry, so I came down here and Sam's cereal was the one thing in sight, so I used the counter as a stepping stool to get to the top of the fridge, and since then, I've just been chillin' up here."

"Okay, can you please just come down, now?"

"Well, since you asked so nicely," he said with a smirk. "Yes, yes I will."

Bucky proceeds to somehow hop off the fridge, onto the counter, and finally, onto the ground before almost tripping. If you hadn't been there to catch him, he would've fallen on his face.

"Thank you," he mumbled into your shoulder.

"No problem. Now, let's get you back to bed."

Once you finally got back to the sleeping quarters, you bring Bucky back to his room, make sure he's situated, and then leave to return to your to room. You then notice as your walking down the hallway, you hear footsteps that don't quite match your own.

"Bucky, you have to STAY in bed to go back to sleep," you said not even turning around. You didn't even have to turn around to know it was him. He was the only still up aside from yourself, not to mention he was the only one still high.

"But I'm not tired."

"But I am, so you have to go to sleep."

"But I'm lonesome."

"When you're asleep, you won't have to worry about that."

"But I-"

"No more 'buts', just go to sleep."

"Can I just hang out in you room? Just until I get sleepy."

"Yeah, fine, whatever, just don't try to stay up all night, because I want to go to sleep."

"Yea! Thank you," he exclaimed, hugging you from behind and shaking his hair in your face.

"Shhhhh, you ain't about to be hollerin' all night, especially in my room."

"Okay, sorry"

You walked him by the arm back to your room, hoping he'd fall asleep as soon as you got him in.

"Okay Bucky, just, you know, fall asleep," you said, easing him onto the foot of the bed.

"Okay," he responded in a small, sheepish voice.

You leave to go use the bathroom one more time and get comfortable before you go back to bed, come back, and find him going through your edibles.

"Bucky, no!"

"Why do you have food on a shelf?"

"Those are edibles, and to hide them from nosey-roseys like you!"

"You should share these, man. They're delicious."

You paused for a good minute, inhaled deeply, approached Bucky, and said "Bucky, did you eat any of those?"

"Just a little piece, about a pinch." He said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Okay, just go lay down while I clean this up," you said, slightly agitated.

As you're cleaning, you hear Bucky whisper a husky "Damn, doll" under his breath. You forgot you had taken off your robe, leaving you in nothing but your panties and a t-shirt.

"Bucky, you're supposed to be sleeping, or at least trying to, not watching me."

"But you're so beautiful, especially without all that clunky junk you wear on missions."

"You think so," you say, laying on your stomach next to where he was sitting.

"I know so," he says, looking you in the eyes with his blood-shot, blue eyes.

"Nah, I think you're just high," you say laughing his "compliment" off.

"No, I mean it, really. You're a very beautiful woman," he says leaning back, laying his head on your butt.

"You just like looking at my booty!"

"Maybe I do. It is quite nice. It's like a pillow," he said chuckling under his breath.

"Are you gonna fall asleep like this?"

"Only if you'll let me," he says, looking up at you with his chin still on your butt.

"Bucky....get under the covers, you silly goose."

"Okay," he said as you both giggled at his actions.

You and Bucky got under the covers together and watched "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" reruns all night, or morning, long until you felt something laying on your bosom and you heard light snoring. You looked down to see Bucky had fallen asleep, and you were happy to see him finally sleeping, peacefully at that.

With that, you turned off the T.V., cradled Bucky's head to your chest, kissed his forehead, and whispered, "Goodnight, Bucky," to him, only earning a low rumble in return. Though Bucky may not remember it, this was one of the best nights of your life.

[rachelvalente]

What I’m Loving Now

Whenever I come across a new product or purchase that impresses me, I do my best to share it with you as soon as possible.  But, with how hectic life has gotten lately, I’ve fallen a bit behind with these…so today I’m playing catch-up!  Here are 5 things that are either on my radar for fall or are items that I’m currently using & loving right now…

WINDOWPANE PRINTS

If you’re someone who doesn’t usually wear plaid, this more minimalist version of the classic print is a great alternative.  Because this print has a slightly polished feel, it’s great for the office and beyond!  I’m a big fan of all the scarves, sweaters & skirts I’ve seen popping up everywhere & I think this pattern is universally chic.  Here are some of my personal favorites at the moment:

ONE // TWO // THREE (also here) // FOUR FIVE // SIX // SEVEN // EIGHT

MORE OPTIONS

CLEAN BEAUTY

My philosophy when it comes to clean products is: “something is better than nothing��.  Similar to eating healthy, exercising and making lifestyle choices that help the environment, I don’t think any of us are going to be perfect 100% of the time.  So, while I do actively make an effort to seek out clean brands that can replace old favorites, I also give myself grace if there’s something I want to use that doesn’t fit into that category.  I’m not going to throw out all of my Essie polishes anytime soon & I’ll probably use CeraVe until the day I die, but I want to make small changes where I can because every little bit helps!  So, I wanted to share a few new-to-me clean beauty products that I’ve been using & loving lately!

