World We Imagine Pitch Post 3

 TherapyMe

Our mission is to make therapy affordable for everyone 

Have you ever been, or wanted to go to therapy? 

I have been force-fed a hefty amount of therapy since my parents divorced in 2005. Though I had mixed emotions about it when I was younger, looking back on it as an adult, I can see how it helped me through the turmoil of divorce. Also, as someone who is currently in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, I believe it to be absolutely essential to the progress I have made in myself, my relationships, and my goals. 

When I tell people about how much therapy has helped me and ask if they have ever considered going, the most common response I have heard is, "I would love to, but it's just too expensive."

That conversation is exactly what inspired me to create, TherapyMe. Currently, people pay anywhere from one hundred to two hundred dollars for one therapy session, making the monthly cost of therapy around five hundred dollars if you are going once every one or two weeks. I see this number as outrageous! How could something so essential cost so much?

I believe that the root issue is that in our capitalist society, we are programmed to value the health of the body over the health of the mind when they should be valued equally. If we have a cold or the flu, we won't think twice about spending money on medication to feel better. But when it comes to a mental issue we can't work past without help, we tend to put it aside partly because we value it less and also because the cost of aid is too high!

Clients subscribed to TherapyMe will no longer have to push their mental struggles aside. TherapyMe offers people a monthly subscription consisting of 30-minute Dialectical Behavioral Therapy sessions once a week at the fraction of the cost of traditional therapy methods. 

Before diving into the logistics of TherapyMe, it is essential for AMDI investors to gain background in the type of therapy provided by the program. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) provides clients with skills to manage painful emotions, past traumas, and undesirable behaviors. DBT focuses on four therapeutic skills within the areas of:

1. Mindfulness focuses on improving an individual's ability to accept and be present in the current moment.
2. Distress tolerance is geared toward increasing a person’s tolerance of negative emotion, rather than trying to escape from it.
3. Emotion regulation covers strategies to manage and change intense emotions that are causing problems in a person’s life.
4. Interpersonal effectiveness consists of techniques that allow a person to communicate with others in a way that is assertive, maintains self-respect, and strengthens relationships.

Though clients will receive less facetime with their therapist when compared to the traditional and more expensive approach, they will learn a skill set that will allow them to eventually tackle issues on their own that would have required the help of a therapist. Clients will fill out worksheets during the week about past traumas, current issues, vulnerabilities, quality of relationships (with people and things like food/substances), work, goals, etc. When filling out these worksheets, clients will have informative sheets that help identify what they should be writing down. For example, if someone was questioning whether they should write down "relationship with food" on their weekly worksheet, the informative worksheet might aid them by prompting them with "if you feel guilty about eating, that is a cause for concern" (meaning the client should write that down).

During the therapy sessions, therapists will give clients strategies to combat some (not all) of the issues written down on the weekly worksheet. Clients will then work on their issues during the week and record their progress in addition to other indicators of overall well-being such as mood. It is important that the program will work around tackling the most concerning aspects of the client first. Examples of this include self-harm, eating disorders, addiction, and abusive relationships. For example, if someone struggled with bulimia, we would work on that before working on having an organized room. 

I see TherapyMe as nothing less than revolutionary as it will make for a happier, healthier, and more understanding society. I believe that AMDI should support our company/program because it will fundamentally change humankind's mental health. 

WORLD WE IMAGINE POST #1

WORLD WE IMAGINE POST #1

Similarly to Novogratz, my first step in making the world a better place is to pursue a career that gives me the opportunity to do so. As a wide-eyed (yet close minded) college freshman, my career path had everything to do with material gain and almost nothing to do with helping others. I wanted to become an investment banker working 70-hour-weeks, making tons of money, and retiring early. That all changed when I took Stephen Finlay's philosophy course, The Meaning of Life. Finlay's course required me to look deep into the catacombs of the meaning behind our existence, forcing me to realize the futility of material desire. I quickly realized that the path I was on was one of fleeting pleasure and insatiable sensual hunger. For the next three years, I explored different career paths in investment banking, construction, waitering at a high-end sushi restaurant, and social work. Out of those experiences, my time as a social worker held supreme. 

