It’s My Life

Tag: dailyprompt-1860

  • Daily Journal

    Water cops

    Monday, July 20, 2026

    Weather

    They’re calling for a high of 100°F today, and it’s already pushing 95°F—the kind of heat that presses against the windows and makes the air feel thick and still. Definitely an air conditioning kind of day.

    Morning Routine

    This morning I cleaned up a good amount of flower for my sativa stash, the sharp, earthy scent lingering as I worked. Now everything’s stocked, neatly arranged, and within reach. There’s something satisfying about that quiet order—like setting the tone for a long, slow day.

    Before the heat fully settled in, I gave the front yard a 20-minute watering, the hose hissing as the soil soaked it up. The grass darkened just enough to look alive again. Hopefully it holds until tomorrow night—every drop counts in weather like this, and I don’t need the water cops knocking on my door or emailing me.

    Home Comfort

    I also washed all my bedding—comforter, pillows, and sheets—so everything is fresh and cool to the touch. That clean, soft smell is hard to beat, especially knowing I’ll be sinking into it later. I just wish I had someone to share it with.

    Evening Plan

    Now the plan is simple: stay inside, stay cool, and let the AC hum in the background while I ride out the heat. 🌞❄️

  • June 26, 2026: Progress Comes in Small Victories

    Today wasn’t about big accomplishments. It was about recognizing the small signs that recovery is moving in the right direction.

    A welcome overnight downpour gave the backyard a much-needed drink, allowing me to postpone most of the watering until later in the day. I still hand-watered a few dry spots, but Mother Nature handled most of the heavy lifting.

    Most of the day centered on my left hamstring. It’s still talking to me, but not nearly as loudly as it has been. I noticed several encouraging signs: I could keep my leg extended longer before the pain showed up, the heating pad on the warm setting brought real relief, and my left butt cheek wasn’t hurting by the afternoon. None of those are headline-grabbing milestones, but together they paint a picture of gradual progress.

    The biggest challenge continues to be patience. Not being able to work out the way I want is frustrating, but healing has become today’s workout. I also realized I’ve needed a nap four days in a row. Rather than fighting it, I’m choosing to see that extra rest as part of the recovery process instead of a setback. The nap turned out to be time well spent.

    Missy added a little comic relief. She sampled the flower garden by eating grass, then promptly decided to return it a short time later. After a couple of rounds of throwing up, she was back to her normal self as if nothing had happened.

    Looking back, today reinforced a simple lesson: progress isn’t always measured in miles or milestones. Sometimes it’s measured in a few extra minutes without pain, a good nap, a warm heating pad, a rainstorm that saves some work, and a dog who reminds you that life has a sense of humor. Those small victories are worth celebrating because they add up over time.

  • Daily Journal: June 25, 2026

    Today felt like a day of checking boxes.

    First thing this morning, I picked up my completed DMV medical forms from the doctor’s office. One more hurdle cleared. I also went online and scheduled my DMV appointment for Saturday, July 5, at 10:00 AM. After making multiple trips and waiting more than a week for paperwork, it’s amazing that what should amount to a 15-minute transaction has turned into an eight-day project. That’s bureaucracy for you.

    I considered leaving negative feedback when I was asked about my experience, but decided against it. The comments would have been attached to my name, and with Claire working just across the street, it simply wasn’t worth creating unnecessary friction. Sometimes it’s better to finish the race than argue with the course.

    This afternoon brought another round of weather roulette. Forecasters have been warning of heavy rain for days, but all we’ve managed to see is a few minutes of light mist. Rather than gamble on promises from the sky, I gave the newly seeded lawn a thorough watering. If a good rain finally arrives tonight, great. If not, at least the grass seed won’t be waiting on a forecast that never showed up.

    Some days don’t make headlines. They just move life forward one completed form, one scheduled appointment, and one watered lawn at a time.

  • Daily Journal – June 10, 2026

    The day started with a change of plans for Missy. Claire is getting her another grooming appointment at Wag N’ Wash after her previous spa adventure at Petco ended early. Missy made her opinion known, and I had to go pick her up. Whether it was the unfamiliar groomer, the environment, or a combination of factors, she clearly wasn’t having it. For now, she has a new appointment on the calendar and a chance for a fresh start.

    As for me, my left hamstring woke up determined to be noticed. It has been making itself well known all morning, so I fired up the heating pad on the warm setting. That simple bit of heat felt pretty awesome and reminded me that sometimes recovery means listening instead of pushing.

    I had thoughts of taking a nap. The last two days didn’t go well in that department. The sativa had me in project mode instead of rest mode, so this morning I left it alone and visited my Roxanne bud cone joint from yesterday. There are still a session or two left in it.

    Then the weeds happened.

    One minute I was considering a nap. The next minute I was outside spraying both the front and backyard with Weed B Gon Max. So much for sleeping. The Reclamation Department was called into action.

    That led, of course, to a full lawn inspection. There are two kinds of walks through a yard: walking through the yard and inspecting the yard. I was definitely inspecting. Every patch of grass, every weed, every bare spot got a second look. Two weeks after the initial seed and fertilizer application, the backyard is beginning to look solid. Progress is slow, but it is there.

