Vostok Brass Bezel Mod - Acid Bath Strip

After becoming bit by the Vostok bug, I then was tempted to start doing mods. At first I thought maybe I would just swap the straps and actual bezels and inserts. Then an admin from a Vostok group on facebook was kind enough to send me numerous bezels and random parts that I was free to play around with. I had about a dozen different bezels that came from Komandirskies and Amphibias that I could work on with little consequence. I recently had seen a few cases and bezel combos that had been stripped that looked really cool and vintage with brass being exposed. And since the cases the Dirskies come with start to wear rather quick I felt inclined to start with some bezels that would look cool if I decided to strip a case to match. I chose 4 different bezels to strip first as a test and to learn the basics. My one Dirskie was my training model with mods and it was chewed up and worn the most. Some spots were exposing brass through already as I sweat and work my watches hard in the Summer heat.

Note: I am not an alchemist, a chemistry major, or even a person very familiar with metals or chemicals. That being said take precaution if you choose to do this mod or any other mod that may result in injury or death. This is my personal take on stripping Vostok parts to get down to bare brass. There are many ways to do this, but this is my account. Be safe, follow the directions on the chemicals you use, and you should be fine. Im just a dude who likes watches and figured I could try doing this.

Supplies needed are:

Gloves
Two containers - Glass or Plastic
Toothbrush
Wooden chopsticks or skewers
A scrubby sponge - Green side and yellow side
Muriatic Acid - Concrete etching solution (Hydrochloric Acid or Spirit of Salt)
Water - Or added baking soda to water if you have it. Not required but good to have.
Also, parts you want to strip obviously.

Important note: the Dirskie cases and parts are all different. The gold tone colored cases and bezels are made of brass with a titanium nitride coating. The silver or chromed Dirskies are Brass that are chrome plated. To be fair this example and test I used only silver chromed Dirskie parts. In theory if you stripped either type the results would look the same in the end if done completely. As both types are the same base material.

Before I started I was very careful about reading the instructions for the Muriatic Acid. The fumes and any contact with the chemical needs to be minimized. If you plan on doing anything with chemicals you should be reading the directions and precautions first. For most applications of this concrete etching solution, the chemical needs to be cut with water. Again the instructions give the specifics on the ratios and amounts for how to use it for different applications. Do not use Muriatic Acid inside. Just plan on doing this mod outside to be safe. The acid I used was 30-35% hydrochloric acid.

Since the container of the chemical was in plastic I grabbed a tupperware bowl that was going to be thrown away to use for the Muriatic Acid. I had a glass jar for plain water to use as a stop solution to halt the chemical reaction. You can also mix in the water some baking soda to help stop the reaction even faster. In my plastic bowl of the acid I was a bit worried about how strong it would be pure straight from the bottle. What I did was a mixture of 50/50 chemical and water. This was just in case I noticed it was eating the brass parts too quickly. Later you can adjust accordingly after seeing how it initially reacts.

                                       

The first of the four pictured above I tried to remove as much of the finish I could with a green scrubby pad. It worked okay but was really really difficult. The acid bath is much easier.

In the beginning I bathed the four bezels in the 50/50 acid water solution for one minute. I dunked the parts from the acid bath into the stop solution of water and then checked them with the wood chopsticks. It was apparent the bubbles on the bezels were the reaction of the chemical on the parts. Do not use anything else to fetch the soaking items out of the acid. Wood  After one minute and checking It was safe to say that it was working but with the 50/50 bath made it would take longer. The next few times around the 50/50 solution worked fine for 3-5 minute baths with the stop solution in between. After a couple of times of doing this I would scrub the parts with a clean toothbrush and scrubber pad to get any extra metals or finish off that may be loose. Be careful not to get the toothbrush in the acid bath or it will eat the bristles up. Use the chopsticks to get anything out of the acid bath.

After about 20 minutes of being careful I added more acid to the soaking bath. It was probably 75% acid and 25% water. This did help speed up the reaction process. I continued 3-5 minute cycles of sitting in the acid solution but I didn't let it sit unsupervised for very long. I think some people assume you can leave certain solutions sit overnight or for hours on end. I do not suggest doing this with Muriatic Acid on these Russian watch parts.