After that experience, I knew that I wanted to pursue a career that focused in helping others. This realization has made me rethink my career path. Already three years into my business degree, I am committed to graduating from USC's Marshall School of Business. However, after graduating, I plan on attending another institution to pursue a degree in Psychology, eventually making my way into the realm of therapy. Though working as a therapist is completely different from working for an NGO like Novogratz, it is nonetheless still a means of bettering this world. If every person in this world strived to follow a career that, appealing to their natural strengths, bettered this world, I truly believe we could achieve Novogratz's goal of establishing basic human rights for all people.

Random Post #2

My Favorite Strategy For Overcoming That Little Voice In Your Head

Take a moment to picture yourself as a high school senior. Remember the clothes you liked to wear, what you had on your mind at the time, what mattered to you, the weather, and what your high school actually looked like. Now picture your high school crush. Remember their appearance, their demeanor, and the feelings that arose when you were around them. Now put yourself in this hypothetical scenario: graduation is in one week and this is your last chance to tell your special person how you really feel about them. Class just got out, you see them walking out of school, and you decide to start fast-walking towards them because this is your chance! 

You approach them having prepared what you are going to say to win them over, but when you finally make it to them, all you can get out is, "Nice day today, huh?" The person responds, "Yeah it really is!" You get an overwhelming feeling of anxiety. You feel like you just don't have it in you to confess your love to this person. You panic and reply "Ya! Don't forget to wear sunscreen. See ya!" Your crush, your PERSON, jumps in their car and drives away.

You are devastated. Your stomach sinks and you being to feel weak. Your mind is racing. The voice in your head starts to go and before you know it... it's telling you, "You are an idiot! 'Nice day today, huh?' Who even are you? You sound like your Dad's lame attempts at small talk. You are pathetic! They probably think you are such a loser. They will never like you. How could someone like THAT like someone like YOU! That was your one chance and you blew it. You'll never get to tell them how you really feel." 

Can you relate to this scenario? How often does your mind berate you in a scenario similar to this one? Consider what your thoughts are after a failed job interview, a poor score on a test, or the morning after a long night out. Probably similar to this hypothetical right? How often do you find that voice in your head saying things to you that you couldn't imagine saying to someone else? That little voice in your head, the voice that has been with you since you can remember, is the topic for my blogpost today. 

Let's play with the voice to understand it and its nature. Can you make it say the word "China"? Great. Now can you make it say the word "China", but in the tone of voice that Donald Trump would use... so... "Gina"? There you go! Let's dive deeper. 

Think about this: when you see a beautiful tree, doesn't that little voice in your head go, "Wow look at that beautiful tree"? How strange is that? You know it is a beautiful tree, don't you? Why then, does that little voice have to tell you that it is beautiful? You would know the tree is beautiful without the voice telling you it is, right? 

If you truly take time to observe this voice in your head, you will learn that it is capable of many things. The voice can sing an Adele song, in her voice! It can degrade you one moment and feed your ego the next. It can use the first person, second person, and third person. 

So now that we know what the voice can do, let's review really quick. This little voice in your head is capable of many things and plays an omnipresent role in your life. Also, and more importantly, you can hear this voice. You can observe what this voice is saying. Observing something means that you are separate from the object of observation. Therefore, you can conclude that you are not this little voice in your head! You are the observer of the voice. 

Personally, this little voice in my head can drive me crazy. It has fueled my depression, anxiety, and other undesirable facets of my mental and physical health. How wonderful it would be to exist without it! Although practices like meditation can weaken the voice, or for masters of the practice, subdue the voice for a period of time, there is no getting rid of it. 

So how can we live a happy and healthy life with this little voice in our heads nagging us 247? There are actually countless strategies for dealing with this voice and how to navigate through life without letting it dominate you. In this blog post, I will be talking about my favorite strategy in dealing with the voice, a strategy called, "Check The Facts."

Let's revisit the high school scenario at the beginning of the blog post. Think about what the voice in your head was telling you. Does it truly reflect the reality of the situation? Of course not! This is precisely the thinking behind the "Checking The Facts" strategy.  

So, let's put this into practice. Thought vs Fact. Let's try applying this strategy to three of the thoughts in the hypothetical above.

