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Today has been horrible. Today is July 4, 2010. The weather is chilly and cloudy here in the Pacific Northwest. I didnt' go hiking or mountain climbing this weekend because it's probably snowing where I want to be. So, I'm wearing my winter coat as I sit and type this in my workshop. It's cold. I'm not used to keeping a journal. Typing this on a 2 year old desktop computer I found in the trash a while ago.

I am very kratomy today. My ears have a slight uncomfortable pressure and spastic ticcing, and they feel congested like from an opiate hangover. Listening to old Dead Can Dance on tinny computer speakers.

My gf and Iwent to a 4th of July party. When we left, we left the window open as usual so the cats could go outside. My gf's friend Nina hosted the party. 1/2 the people there were speaking spanish. I know only 500 words, (all I could memorize on a flight to South America last year) just enough to get the gist of what is going on, but not enough to participate.The food was great. Barbeque ribs and homebrew wine and beer. We brought potato salad and beer.

When we got back,my gf noticed blood on the blanket where her cat Eloise had just she had been laying.

I got the cat who was now hiding behind a bench and inspected her. She has what looks like jaw marks on her abdomen. She has a puncture on her abdomen about 1 inch long and several fang-sized sp5ts scraped free of fur. The puncture goes all the way through her skin.

I got some hydrogen peroxide and neosporin to clean her. As I was doing this, I moved the skin a little and noticed that there is another large punctureee and goes deep into the muscle of her abdomen. It's filled with clotted blood and I can't tell if it goes all the way through. I poured on some hydrogen peroxide and then put on the neosporin. I was reluctanct to do this because, if the wound goes all the way through, anything getting in there could cause more problems.

Shiny, dried saliva outlines the rest of the jaw. Its about the size of a medium size dog. She seems very sedated. Just wants to sleep and won't interact with anybody.


We will take her to the vet the first thing in the morning.
So I picked up this ish, and when I melted it down, it turned black. I am talking about like motor oil black. I am pretty sure it was cut, but it dodnt taste too bad, and it took a lot to get high...Anyone know what would cause that to happen?
too many things can change so abruptly.

like my face vainly clinging to that smile of a funny joke, then it's gone because nothing is normal. i want this for her but this bubble of panic pops continuously as i consider doing anything at all.

last night i couldve collapsed if i had gone in there. laughing mouths full of intoxication and funny things to remember. i knew if i took one sip i would have been obliterated. the joys of hilarity are sparse when thrown from normality. it's a homesick feeling that i dont think i could ever get use to. so i went home where home wasnt home.

with her tiny hands she gripped my finger as i dressed her for the day, still dripping with suds from the splash bath she loved. all the world was wrapped in a red towel. all of me lying on the bathroom floor, tickling and laughing and loving so much.

she's gotten older and so have i. i was little more than a child myself, but i knew then that this little bundle of grabbing and tearing was the best thing that had ever happened to me. her laugh is my laugh.

she has every bit of his face. those dark, concealing eyes too playful for sitting still are so solid and cold when he wears them. an immediate contrast of the same color. i loved him in all the ways someone so young could, but i only knew so much of worldly things. i thought he was perfect...and so did he.

now there's a piece of me off juniper and my world has been tilted so far that everything is still normal but not at all. five days doesnt warrant much but when those five days drag on, each minute pulling five years, im lost to my own longing for her tiny hand in mine.

they say the little things are what's most important and i dont think i could feel that anymore than i do now. at night im in my room drawing and i hear a creek in the floorboards. i look up at the door as i usually do intending to see a little nightgown in the doorway. a little hand on the door knob with a little sleepy face looking over a little shoulder mumbling about mean rabbits chasing gubby. that's her giraffe, a blue one, her first one. the weight of her molding to me as i lift her into the nook of my own shoulder and the not wanting to put her down until i feel satisfied with numerous squeezes.

"tell me about the bird and the boy and the friendly monster..."

the bird, the boy, and the friendly monster met a tiny man in a considerably small glittering silver suit. when he laughed he laughed so hard and so loud that a huge swirling bubble blew out of his mouth. when it popped it turned into a million birds of every color and they flew far into the sky to dance with the moon and kiss the stars.
So, I was ranting on a board, was told I should'nt rant there, just peeve. So I started a "rant only" thread, but then I was told it's okay to rant in Peeves or go to another place.... I give up. I'll only peeve in Peeves and Rant right here. My own place.