Tenoverten Nail Polish I do my own at-home manicures every 10 days without fail.  So, when I came across this brand while browsing Target one day, I was anxious to try it out because the colors were so gorgeous!  I have to say this is the best clean/green nail polish I’ve tried (both in terms of consistency & longevity).  These are non-toxic, vegan, cruelty-free and 8-free (that stands for all the chemicals usually added in traditional lacquers).  The colors I ordered were Hester, Cliff & Market – all so pretty & perfect for fall!

Honest Beauty Liquid Lipstick At the same time I was ordering those nail polishes, I added these to my cart too.  I had seen an ad for them pop up in my Facebook feed & they had great reviews.  I like that it isn’t nearly as drying as some of my other longwear lipsticks, but you need to make sure your lips are really soft & moisturized before applying so it doesn’t settle into cracks.  The color payoff is great & I felt like these were really pigmented so you only need one swipe for full coverage.  I got the colors Passion, Goddess & Happiness – I’m hoping they come out with some darker colors for fall/winter because I would love to buy more!

Glow Recipe Retinol Eye Cream This is one of those products that probably wouldn’t have even been on my radar, but I received a sample with my last Sephora order so I decided to test it out.  This is a rich cream that contains a blend of retinol, hyaluronic acid and niacinamides that work while you’re sleeping.  I was a little nervous it would irritate my sensitive skin, but I didn’t experience any peeling or redness.  After a week of applying it before bed, I could definitely tell a difference – my undereye area was noticeably brighter & smoother.  As soon as I ran out of the sample, I ordered the full-size jar – it is a little spendy, but I don’t mind paying a little more for a product that’s truly effective (and has clean ingredients!).

Artnaturals Vitamin C Serum I’m a little embarrassed to admit that Vitamin C wasn’t part of my skin care regimen until I came across this article, which prompted me to immediately research serums to buy.  I settled on this one because it was affordable, clean & had great reviews – I like that it has a light texture & it absorbs quickly.  I apply it after washing my face each morning, let it sink in for a few minutes & then follow it up with a moisturizer & sunscreen.  There are some experts who recommend using it at night too, but keep in mind that you don’t want to use it within a few hours of salicylic acid, glycolic acid or retinol because it can cause irritation.

OLD NAVY SPORTS BRA

For me, a big part of working out is mental – so if I have workout clothes that I feel great in, I’m more motivated (and excited!) to put them on & break a sweat.  Over the past couple of years, I’ve done a good job of keeping my activewear & sneakers up to date, but I wasn’t doing the same for my sports bras.  I have a random handful of old styles from T.J.Maxx, Forever 21 & Target that are pretty over-worn & stretched out.  So, a few weeks ago, I decided to go on the hunt for a new favorite that I could wear during Zumba classes & while running that would be comfortable & supportive.

I ordered no less than 10 styles from all different brands/retailers and this one was the clear winner.  I love that you can order by your actual bra size (rather than just S, M, L) and fit is perfect!  At first, I wasn’t sure I would like the hook in back, but it doesn’t bother me at all while I’m working out + it makes it so much easier to get on & off.  After wearing it one time, I immediately went back online & ordered 3 more in different colors.  These wash up really well & I find the shape to be super-flattering too (no dreaded uni-boob!).

EQUILIBRIA CBD CREAM

I’ve briefly mentioned it here before, but my health hasn’t been great ever since I returned from India in late July.  I had an awful Lupus flare, along with several other illnesses that seemed to happen one right after another.  Even though I’m on the mend now, the one lingering symptom I can’t seem to get rid of is pretty significant joint pain.  At its worst, there are mornings when I can barely pick up my coffee cup…and, at its best, I can still get in an hour of cardio, but I know my knees will be killing me by the end & I’ll be hobbling around for the rest of the day.

Right around the time I was nearing my breaking point, Equilibria reached out to me about testing their line of products.  I was so desperate for relief that I was willing to try anything (though, admittedly, I didn’t know much about CBD at the time).  I agreed & started doing some research while I waited for my box to arrive.  The first product I used was this transdermal cream – I rubbed it all over my knees after a long run and was amazed by how quickly it worked.  I’ve tried so many other products in the past (Biofreeze, Aspercreme, Capzacin-HP, Deep Blue Rub, Icy Hot Gel) and nothing even comes close to this!  I can’t tell you how elated I am to have something that I know will help me on a daily basis when I need it most (also works great for sore muscles & premenstrual cramps).

