Six Months with Furthur & Other Blog Business

August is Furthur's sixth month in operation, and it's been growing exponentially. I've had almost 3,000 views, which is way more than I ever hoped to achieve. You guys are obviously great, and I hope you continue to stick around! Let me know how I can facilitate that. :)

I'm so glad that I started blogging, because in addition to teaching me some really cool things in a variety of fields, it's really satisfying knowing that the information I'm providing is helping people out there. There's one memorable case where I got to talking to a guy around my age on a different site, and the topic of LSD came up. He was planning on trying it soon, but had a lot of questions and was having trouble finding reliable answers. I directed him here and he reported back that Furthur had really helped him out. (Shout out to you, dude! Let me know how it goes!)

In case you were curious, I haven't been posting much lately because of my four thousand other writing projects. In addition to a novel (in the works) and a book of poetry (trying to get it published) I recently started up two other blogs on Wordpress (which, I must say, is much cooler than Blogger). Don't fret-- I'm gonna start posting more regularly. I haven't forgotten you guys!

If you like Furthur, you can check out my Youtube account minna420 or find furthurxfuture on Twitter.

Once again, I invite you to help me make Furthur about you guys. PLEASE COMMENT! Ask me questions, give your opinion, share stories. Pass a joint! We're all friends here at Furthur!

A cat and some dank shit. Probably two of my favorite things in life.

Sex on Acid vs. Sex on Shrooms

This is really a question for you guys, out of my own curiosity.

I personally prefer psilocybin sex. I am not as experienced with shrooms as I'd like to be, but on my strongest trip I was convinced I was an Aztec goddess and that my then-boyfriend was a sun god. It made for some pretty interesting fucking. On acid, my newfound Buddha-consciousness tends to distract me from what is happening around me, and I only periodically remember that I'm getting fucked. Not really worth it.

How about you? Which do you prefer? How are they different?

New Weird America

Most people think that LSD died out after Woodstock, but in my experience the psychedelic culture is still going strong after half a century. Either that, or I just happen to know the entire 9.7% of the population that has tried acid. 

My generation even has its own psychedelic music movement, known as New Weird America. It combines the traditional mix of psychedelic, folk, and rock with some electronic influence often thrown in, to make something 21st century and unique. Sometimes it's also called Freak Folk, a name of which I am very fond.

Devendra Banhart, one of my favorite New Weird America artists, looking fly.

I recommend having a listen, especially if you like Mumford & Sons, MGMT, or Brewer & Shipley.

Some popular artists associated with New Weird America include:
(links go to the Last.FM page of the respective artist)

Devendra Banhart

Joanna Newsom

CocoRosie

Animal Collective

Six Organs of Admittance

Bon Iver

Grizzly Bear

Jana Hunter

The Mountain Goats

of Montreal

Mariee Sioux

Disturbing YouTube Trend

Frankly, there are a lot of stupid people. And very few of them are inherently stupid-- most people just don't think before they act, and they don't realize how far-reaching the consequences of their actions can be.

Something that I've found extremely irritating recently is those particular idiots who video tape themselves acting like fools while on Salvia and post it on Youtube. Apparently it's quite a trend.

This is a horrible way to keep Salvia legal for everyone who would use it responsibly. The uninitiated would find it very tough to tell what is a side effect of the drug, and what is pre-existing stupidity. Many hysterical parents and sensationalist journalists have cited these videos as reasons that Salvia is the scourge of teenagers and should therefore be illegal.

Our culture does not know how to use psychedelics correctly. In societies where use is common, it has become ritualized, and there are methods of dealing with the experiences. I'm not saying that anyone who wants to trip should find a guide or join the League for Spiritual Discovery. But I am saying that when people trip for "kicks," they will get more than they bargained for.

Politically, I consider myself pretty far to the left. I was raised by a devout union man and self-described commie (although that tag isn't quite accurate), and I can't help but love when the government helps people and makes sure that greedy corporations don't exploit us humans. Taxes are cool with me. But what I hate is when the government gets into peoples' personal lives to supposedly protect them. Some forms of protection are not actually protecting anybody-- like the campaign against marijuana. And other things, like helmet laws and heroin use, should be common sense. If somebody wants to risk splitting their head like a melon in a motorcycle accident, or facing a lifetime of addiction, it's their own problem. So is eating too much junk food. Well-meaning sensationalists and their quest to protect everyone from everything is completely inappropriate and steps on the rights of every single citizen. I'd rather we just be treated like adults.

If you are inebriated (on any substance) and happen to think it would be a really great idea to tape yourself and post it to Youtube, think again. There are so many videos of people freaking out or acting like idiots, and none of people laying peacefully in the grass or calmly explaining their new revelations to their friends. Don't be part of this problem please.

Psychedelic Artist Alex Grey

You don't need to be tripping to appreciate Alex Grey's intricate artwork, because he will take you there himself. He combines his passion for artwork with his medical knowledge of anatomy and with the insights from his drug experiences.

His most acclaimed series, Sacred Mirrors, invites introspection through depictions of various ways of looking at the self. It took him ten years to complete. Much of his artwork continues in the same style.

I love the way that he states complex concepts in a manner that is both beautiful and non-lecturing. His paintings go past the literal, and they say to me a lot about the miracle of life and the beauty of science. The fact that we understand the tiny tickings of our bodies doesn't diminish how transcendent our bodily experiences can be.

To hear about his life, artwork, and philosophy from the man himself, here's an interview that will also show you a lot of his best works. Listening to him speak is great, because even though his artwork is pretty far-out, he doesn't conform to the stereotype of a spacey, strung-out artist. He is eloquent and cohesive, and a pleasure to listen to.

Here's another one about his Ayahuasca experience:

Alex Grey makes me wish I was an artist, because words can't describe the things that he shows so eloquently. All I can hope for is to someday be as intelligent and thoughtful as he is. Wish me luck, I'll need it!