I've lived an interesting life, been almost everywhere, done almost everything, and have some unbelievable stories to tell.... I'll probably write a book one day.
It seems, that based upon my appearance, or my soft, polite voice... the way I was raised in school to speak with manners, that people try to fuck with me almost on a weekly basis...... which then leaves me no choice but to show a side of me they weren't expecting.
Example: I called my mortgage company. The automated lady doesn't recognize my phone number. So she asks for my SS number, again.... doesn't recognize it. I finally get to press "zero" and wait to speak to some man who hardly speaks English. I tell him the first problem, not recognizing my phone number or SS number. He puts me on hold. 12 full fucking minutes go by. Luckily I have unlimited minutes. He cones back.... I repeat the prior sentence. No response... because he had no clue what I just fucking said.... his little computer screen doesn't have the key word "unlimited minutes", I'm betting. He asks me for my fucking loan number. I'm driving. I tell him so. Isn't that what my fucking SS number is for or my home address.... you know, the address I'm paying the mortgage on???? The idiot finds my loan finally. I start asking about a charge... the reason for my call.
He starts picking a fucking fight with me about not having my loan number.... I swear I just told him I was driving. I shouldn't really even be on the phone at the same time!
That's IT! now I have to be a bitch.
I tell him:
First of all, YOU not having MY correct information in your system isn't my fucking fault... I'M the customer, I've paagent first and SECOND mortgage to you for 6 years now!!Fix It. It's your job, not mine!I then demanded to be transferred to someone BORN in the United States, because I'm sue there is no way you're going to understand why I'm calling.
I get a woman with a good 'ole southern accent. She helps ne understand why my mortgage payment had $42.00 in "extra fees due". A letter explaining it would have been nice.... so I pay the 42 bucks right then and there. Now why in the world did that have to turn into such a big ordeal???? WTF
I'll treat this like a little update since I haven't posted to the el-blog-o for a while now. I've been too freakin busy. Working full time and taking staining/painting jobs on the side (which basically amounts to about 30 additional hrs each week so far) is wearing my ass out.

But, alas, I did finish my first professional "job" for a "client." I still feel like I'm just some dude showing up at peoples' houses, staining their decks. Whatever. I got paid $500 for less than a week's work. SOooo, last night I celebrated. I took her out to eat for thai and sushi and had a few beers and a fat joint before bed. All in all, a good time had by everyone.

I do need to make business cards to leave with satisfied customers. Advertising is another important step that I think I might have figured out, at least for what I'm doing right now. I have a friend who runs a paper route that could stuff fliers in all his route's papers. That would definitely get my name out there with absolutely no investment. If i didn't know this guy, i wonder how hard it would be to pay off a delivery guy to stuff his papers with fliers.

"SWIM" is selling weed again too. It's fun. I'm smoking buds for free, not trying to turn a profit but more of just a hook-up my friends for a free bag per week operation.
SAturday, 2 days ago, <i went for a wlak in the park.

Twilight. [fast, ragged clouds flying in so low that they intermittently engulf Sutro Tower and even the tree tops on that hill. Smell of eucalyptis on the cold wind.] <i was high. A police cordoned off area [on the north side of the path and pond before you get to the "cave" that goes udner a park service road]. Even a detective standing there. SEveral squad cars and otehr city cops standing around. This was at the park entrance wehre the panhandle meets the park prper. Some guy walks up to a tree nearby and pisses.


<past the bowlign lawn club, somebody comes out fo the busehs, and smashesa bottle ont he path. Still dusk.
yeah, she´s been clean over a week now....

gf is panicking now. walking back, the cops drive out and .... <dope market´s open for business again."[says somebody standing on stanyon at the park entrance]
<haight
A filthy stew bum pissing in the trash can behind the bus stand.[on Haight st. across from the mcdonalds]
[a disheveled man sings:] Welcome to the Age of Acquarius the age of aquirius......

[a fat bum:] <you´re in the wroing part of town- <you should go north "

[teenage girl standing in doorway:] yeah peopel, we´re taking a shit on the sidewalk. give me some money.......