What I noticed what of the 4 bezels, 2 of them were cleaning up much quicker. The parts are not all made the same and its apparent. The two that were difficult to strip were coated either through a different process or were just different metals I thought. But it is possible the two that were difficult were better finished and just had more of the chrome plating on them. One bezel I even roughed up with a scouring pad before and realized that it was not the way to go about stripping these by hand. I assume after doing this experiment that all the parts and pieces of a Vostok watch will be different to work on. Not all the finishes were equal or the same. And all the parts looked slightly different after working on them for about an hour total. After an hour of soaking and scrubbing and rinsing, the 4 parts were about 80-90% completed. The acid bath turned green/bluish after a while. This seemed to be normal.

Dispose of the used acid properly. Seek instruction from label. Do not dump down drain directly. I cut the used portion (probably 1-2 cups worth of acid) with lots of water and then just disposed of it in my grass near my parking pad outside. It was harmless at this concentration when I poured it out.

The results were nice. The enamel or paint the factory uses did not appear affected by the acid. Which was fine if that is what you want. The brass underneath the chromed finish was very nice. It would look great left alone or with a forced patina. What I am really curious to see is if the brass would look good intentionally aged and with a nice patina on it. I will be looking to find the optimal solution to use to get the stock bezel paint off that wont damage the brass. The paint could be scraped out probably carefully with a toothpick made of wood or plastic but if there is a chemical that is safe to use on it, I will try that out. You can also buff the parts out with fine nail file blocks with different grits as well after its all done for a high polished shine on these brass parts.

After I did this soaking and rinsing, I used Acetone nail polish remover and worked on some of the numbers and enamel engraved areas. What I didn't expect was the enamel didnt come off in the acid, and it actually protected the chrome finish underneath. I may leave one like this to put on one of my projects but the other really nice one I am stripping completely. The metals all were slightly different even though they apparently are the same base brass. None of these were the same. None of them were predictable. Doing multiple pieces as a single project would be okay for a experiment like this, but I suggest cutting the acid down and working slow. Wouldn't want to ruin any pieces in this process.

The primary reason I wanted to write this up was to hopefully help and encourage people to mod their watches, especially Vostoks. With them being so easy to mod and cheap there is little to risk with the AK's of the watch world. So far all of my Russian watches have had their quirks. All of mine were right around the $30-35 mark and the parts are all over thanks to a cult community of fans. I appreciated getting my parts for free from the facebook group. This allowed me to not only test some methods I probably never would have. It also helped me to write this entry up to help new fans of the Vostok to take the plunge and to make their watch their own. This is my part of paying it forward to the watch community. And I really hope others can find this account somewhat useful and informative. When I searched how to videos and posts on this specific mod I came up with very little. Maybe some other folks will feel inclined to start doing the same and help others out with these more daunting mods. Between bead and sand blasting, chemical stripping, painting and powder coating, there is a huge list of ways to change the look of your Vostok and make it your own. You should try it if you do not mind tinkering and experimenting yourself. After all this is half the fun of Vostoks. Right?

EyeBuyDirect or ZenniOptical?

For those interested in just the meat of this, skip ahead to TL;DR. If you want to know the full story, I suggest reading the previous entry on how I fixed my glasses until I got my glasses in the mail, directly from the glorious Internet.

                                                                         ***

In my last entry I had a pair of glasses I wore everyday for about 5 or 6 years break. I attempted to show how I went about fixing them temporarily. Turns out the method I used worked perfect for about 2 - 3 weeks. I did re-break them near the end of this time frame stumbling around half asleep after lazily trying to adjust my fan in my room, quickly toppling the fan on my already fragile glasses. Which was fine because I really had not expected them to last as long as they did anyways.

In actuality, the extent they were broken (both arms completely broken off) I would figure is unusual and probably not salvageable in most cases and a perfect example to show what may work to fix them. Since I wear glasses from the time I wake up until I go to sleep I had no other option than to make them work until I could get new ones, as they were my only pair I had.

Going and getting glasses typically isn't like pulling teeth. It is expensive though. My last pair (RIP) were in the $400 - 500 range after everything. And paying that much was not an option for me this time around. I beat around the idea of ordering them online. Usually when you go to the optometrist they charge quite a bit for the frames and lenses and your exam. After I saw how much it was to get them online I was pretty much sold. The prices they have in store are so inflated, it infuriates me. Glasses bought in store should come with a large bottle of lube, because LensCrafters is going in dry.