Checking The Facts vs The Thought:

The Thought: "You are an idiot...You are pathetic...They probably think you are such a loser"

The Facts: Are you really an idiotic, pathetic, loser because you couldn't say what you wanted to your crush? Of course not! Let's be real... being vulnerable and risking rejection from someone that you are attracted to is really hard! You are not a loser for messing it up... countless people have gone through the same thing.  

The Thought: "They will never like you. How could someone like THAT like someone like YOU!"

The Facts: Put yourself in the shoes of your crush. Someone comes up to you, tells you that the weather is nice, and then reminds you to wear sunscreen. Though that may not be a typical interaction, it is a genuinely kind one! Unless the person is in a bad place mentally, they would not think to themselves "What a loser that guy is." If anything, the person would find it cute and endearing. 

The Thought: "That was your one chance and you blew it. You'll never get to tell them how you really feel." 

The Facts: Is that really true? Was that your one and only chance to tell this person how you feel? NO! Of course not. You will see them again, and if for whatever reason you don't, you can always give them a call or a text expressing your true feelings. 

This strategy has been so helpful throughout my journey. I wanted to share it with you all because I really love this class and the people in it... and if I have the opportunity to share any bit of knowledge that may help you along your journey... I think I should do so. Much love to you, and thank you for taking the time to read my blogpost. 

Book 2 Post 1

 Book 2 Post 1 - Losing Eden by Lucy Jones

The second book I have chosen to read is, Losing Eden, by Lucy Jones. I chose to read this book because I love nature! As a Washingtonian, most of my free time in middle and high school was spent going on hikes, swimming in lakes, and hanging out in parks. In addition, I think that humanity's disconnection with nature and the negative impact that has on us is not talked about enough and I was excited to read a book that touched on that subject. Even being around the color green can increase a person's happiness because our ancestors were around it all the time. It is hardwired in our DNA to be at one with nature and I think it is a tragedy that humans are so far removed from our ancestral norms. 

I am halfway through the book, but I think that I may have misinterpreted much of what I have heard (I am listening to the audiobook). The start of the book talked a lot about Lucy and her journey through rehabilitation and recovery from alcoholism. I could relate to that part of the book because I have many friends and family who have been through that process as well. I particularly enjoyed how she felt healed by the pear tree in her recovery facility. Additionally, I found the part about how dirt can be healing very interesting. I think that I have missed some of what the book is about though because for a while I thought (and I may have been right) that Jones went through a few series of quotes while not really bringing us along in her story which made it confusing for me. So, I think I am going to restart the book. 

From this book, I hope to gain some inspiration for furthering my relationship with nature. I am on a spiritual journey right now and have been meditating every day and attending the Meditation Music Club on Mondays. I believe that an integral part of being a spiritual individual is having a tight relationship with nature. I am hoping that this book motivates me to do that in a natural way and that by the end of it, I will be pushed to start hiking, rock climbing, swimming, gardening, or whatever the universe may guide me to do as long as it has to do with me being in nature. 

AMDP FINAL

TO: Clark Hansen, CEO, AMDP

FROM: Mason Estes, R&D Analyst, AMDP

DATE: March 2, 2022

SUBJECT: Investment Proposal: JuneShine

As a member of AMDP's Research and Development Department, I am responsible for identifying investment opportunities that align with AMDP's standards and bringing them to the attention of AMDP investors. In this week's search, I have found an exciting potential investment opportunity in the form of the hard kombucha and premium cocktail brewing company, JuneShine. This relatively new brewery operates in a socially responsible, environmentally sustainable, and profitable manner. I highly recommend investing in JuneShine and will explain my reasons for doing so in this memo by:

• Reviewing AMDP's Investment Standards
• Explaining how the company started and what they offer to customers
• Summarizing the hard kombucha industry and market, and JuneShine's reputation and financials
• Outlining their commitment to sustainability
• Showing two industry opinions of the company
• Providing and explaining my recommendation 

AMPD Investment Standards

AMPD is only interested in investment opportunities that adhere to their standards. The information below shows the criteria necessary for a company to be considered as an adequate investment under AMDP expectations. 

Triple Bottom Line: "A business concept that posits firms should commit to measuring their social and environmental impact—in addition to their financial performance—rather than solely focusing on generating profit" (Miller). Companies aligned with this concept do so by establishing their dedication to corporate social responsibility, social enterprise, and carbon footprint. Businesses commonly break down the Triple Bottom Line using the "three P's": people, profit, and planet. 

