Niall’s virtual diary archives – January 2000

Sunday 16th January 2000: 12.56am. For one more time it's ...

HAPPY 22ND BIRTHDAY NIALL!

Sorry I didn't get in a new year's message, it was lack of effort + a lot of email to get through. What did I get up to? Well, I stayed exactly in my own home in Cork, Ireland - where I ate some seven pills plus two fresh acid. And lots and lots of nice skunk - indeed I smoked a pure joint of Jack Herer on the dot of 2000. And lost the plot in the early hours of 2000, apparently running around all night doing weird things ...

Leaving home was okay, I know it's unlikely I'll be back next Christmas. I spent most of my three weeks lying in bed, doing nothing etc. relaxing and getting fat once more. It was good, I feel considerably better for it. Pity to say goodbye to everything, I'd done it already this time last year so it was a little strange. And of course, it's another year over and a new millennium. All very strange.

Now as you might have noticed above, I have just had my 22nd birthday (yesterday it was in fact). Which means this is the birthday entry, and kinda new year's too. Guess it's time for the usual round-up of the year and birthday entry (see last year's entries).

Ho hum, what's happened this year which is of significance ...

• Creation of Legalise Cannabis Society
  In February of last year, several months work culminated in the creation of the Hull University Student's Union Legalise Cannabis Society. It was to dominate my life for much of the subsequent year. The work we would do would end up touching many people's lives, and much happiness as much as tears.
• Bout of depression
  End of February - start of March saw my last real bout of depression, and the start of March has an entry which shows the effect of my new-found regular use of skunk instead of nastier cheaper stuff. Ever since then I haven't had any bouts of depression. Thank god for the skunk!
• Howard Marks came to Hull & J-Day
  ... in April at the bequest of the Legalise Cannabis Society and it went really well raising lots of money to go to J-Day 1999 with 10,000 people marching in London for the legalisation of cannabis and we all had a fantastic day.
• Silly season happened
  Silly season is the annual falling of the bottom out of the drugs market here in Hull. Something to do with the spring season and greater sunlight etc., but it's sure fun. Started roughly at the start of March, got very silly in April/May and tapered off in June with exams and end of term. Great fun, looking forward to doing it all again in just a few months time!
• Saw Ruth again
  In April, went to Spain for the first time and saw a girl whom I had not seen for three years (here for more). The effects were profound, it caused me to finally come to peace with life.
• Had my first job as a professional
  In June, went to Canada to work as a professional ARM consultant at a branch of a multi-national company. Nice big pay increase :)
• Had many important realisations during the summer
  The lack of anything else to do other than to think and at that with a clear mind gave me much time to think whilst in Canada. And I had many important realisations, many of which missed getting written down. A very boring, but very productive time during June, July & August.
• Went to my first squat rave
  ... in September and realised that there is no limit to how much drugs you can take. Since then has seen drug use at a mostly moderate level, but expecting things to change in the next few months :)
• Dissolution of Legalise Cannabis Society
  In the November of last year, my student's union dissolved its Legalise Cannabis Society, something which I had created and worked hard for for much of the past year. It hit me very hard, but I found myself astonished at how resiliently I took these happenings and I began to believe that my realisations of the summer were correct, finally I am at peace with myself and more mentally stable than for years. Needless to say, such proof is very welcome even if the cause is not.
• New Millennium dawned
  And with that, the beginning of a permanent change to my life. Now I have the pieces in place and only some six months to go, I have adult life beckoning. I'm tiring of this life anyway and want to take on some direction, something to try at and occupy me. Plan is to do this on all three fronts of life: for friends, a new language and culture in a new country. For love, possibly a relationship with Ruth. For mental direction, my final year project and work as a professional.
  
  Or maybe not. Maybe this life would prove too hectic for me, I know certainly how much I hate nine to five jobs and the whole responsibility of it. Maybe working for myself? Maybe, but what is certain is that the next year will see the end of this part of my life. And a new unknown awaits.

So that's the annual round-up of the year. My apologies for making it a summary of the past year's main events as spoken by this diary, but I honestly sat down and thought of major events and came up with none other than the above. Guess it shows the diary chronicaling my most major happenings accurately and true!

What did I do for my birthday? Well, I drank champagne and got coked and pilled off my face. And then I smoked myself into an oblivion. And it was great, if very expensive. Much quieter than the party in the union last year, but I remember being very depressed that day and that certainly wasn't the case this year, so yeah, better all round.

Now, what about my birthday entry? Well, I promised this time last year to get you my birthday entries for 1997 and 1998, those being missing last year through being held by Melanie. And so I shall, in addition I shall type them in. However, it's now 2.24am, and as with last year I'm now going to have a joint to celebrate (it's isn't the first, but it's a good excuse!). Unlike last year whence I had some basic weed, this year I have some six different types of skunk to choose from - super skunk (average indica), Flow (v. strong indica), Skunk ? (nice sativa), White Widow A ("A" meaning the first white widow I received, this is one with a really weird high and fruity orangey taste), White Widow B (light and puffy, lots and lots of crystalised THC around it - needless to say, very strong - also has v. pleasant taste) and lastly a special "Banana" skunk (banana smelling and tasting skunk, gets you battered in a strange way). I smoked an eight variety skunk spliff today, blew all three of us completely away totally. Couldn't move for at least two hours. Fun ;)

Anyway, my upshot is that I am now pausing to roll and smoke a joint. I'll be back in a mo ... Back!

Okay, one nearly pure joint of White Widow A down me. My god, I'm so fucked again! In fact, I may need to go to bed now. I'll finish this off tomorrow! Until then, be happy, see you all again soon!