It's been a few busy months. K and I finally go married on July 30th, after some 9 years together. And building has finally started on our new home up in the Sam Houston forest.. yup, 8.36 acres. Will be perfect for growing once we get the laws changed!
I have really been enjoying my volunteer job as Houston NORML's Veteran Outreach Director. It's given me such a wonderful opportunity to meet and help and educate others, and be educated myself.
We have a huge event called the Lone Star Rally that we will be at from Wed Nov2 thru Sun Nov 6th, with bug out the next day on the 7th. I am making some shirts to wear at it.. this is my first ones:
I wrote about Ann Lee a few months back, and now there is going to be a documentary about RAMP and there is a party about it next Thur I am going to:
Details
Join us to the preimer of the RAMP documentary that tells the story of our organization and our founders Ann and Bob Lee. After the screening we will visit about RAMP's goals for the 2017 Texas legislative session. The event is free, but a $10 donation if welcomed to help continue our mission to reform marijuana laws in Texas.
link to the event; https://www.facebook.com/events/1088254897888522/
Then there is an MPP event here in Houston next Sat which myself and my friend Jeffery are going to.
Details
Professional or “business casual” attire only please.
Registration is FREE!
Constituent advocacy is one of the most critical tools we have as a grassroots movement. Legislators and other community members need to hear from Texans like you who want to see sensible marijuana policies instituted.
This training event is designed to help you become an effective advocate for marijuana law reform in Texas. This training event will offer you the tools you need to make effective arguments, dispel common myths, confidently communicate with your legislators, and positively affect policy during the upcoming legislative session.
Saturday, October 8, 2016
9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Trini Mendenhall Community Center
1414 Wirt Road
Houston, Texas 77055
FREE Registration: http://
Registration is FREE!
Constituent advocacy is one of the most critical tools we have as a grassroots movement. Legislators and other community members need to hear from Texans like you who want to see sensible marijuana policies instituted.
This training event is designed to help you become an effective advocate for marijuana law reform in Texas. This training event will offer you the tools you need to make effective arguments, dispel common myths, confidently communicate with your legislators, and positively affect policy during the upcoming legislative session.
Saturday, October 8, 2016
9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Trini Mendenhall Community Center
1414 Wirt Road
Houston, Texas 77055
FREE Registration: http://
Here is the facebook link https://www.facebook.com/events/1644170719231187/
Public · Workshop · Hosted by Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy and...
And here is the info for the Lone Star Rally. We are looking for volunteers to come out and help us man the Houston NORML booth, and I the Operation Trapped table we'll have there... I hope to get 1000 bottles just at this event. I want to have a countdown board and get lots of buzz going about it. Some 300,000 people come to this event.. so I think getting 1000 veterans out of that with the help of volunteers should be easy! After all, how many bikers are veterans.. I just read an article that said 76% of bikers are veterans. Wow. Brotherhood. Houston NORML has gotten a beach house nearby for us to stay at for the duration. I know I'll have to take some breaks from the sheer amount of people that show up. Our Executive Director told me to bring ear plugs. Normally I'd stay far away from this many people.. for for The Cause.. I can do this. 0.o
Public · Meetup · Hosted by Southern Soul Rydahs RC
As for my MST situation... this activism has been of huge help in regards to it. I have to talk about it.. and people listen. That's really important. New people hear about it.. many have never heard of military sexual trauma.
Just yesterday, I was at a lunch with an adult social group with friends and a new person joined us. He asked about the brace I have to wear on my left hand now.
He asked if it was from stopping a fall as he teaches classes on 'how to fall right'. " No".. I had to say, " It's from my Navy supervisors grabbing my thumb and using it to twist my arm behind my back and force me into submission and to control me. And the fucks on both bases did it the same. That essentially went on for four years. Lots of damage done. So now, as I have gotten older, all those twisted bones have developed sharp edges that saw on the tendons. The VA wants to cut them out and use tendons from my arm to build a 'new' sort of joint there. But I am not up to that at this point, I'd rather wear the brace which helps keep my thumb immobile. "
He stared at me, obviously aghast. I am sure he'd never had that answer before in the years he's been asking that question of people. I don't enjoy shocking people that way. Thank goodness the friends there with me mostly know my story and were nodding sportively. I told him about The Invisible War
http://invisiblewarmovie.com
Four years ago I would have lied.. would not have been able to say the truth without hyperventilating and going into a withdrawal trance. The VA had offered me 'immersion' therapy..where you talk about what happened for months till supposedly it doesn't affect you anymore. Thank goodness Crystal didn't recommend it for me and suggested I be a cannabis activist instead! Boy howdy has this been useful to me. And so much more effective then telling the same person the same story. Especially in our case, we MST survivors. I think a big part of our healing is MAKING OUR STORY COUNT! And doing this, changing the law for other veterans, children, autistic and Asburgers folks, cancer patients , TBI, other PTSD folks.. the list goes on and on... is the best therapy for me for sure. Today, I got to talk to another lady veteran ( Hi D!)
about how much being a cannabis activist has helped me.
While I have made lots of progress... I still have lots of issues that I have to work on. I hate that I have such up and down days.. that K has to be watchful of my moods. I want him to have a smooth and peaceful life. But he knew me before my breakdown.. how successful I was professionally.. that I was able to take him on trips. Now.. I can't imagine how dealing with me feels to him. But he has married me, knowing how crazy and emotional I can be. And I am blessed beyond beyond to have this amazing life with him. The dream home we are building that has keep me super busy on top of being so supportive of my activism. Tomorrow they are supposed to be pouring the foundation and I hope to be up there watching it.
So, that's an update on things... as usual.. I'll try to do this more frequently.
Over and Out,
Myst
