Jade Ridge, Author at Twelve High Chicks

Aug

A Toker’s TV Triumph: Interviewing Sarah Hanlon

If you envision yourself in a situation strongly enough, that vision potentially manifests itself in your future reality. And when we take the time to envision ourselves in positive situations, it displays self-confidence, optimism, and the ability to look more deeply at ourselves. In essence, we can truly be ourselves without restrictions, inhibitions or regrets. This also constitutes personal freedoms, personal triumphs, and personal rewards. Ultimately, we are able to pave the way for any vision when we believe in it wholeheartedly. Sarah Hanlon proved this theory when she envisioned and pursued her ultimate dream to compete on the hit Canadian reality series Big Brother Canada, on season 3. Sarah Hanlon was simply herself, with a big vision. We show how her outstanding victory played out in this Twelve High Chicks interview.

Aug

Sarah Hanlon: The Stoney Girl That Could

Raised in Brampton, Ontario by her birth parents, Sarah Hanlon’s background was the youngest of four siblings whom she has always considered to be her rocks. With a well structured childhood, Sarah was brought up adopting values like respect, compassion, and kindness through the loving guidance of her family. Honesty and kindness have always been Sarah’s strong suits, which is how she ultimately won the hearts of thousands of Canadians in Season 3 of Big Brother Canada.

Jun

Live Free or Die: Interviewing Shona Banda

Life is viewed by many in many ways: as a gift, as a curse, or even as a mission. But whatever views of life one might have, in it we all have one thing in common that we deal with everyday, and that is our health. And whatever the case may be regarding one’s health, we can all agree that “good” health is important simply because without it, we may as well throw in the towel and forget about those life views altogether.

Having been raised in the mid-west, Kansas, Shona Banda’s upbringing was in a very typical, American conservative environment where cannabis is known as a highly dangerous illegal drug, and is socially and morally frowned upon. This, later in life, ultimately left Shona feeling like she was a “druggie” when she decided to treat her illness with cannabis.

Jun

Shona Banda: Redefining Freedom

As a part of good health, what we put into our body is as equally important as how we treat it. To have the freedom to treat ourselves with naturally grown plants, nuts, seeds and fruits we have depended on the earth since man has existed. Nutrition from the earth is here for a reason, so why not utilize its given resources, including cannabis, to optimize our overall health?

Apr

The Search for Truth: Interviewing Craig X Rubin

In life, one may face a moment of defiance, suffer a loss or experience grief, and perhaps be forced to circumvent changes to regain what one feels to have lost in the first place. Sometimes when suffering, one seeks something of a spiritual pillow to soften the blows of reality. And, most often, one seeks inner peace to stitch back the hope lost.

Apr

Craig X Rubin, Cannabis Crusader

A lifetime of moments gathered by threads of time reveals the fabric of our being. We all carry certain truths, burdens, and sorrows. We constantly try to prove to ourselves and to others why we do what we do: a reason, an explanation, a justification for wanting to fit into society normally as cannabis users and fans.

Mar

The Journey of Two Pot Chicks — Hempfest and PMHC 2015

I never really blog about my personal experiences on the Internet, unless it’s on my personal Facebook wall for all (whom I choose) to see. However, lately I have had some amazing adventures with my best friend and boss, Ajia Mae Moon, travelling this past summer to get highly medicated, enjoy pot recreationally, and speak at high events such as Seattle, Washington’s 24th Annual Hempfest and the 5th annual Prairie Medicinal Harvest Cup (PMHC) in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Jan

Classic Chicks: Redemption of a Drug Smuggler — Interviewing Brian O’Dea

Editor’s Note: This Classic Chicks article is a combination of two previous articles, originally published March 21st and 24th, 2015, formatted for Twelve High Chicks’ year two layout. Content and intent have not been changed.

I first was introduced to Brian O’Dea, a polite and distinguished gentleman, when I travelled to Ottawa in December 2014 to meet other cannabis freedom activists and to screen Adam Scorgie’s The Culture High. With a polished demeanour and extensive vocabulary, Brian wouldn’t strike you as the type of person who would “move” copious amounts of cannabis around the world. He is educated, experienced, and skilled in his endeavours. He’s known to be one of smartest criminals the DEA has ever managed to catch; it was only after he’d retired as drug lord that the DEA finally managed to gather enough evidence to convict him.

Aug

Highlights of a Torch Master: Redbeard Q & A

From the time Patrick Vrolyk was a small boy, his parents taught him the importance of responsibility such as doing chores without arguing, showing respect towards parents and others, and earning rewards by working for his allowance. Upbringing nowadays often mean kids take pleasures for granted without earning their rewards. The expectation of overly material lifestyles evolved with our technology, depreciating the value of normal everyday things like hot water, education and non-designer clothing. Where did we get lost? I hope that this interview reminds us all of the importance of ethics, responsibility and hard work that pays off. Redbeard has experienced life, and this is his. Enjoy!

Aug

More Than Just a Pretty Beard

Glass has been around forever and has many stories regarding its origins. It has been identified as far back as Ancient Egypt, and was rediscovered accidentally by Phoenician sailors during the Roman Empire. From decorative Egyptian beads to Venetian stained glass windows to modern vases in our everyday decor, glass has found a purpose in human lives for millennia. Glass formation has given us choices in what we use every day: we drink from glasses, eat from delicate tableware, and look through glasses to improve our vision. Glass has been never been as practical, functional, or as profitable as it is today.

Jul

Defying the Lies of Old-School Prohibitionists

On June 11, 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada unanimously ruled to uphold the BC Court of Appeal’s judgement in favour of Owen Smith: the right of Canadians to ingest medical marijuana includes the right to access cannabis derivatives. Medical marijuana patients are no longer limited to inhaling ‘dried marihuana’.

Jun

Addey Lane: Canna-Inspiration Q&A

Photographer: Avi Shteinman

In the heart of music and lyrics lurk certain truths that provoke an appetite for dialogue about those truths.

They often reflect to us our personal experiences, be they sad country songs played at a loved one’s funeral or songs played in the background the first time making love. Music is inspiring because music stems from inspiration.

Some artists become inspired by things that perhaps aren’t personal as much as they are social or political, but still stir expression from the heart.

This is the inspiration of Addey Lane, a Californian musician who welcomes you into her world and her truths, while shedding light on current cannabis-prohibition struggles in the United States of America.