I’ve been testing out their products for the last few weeks and will be sharing a full review with you here soon.  But, in the meantime, if you’re interested in trying Equilibria out for yourself, you can get 15% off your first order with code “pennypinch“.  Have questions about how CBD works?  Send me an email & I’ll include a reader Q&A section in my upcoming post!

PEARL JEWELRY

Pearls have made a big comeback over the last couple years and I’m loving the modern interpretation I’ve seen in stores lately.  I wouldn’t call this a “trend” because I think pearls are a true classic that will never go out of style.  And the newer versions that are out now definitely aren’t like your grandmother’s pearls!  Whether you opt for a simple everyday pair of hoops or a statement piece, these will add instant sophistication to any look.  Here are some of my top affordable picks:

ONE // TWO // THREE // FOUR // FIVE SIX // SEVEN // EIGHT // NINE // TEN ELEVEN // TWELVE // THIRTEEN FOURTEEN // FIFTEEN

MORE PEARL JEWELRY

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[cbd-rollons]

Our First Visit To The Dispensary

DAY 1

Today, June 3rd, 2018, mom and I walked into for the first time a marijuana dispensary. As of January 1st, 2018, you no longer need a medical marijuana card to access THC products at these dispensaries. 

First, let me tell you why the interest in this topic anyways. At my birthday party this year, my good friend, MK, told me she no longer has all the chronic pain that she has suffered with for many years. She has had chronic fatigue syndrome, and an assortment of other auto immune maladies. She said she started taking elixirs that were CBD extracts. CBD extract is from hemp, and lacks any of the chemical THC which makes you get high with weed, grass, or marijuana. She said her life has improved tremendously. She said there is so much promise in these products, and that there are no side effects like you get from so many costly pharmaceuticals. 

I didn’t think too much about this at first, but then I began to add up all the aches, soreness, and chronic painful areas in my body. Since the beginning of the year, I have had sore knees, and different than the strained ligaments that I have had in the past from overuse from bike rides that were either too long in length, or too fast in speed intensity. I, also, have a right shoulder that still gives me aching when riding the bike for almost any distance or length of time. Even after the surgery that I have had over two years ago, the shoulder pain is not totally resolved. Also, since January, I have returned to the Kung Fu San Soo studio in Whittier. All the throw downs of myself have created tennis elbow in my left elbow, and now left shoulder pain. Both, I feel were brought on from slapping the carpet covered Kung Fu studio floor. I slap down the hand or hands to absorb the force of being tossed down on your back or backside. The shock in my not so young body has created the injuries. My lower back on the right side chronically hurts right at the iliac crest. This too may be from impact to the floor. My neck can, also, get sore and stiff from the little dentistry that I now do along with all the other physical traumas I throw at it.

I am not ready to give up the sports I still do. I want to at least advance to the next belt which would be the 1st degree black belt in San Soo. I’m considering cutting back on the hours and distances on the bike. I’m, also, considering cutting out work completely. LOL!

OK, so now we fast forward to yesterday. I, along with two friends, am riding our bikes from Norwalk to Oceanside. Our plan was to take the Amtrak train home from Oceanside after the ride. We started at 7am on Saturday. I have not had any rides over 40 miles since last December. I have cut back on some longer rides since I needed to get to the San Soo Studio to work out. So you see, my cycling training and fitness have been impacted by Kung Fu. I knew this ride would be challenging since I’ve lost some fitness, and had some anxiety about how well I would do. I, also, should not have ridden this Friday. I thought that I could use the ride for more fitness, yet I run the risk of my legs being tired for the Oceanside ride.  

I tried my best not to ride the front much which would put me into the wind, and suck more of the strength and energy from my legs and body. The pace was pretty manageable. I no longer try not to take in carbo gels too early in the ride. i believe in using up and generating energy to my muscles by breaking down fats initially. I know from experience that I will eventually have to start supplementing sometime during the ride or risk “bonking”. Bonking occurs when you are either  out of glycogen in your muscles, and/or in an electrolyte in-balance from sweating too much, losing too much water, or all of the above. What occurs is weakness, dizziness, dry skin, numbness to lips, lower face, arms, etc. You can also get your major leg muscles to spasm. When this happens, your leg or legs will literally lock up, and you are in extreme pain from the contracted muscle in a state of spasm. You literally have tetanus of the muscle or muscles in over use and over fatigue.