TL;DR

After much time invested in which companies were reputable I decided to try two different companies and see how they both compared. The companies I researched the most were EyeBuyDirect and ZenniOptical.

For the sake of this entry I will be focusing on two things. How to order glasses online from either company, and which company is the better option and why.  The processes for ordering on both sites are nearly identical. As part of the "How To" section, I will go over important key bits on how to go about ordering your first pair of glasses online.

Exam

So, you are like me and you need glasses but do not want to buy them in store. Well its pretty simple. You need to get an exam. Most people can use their family optometrist for this, although they may not be too happy if you do mention you planned on getting your glasses ordered over the Internet. They may try to push a sale or whatever they got going on at the time. Just get the exam. They will give you the prescription info and you can easily put the info in yourself to order online. If you were like me and you had not been to your optometrist in a long time and figured the price to have them do it was too much you can always get it done cheaply at any big box type store if you have that option. My exam was $57 and some change. They handed me my script for my new glasses and I was off. Easy as that. If you had an exam done in the last year you may be able to use the script from the last visit, but I would recommend just getting one done for the new ones. Its not that expensive and they may last for a very long time if maintained.

And really there is no point in paying for the expensive extra tests they try to sell either. That is unless you have a history of eye related problems or your immediate family does. If they do however see something strange during your exam and suggest an extra test to check it, take their advice. But if you have no problems then don't waste the cash.

However, one thing to keep in mind is if you have a strong Rx your prices will be higher in order to allow the lenses to be fitted properly to the frames you choose. Another important field is something called Pupillary Distance or PD. This measurement will be important for the correct fit. Make sure you know beforehand that you may need to filter your results based on this if your PD rating is a strange number.

Ordering

The ordering is much easier than I had anticipated. I thought that it was going to be a real pain to enter the info from the prescription for each pair of glasses. Truth be told its actually stupid simple. Both sites allowed for the Rx to be saved so all you have to do is pick your frames and then essentially tell it you wanted your new prescription for them. Its a simple couple clicks after you choose the frames. Its really that easy.

Shipping and Handling

Both companies offered similar rates. I used promotional codes for both (Free UV protection, % off total order, or Free Shipping) and did whatever was the cheapest. If you place a larger order from either it is going to take a bit of time for the entire order to be processed. Remember it isn't like they got your glasses sitting in a box ready to be shipped. Each pair must be made and QC checked before sent to you. Be patient!

This was hard for me because I knew I had limited time to use the pair that I had fixed. My orders took about 2 weeks to get. Maybe a bit longer. But the size of the order will change this. If you order 1 pair of glasses, then it may take less time. Both companies were comparable in the time it took from clicking purchase, and to having them on my doorstep.

If you have managed to enter everything right, and paid for your order, followed tracking, and were somewhat patient congrats. You successfully ordered your glasses online and saved hundreds of dollars. Some people are reading this and thinking "Isn't this supposed to be comparing EyeBuyDirect and ZenniOptical?"

Overall: both companies exceeded my expectations. But there are a few things to note. ZenniOptical is more expensive than the latter. I only got one pair of glasses through them and I was not disappointed. I paid about $34 without shipping for a pair of Ray Ban Wayfarer knockoffs and they were pretty nice for the amount I paid for them.

I ordered 3 pairs of glasses from EyeBuyDirect. This order took a little bit longer but I had expected that. I cant ding them for slow shipping because it still got here within a very reasonable amount of time. One pair out of my order had issues. It was not comfortable and rubbed my ear raw after wearing them all day. I went to the website to review them and found out the rating system is flawed on their site. They pretty much only post 5 star reviews, leaving critical ones out for new shoppers. After emails being sent back and forth they opted to replace them free of charge with another pair and upgraded them for my hassle. Customer service with EyeBuyDirect was awesome after I mentioned I would write the Better Business Bureau about their trickery with the rating system. I intentionally ordered cheaper glasses from them to see what the overall quality was like. And all surpassed my expectations. Glasses range from $6 - $50+. Mine were all in the $6 - $15 range. After everything I had 4 pairs from EyeBuyDirect. All for about $59 plus shipping.

