[Mara]

Nancy,

No, I have no wish to take psychedelics; I did once, as a teenager, and never wish to again. It was far too intense an experience; I have found, through macrobiotics, I can have all the richness and intensity or lack of it in my life that I want without drugs, and none of the instability and fear and rollercoaster of that ungrounded state.

I think I disagree with you on the importance of dreaming, and making dreams come true, though. I am by nature a very grounded person, very practical. I think it is always importance to temper the impulses of the heart with the knowledge of the mind, yet never let either get too carried away.

Life is beautiful, regardless of what we choose to eat. But life's brevity, to me, makes it all the more important for me to enjoy a variety of experiences, particularly the ones infused with all the excitement and tradition of human history. Being a dreamer, I see more than just the material nature of things. I like to think I live in the moment, but can see that moment as containing all the richness of the past and the possibilities of the future, at once.

So, no, I don't wish to take drugs. But I do like to play with less harmful, more common substances. Most of all, I like to make contact with people from all walks of life, whether at the supermarket, coffee shop, or fish and chips stand by the waterfront. I like to feel that I am a part of the greater human experience, to eat as other people do, so that I will be trusted, so that I can blend in, and survive, wherever I may be. In this way, I like to think I'm following in the footsteps of many great explorers, writers, & anthropologists.

My dream is to do as much as possible while I'm alive, but to also be moderate. "Everything in moderation," someone once said, "even moderation itself."

So, while at home I am macro ( it is the cheapest, healthiest way to live!) I yet am unable, and do not wish to, resist the many pleasures of the world while I am off on some deeply satisfying, spiritual adventure in the city.