At San Clemente we rolled into a 7 Eleven and bought, Gatorade, a banana, and a energy bar that said in it were nuts, honey, and coconuts. This sounded pretty good to me. I, also, had already consumed one energy gel. As we set out to continue our ride, my legs felt better, but not significantly which concerned me a little since the ride had many rollers or slight hills that got your heart rate up, and caused you to use a lot of leg muscle energy. These rollers would continue to be present as we continued southward.

I began to really realize that my fitness was lacking when I saw myself dropping off the pace from my other friends, Tony and Ron. I usually would at least match  Ron to the tops of most hills, but not today. I knew I had to dial back on my efforts or not be able to stay with them at all once the road leveled off.

Finally, at one hill in Camp Pendleton, my left quadriceps started to lock up or spasm. It was slight at first, but I knew what it meant, and that if I didn’t ease up, I could lock up my muscle, and not even be able to turn a pedal revolution. By this time I had fallen behind my  friends by about 700 meters. Tony dropped back to picked me up, and sheltered me from the wind. All of this helped a great deal. Tony mentioned that he had something that would help me. I didn’t hear what it was but figured it was some sort of electrolyte pills. I was familiar with these, but I hadn’t used them in many years. I mumbled that I would tough it out, and get to the end of the ride without what ever he was offering. His closing words were, “just let me know if you want it”. Within another mile, I could feel both legs locking up and the inside of both quadriceps were in spasm and I was in extreme pain. It was a ten out of ten, and yet I know I still had some cycling to do to finish up the ride to the Oceanside train station. 

I finally said to Tony, “what do you have? I need anything to help my cramping legs”. I got off the bike at an intersection at Camp Pendleton’s large shopping center. At this point we had less than 10 miles to go. Tony pulled out a cylinder of plastic smaller than the cardboard tube on the inside of a roll of toilet paper. It was white and shiny with some blue lettering. We looked at my legs, and you could see the muscles tensed, hardened, and actually quivering in a wave movement. There was extreme pain in both legs, with the right being slightly more painful than the left. Tony rolled on this cool liquid liberally on both quads and the back of my left leg. I then rolled down my bib pant legs to cover the area where he just applied the liquid gel. It was a matter of a couple of minutes and the muscles already relaxed, and the pain went away. I got on the bike, and we were off again. it was that simple, and that quick. I was amazed, dumbfounded, and relieved all at the same time. My legs felt improved enough that I was putting in at least 80% effort at this time. To finish the ride was now easy. All I could do was talk about the product. I knew by now that it was a CBD hemp extract in a roll on form for occasions such as this. I was temped to ask Tony to apply it to my shoulders too, but decided I should just go out and get some of the stuff on my own. The train ride back to Norwalk, and the 3 mile bike ride from there to my car  was without any return of the muscle spasms.

DAY 2

Today started by going to Church, lunch at Peking Kitchen, and then on to Allison’s to play with baby, Avery. Playing at this point consists of holding her, and  allow her to sleep more in your arms, or holding and swaying and jostling in the hopes of getting her to stop crying. Either way it is a joy to be with Avery.

After we left Allison’s, we drove to an address on Imperial Hwy. in south Whittier, north of our home. I thought it might be a pharmacy, but had the name, Hot Box. The address put us in front of a run down looking industrial building. It was sort of a horseshoe shaped, single storied series of small businesses, all without much identification on them. The parking was in the middle of the horse shoe. You know what I mean, you see this all the time. Now I realized we were going to go to a medical marijuana dispensary. We immediately saw two armed guards sitting in the shade and pointed to an open door. We walked into a dark room with black painted walls. We spoke to a pleasant young hip looking lady behind a small window, who had us fill out some brief paperwork. She checked our CDR (CA driver’s license), and told us a little bit of how things worked at this place. We then were told to walk through a windowless door. We didn’t feel too threatened. There was another couple who were, also, there for the first time. They said both were partially blind. I felt we were now in good company. We weren’t blind, but we were “old”. Haha!

When we entered, we first saw a glass display case filled with glass vessels of various sizes and shapes most likely for smoking weed. When we turned to the left around a corner, we were into a slightly larger room with more glass display cases full of items of all kinds of colors, sizes, and shapes. Without dwelling too long, I just knew I did not recognize anything that I was familiar with. There were at least a half a dozen young employees all under 30 years of age. They were exceptionally friendly to us, and every new person who entered into the dispensary. In fact, there was a pretty constant stream of one or two people entering or exiting all the time we were in the store.