All of my Rx's were correct. All came with a case and lens cloth.

Quality from both were like lighter versions of the glasses I previously owned. Think of what sunglasses feel like weight wise. They were fairly comfortable, and with each pair catered to a specific job (computer, driving, night, daytime, or intermediate use) its easy to switch out as needed.

The one thing I can say is that it sucks not being able to try them on before buying but you have to be willing to take that chance. But for the price, it is so worth it. The total price for everything was under the $170 price range for my exam and all 5 pairs of my glasses. It should be noted, I had many extras added on so this price is pretty crazy for this much worth of product.

ZenniOptical or EyeBuyDirect?

If you don't mind taking a slight chance in buying a pair of glasses you cant feel or try on beforehand this is the best way to purchase glasses. The prices they have are unbeatable from either company, but the cheapest and fairest was EyeBuyDirect. If I was wanting to get quality glasses that were a bit more expensive I would try ZenniOptical, only because the quality was slightly better than the others I had ordered. But keep in mind the one pair I got from Zenni were about double the price of my other ones from EyeBuyDirect. Not to mention EBD had pretty good customer service when I had requested an escalation to my inquiry. I had supervisors calling my personal phone to talk to me about the issues I had.

I know this was wordy, but its been weeks since I got my glasses and it was important I had a decent time testing them out. I am overall very satisfied. One thing is sure, I will never go get glasses at the brick and mortar stores ever again. When I saw I could get complete glasses for $6, I about shit myself. Thinking I could have had 83 pairs of glasses for the price of my last pair made my head spin.

Highly recommend both companies, but EyeBuyDirect has an edge with the competitive pricing and customer service.


-TSB

Learning The Arts of Manliness - Part 1: Shaving

Chances are, your Grandpa was/is way more bad ass than you or your Father. He probably went to war and killed a ton of tangos, got loads of fine trim, and drank most men under the table. He sort of resembled what was the present day version of James Bond, but would have mopped his worthless carcass all over the street in a CQB scenario if challenged. Grandpa is basically the Operator you never could be.

Chances are, your Father was/is way more bad ass than you. He probably burned his draft card, got loads of fine trim, played in bands, did a ton of drugs and partied harder than any present day frat boy could even wish to come near. And if confronted by a present day frat boy, would out party him, lower his "status" 3 or 4 ranks to scum not using speech, steal frat boys girl, and become legends of the campus just because he can. Dad is basically the Rebel you never could be.

So what could these two men have that you probably don't. Well Ill give you a hint. Its related to shaving. Yeah, that is right. Your Grandfather, and Father probably shaved like men when they learned. They cut the piss out of themselves and learned how to shave properly by using archaic tools. And they appreciated it. Essentially men today have become all too familiar with the disposable razor, and lame canned gels and shaving cream's. You are the first generation to abandon one of probably the most important arts known to the almighty Alpha. You have been shaving wrong this whole damn time.

"Click for expanded image"

Are you still with me? Well since you read this far, clearly this sounds familiar. You go to the store buy a pack of cartridges for your Mach 3. Then you go and find a can of shaving gel/cream that probably has pictures of Master Chief or Steven Segal on it, and you paid way too much for both because you are used to the common convenient ways and are uneducated. Not because you are Beta necessarily, but because you simply do not know that shaving is an Art and isn't supposed to be taken for granted. Stop being ignorant. Now you have no excuses.

"What do I do if I have to stop buying razors at my local big box stores TSB? How will I shave?" Easy there padewan, I got the solution and its super easy.

Believe it or not, there is a whole world that still believes that wet shaving is the best way to shave.  Wet shaving is most commonly done with a straight razor or a single, or double edge razor blade. For the bulk of this I will refer to double edge or DE as the method of choice, because lets face it. The straight razor isn't the way to go if you are starting out on this adventure.

Besides this Alpha - Beta junk why should you switch? Ill list a few reasons here:

• It is cheaper. Without a doubt, it will save you money in the long run.

• Very consistent, high quality shaves. (After you learn the ways of the elders)

• Environmentally friendly. 

•  Teddy Roosevelt. He was shot mid speech and finished it with a gaping, bloody, untreated, sucking chest wound. He shaved this way. 

