Well, blow me down

Popeye the sailor man used to say that whenever something would get under his skin.

Cool thing for a sailor to say. Winds, sails, waves and such.

I loved popeye. He was a little guy with a tough attitude. He took no shit! Somebody messed with him, he fought back. And when the going got too tough, he popped some spinach and took care of business. He did it through diet, not drugs…or did he? What if the spinach was just a symbol for a stimulate that fueled his rage against the indignities of a cruel and injust world?

What if the theme of the popeye story about abusing substances as a means to defeat ones enimies?

No, green vegetation makes a person mellow. I never heard of someone beating the hell out of their loved one because he was high on pot. Or crashing their car into a telephone pole.

Wait! No one should ever drive under the influance, let’s be clear on that!

The point is, do we have to use a substance to make us that which we are not?

I tried writting high (many, many years ago). I had some great ideas, but getting them on paper was futile. Writing drunk never got past scribes on bar napkins.

Many, many years ago I dropped acid. I found a notebook and drew a bunch of cartoon characters. It looked like Walt Disney and Dr. Timothy Leary had a love child.

Many artist think they expand their mind and performance, by using. Fact is, if it is not there to begin with, (talent) no drug or stimulate will bring it out.

Except jazz players…just kidding.