Use This As You See Fit: The Diary of Mari
Who would send someone an anonymous package containing an old diary with no explanation? Moreover, why? The only clue was a note stuck to the front of the leather-bound, handwritten book with six words; it said "use this as you see fit." If they’re going to figure out why the diary was sent, Angela and Brandon need to investigate each entry to learn more about the author. They’re hoping that reviewing each entry will lead them to the truth behind the mystery diary and why whoever wrote it - and it’s truly unlike anything else - entrusted it to Angela with little guidance, but obvious faith? You’re invited to tune in as a wide array of insightful New Jersey cannabists join Angela and Brandon as they explore and learn from intimate stories told through a powerful voice that appears to have gone silent as of April 20, 2022. "Use This As You See Fit: The Diary of Mari" is a podcast for anyone who loves good cannabis or good stories or good stories about cannabis. Dropped on the 4th and 20th of each month, be sure to subscribe so each new episode is delivered right to your inbox.
Episodes
Everyone loves a "ceremony that radiates joy," even Ms. Mari Juana - that's what Brandon and Angela learned after they dove into an entry from 1895. While involved in the hustle and bustle of the blessed event, she happened to spot an article in the newspaper that described the 1894 Indian Hemp Commission Report results. (This report remains one of the most comprehensive studies ever done about cannabis!) The findings of the report...
We're always learning some new from Mari and the cannabis professionals interested in exploring her diary!
Do you remember the first time you consumed? Do you remember what you were watching on television? Cannabis professional, music-maker, photographer, branding ace, and all-around fantastic fella Brian Aufdenberg does! He shared a bit about his cannabis journey when he joined Brandon and Angela to explore Mari's diary entry from...
You've got questions...and Angela and Brandon have answers! On this episode, the pair explored questions posed by listeners about Mari and her fascinating diary.
In early 2023, when Angela received an anonymous package containing an old diary with no explanation beyond a note that said "use this as you see fit," there were immediate questions. Who sent it? Why was it sent to Angela? What should be done next? The list went on and...
Episode Summary
Even though there's no national holiday celebration in August, we had plenty to celebrate on this episode! Returning for another entry, South Jersey cannabis attorney and all-around interesting human Mike Hoffman joined Angela and Brandon to read through another one of Mari's writings from the 1970s. Mike shared some insight about what motivated him to get involved in the clean-up of the failed War on Drugs. That pro...
Episode Summary
In memory of John Sinclair, American poet, writer, and political activist
October 2, 1941 – April 2, 2024
What is medicine? Which state had legal cannabis for 22 days in the 1970s? Is advocacy a default for anyone working in the cannabis industry? These are all questions that the diary entry review crew talked through while reading through Mari's writing from 1972. While exploring topics about what qualifies as medi...
Episode Summary
"Does anyone smell that skunk weed?" The scientific reason behind why we equate skunk spray smell with the aroma of cannabis was just one of many things explored from this 1975 entry.
In this episode, the conversation was nonstop. Brandon and Angela talked with cannabis educators and advocates Andrea Raible and Sam Reichbart about Mari's writing that described a fun night of painting at Omar and Dana's house that incl...
The reefer man invades college campuses! Special guest Northeast Corridor Provisions Inc. CEO and New Jersey Cannabusiness Association vice president Dr. Marianne Bays helps to delve into this entry from 1937, a notable year in the history of cannabis. On this episode Marianne, Brandon, and Angela explore what happened when two colleges publicly denied marijuana invasions on their campuses during a year where marijuana headlines we...
What wasn’t balderdash was what was included in this entry from August 22, 1843, “If the resin be swallowed, almost invariably the inebriation is of the most cheerful kind, causing the person to sing and dance, to eat food with great relish, and to seek out aphrodisiac enjoyment.” Spencer Belz of Last Mile Consulting and SunnyTien Dispensary joined Brandon and Angela to explore Mari’s writing about Royal Medico-Botanical Society an...
Even though today’s entry goes back to 1879, the topic feels quite contemporary. Trina Ragsdale and Tom Giovanucci of Jane’s Joint, a boutique dispensary opening soon in Gibbsboro, New Jersey, joined Brandon and Angela to talk through an entry that described cannabis as a treatment for epilepsy in the Philadelphia Medical Times. Between cannabis and comfort, whether for cancer or post-workout, Trina and Tom shared the journeys tha...