• Profit: Firms should maximize profit for their stakeholders while reducing costs and mitigating risk (Miller). 
• People: Firms recognize that their business has a societal impact and should create value for all stakeholders impacted by business decisions, including customers, employees, and community members (Miller). 
• Planet: Firms recognize that their business holds the keys to driving positive climate change and should make adjustments to limit or negate their carbon footprint (Miller).

Corporate Social Responsibility: To put it simply, corporate social responsibility describes the commitment companies exhibit towards the environment and people. The directive of this concept is to minimize the negative effects of the business on the environment and humanity (Miller). 

Social Enterprise: "A social enterprise is a cause-driven business improving social objectives and serving the common good" (Velez). Though social enterprises prioritize serving social objectives over maximizing profit, their business still needs to be profitable in order to reinvest into their company, furthering their ability to serve social causes. 

Carbon Footprint: "The carbon footprint of a company is the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted directly or indirectly through its activities" and is measured in parts per million by volume (Collins). Carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide are the most commonly emitted greenhouse gasses from business activities and are extremely aversive to the health of our planet (Kaper). Businesses dedicated to a positive impact on the climate should work to limit or negate their carbon footprint as greenhouse gases will eventually warm our atmosphere to a point where Earth will no longer be inhabitable. 

How JuneShine Started and What They Offer:

JuneShine: JuneShine is a brewing company that specializes in creating premium spirits and alcoholic kombucha (most often referred to as "hard kombucha"). If you're not familiar with Kombucha, it is a bubbly, "fermented drink made with tea, sugar, bacteria, and yeast" (Bauer). The drink's rising popularity can be attributed to its unique taste and health benefits such as "promoting a healthy immune system and preventing constipation" (Bauer). 

The Founders: Founders of JuneShine and Forbes "30 under 30" 2020 members, Greg Serrao and Forrest Dein, felt dissatisfied with the artificial sweeteners, syrups, added sugars, and artificial flavors in cocktails. They "wanted to create an alcohol [they] felt better about drinking" (JuneShine). So in 2018, Serrao and Dein decided to establish a brand that offers handcrafted alcoholic beverages with organic and sustainable ingredients in the form of premium cocktails and hard kombucha. 

Hard Kombucha: The company's website offers four products: Hard Kombucha, Spirits, Samplers, and Soft Goods. Their primer product, hard kombucha, comes in eight tasteful flavors: P.O.G, Prickly Pear Margarita, Grapefruit Paloma, Blood Orange Mint, Hopical Citrus, Acai Berry, Midnight Painkiller, and Honey Ginger Lemon. All hard kombucha flavors produced by JuneShine are sustainably brewed naturally with gluten-free, organic ingredients and probiotics and range from 6-8% alcohol by volume.

Cocktails and More: Their cocktails, ranging from 8-10% alcohol by volume, come in three flavors: Tequila Margarita, Vodka Soda, and Rum Mai Tai. These spirits are "crafted with [roughly] two shots per can of premium, award-winning spirits, real juice, sparkling water, and no added sugar" (JuneShine). They also offer samplers of their beverages so that customers can try their array of unique flavors. Lastly, the company offers 50 "soft goods" consisting of subtle yet trendy, clothing items and accessories with the word "JuneShine" as the focal point. 

Industry and Market, Reputation and Financials:

Industry and Market: The first hard kombucha to hit the market was brewed by the company, Boochcraft, which took its product to market in 2016. Being only six years old, it is safe to say that the hard kombucha market is practically brand new and ripe for opportunity. 

• Though the market for hard kombucha is relatively small, "it has been growing more than 50 percent year over year" (Freedman). 
• In addition, the IWSR reports hard kombucha volume in the US has grown +237.1% CAGR between 2016 and 2020, and sales of hard kombucha have grown from $1.7 million in 2017 to more than $12 million in 2019 (Dingwall). 
• This market and consumer growth show that hard kombucha brewing companies such as JuneShine, though only founded six years ago, illustrate tremendous potential. 

Reputation and Financials: Two years after Boochcraft hit the market, JuneShine established itself on the scene in 2018. Headquartered in San Diego, the company hit the ground running. 