I told the young lady what I was looking for. “I want a CBD roll on called Living Freeze”. I had called earlier and someone told me that they had the product. However, now it was no longer in their stock. I didn’t want to leave empty handed because I wanted to do something about some of my chronic aches, and I didn’t really want to come back again.  My logic told me to ask about some substitute like a salve or gel. I settled on a 4 oz. jar of CBD salve of 160mg. concentration. This put it a little higher than the 100mg. of the Living Freeze that I had used the day before. More sounds better, right? This jar had the trippy name of Gypsy Magic. With a name like this, and a higher concentration, how could I go wrong. At this point I had high expectations. Now to find out the cost! To my surprise she said it was $45, and I had a 10% discount as a “senior”. (old person again!) I asked why did I have this second card that I was given when I entered. I thought she said it would be for entering me into a “drawing”. OK, prizes! Cool! Just don’t ask me for my address.

She then gave me a small vial with a brown thing in it that looked like the shape of a pencil, but half as long. It was difficult to hear in the place because of the loud music being played in the room, but I swear she was saying something like a “draw or drawing”. At that point I just wanted to leave, go home, and apply my new found “miracle salve”. Anyway, the neatly wrapped joint in the plastic tube is now sitting on my coffee table, and it is wondering why it is being spared from being consumed by fire and inhaled by this senior citizen! 

Shirley and I did our best to try to look and act cool inside the store, but we were definitely out of our element. So glad we weren’t wearing Bermuda shorts and an aloha shirt, and mom with her wide brimmed sun visor! We laughed all the way home, wondering if the employees see many grandparents coming in each day. The “store” opens at 8 am, and closes at 12 am. They have “happy hours” where they offer “specials”. I wouldn’t want to see the nighttime crowd in person that turns out there. 

OK, now for what you have all been waiting for. I went home and decided to rub the salve on one or two areas for starters. I didn’t want to make things too confusing. I rubbed it on my right lower back just at the crest of my pelvis. I, also, rubbed it on my left side of my neck which was tight and sore most probably from the long bike ride. I would bend over to test my lower back pain every few minutes. I honestly felt it improve more than 50%, but never completely went away. My neck improved to a lesser degree, perhaps 30%. 

Day 3

This morning after stretching, I reapplied the salve to my back, neck, and now left shoulder. My expectations have lessened now. The “miracle” that I experienced on the bike ride has not repeated itself with this salve. Is it the fact that I don’t have the Living Freeze roll on? Does the CBD just work better on muscles in spasm? Am i expecting results too soon? 

I know the results of the roll on used at Camp Pendleton was for real. The turn around improvement was obvious. I would like to see that repeated again, but now I am treating injuries, and somewhat chronic injuries. The commonality is that they are all muscle related. I will continue to use the salve, and see if there is any real merit to it. Nevertheless, my injuries are minor compared to what I see others all around me suffering with on a daily basis. I see people fighting for their lives with diseases that no one seems to be able to cure. Life if fun, life is good, but not always for everyone. I do know, however, that God is in control, and that no matter what is going on in our lives, we need to still give Him the glory! 

I hope you enjoyed my reliving our CBD, and our medical dispensary experience. The moral of the story is not to be afraid to try something new when it has possibilities to improve your lives. 

Ciao!

[ianmkeenan]

Purple Sage

Information about Purple Sage:

Effects

Fragrance

Flavors

Adverse reactions

Medical

Growing

Flowering time

Purple Sage is in indica dominant hybrid strain that is known for its sativa-like mentally uplifting effects, and its ability to still treat pain like a true indica. This bud is especially aromatic and is instantly recognizable by its sweet and spicy nature and its scent, which can instantly take over any room.

Purple Sage is a hybrid that is often mistaken for having equal parts sativa and indica. This is due to its balanced effects that gives the user both the relaxing and soothing effects of a typical indica, as well as uplifting and energizing properties of the best sativas.

This 65% Indica strain is quite popular in North America, especially in the state of Colorado, where it is most easily found. Purple Sage’s exact origins are slightly debated, although it is widely believed that it is made of an unknown purple strain mixed with the herbal and spicy Sage.

Information about Purple Sage:

ORIGIN Unknown Purple mixed with Sage EFFECTS euphoric – 10 uplifted – 7 creative – 7 happy – 7 aroused – 5 ADVERSE REACTIONS (NEGATIVE) dry mouth – 10 dry eyes – 8 dizzy – 1 paranoid – 1 anxious – 1 FRAGRANCE lemon, sage, sweet, pungent FLAVORS sage, sweet, earthy, chemical, citrus, lemon MEDICAL pain – 10 stress – 8 depression – 5 fatigue – 3 insomnia – 3 FLOWERING TIME INDOORS 8-9 weeks FLOWERING TIME OUTDOORS mid October PLANT HEIGHT Medium THC CONTENT % 16%-24% CBD % 1% INDICA / SATIVA % 65% / 35% INDOOR YIELD 11oz/ m2 OUTDOOR YIELD 14oz/ plant CLIMATE dry and warm outdoor climate GROWTH LEVEL easy RESISTANCE TO DISEASE resistant to common molds and mildew

* 10 is the highest * 1 is the lowest

Effects

Purple Sage will instill an instant state of euphoria as soon as you take your first drag, with the euphoric state lasting you throughout its entire high and coming back in waves. This strain serves as a perfect pick me up, and is even practical for daytime use, due to its light-bodied effects and cerebral high.

