Hello to all!
Although this is my first post I want to start by humbly thanking everyone that has already pasted to this site. I have been reading and learning from your ideas, tutorials, suggestions, and debates over the last many months. The community you have created is educational, welcoming and friendly.
Here is my brief bio and the history that has lead me here...
During my younger years, I enjoyed smoking weed. But I was young, foolish, and at that time had a hard time knowing where to set boundaries. I told myself that I could start again after getting my life on track and at a time I was more stable. Jump forward 20 years (4 years ago), I am stable, have a wonderful wife, I am well paid, have a nice house, and happen to find myself on a business trip that has to make a connecting flight in either Germany or Amsterdam.
Nothing against Germany, but come on... Easy decision. I decide to make extend the connection from 2 hours to 4 days, to really enjoy myself. It was crazy. Just landing in the airport I felt paranoid, like police were going to meet me at the gate, inform me they know of my intentions to smoke pot, and arrest me. :>
The paranoia followed me each step of the way to the hotel room. I was sure the taxi driver was going to start laughing at me and say "You stupid American, no pot for you." I was sure that the hotel reception would take one look at me when signing in and tell me they wouldn't allow me to check in because they knew I had intentions of smoking pot.
I had researched the map, and I stayed at the Hotel Jolly Carlton, which was about a block from several smoke shops on the map. After checking in and unpacking, I took an extra hour to build up my nerve to go outside and find a smoke shop. Should I ask for directions, would I be able to tell a smoke shop from the outside without knowing about some secret handshake or marker of some kind... I finally venture out to the area (The Rembrandt plaza) where the map showed the "mythical" smoke shop to be. I walk the plaza and enjoy my first sites of the city, all of the restaurants with outdoor seating to enjoy the people watching and weather, all the bikes, the lack of cars, etc... And then I spot it, it wasn't hard, the sign was in 5 foot tall letters, and the paranoia stuck again, I felt guilty just reading the sign. And for good reason, beneath the sign in front of the shop tables and chairs were lined up, sitting at the table right in front of the door were a pair of cops.
I knew it, I just knew it... A stupid tourist trap, to bring in American's, just to arrest them as they walk in to shop. I walked around the plaza, trying o figure out if I had been spotted reading the sign, and if I should make a break to run back to the hotel. Then sanity set in, on my second trip around the plaza (trying to look inconspicuous) I notice that two tables away from the cops three guys are obviously rolling and smoking joints. After only two more trips around the plaza :> I worked up the nerve to walk in (past the two still seated police officers).
After 20 years, let me tell you the nose does not forget a favorite smell... and 10 steps away from the door was the glass display case with more pot then I had ever seen at one time. Paradise.
While I had smoked a lot as a teen, I didn't know squat about pot, the difference between Sativa and Indicia (let alone how to pronounce those words). So I just picked out a buitful bud with long orange hairs and some rolling papers. I sat down at a table and started breaking up the bud to roll. While my nose retained its talent for smelling pot, I had totally lost the talent for rolling, and after 5 attempts, I slunk my way back up to the counter to buy a small pipe.
I figured a small bowl would equate to a small joint, which in my younger years would give me a small good buzz to walk around the city with. I took four hits, then decided to go buy a coke before smoking the rest, I got back to the table and took another two hits, knowing that a few more hits and I would start feeling the first hints of high. I was wrong. I had stopped to light a cigarette, and it started kicking in. I just sat back to reacclimate myself with the familiar feeling, but then it continued to increase from pleasant start to "Holy God I am super high".
I realized I had about a block or two to walk back to the hotel, and at this point I wasn't sure I was going to make it. But I knew the effects were still not fully realized. I packed my stuff up and started my trek back. The longest 2 blocks of my life, I enjoyed every minute, but I thought for sure I wasn't going to make it. Those four days were wonderful, I only tried a few strains, but increased my education 10 fold by talking to other friendly smokers. What a fool I had been, how did I not know all of this when I was younger.