• Described by The San Diego Union-Times as "a leader in the better-for-you hard kombucha craft beverage category," JuneShine has sold over 10 million cans and, according to founder Greg Serrao, reports a 40 percent market share (Freedman).
• In addition, in August of 2020, the brand "closed $10 million of new funding, bringing the company's Series B total raised to $35 million" (Freedman). Their grade-A-backing is in part due to their clever, celebrity-led series A funding, consisting of superstar EDM artist, Diplo, comedian, Whitney Cummings, and others. 
• Aside from their marketing and funding abilities, JuneShine "shines" (pun intended) in their reports of revenue. Though it was difficult to find reports of their profit, growth, and loss, "the company tripled in revenue from 2019 to 2020 and is on pace to double revenue again in 2021" (Cision).

Commitment to Sustainability:

As a carbon-neutral company, JuneShine leaves no carbon footprint. Additionally, they "donate one percent of all sales annually to 1% For The Planet, a collection of environmental nonprofits working to fight climate change" (JuneShine). Being that they are carbon neutral and donate a considerable amount of money to fighting climate change, you could argue that they are actually a carbon-positive company (meaning that they go beyond carbon neutral by leading efforts that reduce carbon emissions) (Junaid). 

Another way the brewery commits to bettering the environment is by partnering with EcoChart, a company that helps businesses "offset emissions from manufacturing [their] products and shipping them" (Junaid). Customers purchasing JuneShine products from their website can choose to make their order climate positive by paying a small amount of money at checkout (usually less than one dollar). 

Though they are not a social enterprise, JuneShine shows a high level of corporate responsibility. They ensure that the products they are offering are of the highest quality. Including only organic ingredients free of pesticides, processed corn or rice syrups, artificial coloring and flavoring, and added sugar, drinkers of the brewery's cocktails and hard kombucha are not exposed to many of the adverse health effects that come with other alcoholic drinks.  

Industry Opinions:

Being a relatively new brand, collecting two industry opinions about the company's practices was difficult. So, in this section of the memo, opinion #1 will provide an industry opinion about the company's practices while opinion #2 will show a consumer opinion on the product. 

Opinion #1: An article by Ian Anderson of the San Diego Reader praises the brand's ability to adapt in response to the onset of the COIVD pandemic. In May 2020, they had planned on launching a new product called, "JuneShine 100", a hard kombucha beverage with under 100 calories and only one gram of sugar. But with the onset of COIVD just a month before the product's scheduled release date, the company "faced potentially debilitating losses, and layoffs" (Anderson). 

• Despite having to cancel their field marketing campaign and losing a third of their revenue to bar and club closures, two months later, they were operating at maximum brewing capacity and reported no layoffs. 
• The company accomplished this by establishing "a speedy turnaround for delivery orders, enlisting order and delivery services such as Shopify, and reassigning its bartenders to packaging and fulfillment" (Anderson).
• "Within fours days, the brand had re-purposed its website and set up the logistics to deliver cans of hard kombucha in San Diego and L.A" (Anderson). Additionally, two-hour delivery was launched in San Francisco, Nevada, and New York.

JuneShine's response to the pandemic showed that its practices around responding to adversity and committing to its employees are second to none. Lastly, in typical JuneShine fashion, the brand decided to go above and beyond by "donating a dollar from every online sale to support the U.S Bartender's Guild's emergency assistance program" (Anderson).

Opinion #2: In her article titled, “Juneshine Review: We Taste Test This Hard Kombucha”, Maggie Gibson reports that JuneShine produces exactly the product that it markets. Delivering "nature's most flavorful liberations in a way that is refreshing and tasty", Gibson had lots of praise with little criticism for the company (Gibson). In the cons section of her review, Gibson explained how the hard kombucha must stay refrigerated at all times or the beverage continues to ferment, degrading the quality of the taste. Though that is true, it should not be held against the brand as it applies to all kombucha brewing companies

Recommendation:

With the growth of the hard kombucha market, the company's increasing revenue and market share, and their history of environmental responsibility, I recommend that AMDP invest in JuneShine. Led by two men listed in Forbes "30 under 30" coupled with a clever marketing team capable of selling their product and generating substantial funding, I believe that JuneShine's potential is sky-high. 

