For the second week in a row I drove down to the GrowPacker facility in Desert Hot Springs last Friday, this time to meet a very cool and thoughtful individual in a major center of the modern cannabis world. His name is Josh, and he’s one of the smart minds behind Herb & Zen, a brand that brings top shelf herb to the market at working class prices, as I like to say.

Josh contacted me a little while back because we had already done several Herb & Zen reviews, and he wanted to get a few jars into my hands so we could review them. After an exchange of phone calls I was very interested in meeting Josh, beyond just the promised herb – because of the passion he brought to his work. To listen to him discuss one of their contract farms and the families involved in the farm… I had a sense of his deep love for all things connected to cannabis.

The drive down to Desert Hot Springs took about forty-five minutes and during the journey I descended from the hi to low desert, passing through some beautiful desolate landscapes. I had a lot of time to think as I traveled and several things ran through my head…

The Flaming Lips

Are you familiar with The Flaming Lips, the band from Oklahoma? Well, I’ve been listening to them for a long time – I believe I once declared their front man, Wayne Coyne, as my favorite artist. It’s been several years since I listened to anything new by The Flaming Lips, and they had fallen off my radar, until this last week.

Thanks to an article in Rolling Stone I had an “oh yeah, The Flaming Lips…” moment, and all of a sudden, like a piece of PR magic, I’m listening to The Flaming Lips again. Mainly I’m listening to their 2020 album American Head, and the reason I’m even bringing it up is because this is one seriously stoned album!

I read things sometimes, and my stoner radar goes off – I know the writer was stoned when they wrote the article or book. The same thing happens with music. I am sure The Flaming Lips were smoking the herb when they made American Head, because it is a great album to listen to while stoned! Not because it’s especially “trippy”, but because of the vibe of the thing.

Sure there are many “drug references” in the titles of the songs, like “Mother I’ve Taken LSD”, “You n Me Sellin’ Weed” and “At The Movies On Quaaludes”… but these are just clues. Clues to the fact that this album is best enjoyed in an altered state of mind. The state of mind I’m thinking of is the stoned mind.

The album is on near constant repeat this week. I’ve listened to it a dozen times already. I have a personal rule for judging a new album – I listen to it six times and then make my call. If an album doesn’t get a hold of me by the sixth listen, then it probably never will. This album passed that test in flying colors, and just gets better with each listen.

The Flaming Lips will be doing a concert in Oklahoma City on 4.20.2021, where Wayne Coyne will launch his new cannabis line, beginnings with “Love Yer Brain” edibles. The THC infused gummies will be shaped like brains, and they’ll come in watermelon and other flavors.

Holding a concert on 4/20 and launching a cannabis brand puts a person pretty solidly in the cannabis-friendly camp. I knew there was something I liked about Wayne Coyne, beside his obvious genius ;).

New York and Beyond

So, New York is about to go full legalization with smoking lounges and everything! Oh my, this is big!

I couldn’t be happier even though I don’t live in New York. Certain places are cultural centers in the life of our country, and you don’t need me to tell you that New York is one of those centers. Hopefully where New York has gone, the country will soon follow!

Dreaming Dreams

The future comes from the dreams we have today, and if you don’t dream your future, you’ll live as a bit player in someone else’s dream. You can quote me on that. I believe this with all my heart because Tania and I have seen it play out over and over in our lives.

When I look around the cabin we live in up here in the hi-desert, most things I lay my eyes on are here because we dreamed them into existence. For instance, while I didn’t dream my computer into physical existence, I dreamed of having it, and that’s why it’s here. I’ve been dreaming of a new computer for a while, and next month it should arrive!

Dreaming stuff into existence does take time. It’s not instant gratification. A month ago I needed something to give me faith that Red Bench Reviews was on the right track. I put up a prayer, asking for a boost. It was just a few days later that Josh first contacted me, and since then this project has gotten a huge lift and my prayers were definitely answered.

Prayers and dreams?! Say what? Yes, this all has to do with our beloved herb. I’ve been praying and dreaming of the legalization of the herb for over thirty-five years. I believe that my prayers and the prayers of thousands of others have helped bring us to the point we are at now. I believe that those of us that have dreamed of legalization for so many years have helped turned the ship of state.

It appears we are on the cusp of full federal legalization soon, and it has been a long haul turning the mighty ship of state. Large ships don’t change course easily! But we have caused it to turn, and the momentum is with us. I believe the end of the Drug War will come suddenly, and amazingly fast once the last chips fall, and we are so close to that tipping point.

I mean, 68% approval for legalization means something. I am optimistic, if nothing else.

Until later, best of health.

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