Its cheaper. A pack of 10 blades will run you about $1.70. Suck on that modern day cartridges! And each blade (if DE is the choice) can last for 2 shaves effectively. The shaves are consistent once the skills are acquired. They will be closer, and last longer than the common day multi-blade counterparts. Smooth as a baby butt smooth is what you will be. Its environmentally better because landfills are full of plastic disposable razors. With DE shaving you only throw away the blade. There is no cans going into the trash for the shaving soap or cream either. The blades can be recycled, and the creams produce no trash.

Now you want to save your hard earned clams, protect mother nature, and get consistent baby butt smooth shaves. But what do I need to start out? Its not expensive to get started with either. The high-end of the finest shaving kits run $800+. Your kit will not even come remotely close to this. Lets try, oh about $20 initially, or less.  Even if you try it and you decide to go back to your earth polluting, money wasting, ingrown hair creating ways, you will not be out much. Choosing to go back to disposable razors may also reduce your chance to meet the woman of your dreams. Beta patches will go back on immediately.

"John sat next to the water cooler, and sulked in the beta after his demotion."

You will need to choose:

• A razor
• Blade
• Shaving Cream or Soap
• Mug or Scuttle
• After shave, or Lotion
• Styptic pencil

Razors can be had on the cheap or free even. Ask your Father or Grandfather if they still have theirs. Heirloom stuff can be cleaned and used again. Nothing is more nostalgic than an Alpha passing down a tool for the next generation to grow and learn with. You can also go to the antique shops and local junk stores and find functional pieces to use. They are cheap running from $4 - $10 easily new and used. Make sure they take modern DE blades too. Blades on the other hand, are available most places like Walmart, CVS, Walgreens and other merchants. They are all cheap and easy to get a hold of usually. Utilize online sources like Ebay to find all of these items you cannot find locally. Creams and or soaps are fairly easy to get too. The pucks can be had at the same places as the blades. Look for them good. Chances are you never noticed they were there in the first place. They are cheap too. Under $2.00 and will last much longer than the canned counterparts. Mugs and scuttles are another thing. You do not NEED a scuttle or expensive mug. Use a mug such as one for coffee and as long as it holds your puck in place, it will work. No expensive things needed here for a beginner. After shave isn't necessary but I recommend a lotion post shave to smooth, hydrate and even train your skin to the new experience. Styptic pencils can be used also to stop bleeding from nicks and cuts. It helps a lot for the beginners. You will get cut up a little bit. It happens to all of us at one point or another.

Walmart still sells Van Der Hagen kits with a mug, brush, and a puck for under $10. Boar hair brushes are cheap but they soften up a bit after using, and the kit comes with one of fair quality. Its perfect for the beginner. Van Der Hagen is pretty good stuff. It would be worth a look I think. I personally have a stockpile of the VDH soap pucks. It is very easy to work with, and forgiving on the lathering retarded. It also has a very faint scent that is nice too. (Typically, I dont care for fragrance in hygiene items, my natural smells attract the finest of women from yonder.)

Now that you got the tools, how do you go about learning how to shave? Well the simple answer is watching videos and tutorials or going ape on your face with none of the homework. I advise you all to research it first. The first couple of times you shave, you may get nicks and cuts. Big deal. You learn from your mistakes, and next time you do things differently. Watching videos will help clean that bloody curve up. The video below illustrates most of the important things to note to save your hide.

There is a ton more to this than just shaving, and I wont get into it too much here as this is an intro to possibly a mult-part installment for the TSB. Invest a small amount of research and time into finding a kit that fits what you can afford. After doing it a short time, you will soon find out that it is a luxury not a chore. It is meant to be a ritual for us. Its time for us to reflect and relax. Unless you have the option to have a beard all year, you fall into this category and can try it out and you should. Make your Grandpa, and Fathers proud. Learn the ways and hope one day to show your own Son how to shave this same way. Pass it down to the next generation. And if you do not do it for this reason, do it because Teddy Roosevelt did.


A great place to start research about this area is the Art of Manliness website. It has many links to place to get started on this endeavor.