[the night of headline-making police shooting across the bay in oakland]

san jose costa rica
Ah sweet darlin my heart goes out to you because I know exactly how you feel! Been there, done that honey, BIG TIME. I had sunk soo low, I kid you not, that after quitting my job (due to opiate/barb addiction big time--Rx) I was off work 18 months. I was 26 when I started taking my happy pills. My Dr./coworker was very pleased seeing that 60 pills lasted 2 whole months, so he said good job, wrote me another Rx....of 60 pills 3xday/max right lmao, + 5 whole refills of 60 delicious (inner fiend salivating & doing the dance in my head, as my inner fiend started screaming and singing, "I feel pretty, oh so pretty, I feel pretty, & witty, & GAAAAAAAY! Oh blessed PILL God, halleluyah Prince Nod....yippy yippy yo praise chemical glows, walking down the aisle side by side Princess Oblivion, now that I'm the bride, ignoring the evil grin i saw as we did glide, ensnared by chemical happiness, insolent pride! I feel giddy, no self pity, "I now pronouce you, His Royal Highness the Duke of Pharmaceuticals & his wife The Dutchess of Pharmaceuticals, Mr. & Mrs. A.D. DICCted n2 the Institution of WedLOCKed for life! For only 2 shall enter, & 4saking all others the 2 locked IN...all others locked OUT. What chemicals hath artificially joined (imprisioned/cuffed) together 4 life as demon & demoness husband & wife. The only way out of this WedLOCKed Institution is through a coffin after the immortal hath died....or in an Urn once the crematorium has rendered mortal flesh ashes, soot, compact to bury....or strewn to the sea, wind, to The Grim Reaper to be as IRS agent in ghost plane of existence...says getting down to business, "It's time to CHAGNE forms......."
Right now I'm just really hating myself and seeing my life is a pathetic mess.
I feel like I'm falling into the "old PT" spin.
Full of excuses and no motivation to try to make changes.
I don't mean to discount everything. It just all feels so impossible.
I need a BIG change. I just don't know what....
I feel so out of control!
To be 24, or turn 25: that is the problem:
Is it better to suffer inside
Through whores and panic attacks you don't deserve or desire,
Or to pick up a gun staring toward the sea of bullshit that's become your life,
Curing the problem by facing it? To die: to sleep;



tick tock.. two n a half hours to go... :(

Goin for a ride. grab something to drink
thank you so much for the input.

thats what I was considering as well. im going to taper then drop to no dose then hop on suboxone. but i have heard that people in turn will get addicted to the suboxone so Im not sure if i should even get into the subs?

I really appreciate the input though. say I take around 200 mg a day. over how many days do you think I should wait to drop from dosage level to dosage level?

And how much of a MG drop should I do each time I go down a level ??

Thanks for any replies any help much appreciated.
hey! so, my boyfriends b-day is coming up soon and he keeps talking about how he misses smoking damiana. so that sparked an idea in my brain that i want to get him damiana for his b-day. the only problem now, is that i dont know where i can get it for cheap and in this somewhat of a short amount of time. i live in springfield missouri. anyone know of a place i can buy some damiana to smoke?
I had a really beautiful post I wanted to write about what my soul looked like. Who I truly am. But I don't have the strength in me anymore to write it. It feels like a lie when I'm feeling the way I am.

The tears just roll down my face as though I can't control them. I said I wasn't going to cry, it was stupid to cry over. But it happens anyway. I still say I'm not crying cause I'm not committing to it. I don't want to.
I hurt a lot. And it seems that no one knows, or no one cares. My troubles and heartache are laughable.

I feel like I'm coming unhinged. I know I just have to pull it back together. I just wish I could could be honest with you guys (BL) when once in awhile I really do hurt. But I fear the reaction of "oh its "Old PT" fuck that. We hate you.
Please remember I'm still human.
I'm not always happy go lucky and PLUR. Nor am I Emo. I am not to be labeled.
I am human and I have feelings and right now I feel so sad and lost and I guess my blog is the only place I can try to get it out.
Try to keep it from eating me alive.

The tears come more now. Still not committing to this crying bullshit. But at least I can hope its all this is a little cathartic, or something...
Slightly annoyed at the moment. I've just got home from an appointment at the drug & alcohol service, where the doc asked if I'd give him a urine sample, even though I already told him what drugs I've recently done. Obviously I'm not trusted or something. Needless to say, I refused the test, telling him that I have no legal requirement to do so under the conditions of my probation. I ain't pissing in a cup for anyone... it's undignifying to say the least. :\
Today I only worked for about an hour. It's my weekend now.