Additionally, they set themselves apart from competitors and appeal to a wider array of customers by offering premium cocktails in addition to their hard kombucha. In their six years, JuneShine has shown that they know what they're doing and can most certainly do it well. I highly recommend that AMDP invests in JuneShine because their dedication to environmentalism, sustainability, transparency, their employees, and their profits mesh perfectly with AMDP's desire to invest in socially responsible, yet profitable, businesses.

Sources Cited

Anderson, Ian. “Juneshine's Outlook Remains Healthy.” San Diego Reader, https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2020/may/14/drinks-juneshines-outlook-remains-healthy/.

Brent A. Bauer, M.D. “A Mug of Kombucha for Your Health?” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 10 July 2020, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/kombucha-tea/faq-20058126.

Cision. “Juneshine Accelerates Nationwide Growth with Series A Led by Celebrity Investors Diplo & Whitney Cummings.” JuneShine Accelerates Nationwide Growth With Series A Led By Celebrity Investors Diplo & Whitney Cummings, 8 June 2021, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/juneshine-accelerates-nationwide-growth-with-series-a-led-by-celebrity-investors-diplo--whitney-cummings-301307899.html#:~:text=Since%20launching%20in%20June%202018,double%20that%20volume%20in%202021.

Collins, Paul. “Business Carbon Footprint: Calculate, Reduce and Report.” Selectra, 18 Jan. 2022, https://climate.selectra.com/en/business/carbon-footprint#:~:text=The%20carbon%20footprint%20of%20a,or%20indirectly%20through%20its%20activities.

Dingwall, Kate. “Juneshine Hard Kombucha Wraps Celebrity-Led Series A Funding.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 10 June 2021, https://www.forbes.com/sites/katedingwall/2021/06/08/juneshine-hard-kombucha-wraps-celebrity-led-series-a-funding/?sh=71178e236d9d.

Freeman, Mike. “San Diego's Juneshine Pulls in $24m to Drive Hard Kombucha Better-for-You Alcoholic Beverages.” Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Nov. 2021, https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/entertainment/beer/story/2021-11-15/san-diegos-juneshine-pulls-in-24-million-to-drive-the-emerging-hard-kombucha-craft-beverage-category.

Gibson, Maggie. “Juneshine Review: We Taste Test This Hard Kombucha.” JuneShine Review - Hard Kombucha Taste Test | The Fascination, The Fascination, 1 Feb. 2022, https://thefascination.com/blogs/the-edit/juneshine-review.

Junaid, Zeeshan. “Hard Kombucha Brand Juneshine Goes Climate Positive with Ecocart.” Ecocart.io, https://ecocart.io/posts/hard-kombucha-brand-juneshine-goes-carbon-positive-with-ecocart.

JuneShine. “Juneshine Hard Kombucha and Spirits -- a Lighter, Brighter Buzz.” JuneShine, https://juneshine.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paid&utm_campaign=12061183128&utm_content=116260656197&utm_term=juneshine&gadid=556153959752&gclid=Cj0KCQiAybaRBhDtARIsAIEG3kkJhekzxBfwlJoNGGj78rfXGSEIr8MlZ0ZzGk6gTlrWLRqt6A151GAaApYVEALw_wcB.

Kaper, Hans. Mathematics of Planet Earth, http://mpe.dimacs.rutgers.edu/2013/05/21/measuring-carbon-footprints/#:~:text=The%20standard%20unit%20for%20measuring,the%20same%20amount%20of%20warming.

Miller, Kelsey. “The Triple Bottom Line: What It Is & Why It's Important.” Business Insights Blog, 8 Dec. 2020, https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/what-is-the-triple-bottom-line#:~:text=The%20triple%20bottom%20line%20is,%3A%20profit%2C%20people%2C%20and%20the.

Velez, Henah. “What Is a Social Enterprise?” The Good Trade, The Good Trade, 16 Feb. 2022, https://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/what-is-a-social-enterprise. 

Random Post 1

 

Three Little Paragraphs About Reggae Legend and World Icon, Bob Marley 

When you think about Bob Marley, what comes to mind? Long dreadlocks, flashes of green, red and yellow, beautiful reggae music, and the legendary status held only by superstars like Michael Jackson or Michael Jordan. Wait, I'm missing something aren't I? Ah, yes. How much weed he smoked! Like stoner celebrities such as Snoop Dogg or Tommy Chong, Bob Marley and Marijuana will be intertwined in our minds forever.