Cannabis education is THE hot topic on today’s episode. Massage therapist and Float Haven Health Spa owner Bronwyn Lyman joined Brandon and Angela to explore an entry from December 4, 2021 that shared insight about why teens really, really, really should not consume cannabis, unless it is a medical necessity. Mari writes about a trip to a high school (where all those students are finding their, as Mari calls it, “adulting sea-legs...
In the 1990s, it felt like the whole world had Rachel Marron fever. Whitney’s voice was everyone. During this episode, which happens to fall on an important cannabis holiday, Brandon and Angela are joined by Amanda Terpstra, owner of BestBuds, a dispensary located in Woodbury, NJ, to explore an entry from July 14, 1993. The movie “The Bodyguard” has taken the world by storm and Mari had a lot to say about how this movie has influen...
When Angela and Brandon received another mysterious package, they realized that their efforts to learn more about the diary filled with intimate stories involving Ms. Mari Juana were being noticed...maybe by Mari herself?!?!
The box contained a variety of items that seemed cryptic at first. In this Season 2 kickoff episode, they follow the trail of clues in the box to April 1, 1980, which happened to be an entry in the diary. On tha...
The same, but different. Cannabis and hashish. Love and hate. Corey Feldman and Corey Haim. Angela and Brandon acknowledge just how complicated a relationship with cannabis can be when they explored an entry from 1856, while they considered their own relationships with Mari’s diary. In this entry, Mari comments on Fitz Hugh Ludlow’s anonymous description of his own complex relationship with cannabis. She noted that he wrote “In ret...
Brandon and Angela have a new favorite quote from the diary - " If I could, I’d wrap each first time in a blanket of peace to set the stage for good, open spirit." If they haven't learned by now...this entry has undoubtedly taught them that Mari has a way with words. In this one, going back to September of 1961, Mari described how every person reacts differently when introduced to her and what she wishes she could reassure them for...
Special episode alert! Each week, Brandon and Angela dive into a different entry written by Mari. This time, though, they're answering questions. Questions about the diary (what does it smell like?) and Mari's writing (does she mention any strains?) and shared custody (is there any fighting over it?) are just some of inquiries that have come in from around the world. So far, diary entry adventures have been downloaded in over 25 co...
Mari was just relaxing in her hammock, letting the summer breeze gently rock her into a very chill state. But, as Brandon and Angela learned, her laid-back afternoon was cut short. Mari came across some concerning news about the Pure Food Bill (aka Pure Food and Drug Act), which was passed in 1906. They discover that Mari sees the value of this legislation, but has concerns about how cannabis is positioned next to other substances...
The approach of the New Year prompts reflection for many. And Mari is no exception. In this episode Brandon and Angela talk through what Mari's reflections on the approaching new year (in 1898!), how conflict plagues mankind, and the importance of truth-tellers. The featured text in her diary entry dates back even further...to 1860. Mari finds Doc McMeen's "Report of the Ohio State Medical Committee on Cannabis Indica" to be inform...
Lucky number #13! On this episode, Brandon and Angela stroll down memory lane. They paused their entry exploration to stop and take stock of what they've learned from the 12 entries they've explored so far. From Dr. Raphael Mechoulam's discovery of THC to the obituary of Harry Anslinger, from a riveting game of Boggle to the infamous Mr. X reveal, they've explored some of Mari's writings to learn more about her experiences from aro...
Today, it's all about New Jersey, the only state in America that's actively disliked by the general population (yes, an actual study found this to be true). Angela, a native New Jerseyan, absolutely takes offense to this position held by many Americans. In this episode, Brandon and Angela had a lot to talk about when it came to the Garden State. From produce - Jersey tomatoes and cranberry bogs - to breakfast meat - pork roll and T...
Two entries in one day! Brandon and Angela covered a short, intriguing entry that left them with more questions than answers...137 questions to be exact. After that, they dove into an entry that explored one of the most infamous figures in the complex history of cannabis. Born on May 20, 1892, Harry Anslinger was the head of Federal Bureau of Narcotics (the predecessor agency to the DEA) for three decades. Mari's description of Ans...
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