- TSB

Works Cited/Places of interest

Art of Manliness Official Website - Bookmark this page
http://www.artofmanliness.com/

Teddy Roosevelt - Short read on the Alpha himself
http://www.cracked.com/article_15895_the-5-most-badass-presidents-all-time_p5.html

Classic Shaving Supply
http://www.classicshaving.com/Home.html

Ebay
http://www.ebay.com

Alpha's and Beta's - The Confinuing Battle

A few nights ago I had the chance to see a documentary called "Mansome" (2012) which was directed by Morgan Spurlock, the dude everyone watched gorge on McDonalds until he threw up. This film touched on a few different things about how men have changed over the last few decades, and how men have essentially turned into vagina's because the modern day media has destroyed the concept and identity of the true alpha. Actually, the synopsis is "A documentary that explores the question: In the age of manscaping, metrosexuals, and grooming products galore - what does it mean to be a man?" .

In short it was completely about the material things that have changed for men over time. But it failed to deliver what most of the people feel defines a manly man. It was incomplete to be short and to the point. Without understanding what is considered manly, how can one gauge what is the opposite sociologically?

One reviewer on IMDB by the name of Steve Pulaski stated, "One topic that I desperately wish the film would've centered more on is the idea of metrosexual behavior in males and how it could quickly transcend into blatant narcissism." This is a good point. This pretty much included everyone involved in the film subject wise. They were complete narcissistic prick job, fucktards. Including the very interesting beard man.

The thesis for it was just as it said, but leaves out so much about what it actually means to be a man just in general today aside from looks. As in a role model, teacher, leader, or good person in general and how iconic men live their daily lives as a true alpha male. I think it desperately needed more time spent on what defines what a real "Man" is, and not so much about how men nowadays are sniveling pussies that get their eyebrows waxed. What happened to being a man?

"No."

The film opened up my eyes and really expressed that men today are much different than men were years ago. When drinking and beating your wife and children in public were much more socially acceptable, I hardly think a man who is classified as "metrosexual" would hold up if I had a time machine and sent them to the 1930's - 1950's. Lets just guess about this scenario and say in a bare knuckle brawl between a typical man of the day and a metro male, the pampered male would probably end up crying at some point about clothes getting dirty, and the bridge of their nose being destroyed. I cannot grasp this current trend. My guess is it lies in part of natural alpha-ness. Alpha's need no reason to understand the ways of the beta just to know how to identify it, fashion a weapon, and kill it. Therefore, the mere sight of a metrosexual beta just induces rage. This is my best educated guess though. What does TSB think makes a person alpha? Well let me touch a bit on it, but from a few areas of popular interest. This is entirely different from person to person. But TSB isnt just any person. He is a man.

 "When smoking was still pretty damn cool."

Short thoughts on things that are classified as Alpha according to TSB.

I have always enjoyed writing and reviewing beer. Beer snobbery. This magical liquid has been linked to man for centuries. It is what binds society together and makes it functional and happy. Beer is not just a drink to get drunk on, but one to behold and savor. Its an art to make it and to appreciate it. I love beer. And I think beer is an alpha facet to appreciate. Along with beer a new area of understanding is whiskey for me. Both beer and hard liquors are to be things I always link to past times of the gentleman. Not talking about drunks necessarily. They are things to be taken in moderation to be classified as alpha. Things I also slip into this category are the appreciation of fine cigars and pipe tobaccos, and also the mode of which one chooses to shave. Does this make one alpha? No. Not on its own. However, these things do help define a refined man.

Its not just pastimes or a means of one relaxes I suppose. Hobbies and life skills are pretty important to a modern day alpha. I mainly think of skills that are useful and in need like automotive repair, gardening, woodworking, smithing and welding, cooking, carpenters/construction/electrical/HVAC, or any skill to be more self sufficient fit in this area. The alpha is a learning breed that never stops at one subject but is advancing in many things over the course of time. These types of things to learn and study make a person much more important in a group. They are essential to others who need it. Think of Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation. He relies on no one else for his well being. He is a poster child for most of this already mentioned and should be a role model for future generations. Swanson is the definition of all that is alpha. He is an ideal figure to base what should be alpha male I think.

Full size available here for downloading. Print and put in your son's room for full effect.

Aside from these few short things what makes a person more alpha than beta is ultimately how he carries himself. How he promotes fairness, and honesty, and loyalty to the people he comes in contact with. How one treats others. Its about doing what is right all the time. Its about doing what is right when no one is looking. Its about being confident, and willing to fight for what is right and willing to be physical to maintain status. He is a man that is respected, a selfless leader, and entirely capable which means he is also feared among all ranked below him.