    That got me thinking about reclamation again.

    The backyard project is reclamation. The Tire ReclamationProjects is reclamation. Recovery after a brain injury and stroke is reclamation. Even using a heating pad to settle down a complaining hamstring feels like a small act of reclamation.

    Is it a bad thing to have a sense of reclamation?

    I don’t think so.

    A sense of reclamation is simply the belief that something worn down, damaged, neglected, or interrupted can still become something useful, meaningful, or beautiful. It isn’t about pretending damage never happened. It’s about refusing to let damage have the final word.

    Looking back, I also reflected on my return to cannabis after the stroke. There were sixty days under intensive medical supervision where cannabis wasn’t part of my life. When I

    , I already had my return planned out. I had been honest with the medical staff the entire way, and no one seemed particularly concerned. Recovery came first. Cannabis came later.

    I’m old school when it comes to cannabis. I still look at the plant itself. Leaf structure, growth patterns, and the physical characteristics tell a story. Long before labels, THC percentages, and marketing names, growers learned to read the plant.

    Now here I am at 10:11 in the morning and sitting pretty on my schedule.

    The hamstring has been heated.
    The weeds have been sprayed.
    The lawn has been inspected.
    Missy’s next spa appointment is booked.

    As for the nap?

    We’ll see.

    No pressure.

    If it happens, great. If not, it’s already been a productive morning in the ongoing reclamation project known as life.

    BenJammin 🪨
    Rock Solid Since ’93

  • Daily Journal — June 3, 2026

    This morning my left hamstring is feeling a lot better. That’s a welcome change after dealing with the stiffness and discomfort lately. My plan is to apply some heat and see how it responds before deciding on a workout.

    If things continue to feel loose and comfortable after the heat treatment, I may try to get in some exercise today. I’ll take it one step at a time, pay attention to what my body is telling me, and avoid pushing through any pain.

    After the last few days, even a small improvement feels like progress. Here’s hoping the heat, movement, and a little determination help keep things headed in the right direction.

    — MileHiDad, June 3, 2026

  • Morning Reality Check – May 29, 2026

    The biggest obstacle today isn’t the weather. It isn’t the brown spot in the backyard. It isn’t even the fatigue.

    It’s the daily battle with leg pain.

    Most mornings begin with the same challenge: aching, discomfort, and limitations that don’t start easing up until around 2:00 p.m. The body feels like it’s staging a protest, making every task more difficult than it should be. Some days that means moving slower. Some days it means changing plans entirely.

    Yet the day moves forward anyway.

    The clouds continue drifting past the office window. The grass seed can wait. The nap may be necessary. And for now, the goal is simple: make it through the morning and give the body the time it needs to catch up with the day

    My legs may file complaints every morning, but all the joints are still functional. The machinery isn’t factory-new anymore, but it’s still operational. Some mornings require extra warm-up time, some require a nap, and some require a little chemical encouragement from the garden. But the wheels are still turning.

    Not exactly a brand-new sports car—but the vehicle is still on the road. And after everything your body has been through since 1993, that’s not a small accomplishment

  • Marshall Tucker Band

    The “V8 engine into a cowboy boot and pointed it toward sunset” line is the kind of sentence people remember because it sounds exactly like the music feels.

    I’d only tighten a few things for rhythm and flow:

    • change “You screw me on the Marshall Tucker band right Home” since it reads like voice-to-text turbulence hit black ice
    • remove the duplicated section

    “Take the Highway” by The Marshall Tucker Band absolutely moves. The second that opening rolls in, it feels like somebody dropped a V8 engine into a cowboy boot and pointed it toward sunset.

    And that flute from Jerry Eubanks? Totally unfair advantage. Southern rock bands were out there fighting with twin guitars, and Marshall Tucker showed up like:
    “Cool… but what if the outlaw had a flute solo?” 😂

    The thing that makes it hit so hard is the combination:

    • driving rhythm
    • clean guitar tone
    • highway momentum
    • zero wasted space
    • that laid-back confidence instead of trying too hard

    It sounds like:

    • windows down
    • mountain air
    • 1970s interstate asphalt heat shimmer
    • “we’ll get there when we get there”

    And unlike some classic rock tracks that drag on while everybody auditions for the same solo, “Take the Highway” keeps pulling forward the whole time.

    If you like that lane of music, you’d probably also crank:

    • Green Grass and High Tides
    • Jessica
    • Highway Song
    • Train, Train
    • Can’t You See

    That whole era understood one important engineering principle:
    A song should feel at least 12% better if played while crossing Colorado at golden hour.

  • The oldest things I’m wearing today

     The oldest thing is almost certainly the gray Polo T-shirt.

    That’s the of the outfit. The Carhartt scrub pants are the new hire with fresh badges and optimism. The Polo tee is sitting in the corner like:
    “I remember appliances from Sears.” 

  • Pueblo Weed Run: Keeping It Simple

    Pueblo Weed Run: Keeping It Simple

    The wife and I made the trip down to Pueblo West and stopped at RM Blaze again I have been a fan of the metro Denver Hampden—and the more I think about it, the more I realize what makes that place work.

