Set the Setting: November 2024
Meme Drop, Manila Recap, Psychedelics in MA voted down, EDC2025 - You In?, Photo Drop
Meme Drop
Well it’s Friday here in Indonesia, anyway. While the election results were streaming in, I was hiking to waterfalls and soaking in hot springs.
Watching the results come in and anoint a 2nd Trump administration was not surprising to me at all — also, nothing surprises me in general, anymore. I think what’s most unnerving to me is all of the uncertainty that is now on its way. I’m definitely worried about what he’s going to do on Day 1 (his “dictator for a day” pledge). But you know what… yesterday was Thursday, today is Friday, tomorrow is Saturday, and Sunday... comes afterwarrrrrds. Wise words, Rebecca. I’m going to take things day by day, wrestle with the decisions I have to make that day, and just focus on the things I can control (“which seat can I taaaaake?”)
Btw, Rebecca Black was 13 years old when she was completely excoriated by the internet. I probably participated in making fun of her, although I feel confident I wasn’t the type to leave a hurtful comment or anything like that. Because who wasn’t making silly videos at 13?! (Cadie, Erik and I still laugh at the memories - thank god youtube didn’t exist). How cruel was it for a bunch of adults to ridicule her for having fun?
Well, the jokes on them/us. Not sure if you know this, but Rebecca Black has blossomed into a hyper pop idol and her latest Boiler Room set is pretty fire. She spins a fantastic and vibe-y tech house set and I encourage you to listen to the whole thing, but I’ll skip you to her final track, a Friday remix for our current time:
God, I love a comeback! Can you imagine being a laughing stock at 13 and having the resolve, as an 8th grader, to say FUCK YOU to the haters and commit and persevere and grind to become a true talent? Yes, it’s true. And this is the feel-good story that we all need in America right now.
Our society and media can be a completely destructive force for children that achieve fame. RIP Liam Payne, who passed away after Universal dropped him. This is what makes me even more happy to celebrate Rebecca Black. Best of luck to all the kids going viral these days. Don’t let anybody look down on you - just give ‘em a hawk tuah!
Manila Recap
I wish I had more to report from Manila, but I was only there for a few days! I was co-facilitating a DEI session at an offsite for an international client’s annual retreat (with my bestie/old boss, Kellie!). The session utilized a difficult, nuanced, and powerful facilitation methodology called the Fishbowl. It’s specifically constructed to hold a container for difficult conversations. I gave a talk about the Fishbowl Technique at Tech Inclusion conference in 2018. This technique will be used in my consulting practice a lot this next 4 years, so if you’re looking to bring your workforce together during these fractured times, hit me up.
Getting to do consulting work on the side of my desk - most of which comes through Collective - is really rewarding for me. On the flight over, I was wondering what happened to my mandate of “simplify, man!” But, one thing I observed is that working at MAPS & immersing myself in this wild world of drug policy is personally destabilizing, whereas leading inclusive conversations and bridging difficult energies is something that I’m good at. More than just “good at.” It flows within me, it’s my strength, it’s my superpower - people tell me this all the time. It feels good to be good at something. Tapping into this superpower, if anything, helps me stabilize myself (and my income) while I figure out next steps for MAPS.
After leading the Fishbowl, I got a massage, took a nap, hit the gym, and could have easily slept through the night. But, it was Saturday and I’m in a new city! Must. hit. the. club! “C’mon Sleepy Steve, you’re not dead yet!” I discovered an underground house x techno club called Nokal. Literally underground; it was underneath a parking garage and it was a vibe! I met some cool people, everybody spoke English which is great (because of American colonization - not great, I know).
I started to hit a wall around 4am and found the 24hr McDonald’s. Part of me was feeling adventurous and wanted to get the McSpaghetti but I wasn’t actually that hungry; I was mostly there to people watch. As the young nightlife revelers streamed in over the next hour, I was loving the outfits people wear to the club. Yes, I was fully aware that I was the weird, old, foreigner staring at people in the corner, milking his McFlurry. I was probably smiling oddly, just feeling grateful that I still get opportunities to see the world, get paid while doing it, and that I still enjoy a late night no matter what continent I’m on!
On my last day in Manila, I got to hang with my cousins, Eli & Genny! I hadn’t seen them in 20 years, since I was a teenager and they were 5 or 6 years old, so it felt like meeting for them for the first time. I always appreciate having local tour guides when I’m abroad - and getting to re-connect after all these years was epic. (We’re also hanging out in Indonesia right now - so the party continues!)
Psychedelics in MA voted down
Unless you lived in Massachusetts, you might not have been aware that psychedelic access was on a state ballot! The bill was fairly similar to Colorado’s Prop 122 “Natural Medicine Health Act” which passed in 2022. We were hoping to see Massachusetts chart a similar path towards consciousness without criminalization. It would certainly give us more confidence in a potential state-by-state approach as we’ve encountered major setbacks at the federal level for safe, legal and equitable psychedelic access.
Similar to Colorado’s Prop 122, Massachusett’s Question 4 vote was full of nuanced discussion and disagreements (and some misinformation). While we’re disappointed that it didn’t pass, we recognize that each campaign creates an invaluable opportunity for education. The public discussions on psychedelic policy grow in sophistication and nuance — that, in and of itself, is a win.
With a Trump administration and RFK about to “go wild on health,” whatever that means, MAPS’ commitment to fostering understanding, reducing stigma, ending the failed drug war remains steadfast. We look forward to collaborating with advocates everywhere to responsibly harness the transformative potential of psychedelics.
EDC 2025 - You In?
EDC released their 2025 trailer which means it’s time to get planning! It’s only 7 months away aaaaahhhhh!!! If you’re planning on coming with the Raveguards this year, you’re in luck. EDC 2024 was such a success that we had the foresight to book 2 shuttles for 2025. We can comfortably fit about 60 ravers in our squad, and spots are filling up! Hit me up if you want to join in on the best weekend of the year! Fireworks, lasers, and loveeee!
Photo Drop