These characteristics make the difference. It literally makes all the difference. Today people are fake and counterfeit. Real people are hard to come by today, and when they are found you should hold on to them real tight. 9/10 people are people not worth keeping for the long haul I think. Men have turned into blubbering, whiny, narcissistic, useless pricks because they have devolved. Taking responsibility on ones status is solely based upon themselves. Most of the time you can do the alpha thing just by simply doing what is right. Even if it is not ideally what you would initially want to do. Being a good person leads to these other things I believe. Its harder being an alpha rather than a beta that is for sure. Its worth it. And anything worth it requires more effort.

"Beard guy seemed cool. But quickly turned out to be a douche just as much as the rest of the subjects."

This film "Mansome" is a bit of laugh but more importantly a look at where men in society have gone wrong today. It is a loosely put together film that touches on random subjects related to men and was put together in an awful manner to portray the extreme ends of male today. From a man who has a beard that runs his entire life, to a man who is addicted to fulfilling his desire to look good because of teasing in high school, it was cringe worthy most definitely more than once. They both were filled with self importance registering off the charts on the pretentious asshole scale. It should be called "The Beautiful Betas" because all of the males presented were about piss poor examples from the start. The only saving grace from this monstrosity of beta filled nonsense were the parts about Barbers. For the record, I would kick both of the aforementioned "men" in their gullets without so much as flinching if given the opportunity.

"Is that a fucking orange slice in my beer?"

Attract positive, denounce the negative. Learn to be honest. Be stern, and be fair. Be a leader and a teacher. Be a family man, and a reliable, dependable contact. Be a friend and a companion. Be feared when confronted, be a force to be reckoned with when applicable and necessary. Be a figure for other children and young men to look up to as an ideal example of what being a man encompasses.Take the wheel and direct your life in the path you want to and stop waiting for things to come your way by some cosmic force. Its time for change. Its time for boys to turn into men again. Its way overdue. This current fad trending with only physical importance and lack of character, needs to die and go away never to return again.

Check out Mansome. Its a watch atleast once film. Although this film could only rate a strong 5/10 on my scale of greatness, (and I am being generous considering the amount of beta involved) it is worth seeing to use as a tool to identify the characters to avoid in life's daily endeavors.

-TSB




Links:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2294729/

http://www.artofmanliness.com/

http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-an-alpha-male.htm

Firearm Q and A - Questions From the Interwebs.

Today I asked a group of people randomly found on the internet to openly ask  me any questions they had about a daily CCW carrier. Out of the barrage of questions (had a few hundred posts), some were worth noting here in an entry. The format was open forum, anyone could post whatever they wanted anonymously without having issue or worry. Some have been corrected for spelling and grammar.

It went as follows:

Question:

What kind of gun and what kind of caliber, discrete holster or open carry? Hip, thigh, shoulder, or ankle Holster?

TSB:

I suggest anything that is .380 or larger for a few different reasons. I personally prefer 9mm myself but I would not denounce anyone for carrying a .380 (summer comfort carry usually) or even a .22 for self defense. Do I prefer .22 for self defense, no. 9mm is the smallest I go if I have the option. A CCW means discrete. Open carry is not an option for my EDC. I prefer a nice leather inside the waist band option (IWB) and I have been using a small of back (SOB) for my frame. I use a Tagua if interested and it's a very nice holster. Only drawback is you may have issues bending over or squatting in public because with larger framed pistols it may print or pop out if not careful. Its called concealed carry for a reason. The other styles pose obvious problems if you think about it. Especially with shoulder holsters and ankle holsters. Shoulder holsters require constant adjustment. And not only this they are expensive, and point the firearm in a dangerous direction at nearly all times. Also, you have to wear a jacket with them and this would not work in the summer. Ankle holster pose another problem. If you needed to get to it, you would have to be leaning down and nearly tying your shoe to reach it. This is not effective as a main carry. For a backup, I would suggest it as a last resort carry.

Q:

Why are you such a tool? I hate to generalize but I never met a guy who carried a gun and was not a complete ass hat.