My fucking coolant is leaking like it's going out of style. It's more of an irritation than anything else... but I don't have money in my budget to fix my car.

That's what I get for buying an old Audi, but I do love it.

My solution was to use some cpvc glue to try and seal the crack in my coolant reservoir. We will see how well it works. Hopefully it can just carry me until next Friday.

My uncle Terry is going to be calling me tomorrow. I need to ask him for money. I need a laptop and textbooks money so I can start going to school again in the Fall. I have been awarded grants that cover my tuition, which is great, but my job at the treatment center has me just scraping by, and my other job doesn't pay enough to afford me that stuff.

I realized today that I was wearing a two hundred dollar pair of jeans and stressing out about a hundred dollar car repair. I guess I haven't been too smart with my money over the past three years.


But I'm not starving and I'm not exposed to the batshit insane heat outside and I'm not dopesick and miserable.

Life's good today.
Since I'm forced to continue attending therapy at the city alcohol and drug service by my probation officer, I made an appointment with my therapist last week and discussed my feelings about it with him (i.e. not wanting to attend, but being forced to). He laughed and said "I've been waiting for you to say that! No offence, but you really are a crap patient to work with!" I laughed at that as well, cos I know it's true. So we've now reached a compromise: I'm gonna continue attending appointments, but far less often. That way I can still tell my probation officer that I'm attending "regular" appointments, even if it's only once a month! ;)

In other news, I've just received a bill for the damage to a car I rear-ended a few months back from an insurance company (somehow they tracked me down!). It's eight hundred fucking dollars! There's no way I can afford that, so I'm either gonna continue dodging the insurance company and its debt collectors, or arrange to pay it off gradually over a period of time. I know the latter would be the best option, but I tend to be rather stubborn about these things. :p
I should probably start by writing a bit about myself. I'm a 24-year-old unemployed transsexual girl with major depression, borderline personality disorder, a heavy methamphetamine addiction, and a benzodiazepine dependence. Enough baggage to fill a cargo plane! :\

I live in a New Zealand city of about 200,000 people. I studied psychology for a while at university, before having to drop out because of all the crap going on in my life. Maybe one day I'll return to finish to degree, once I've got my shit together in a neat little pile. I have no idea what I want to do with my life career-wise, but frankly I don't really care at the moment. I've got bigger things to worry about.

I've been smoking methamphetamine for two years (at this time of writing), and have been using it especially heavily over the past year. I'll use whenever I can get it, however I can get it. My peak usage has been two grams of pure crystal meth every day of the week, but I'm now trying to reduce that (and I am making some progress there, with the help of a drug counsellor). :)

I was first prescribed clonazepam at 18 for anxiety and panic attacks, and have been taking them regularly for around six years. I'm currently on 6mg a day (mostly just as a maintenance dose, to prevent withdrawals) but I do have the odd moment when I abuse them and take much greater doses. I have an insane tolerance to benzos for someone with a body mass index of only 15-16, and I'm very dependant on them. If I don't have my clonaz, I get very sick indeed. One time, after stopping cold turkey, I had a full blown seizure (convulsing, foaming at the mouth, and all that jazz) and woke up in the emergency department.

Anyway, that basically sums up me and my issues. I tend to be incredibly lazy with blogs, but hopefully I'll write more soon! :D
Good times. What's better than getting cheated on? How about when your slutbag girl friend starts sucking your 'best friends' dick behind your back?


I'm sure there is a special place in hell for losers like Muhammad Kased. Fucking cock suckers who cheat on their fiances with their best friends girl. Go the fuck back to Palestine to your ignorant virgin, take the shame and HIV with you and never come back. You picked the wrong couple to get involved with you fucking moron. Have fun at the doctors. Hope Palestinian health care is better than it was when you left.