TIP: Looking to buy Purple Sage seeds? Check out this marijuana seed shop

This bud is very uplifting, and can serve as a motivating push in order to start your day right. Purple Sage is much loved by creative types and artists, who need a little bit of extra inspiration in order to get their ideas going, as it can encourage them to think outside of the box.

Purple Sage Effects – Image powered by Allbud.com

Purple Sage can serve as an effective mood boost, and will definitely inspire you to feel more positive and more enlightened. Under the right circumstances, this strain can be quite arousing, and can make for a pretty sweet way to end your day, especially if you are in good company.

Fragrance

Purple Sage is quite the pungent bud, and as soon as you break it up you will be hit with a cloud of sour lemon and sweet aroma. This plant will make you think of sweet sage, along with some gentle hints of spice and herbs that will make your mouth water.

Flavors

Purple Sage will taste like chemicals on the first inhale, but soon you will detect a sweet citrus aftertaste, sticky on your tongue. This bud contains subtle hints of earthy and sage, which on the exhale will become more obvious, along with a sour lemon flavor.

Adverse Reaction

Purple Sage can be quite a strong bud, with its THC levels often reaching up to 24%, so you can expect some minor adverse reactions when smoking this strain. You may feel like your mouth is dry and your eyes may end up feeling slightly itchy and irritable.

Purple Sage Adverse Reaction – Image powered by Medicalmarijuanastrains.com

In some rare cases, you may feel a little bit dizzy, which is further amplified by a feeling of dehydration. Purple Sage can make you feel slightly paranoid at times, especially if you tend to suffer from nervous tendencies, so you may need to be prepared for a general feeling of mild anxiety.

Medical

Purple Sage is a very useful medical strain, that is widely recommended for the management of chronic pain. This strain is known for being very helpful to those who suffer from chronic aches such as migraines, muscle spasms as well as period-induced cramps.

TIP: Looking to buy Purple Sage seeds? Check out this marijuana seed shop

This indica dominant strain is also known for being very effective in the treatment of chronic stress. Purple Sage can help the mind relax, making it easier for the patient to feel less frazzled and less panicked as their days go by. This allows them to feel more mindful and relaxed throughout the day.

Purple Sage Medical – Image powered by Swamis420.wordpress.com

Purple Sage can help patients who suffer from depression feel more relieved from the weights on their shoulders. This bud can be uplifting and energizing, making it ideal as a morning smoke, but its strong indica effects may also serve as the perfect way to induce a good night’s sleep.

Growing

Growing this but can be easy, and is therefore something that is preferred even by novice growers. Purple Sage will grow into a medium-sized plant, that can yield average during the days of harvest.

Flowering Time

Indoors Purple Sage grown indoors can be expected to yield an estimated average of about 11 ounces of bud per square meter planted. This strain takes an estimated 8 to 9 weeks to finish flowering, in order for it to be ready to be harvested.

Outdoors Purple Sage grown outdoors should be ready to be harvested around the middle of the month of October. This plant is expected to yield around 14 ounces per plant, and does not need much trimming in order for it to grow steadily.

Have you ever smoked or grown your own Purple Sage? Please let me know what you think about this marijuana strain in the comments below.

Robert

The post Purple Sage appeared first on I Love Growing Marijuana.

[megageneralstudentninja-blog]

3 Important Tips On Knee Fitness Over 50

This zymosine review won't go into head to head details together with products. Damaging your site . the reviews I read always slant a positive towards people use this that will make them the most money, would be to product is actually the most well-liked at period. Many times employs a powerful ingredients are very close to at least another all they will is get a new name increase sales. The following are 3 critical areas you will need really study with any product that will determine when want make investments in any particular one product.

