I was reading the Times Union this morning, and was a bit annoyed by the article titled, “Cannabis treatment not always easy to find“. What I find so triggering about the article is its part of the Times Union screed about how awful high-potency cannabis is and how some users get addicted to it. But honestly, I kind of like the high-potency concentrates, because it doesn’t stink the way conventional cannabis does, and you can take a very quick puff and be good and high.
Is Cannabis addiction a real thing? Well, I have a bit of an addiction to apple cider vinegar, and I like cornmeal pancakes, and would be sad if I didn’t have either one. But it’s hardly a chemical addiction. And there isn’t a lot of evidence that cannabis is chemically addicting, even if is enjoyable to be stoned out of one’s brains. Cannabis treatment has dropped as fewer courts are mandating it for a now legal product. Concentrates are healthier as you smoke much less for the same amount of high.
Operating machinery or driving a car when stoned is not a good idea. Smoking a lot of anything is breathing in carcinogens. But life is not risk-free, and people will do stupid shit. Yet, if it gives people enjoyment on their time off, then all the more power them.
When will the conflict with Iran end? President Trump’s timeline, like his military strategy, is ephemeral. But its knock-on effects are already here. This war is, in all likelihood, affecting your life — and will continue to for most of this year.
“Conventional wisdom” refers to widely accepted, often unexamined, beliefs within a society or field. While appearing as early as 1838 to mean common knowledge, the phrase was popularized and defined in its modern context by economist John Kenneth Galbraith in his 1958 book The Affluent Society to describe ideas favored for their acceptability rather than their accuracy.Β
History and Evolution
Early Usage (1838): The phrase appeared as a synonym for “commonplace knowledge” or “accepted beliefs,” used in various contexts before the 20th century.
Galbraithβs Coining (1958): Economist John Kenneth Galbraith is widely credited with coining the modern usage in The Affluent Society. He specifically used it to describe how ideas become “esteemed at any time for their acceptability”.
Refinement of Meaning: Galbraith emphasized that “The” conventional wisdom refers to ideas that are comfortable and predictable, often resisting new facts that might challenge them.
Modern Usage: Today, the term is used in political, economic, and social contexts to represent the dominant, often unchallenged, consensus.Β
Key Characteristics
Resistance to Change: The conventional wisdom is often defended with intense loyalty and is used to explain complex topics through simple, widely accepted narratives.
Institutional Adoption: It can represent long-accepted expert opinions within institutions, sometimes restricting creative, new solutions.
Drawbacks: Because it is accepted without question, it can make it difficult to think creatively, leading to reliance on outdated information.
Itβs been six and a half months since I had LASIK on both eyes, and honestly, itβs hard to believe how fast the time has flown. Looking back, making the decision to go under the laser was easily one of the best moves Iβve ever made.
If youβre tired of the “contact lens struggle,” hereβs what my journey looked likeβfrom a stressful surgery day to waking up with 20/20 vision.
A Rocky Start to a Smooth Procedure
The day of the procedure started with a bit of a headacheβliterally. My bus never showed up, so I ended up having to drive my truck to the clinic and leave it there overnight. Despite the stress of showing up late for the big snip, the actual procedure was quick and surprisingly painless.
Recovery started immediately. I got a ride home that afternoon, kept my eyes shut the whole way, and was knocked out by 3 PM thanks to the prescribed sleep aid. By the next morning, the goggles were off. I caught a 6 AM bus back to the doctor to recover my truck left overnight andβfor the first time in yearsβdrove my truck home as the sun rose without a single pair of glasses or contacts.
The Recovery Phase
The first two weeks weren’t perfect. I had to deal with:
The “Scratchy” Phase: My eyes felt irritated and dry, similar to the feeling many contact lens wearers know too well.
Protection: I wore anti-itch goggles for a week and rocked sunglasses every time I jumped on my bike.
The Drop Routine: I was supposed to use eye drops for six weeks. Admittedly, I wasn’t the most consistent (especially during my October road trip!), but by week two, the major dryness had already faded.
The “Wow” Moment
The real game-changer was my night vision. It took a little while to strengthen, but once it did? Wow. Everything became clearer and brighter. The excessive road glare and eye strain I used to get while driving at night in my big jacked up truck with contacts simply vanished.
Freedom from the Costly Ritual
Before LASIK, my life involved a constant cycle of ordering lenses, packing glasses for camping trips, and the endless hunt for soap and hand sanitizer to make sure I didn’t get an eye infection while poking my pupils.
Now? I just wake up and see.
I rarely experience dry eyes anymoreβfar less than I did during those final, irritating months of wearing contacts. Most days, I almost forget I ever needed vision correction at all.
Was Is It Worth It?
Contacts are fine, but letβs be realβthey kind of suck. If youβre on the fence, I can tell you that the freedom of putting glasses behind you permanently is worth every penny. Life is just better when you can just see.