I have been fortunate enough to travel once more to Amsterdam with my wife on pure non-business stone vacation. We really took in a lot more of the city and we were able to bond in a way we hadn't before. (We had both stopped smoking by the time we met).
Flash forward to 9 months or so ago, my fortieth birthday is coming up and my wife says she is planning a small 2 day vacation for us, and if I could score some pot that it would go well with her plans. Well hell yeah, I thought, sound great to me. And I figured it would be easy to score a little pot. I was wrong, I didn't have any connections, my friends while sympathetic don't smoke and didn't know any leads. About a week before my birthday and I just happen to luck into meeting a random stranger and some magical how felt comfortable enough to broach the subject and he felt comfortable enough to sell me his personal stash. A smaller quarter I haven't seen, but I was super happy to have what I was lucky enough to get. All without having to go find some dealer like I did in my youth, and fear cops on the way home, or whatever.
Now months after that, and after discussions with my wife, I decide to start a small grow for a little personal use. And that is where you have come in.
I have already started my first grow, maybe I'll start a grow thread on it. But I started with four of the ten seeds. (I bought a ten pack of some Jack Herer) 6 weeks later, three turn out to be males (there is a story behind throwing out the males... After all my love and care, Was I really sure they were male,, what if I threw them out only to find weeks later that the one I kept was really a male, and I had thrown out females...)
Anyway, I am now in my third week of flowering with my very much a female plant. While I am so anticipating being able to smoke again, I am enjoying the growing aspect so much. You have educated me on so many aspects of my favorite plant. I have no idea how much it will yield at this point, but I also plan on making a little pot butter brownies as well, something I never considered before finding this site. I have a better understanding of the what, where, and most importantly the hows of growing and consuming thanks to you. As well as finding fellow like minded individuals, who are creating a path education and reform.
Although this is my first post I want to start by humbly thanking everyone that has already pasted to this site. I have been reading and learning from your ideas, tutorials, suggestions, and debates over the last many months. The community you have created is educational, welcoming and friendly.
Here is my brief bio and the history that has lead me here...
During my younger years, I enjoyed smoking weed. But I was young, foolish, and at that time had a hard time knowing where to set boundaries. I told myself that I could start again after getting my life on track and at a time I was more stable. Jump forward 20 years (4 years ago), I am stable, have a wonderful wife, I am well paid, have a nice house, and happen to find myself on a business trip that has to make a connecting flight in either Germany or Amsterdam.
Nothing against Germany, but come on... Easy decision. I decide to make extend the connection from 2 hours to 4 days, to really enjoy myself. It was crazy. Just landing in the airport I felt paranoid, like police were going to meet me at the gate, inform me they know of my intentions to smoke pot, and arrest me. :>
The paranoia followed me each step of the way to the hotel room. I was sure the taxi driver was going to start laughing at me and say "You stupid American, no pot for you." I was sure that the hotel reception would take one look at me when signing in and tell me they wouldn't allow me to check in because they knew I had intentions of smoking pot.
I had researched the map, and I stayed at the Hotel Jolly Carlton, which was about a block from several smoke shops on the map. After checking in and unpacking, I took an extra hour to build up my nerve to go outside and find a smoke shop. Should I ask for directions, would I be able to tell a smoke shop from the outside without knowing about some secret handshake or marker of some kind... I finally venture out to the area (The Rembrandt plaza) where the map showed the "mythical" smoke shop to be. I walk the plaza and enjoy my first sites of the city, all of the restaurants with outdoor seating to enjoy the people watching and weather, all the bikes, the lack of cars, etc... And then I spot it, it wasn't hard, the sign was in 5 foot tall letters, and the paranoia stuck again, I felt guilty just reading the sign. And for good reason, beneath the sign in front of the shop tables and chairs were lined up, sitting at the table right in front of the door were a pair of cops.