And you and I both know she was a shitty lay- you think you regret it now? Just wait till the fun starts you drop out fucking loser.
<3I never met you in person, but if only I could help you & somehow undo that terrible mistake that resulted in your departure from this place. Death is but another transition, a change, if you will....& to some a change even if they DON'T will. I am assuming, Tobala, that in your case, that was NOT your intention. Were you looking to soften life's pain? Were you just wanting to go off into the realm of dragons & magicland, the place I go when I'm spinning fast,

& were silliness, joy, peace, & love last. I've used to deaden pain, but more often than not, I'm happiest when my head stays up in the clouds. Beauty, magic, are all that reign. I miss out on soo much not staying down on earth like the majority of "normal" people do. Still, fuck it. By constrast, reality & earth, the way people act, 2 words: No contest. Reality can't even begin to compete with MY favorite place.

Kept in the closet from most, my secret life, just as a bipolar person takes the world's poles, puts them together 1 by 1, then finally in manic mode, vaults back up to the skies, heavens our real home, & vaulting up & yonder brief snatches of paradise are stolen from the human disgrace, we live it up, dance, play with our gods & goddesses, our missed friends, but there's a high price to be paid, either manic & busted by decisions made while high, to the down here on earth.

Perhaps, if not, the impending doom, the great depressions snares we get caught, or via dope sickness, not having enough, having too much, the complications never end. Plus, there's the chance the route, the vehicle, purchased by a one way ticket. What if the trip goes terribly wrong, as in a car, plane, train, boat, motorcycle, rocket. Happy as chemical airways allows 1 to be, except, took a wrong turn, went right instead of left, & somehow forgot all about the extra variations of turbo fuel .. not seeing the shadows of sparks from a road with many excellerants inside a volatile vessle, somehow past the point of no return, finding out too late that departure from this life as we know it, to be the very last.

Changed forever, not dead, but this mistake cannot be undone. "If only...." "What if...." "I shoulda done....woulda had....coulda been...."
Frustrations of sin or simply made dumb ass mistakes. Why is it? How come clarity is usually seen AFTER it's too goddamned late? I don't know you, Tobala, not personally. Although I DID enjoy our few long emails on here. You were VERY willing & gladly shared your knowledge concerning how to dose....one thing I've learned is to ALWAYS respect the unknown, especially strong dope. I had been in a hell of a pickle, sober 2 yrs, but Tramadol had me, it fucked me up. Ibogaine seemed a great solution, as it could have set me free from physical addiction to that damned forsaken drug.

The one & only I wish I'd never touched or heard of. Because of my dire financial position then & now, I had no way of coughing up $600, the detox drug that would have, if only, I'd been able to acquire, but not in the cards for me, but thanks a lot just the same. I'm sorry my friend, your life cut too short...you're like a burning bright star, burned hot, & lit up the sky, but the brighter the light, the hotter the flame, the sooner it goes to burning out, a stars death. It collapses upon itslef, a black hole ensures, but they too eventually burn out, & slow down as well. The outskirts of black holes at some time eventually become so hot from spinning, & emit waves of radiation.

So before the black hole burns out and stops spinning & moving, BAM! yet again, another BIG BANG. More stars, more light, yet another universe. Life sparks up again, & again, & again in some form. Personally, I see in my mind's eye black holes emiting their radiation waves.....up in my land, my head in the clouds, awesome music, because the black hole is emitting radios & music of ten million times ten? When all else fails, music is medicine for the Universe to begin, yet again.

You are the brilliant star, shooting bright. You are the black hole of unseen laughter handing out radios by the trillions for the Universe to hear. "What is that sound? I love it, what is making such lovely harmony like music so strong and clear?," asked a child like voice. "Radios. Tobala is passing out radios for many far and near. He's laughing & dancing, listen!,"answered a voice of wisdom and joy. "RADIOS! UNIVERSE YOUR RADIOS ARE HERE!," the voice of Tobala, joyful, happy, alive, loving music. Beautiful radios with sweet sounding music. Thankyou Tobala. May you be blessed with love & light always....Hugs. Pleased to meet you. I never told you my name. Tanya here, or simply, TJ. Rest in Peace, may you find healing, music, laughter, & love.
I've been a cranky motherfucker lately, but there's nothing like a survey to make you feel better. Here's hoping at least.

(stolen from a_c's post, hence the lack of capitalization :))

my name is: Dave

this morning i was: Way too fucking tired

im afraid of: People, mostly.

i dream about: "Meatball subs; all you can eat for two dollars!"