However, Marley was not the typical stoner. Stoner stereotypes portray them as lazy couch potatoes who eat junk food and watch TV all day. Bob Marley was anything but that. Living a strict religious life, Marley was careful to eat in the "Ital style of his Rastafarian religion" which permitted him to eat "meat and most fish, but no pork and, most important, no salt"(Dudley). Additionally, Marley's use of Cannabis differs from how the average stoner may approach it. To Marley, Marijuana gave him a sort of consciousness that, as he would put it, "reveals you to yourself" (Marley). Associating Marijuana use with the use of other drugs makes sense because that is how the majority of people in our society operate. If you knew someone smokes weed, it'd be safe to assume they drink as well. 

Though Marley smoked weed all day, every day, he was actually against the use of other drugs. Marley described "herb [as] the healing of a nation [while] alcohol is the destruction" (Marley). Admittedly, Marley indulged in "a little wine sometimes" but always spoke against drinking alcohol (Marley). Being a spiritual individual, I wondered whether Marley used any psychedelics other than Cannabis. To my surprise, there are no records indicating that he used anything harder than Marijuana. Overall, Bob Marley is an inspirational figure in my life. His fight for peace, dedication to a moral lifestyle, and disregard for material possessions mimic qualities of the life I want to live. I will leave you with my favorite Bob Marley quote, "money can't buy life" (Marley). Peace and love to you, and thank you for reading my three little paragraphs. 

Sources Cited

Dudley, Brenda Benoît, et al. “What Did Bob Marley Eat?” Masala Eats Miami, 23 Oct. 2015, https://masalaeatsmiami.com/2014/02/19/what-did-bob-marley-eat/#:~:text=Eating%20in%20the%20ital%20style,%2C%20most%20important%2C%20no%20salt.

Book 2 Post 2

 Book 1 Post 2 - Losing Eden: Why Our Minds Need the Wild, by Lucy Jones

Losing Eden: Why Our Minds Need the Wild, by Lucy Jones, was a wonderful read. Though I experienced some confusion in the beginning, I listened to the first two hours of the audiobook for a second time and found myself right back on track. One thing that I really enjoyed about the audiobook is that it is actually read by Jones herself. Though I have not read the book, I can imagine that I gained a higher level of connection with Jones by listening to her read the book to me. The part about her addiction and how nature to some extent healed her alcoholism really hit home with me. As someone who comes from a family that has struggled with alcoholism, I felt a deep connection with Jones and her time in treatment. The description of the pear tree in her rehabilitation facility and her healing connection to that tree was quite interesting to me. When you are beaten down, discouraged, feeling hopeless, feeling worthless, surrounded by mental agony and physical pain, it is comforting to know that something as simple as a pear tree can be a source of light in the darkness of your situation. 

My expectations for this book differed much from what I gained in listening to it. I thought that the book would be more about Lucy, her children, and how her journey through life raised her appreciation for nature. Though these were aspects of the book, I felt that the majority of the book took a more argumentative and descriptive approach. Jones provides so much evidence as to why humans need nature. We are so much happier when nature is a part of our lives. Jones explains how this is not only psychological but biological as well. Take something as simple as dirt. Dirt has properties in it that actually increase the happiness of people, especially children. So, next time I am watching my cousins (3 and 5 years old) play in the dirt and my older cousin (their mom) tells them to stop getting so dirty, I am going to pull a page from Jones's playbook and explain why it is actually beneficial for her children to "get dirty" so to speak. 

My biggest takeaway from Losing Eden is that humans and nature have been, and should always be, interconnected. To bring it further, humans and nature must be interconnected for the sake of humankind and for the pulse of mother nature. In modern society, we have been taught, even if it is by accident, that humans and nature are separate. Because we are so far removed from our natural home (nature), we think of the ground as dirty, we think of the forest as scary and contaminating, and we do not view ourselves as a part of nature but rather as something separate. This ideology, I am sure, will lead to the demise of humankind and the destruction of Earth. Overall, I think that Jones's book is a must-read. I plan on applying much of what I have learned from this book into my own life and will ensure to place those same principles I plan on learning now into the lives of my children if I someday am blessed enough to bring life into this world.