Welcome to The Grind. The opening moves of DC's Green Rush have been made and we enter the mid-game proper. I have been honored to meet many other folks pushing for their own space in the young cannabis industry, who recognize the unparalleled opportunity of the current situation presented in the District to fight for the secret, perhaps even abandoned, yearnings of their hearts, and I'm inspired by them. I see the harsh dawn alight on every face and exhaustion in every voice as we realize that all we've won at this point is a number to wear in the race. The pursuit of our dreams will require more of us than we believe we possess, because it does- but we are not static creatures. We will grow, change, adapt to the new struggle. The grueling effort to propel our feet forward in spite of burnout is a transformational exercise of the will. The person who will push tomorrow faces an easier task than the one that pushes today.
I ran out of medicine, is what I'm rambling about. When I realized it Sunday afternoon, with my go-to delivery service gone dark for a week to perform site upgrades or whatever, and no chance to meet anyone with else on short notice, I turned to LeafedIn.org. This is a revolutionary site I've talked about before. It gives you the ability to view Vendors in your area listing medicine types, sometimes even suggested donation amounts, along with a rating system and reviews (you're a Buyer if you're looking for meds, by the way). It was a simple process to get in touch with an advertised vendor near me that had what I was looking for- the phone number was listed on the profile. I sent a text and got a quick reply. A few minutes later he called to discuss what I was looking for. The wax donation rate was near the top of the range I've been seeing but he assured me that his concentrate clients had sophisticated palates, thus his menu was stocked with top-quality imports. The flower donation rate was standard with reasonable discounts for bulk. And he was down to deliver within the hour. Problem solved.
Mister X and I chatted for twenty, thirty minutes. It was very old school, just like how you grew up with this. I've got a professional and not-so-professional fanboy interest in all things cannabis so I'm sure I kept him longer than normal, but it was clear to me that you should expect some short vetting process. That's because these guys are interested in building and retaining clientele, which makes sense- it's a commonly held business mantra that it costs a lot more to attract & secure a new customer than keep an existing one. By far, the most impressive new spin Mister X had for me was a return policy. These folks stands behind their product one hundred percent in the unlikely event of your dissatisfaction.
The bags of flower were vacuum sealed, so I couldn't smell to make my choice, and the bag appeal was good across the board. I chose the outdoor-grown hybrid XJ-13, mainly because the name sounds like a fighter jet from a space opera (turns out it was a one-of-a-kind Jaguar, thank you, Google/Wiki), but also because the nugs looked especially thick, hearty, and masterfully trimmed. Mister X warned me that these flowers smelled off, like cat urine. Very awesome of him to let me know up front! I thanked him and chose it anyway, excited about checking another strain off my bucket list. It looked so pretty!
That ammonia-like smell definitely made the buds hit harsher than that to which the Gentleman has become accustomed, but I could deal. The smoke is thick and cough inducing- smaller hits are required. The effects are a bit quirky and remind me most of Goji OG. A quick burst of energy hits you right away but yields quickly to a very heady high that locks you in your own head but quite considerately draws the blinds on any lurking, worrisome thoughts at the same time. The focus it provides has proven a boon to writing and even though I've hung up my controller until this whole 'writing' thing takes off and I can play Tekken 29 while my coked-out genius stunt pilot monkey tries to coax the XJ-13 into nailing a triple-lindy on to the deck of Jay-Z's party yacht (not the nice one, obviously), I'm sure it'd be a great strain for video games. The effects made it difficult to socialize, however, as it's easy to miss the nuances of a conversation while debating names for hypothetical, classless, drug-addled primate savants to add to the inner circle here at GTHQ. Keno has a certain ring to it, don't you think?
I also picked up a gram of Girl Scout Cookies wax- after making a serious effort to find me the fresh-out Berry White I'd have preferred- and the quality was as advertised. The terps are smooth & sweet with a solid, full-bodied flavor. I really enjoyed the taste through my locally-crafted lemon drop rig from Budder Glass. My gift was an impeccably smooth, dark amber with excellent clarity and stability. I had no trouble making use of every dab. The essence of a plant's medical benefits are revealed in full when concentrated and, unfortunately for me, this wax verified a suspicion I'd held after my last two experiences with GSC flower - this strain simply doesn't agree with me. Strong sativas tend to make my mind race, which exacerbates my anxiety, and the Durban Poison parentage in this batch was very prominent. After about twenty minutes, I would invariably get bone tired as it switched to Kush mode and the storm of mental agitation took its toll.
Mister X does a lot of things right- they're fast, convenient, fairly-priced, committed to customer service, and feature an extensive menu to boot, so I've recommended them to several folks for flower already. I would consider repeating for concentrate and trying a more agreeable strain, as I've no qualms about the quality, but the donation rate is significantly higher than my other options when I plan a bit better. If you prize a top-shelf gift & convenience above other considerations, though, I'd enthusiastically recommend trying Mister X the next time your clock rolls around to 710.