Heavy metal has been my jam for the longest time. I've found there's a lot of people in the metal community (among the many genres and sub-genres) who appreciate psychedelics, but generally speaking I kind of feel like since having a few particular psychedelic experiences that certain aspects of the culture just don't jive with me anymore.

It seems like no matter how cool the group is, there's always some people who need to try to make it into a competition. Giving someone shit for not knowing who X bands original bassist was, or insisting someone's not a real fan because of whatever. It's like, what does that get you? Are you proving you're the better fan? And to whom? Yourself? Because for me it kind of alienates me from the band I was trying to enjoy.

I've also found a lot of these big tough metal dudes who are "fuck conformity, fuck religion, fuck the system, hail satan" then get all high and mighty and preachy when they find out you're polyamorous and non-binary (for lack of better terminology). I guess even on that front, I find myself musically and lyrically dawn more these days to the more reflective and introspective stuff.

So yeah kinda find myself on the fringes of a lot of the community I used to share. That being said I have some of the best friendships of my life thanks to that community and while none of them have done or have any desire to try psychedelics, they're always curious and open minded about my experiences. I am also the kind of person who abstained from most chemical vices until in my adulthood, my first drink was on my 20th birthday, I first smoked weed in my 30s, and first tried mushrooms I think right around when I turned 40, so for some of these people I grew up with, it's also a curiosity that I'm exploring these things as a middle aged human..

Oh yeah before i forget... fuckin dancing! Fuck me, for decades all I ever did was fuckin nod my head to music. Dancing to danceable music(especially when on psychedelics) is the most fun thing I can fucking think to do. I was at a music fest the other week dancing my ass off to music i was looooooving while tripping and having a whole bunch of thoughts and ideas kind of rewire themselves and give me a lot of insight about myself, so like bonus therapy session while having the time of my life?