Seriously, just having someone that I can love, who loves me back. For once.

Have You Ever…

pictured your crush naked?: Daily.

been in love: No

cried when someone died: Yes.

lied: When I was quite young I was a pathological liar, but now I hate falsehood and try to be as honest and candid as possible.

flowers or candy: If candy = chocolate, then candy; else flowers (preferably living ones planted in dirt)

scruff or clean shaven: I can pull off both, but the latter seems to get better feedback.

tall or short: I'm on the tall end of average, around 192 cm. I seem to prefer smaller ladies though.


With The Opposite Sex…

what do you notice first?: Eyes/lips/teeth

last person you slow danced with: No idea, as it was probably over a decade ago.

worst question to ask: I'm not to sure about this one. Either way, people generally don't ask me about myself-- which is why I like surveys :)

Who…

makes you laugh the most?: My best friend's wife. She's an absolute riot.

makes you smile: My crush.

gives you a funny feeling when you see them: See above.

is easier talk to: boys or girls?: Depends.

Do You Ever…

sit on the internet waiting for someone special to IM you?: No. Sitting on the internet should be its own reward.

save AIM conversations?: Is saved by default by my IM client

wish you were a member of the opposite sex?: If it could be done reversibly (and completely, rather than current gender reassignment), in a second. If it was one way but 100%, probably.

cry because of something someone has said: Not cry, but I can get upset pretty easily at times.

pray?: Not since I didn't get that Lamborghini in 4th grade.

Have You Ever…

fallen for your best friend?: Nope.

rejected someone: Once. She was a creeper, and a fundie.

cheated on someone: No, and I never would.

been cheated on: Yes

done something you regretted: Of course. Nearly daily.

wanted to die: Yup.

Who Was The Last Person…

you talked to on the phone: My mum I think. I avoid phones like the plague, and generally stick to texting.

hugged: Best friend's wife.

you instant messaged: Don't recall; I don't use IM all that much, unless texting counts.

you laughed with: A circle of close friends, including my Best Friend's Wife.

Do You…

color your hair: Normally no. But I'm doing a hair modelling gig at a trade show this weekend, which involved getting a (free) very expensive dye job. The last time that I dyed it before that was probably 1998.

ever get off the computer: When I'm not at work or home, or when I'm asleep. Otherwise I'll at least have it on to play music (monitor off of course).

habla espanol: Non, mais je parle Francais.

sprechen sie deutsches: Eine kliene bissien.

fight with your parents: Not really, although I do ration my time with them.

have friends you’ve lost touch with: Of course

feel happy?: I have my moments. Right now, not really.

wish you could fly away.. far, far away?: Yes. I'm mulling over selling my place and disappearing for six months.

believe in God?: No

could you live without the computer?: Yes, but I'd have a tough time communicating with people.

what’s your favorite candy?: Chocolate of any form, as long as it is of decent quality.

whats your favorite fruit?: Fresh pineapple

sunrise or sunset?: Sunrise is hopeful, sunset is peaceful/mournful. Both are of equal beauty.

what hurts the most? Emotional.

trust others way too easily?: Generally not, although I let people hurt me too easily.

are your fingers cold?: Generally not.

coke or pepsi: Neither. I haven't had any of that toxic filth for years.

Final Questions…

I want: something?

I wish: I had better social facility.

I love: Cooking, reading, learning, relaxation, music, art, and life.

I miss: Feeling connected to people.

I fear: Covered above, like the second question. Who wrote this survey? ;)

I hear: My computer fan, and the upstairs neighbours having guests over.

I smell: Very little. My sense of smell, while recovering somewhat, is still pretty weak.

I wonder: If I'll ever feel comfortable.
Poping 5 tylenol#3's as soon as i get out of bed just to ward off the junk WD and the fact that i can barely fucking walk my leg hurts so bad. That was the last of the codeine i had now all i have left is lousy tramadol. Which ive taken 300mg's of today.

Still breathing zopiclone fumes from last night i eat 250mg's of lyrica and 1200mg's of gabapentin to cut the cravings for alcohol and to calm me down. The 8mg's of clonazepam helps as well. I may eat more tramadol later on because i shouldnt have a seizure with the meds im on.

My brain is scrambled from the mix of downers im on and right now that is a good thing. Im not feeling too sick and certainly not as bad as expected. As long as i can keep my nerves down im alright.