    It’s not hype. It’s not flashy top-shelf branding.

    It’s simple, competitive, and efficient.

    We’re talking:

    • $5 a gram
    • Out-the-door pricing
    • No surprises at checkout

    That’s not accidental—that’s what happens when dispensaries are stacked on top of each other and fighting for the same customers. Price gets tight, margins get thin, and the only thing that matters is moving product and keeping people coming back.

    Coming from somewhere like Castle Rock, the difference is obvious. Up here, you feel every extra charge. Down there, it’s just:

    grab it, pay it, smoke it, done.

    And if you’re someone like me using a one-hitter, that $5 gram isn’t “just a gram.”
    That’s multiple sessions. Real mileage.

    Honestly, the best way to describe it is this:

    It’s like 1980s weed—just without all the seeds and hits good.

    No gimmicks. No confusion. No checkout shock.

    Just straightforward flower at a price that makes sense.

    Sometimes it’s not about chasing the best weed in the state.

    It’s about finding the spot where everything just works.

  • Wake & Bake vs. Getting It Right

    In Colorado, morning cannabis use isn’t one-size-fits-all anymore. What used to be lumped into a single stereotype—wake and bake—has quietly evolved into something more nuanced.

    Let’s break it down.

    ☀️ Wake & Bake (The Classic)

    This is the version everyone recognizes.

    Roll out of bed. Light up. Start the day elevated.

    It’s ritual. It’s habit. Sometimes it’s just how the day begins without much thought beyond “let’s go.”

    The vibe here leans recreational:

    • Immediate lift
    • Loose structure
    • See-where-the-day-goes energy

    There’s nothing mysterious about it—it’s been around forever, and it still has its place.

    ☕ Functional Morning Use (The Colorado Shift)

    Now here’s where things get interesting.

    A lot of seasoned users aren’t diving straight into the deep end anymore. Instead, it looks more like:

    • Coffee first
    • A couple controlled hits
    • Then ease into the day

    This isn’t about getting blasted. It’s about dialing things in.

    The goal:

    • Smooth out the edges
    • Lift mood
    • Manage pain
    • Stay clear enough to actually do life

    It’s intentional. Measured. Almost like adjusting a thermostat instead of flipping a switch.

    🧠 It Comes Down to Intent

    Same plant. Same time of day. Completely different outcomes.

    • Wake & Bake: “Let’s get high.”
    • Functional Use: “Let’s get right.”

    That shift—from chasing the high to shaping the day—is where a lot of Colorado users land over time.

    🔄 The Evolution

    Experience changes the relationship.

    What starts as wake-and-bake energy often turns into something more refined:

    • Less about escape
    • More about balance
    • Less autopilot, more awareness

    And yeah, sometimes that just means one extra pull with your morning coffee—not because you need it, but because you know exactly what it does.

    Final Thought

    Morning use isn’t the story.

    Intent is.

  • Daily Journal — March 16, 2026

    Daily Journal — March 16, 2026

    8:00 AM and my phone rings.

    It’s Mr. George from WP. That alone kind of freaked me out—nobody calls that early unless something’s wrong, especially from Mr. George. But I answered anyway. Turns out he was “just” already bored at 8 AM on his first day off of the week.

    The last time the G-man called me was about a while ago when they had a mechanical issue on the gondola and had to break the ropes out. He gave me a full play-by-play of what was happening up there. Later that night I saw the same story on 9News.

    Today’s report from GMan: a couple of his lift maintenance snowmobiles were tied up dealing with kids and moms who were wandering into the closed lift area down by the snowmaking pond. Apparently that’s the first morning adventure of the day.

    I apologized for not calling him lately. Truth is, we just haven’t been heading up there much. The snow kind of sucks right now, and when the snow sucks, the motivation to make the trip in traffic disappears pretty fast.

    Still, it was good hearing from him. Funny how a random 8 AM phone call can suddenly drop a little WP into a quiet morning down here.

  • Daily Journal — Friday, March 13, 2026

    Daily Journal — Friday, March 13, 2026

    Friday the 13th. Some people hide under a blanket for it. Me? I just put my shoes on and get on with the day.

    Morning started like most: wake up, assess the body inventory. Knees talking? ✔️

    Right side a little slow to clock in? ✔️

    But the important part is the system boots up and we roll.

    Coffee on board. Brain warming up. Another day of trying to put one foot in front of the other and seeing what kind of trouble or progress shows up.

    The weather might say one thing, the calendar might say another, but the real measuremenet of the day is simple: Did I participate? Did I think? Did I show up?

    Sometimes the victories are loud. Sometimes they’re quiet. Sometimes it’s just getting through the day without the wheels coming off. That still counts.

    Today’s plan is simple: keep the body moving, keep the mind sharp, and don’t overcomplicate things. Life already does enough of that for free. No charge.

    End of the day we’ll see what got cleaned, what got fixed, and what still needs a little duct tape tomorrow.

    Friday the 13th or not… the day’s mine to run with.

  • Easy peasy

    Describe the most ambitious DIY project you’ve ever taken on.

    Easy peasy. Living life.