I knew it, I just knew it... A stupid tourist trap, to bring in American's, just to arrest them as they walk in to shop. I walked around the plaza, trying o figure out if I had been spotted reading the sign, and if I should make a break to run back to the hotel. Then sanity set in, on my second trip around the plaza (trying to look inconspicuous) I notice that two tables away from the cops three guys are obviously rolling and smoking joints. After only two more trips around the plaza :> I worked up the nerve to walk in (past the two still seated police officers).
After 20 years, let me tell you the nose does not forget a favorite smell... and 10 steps away from the door was the glass display case with more pot then I had ever seen at one time. Paradise.
While I had smoked a lot as a teen, I didn't know squat about pot, the difference between Sativa and Indicia (let alone how to pronounce those words). So I just picked out a buitful bud with long orange hairs and some rolling papers. I sat down at a table and started breaking up the bud to roll. While my nose retained its talent for smelling pot, I had totally lost the talent for rolling, and after 5 attempts, I slunk my way back up to the counter to buy a small pipe.
I figured a small bowl would equate to a small joint, which in my younger years would give me a small good buzz to walk around the city with. I took four hits, then decided to go buy a coke before smoking the rest, I got back to the table and took another two hits, knowing that a few more hits and I would start feeling the first hints of high. I was wrong. I had stopped to light a cigarette, and it started kicking in. I just sat back to reacclimate myself with the familiar feeling, but then it continued to increase from pleasant start to "Holy God I am super high".
I realized I had about a block or two to walk back to the hotel, and at this point I wasn't sure I was going to make it. But I knew the effects were still not fully realized. I packed my stuff up and started my trek back. The longest 2 blocks of my life, I enjoyed every minute, but I thought for sure I wasn't going to make it. Those four days were wonderful, I only tried a few strains, but increased my education 10 fold by talking to other friendly smokers. What a fool I had been, how did I not know all of this when I was younger.
I have been fortunate enough to travel once more to Amsterdam with my wife on pure non-business stone vacation. We really took in a lot more of the city and we were able to bond in a way we hadn't before. (We had both stopped smoking by the time we met).
Flash forward to 9 months or so ago, my fortieth birthday is coming up and my wife says she is planning a small 2 day vacation for us, and if I could score some pot that it would go well with her plans. Well hell yeah, I thought, sound great to me. And I figured it would be easy to score a little pot. I was wrong, I didn't have any connections, my friends while sympathetic don't smoke and didn't know any leads. About a week before my birthday and I just happen to luck into meeting a random stranger and some magical how felt comfortable enough to broach the subject and he felt comfortable enough to sell me his personal stash. A smaller quarter I haven't seen, but I was super happy to have what I was lucky enough to get. All without having to go find some dealer like I did in my youth, and fear cops on the way home, or whatever.
Now months after that, and after discussions with my wife, I decide to start a small grow for a little personal use. And that is where you have come in.
I have already started my first grow, maybe I'll start a grow thread on it. But I started with four of the ten seeds. (I bought a ten pack of some Jack Herer) 6 weeks later, three turn out to be males (there is a story behind throwing out the males... After all my love and care, Was I really sure they were male,, what if I threw them out only to find weeks later that the one I kept was really a male, and I had thrown out females...)
Anyway, I am now in my third week of flowering with my very much a female plant. While I am so anticipating being able to smoke again, I am enjoying the growing aspect so much. You have educated me on so many aspects of my favorite plant. I have no idea how much it will yield at this point, but I also plan on making a little pot butter brownies as well, something I never considered before finding this site. I have a better understanding of the what, where, and most importantly the hows of growing and consuming thanks to you. As well as finding fellow like minded individuals, who are creating a path education and reform.
. 420 loves to hear that we were able be much help to you. Please continue to share your thoughts and grow with 420. This site is truely one of a kind, Great members, Great information and great talk. We are happy you finally joined us. Keep enjoying yourself and keep in touch. If you need any help locating anything about harvesting or cooking please ask. Please keep reading to give your girls the very best treatment and all they need to give you great rewards. Thank you again for sharing that story with us all. See you in the forums Friend. 
