I have come up with a formula for evaluating the effects of micro-dosing; I will list the activities of the day, other substances taken and a scale from -5 to +5 to evaluate relevant sensations or effects (after the micro-dosing), with 0 being neutral and +5 being the highest level. Following this will be a brief written account. Where there is a range posted in the scale, it will be in chronological order and used to mark a change in states.
This may end up getting very personal (we'll see...), but I really want to explore and document all the effects of micro-dosing and have a scale to look back on and compare. I am a very serious road cyclist (top level amateur racing in my age group), and this is very similar to my training diary - which, as I expect this log will be, is most useful after the fact when patterns of behaviour, sensations and outlook are considered.
Please let me know if you think anything you think should be added - I can always go back and add them retroactively, as long as memory serves and too much time has not passed.
Monday December 4th, 2018
DAY 1 DOSING DAY 1
Dose: 0.2g homegrown golden teacher (moderately weak at higher doses)
activities: Organizing my home office; lunch, training ride, fight with partner (over lingering conflict that has lasted several days)
other substances: caffeine 3 double espressos, a swig of scotch after dinner
spiritual: 1
mental: -3
overall physical -2 to +3
sexual drive/ability +3/-3
outlook: 0 to +3
sleep: 0
fatigue: +4
stress: +4 to -1
visuals: +1
overall effect rating: -2 to +3
First day and I am really not sure what to expect before dosing. I have done a fair amount of research and have considerable experience with higher doses, but I am sceptical that I could be productive and focused on even the slightest of doses.
After about an hour, I start to feel the slight tightening of the throat I always feel with the onset of mushrooms, along with a little dizziness. I am straightening out and organizing my home office, and I end up having a great deal of difficulty concentrating on organizing books by category on their shelves, returning to the same pile of books several times, forgetting where I was in my stacking. It bothered me for a while, and then I stopped worrying about it, focusing on the humour of it and dispelling, slightly, my constant need to do things with speed to rush to get to the next task; in other words, I settled in to concentrate solely on the task at hand, instead of anticipating the next ones - I was in the moment, not caring how long it took and determined to enjoy it, even if it seemed I was making mistakes or repeating things.
I stopped to have lunch, and, as others have reported, noticed the taste of things more than I ordinarily would have, even at this small a dose. My after lunch coffee tasted particularly delicious!
A short training ride followed: 1.5 hrs, 40 kms, 4 x a 10km loop with several 400m- 1.6 km climbs. I felt short of breath at first, and I wasn't sure I was going to continue. The warmup was harder than usual, feeling like my breathing was constricted. I pushed on, and after about half an hour I started feeling stronger, and pushed it. My breathing was better and I felt a surge of energy. The next 45 mins I felt very strong and not a bit tired.
I got home, had a shower and went out to do groceries. Once again, I felt in no hurry at all and uncharacteristically took my time checking out all the produce and the various items on the stocked shelves. It took me about 10 mins to find the carrots, [passing them multiple times before finally laying eyes on them. (which ordinarily would have driven me mad!). It was one of the funnest and slowest grocery shopping trips I have ever had. In fact, I realized when I got to the cash that I did not have my wallet, so I had the cashier put my stuff aside while I walked home and got it and returned by bike.
Ordinarily I would have persecuted myself for my own stupidity, but it barely bothered me this time and after I got over my initial knee-jerk irritation with myself, I saw the humour in it.
In the evening was a 1.5 hour near blow-out my my partner; things had been stewing for days, and we have been in conflict off and on for several months. I remained relatively level-headed, and we came to a resolution after nearly exhausting ourselves in the conflict. She shared some very intimate and difficult details of her childhood with me. Part of the argument was about her showing her vulnerability (she generally clams up and shuts me out), so I was very thankful for this and it went a long way to re-endearing us to one another.
I wanted to have sex, but didn't follow through because I was exhausted (so was she!) and I didn't feel like I would really be into it once we started - more of a theoretical horniness than a real loin-felt one, I guess. (more on sex in another post

) We fell asleep in each others arms, spent but partly renewed.
Thanks for reading DAY 1
JBArk