For any pregnant woman nutrition is very important, so pay focus on what you are eating on a daily basis. Try to include lots of fresh vegetables along with lean protein and sugars. Eating this way can really help you look at a abatement in the degree of joint pain during becoming pregnant. As often mentioned, drink plenty of water to clean out bad bacteria and toxins from program. Drink at least 64 ounces of water a event. To help soothe Hemptide CBD Oil burning and itching of herpes outbreak, try taking some Goldenseal. Add enough water to the goldenseal powder to create a paste, then apply it generously towards the sores 3 to 4 times per day for 72 hours. To Reduce Joint Pain of an outbreak, take 500 mgs of MSM three times a 24-hour period. There is really a written book in support of this tea. System . was provided by Lu Yu and called the "Tea Classic" or "Cha Jing". It was written on the inside Tang dynasty in China and is thought to be one for the most important within the setting of tea. step 1 also suggests the shapes of tea plants, tea flowers, and tea leaves, and covers how to thrive tea plants and process tea basically. In step Two, the book speaks in regards to specific dosage and method required for individual physical ailments. Pain might be another feature of joint inflammation (arthritis) and infection, which enables it to be a characteristic of tumors within the joint. Signals of arthritis . also known as arthralgia. Keeping active is crucial in overall health, and especially maintaining Joint Health. The muscles aroud your joints are supportive role, so poor muscle tone can cause your joints to do more strain than nature intended. Lifting children, grandchildren, pregnancy, even moving boxes or raking leaves can strain your joints if muscle tone is lacking. Talk to your doctor about the most exercise prepare for you and your lifestyle. The drink is very tasty and may be served hot or cold. It can certainly sometimes been preparing herbal tea since a sluggish start the world's history. Herbal tea was renowned known in ancient China and ancient The red sea. The Chinese call this tea Liang cha. The actual word Liang cha, means cooling tea, for the reason that Chinese valuable to drink it to settle down the body when developed overheated merely because of weather or sickness. Wheat also can lead to digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome. IBS leads to gas, bloating, cramping and that can lead to severe stomach pain. You're able have both diarrhea and constipation within a short phase. This generally to some uncomfortable situations like being in a place where you will not be able make use of of a restroom and getting diarrhea. Doesn't sound to fun may?

[theherblifeblog]

Spotlight Series: Christa Schadt, Bliss

Christa Schadt is the founder and Master grower at Bliss, a BC based company specializing in an all-natural lubricant designed to enhance and heighten female sexual pleasure. Made from organic cannabis-infused coconut oil and cocoa butter, Bliss was created for the benefit and well-being of all women. Whether you want to rekindle your passion, or just heighten and intensify your sensations, the therapeutic and aphrodisiac properties of Bliss will soon send you to that place.

Tell me about the lube that you make. I understand that this product came about after you were experimenting for your own use…

We have had a license to grow for about 10 years now and over the years ended up with a lot of bags full of shake. Originally we were sending it out to someone to make bubble hash and they would get part of it as a trade. Then I started experimenting with it myself by infusing it in coconut oil, which usually turned out a dark green!

I had been reading about the benefits of using Cannabis topically and came across an article about using it to enhance your sex life. As I had already been going through an early menopause starting 18 years ago, I was pretty desperate. So, I started using it and found out that it was relieving almost all of my menopausal symptoms, except the hot flashes.

I then thought that maybe I should share this with my friends. I got them to fill in questionnaires about their likes and dislikes etc. and started reading about making lotions and creams, and experimenting with different types of oils, while researching their effects. The major criticism I had was the colour and the fact that it would stain people's clothes and sheets, so I looked into extraction methods and found one that suited. At this point I also started testing Bliss, so the product would be consistent. (Editor's Note: Learn more about testing cannabis products by checking our interview with Keystone Labs founder Jodi McDonald)

I had been reading about the effects of Cannabis on women and sexuality and found out that there is a certain point where the plant actually has the opposite effect of turning a woman on. This is the reason I decided to use a lower dose of THC than a lot of other topicals out there.

So after a lot of experimenting and testing I have come up with what I think is the perfect recipe!

I know that many Her(B) Life readers will love that you use only ethically sourced oils, why is that important to you?

I use organic oils because I personally would not consume or put anything into or on my body that wasn't. I have a very strong reaction to anything chemical. For example, all of the commercial lubricants out there cause me to break out in a rash. Anything that contains glycerin causes yeast infections, so I steer clear of that as well. If this kind of thing happens to me, I am sure it happens to others as well. Hence I wanted to make something that wasn't going to cause more harm. The only problem I have had with this approach is that oil based products do not work well with the latex in condoms, causing them to deteriorate, not a good thing if you need to use a condom. I decided not to compromise though, and found out there are condoms out there that work fine with oil based products, so it all worked out!

How long have you been making Bliss? When did you decide to sell it?

I have been making Bliss for about 4 years now and for me personally, I wish I would have thought of making it sooner! I have been selling it for about 2 years.

The website points out that vaginal dryness/tightness can lead to sexual dysfunction, how common is this problem? How does Bliss help relieve that pain?