Fuck i wish it was thursday or friday so i could get my morphine. Fucking hell thats seems like a long way away.
Today is Saturday, June 26th, 2010 and it is now 847 AM here in Makati, Luzon, in the Philippines.

To recap, I was back in the family compound in San Franz, Mindanao, and seeing Col. Carlos Lademora...

I had said in my last entry that he and I were "relieved," that we had escaped attention after the "Maguindanao Massacre." As I had briefly mentioned, the "Massacre" took place at the hands of a pro-government paramilitary.

After it happened there was a lot of public sentiment demanding the dissolution of all official paramilitaries. There was also A LOT of attention paid to alleged misdeeds committed by these paramilitaries.

The Philippines has ALWAYS been a nation of "warl-rds" and little fifedoms. The central government in Manila offers tremendous latitude as long as it gets the votes it desires come election time.

The paramilitary in the "Massacre" was the Ampatuan family's and consisted of CVO (Civilian Volunteer Organisations). CVOs are usually found in Muslim majority areas and they service LGUs (Local Government Units), meaning Barangay, Town/City and Province.

Normally they are outfitted with M1 Garands which are pretty useless in today's world but that is how it is. Applicants who join a CVO get almost 2,700 Pesos a month (about 57 US), and 45 days military training, at least on paper.

They only serve in the community to which their particular CVO is attached. The equivalent in non-Muslim areas like mine is a CAFGU (Kaf-Goo), meaning "Civilain Auxilary Force Geographical Unit.

I have spoken in past entries about my nascent paramilitary, and that it s a type known as "CAFGU-SS." The actual label is, "SSCA," (Special CAFGU Active Auxilaries).

CAFGUs and CVOs are paid for by the government and armed at the government's discretion, ergo crappy rifles and shitty training. SS though are created by landholders and businessmen. We fund it, we arm it, or rather we tell the government what to order for us since it has to go through their end user certificates (difficult ordering up 400 AR15s from the US, to the Philippines, without it).

We can train them ourselves if we choose though they try to get us to put them through the government's 45 days training for quasi-reservists.

So, after the "Massacre" there was serious talk over re-vamping the entire system but the government knows this is impossible to do. They created a stupid commission with no teeth, to identify, list and then demobilise "private" paramilitaries but what this translated into was nothing but a few newspaper blurbs.

In fact, before I continue, I should offer some more details about how Jackie and I actually met. As I said in past entires it happened at the military base Jackie was born and raised on, the same base she was living on when we met.

My section of Mindanao is the Eastern half of the island, ergo "EASTMINCOM" (Eastern Mindanao Command). EASTMINCOM has 2 AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) Army Divisions, the 4th and the 10th.

My village, or town, borders the 4th and 10th, though our compound falls within the 4th. Jackie's base is the 4th Division's main base.

When Col Lademora put the bug in my ear about forming my own SS (he has his own and the idea is to buil mine sufficiently and then fold them into each other and create quite a formidable force), he introduced me to the 4ths CO, Major General Mario Chan, at his office on that base, Camp Edilberto Evangelista.

General Chan put me in touch with 2 Lt.Cols., COs of 2 different Battalions, the 23rd and 29th (in the 402nd Brigade), directly. The Philippine military is quite different from any I have ever known. Normally he would have introduced me to the Brigade CO but in this case it took the form of a 5 minute phone call, a courtesy call if you will, informing him that he was hooking me up with the 2 Battalion COs.

2 days later the LT Col of the 23rd met me for lunch in San Franz and then took me to Esperanza, a small town in my province that I have mentioned in past entries since we have an important rice broker of ours doing business up there.

Esperanza is not like San Franz. Our town is locked up tight, it is the home of the Ilaga Movement,a pro-government movement that I have talked about before. Ergo, the NPA (Maoist Insurgency) leaves us totally alone, excepting 1 offencive about 18 months ago when most of the town had become refugees, but I am meandering too much.

Esperanza on the other hand is in deep conflict. From barangay to barangay (neighbourhood to neighbourhood) one can find the NPA ruling with a shadow/parallel government, or one can find pro-government paramilitaries holding strong.