 By looking at a lot of research, I have found out that over 40% of women, over the age of 25, suffer episodic or chronic pain and discomfort from sexual activity! It sure has been a major problem for me personally. After starting to sell Bliss, those statistics have been confirmed, as a lot women have contacted me with the same issues.

Bliss is applied directly onto the genitalia, which have many cannabinoid receptors. When this happens, it slows down signals to the muscles and causes them to relax. It also creates an ultra concentrated sensory pleasure.

Bliss is a product for women, specifically. What are some of the challenges unique to starting a somewhat niche based business?

Obviously at this point you are really only selling to half the population, making it, like you said, a niche based business. My personal challenge is actually selling it. I love making it, and I loved designing the packaging, designing the website, learning about Cannabis and learning about what the different kinds of carrier and essential oils do. Selling, not so much, which is not a good thing when you are trying to start a business. 

Also, because I am selling mainly to women, I have to be very picky about where I might be able to sell it. It would not be easy for a woman to come into a dispensary and tell someone that they are having sexual difficulties, especially if the person behind the counter is a young man. I have started to do a "Tupperware" style of party, where women come together and talk about sexual issues, and have found this to be extremely rewarding.

Then there is the fact that what I am doing is still very much in the grey market, which means you have to walk a very fine line - don't be in the spotlight too much, but still try to sell - quite a difficult thing to do.

Would you say that men could benefit from your lube too? How else could it be used?

The main reason a man would benefit from using Bliss would be that he would very much make a woman happy. Plus it is edible, which could give him quite a buzz and make a woman even happier! The only way Bliss could affect a man would be if he used it anally, where it could be absorbed. But then again because dosages affect men differently than women, I doubt very much at the dosage I am using, it would do very much good.

You branched out last year and began offering a lip balm. I have one, and its hands down, my favourite lip product ever! The colour payoff is perfect and never gets dry or goopy. Why did you decide to add another product?

Thank you for the nice compliment! Yes, I still have the lip balm, but I now carry it in 3 flavours; peppermint, watermelon and rose. I have also created a high CBD, low THC (100:20) suppository for pain caused by menstrual cramps and diseases such as endometriosis. Right now, I am testing it out on various female volunteers, but it will be on the website soon. Eventually, I will be adding a sensual massage oil and a high CBD tea for cramps as well.

Another thing I have been making is Bliss Balls, which I am just starting to sell. Again, I am trying to make them as healthy as possible, using only organic ingredients and little to no sugar and no gluten. I will be offering them in 3 sizes; 50mg, 25mg and 10mg and various flavours all covered in dark chocolate; shredded coconut and agave, cashew apricot, chocolate hazelnut, chocolate orange, and chocolate ginger. I will be posting them on the website soon.

 What is your vision for the company going forward?

Because I am quite isolated where I live I have been working on building my company on my own. This means things are going much slower than I would hope. My husband has been helping, but because this is a women's product, there is only so much he can do.

That said, since starting to attend the Women Grow meetings in both Vancouver and on Vancouver Island, I have met a whole group of amazing women who are interested in the same things I am, and live fairly close by.

I have already started working on some projects with 2 other women. So, with one of my friends we are starting a clone business and with another we are starting a 3D printing business making things like pipes and stash boxes.

So yeah, I am building my empire! But only because I really like working on things like this with other people and this is the only way I could think of doing so.

We are also in discussion with some investors, so I will be able to hire someone to do the marketing for me.

A couple of weeks back, we interviewed Jay Marin from Cannabis Life Conference. I know that you are a pro networker - thats how we met! Would you say that attending events like conferences is beneficial?

Pro networker! Ha! I have been very good at covering it up, but I am actually quite shy and introverted. Attending events like conferences are enjoyable to me because a) I am making new friends, who, like I said, are interested in the same things as I am, and b) because I am learning about all kinds of new things.

It is also beneficial because I have created a network of people who might be able to help me out with various aspects of my business. Things like finding out who does extracts, or where to order the cheapest packaging, who is good at marketing, or even finding a good lawyer.

What advice would you give to a woman who is looking to enter the cannabis industry?

Find your tribe. Develop your relationships within that tribe. Be honest. Have integrity. Keep an open mind. Keep learning. And, keep going.

Connect with Bliss

You can order Bliss online here, Like the company on Facebook, Follow on Twitter and Instagram.

You can enter to win one of two prize packages from Bliss by making sure you follow them on Instagram or Facebook and tagging a  friend in the contest image image.

Prize package #1  

One single package of Bliss and one Lip Balm

Prize Package #2 

2 25mg Bliss Balls