Esperanza is one of 3 "capitals" of the Higaon-on Hilltribe, Jackie's father's tribe. Like "indigenous" Peoples the world over Hilltribes are caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse (don't I sound so very trite using that "cat and mouse" shtick?).

The 23rd IB, whose CO was chauffering me around, is the point unit for a pro-government paramilitary known as the "BLA" (Bungkatol Liberation Army), the armed wing of a political movement known as "BULIF."

BULIF seeks to gain much more autonomy for the Higao-on, though at this point not to secede.

When I got involved the organisation was at its germination, just coalescing. I admired the foresight of the 4th ID to seize the iniative and turn what could have been yet another seccessionist organisation into pro-government force.

The word "Bungkatol" basically translates into English as, "The true and earnest laws and customs of our tribal elders." They wanted to avoid being used by the NPA, but at the same time they agreed with the NPA that the government's COIN (Counter-Insurgency) protocols were not serving the needs of the Hilltribesmen.

I will continue in yet another post because of the wonderful character count.

(Edited for spelling)
Hey all, was and am prescribed oxycodone 30mg=40mg and have been taking religiously for years. Now I'm thinking of trying to get off them for awhile so they will actually help my pain again! my tolerance has grown so high my recommended dose does anything, and im not sure there is anything higher then this ? any ideas on how to taper my dosage and make my withdrawal as comfortable as possible (although I know it will be hell no matter what)!! please help me through this, or any alternative ideas to get me to feel the meds again withOUT having to stop them would be amazing! Thanks in advance guys. Hope to make bluelighter within the next day or two! woohoooo!! :D
Well, there was a huge mix up of dates, perfect timing 8) Thursday is the viewing and friday is the buriel.

Earthquake talk -- Its rediculous, it was very minor considering. Though I am sure people not used to it would be a little rattled. i don't think it warrented all the news time it took up. I felt it here in Toronto. It rattled my house like a rag doll but nothing got knocked down just alot of shaking and TV almost got knocked down.

My brother lives on the 2nd floor and he never felt it and my brother was driving into hamilton right after it ended and felt nothing.

My daughter felt nothing on her 2nd floor classroom.

I was on the 2nd floor when it happened and I felt it. i dunno why some did and some didnt. weird.

Thats all on that.

Won't be online for a couple days, maybe more, I dunno.

Hope all is well around the world.
I just found out at 3pm that my dad died sometime between 11am - 2pm. He died in his sleep from a heart attack, we initally thought it was his ulcer and we didn't even know he had heart issues besides a slightly elevated blood pressure.

He was only 63 years old. His mother died the same way, after having her 3rd stroke. His mother died though at 84yrs old, his father died when he was 53yrs old of Cancer.

His viewings are Wed, Thurs, Fri of this week. I don't know how I'll even go. I mean I will go, but I don't think I will be able to "say goodbye" at the casket.

My family and I were never uber close but my parents and I were close enough. They had their issues but I knew my dad loved me and that he adored my mom.

My parents would have been married 30 years next month (or was it August? i forget) and have been together about 35 years.

I always told myself that i wouldn't cry if my parents died because in my head i "expected" it because of their drug habbit and their already poor health.

I kinda expected my brother or mother to die first, not being mean but they are in the poorest of health. My brother has Hepatitus C and bad kidneys, smokes and does pills and drugs of all kind. My mother has Epilepsy, and just over all bad health.

I got the call just before I was supposed to pick up my son from school. Thought it was him getting back to me after I called at 1:30pm. I was just about to say, "Hey no-mind what's up?" an inside joke we always kidded about when we talked but then I heard my brother's voice and my husband saying, "WHAT?!".... so I was like, "Uh, hello?" and my brother told me. Needless to say, I had to hang up for an hour to get my stuff together before I could talk to anyone.

Its been a long day.....

To top it off my ex-MIL had the nerve to bitch at my husband when he called to ask her to pick up my daughter from school... "Why couldn't you call sooner?!" she yelled at him...

Well pardon me bitch if I didn't know my dad died until 3pm, next time he dies I'll ask him to send a memo ahead of time to not inconvience your beer binge.... is what I wanted to say but i kept my mouth shut.

To top it off my son has been acting up all day, more so than normal. Just being outright bad. Telling everyone that he wishes they would die just because they won't give him things or they make him mad... :\

I got a headache :(
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