TSB:

I find this hard to believe since most CCW holders do not announce they are carrying. The general population that are CCW holders are strictly discrete carriers. Chances are you have met many people that are abnormally nice that are just so happening to be carrying firearms and you never knew it. As with any group, there are always going to be douches that represent a bad portion of an awesome group of people. This is no exception.

"This is not your typical CCW carrier, I promise. He has a record I am sure of it."

Q:

How small is your penis?

TSB:

I do not carry a .50 AE pistol to compensate for anything lost in the nether region.

Q:

What are you afraid of?

TSB:

Not much really. I carry as a sense of security knowing that if anything were to happen I would have the option to protect myself and my loved ones and complete strangers in the worst of situations. I live not in fear but in confidence of my training. Its a comfort and a privilege to do so.

"WHUAAAAAAAAA?!"

Q:

Do you carry with one in the chamber?

TSB:

Yes, I carry with one in the chamber. I also do not have a safety on my primary carry firearm. Some people do not like the idea of carrying a firearm with a round chambered for different reasons. One is the accidental discharge myth which I can debunk. In a proper fitting holster, a firearm will not discharge on its own without the aid of an outside force, such as a finger inside of the trigger guard. The triggers are recessed and a proper fitting holster covers the entire trigger guard making accidental discharge nearly impossible. In order to be ready for a scenario you do not have time to charge a weapon most of the time. You will lose the chance to act out of surprise. Carrying with one in the chamber closes the gap of safe to engage, not safe to engage. Some carry with safety on. That is okay if you have been trained to deal with it. Glocks do not have safeties and its for a logical reason. Safeties in the heat of engagement can get you killed. I have never been hot on using safeties for this exact reason, but my lifestyle allows me to do this. I also do not own a Glock.

Q:

Now what do you do if said robber breaks in when you are at work, or on vacation. Your gun will do jack shit.

TSB:

According the the company I work for, the right to carry does not transfer to the employees. Patrons inside our premise can carry though. So at work, I do not carry although my General Manager said if it was up to him, I would be carrying every day there. But this does not mean I am unarmed completely. I carry a work knife that would be suitable for self defense in some scenarios. By policy, if I was robbed whilst working I would have to do whatever they wanted. If my life was in danger I cant say exactly how I would react. But I can mention that utilizing my work knife would be part of it. I have learned a bit about disarming a violent person with a handgun and can say in confidence it would be hard to fire a weapon with a broken pointer finger. On vacation, nothing would change. My CCW routine would remain as long as the laws allow me to travel with it there. I wont go to California or Illinois anytime soon. So I don't have to worry much about that.

Q:

Would something like the Taurus Public Defender be a good home defense weapon?

TSB:

Anything is better than nothing. A pistol like that would be suitable for most jobs presented to it. Options for .45 and .410 is a great option and you can use it to your advantage. Alternating rounds .45 - .410 - .45 etc can help is making sure you hit your target, whatever it is. For carrying in public it would be difficult for most, but for larger framed men it wouldn't be much of an issue. And also, revolvers have little problems when firing. Less failing to fires, and better for loading and forgetting. You can store a loaded revolver for years and not worry about if its going to operate. Revolvers are great. Don't let anyone tell you differently.


Q:

Do you think it would ever be possible in the US to restrict gun ownership in ways that made it difficult for criminals to get them? Or would that require changing the 2nd Amendment, and leave guns in the hands of criminals anyway?

TSB:

In short, no. I do not think that restrictions will change anything. Bad people tend to get guns by doing illegal things anyways. If you restrict, the majority of law abiding citizens are affected in more ways than criminals. Criminal types will always just steal guns. Its one of the biggest worries and obligations of being a responsible gun owner is securing them so they do not GET stolen and used in a crime. Its sad. There is no simple way to do it though. And if there is, it isn't in my own knowledge bank now.

Q:

 What is a good home defense option?

TSB:

I prefer a 12g pump shotgun, with a 18.5 inch barrel. There is much debate over what load to use in it, but I say "Where do you live, what is your scenario" before choosing. For apartment dwellers, condos, and town houses, you live in close proximity to other neighbors. Trailers could be included in this too. You could use bird shot and not worry too much about pass through with smaller sized shot like 7, 8, or 9. In a home with space in between, buckshot can pass through walls hitting loved ones in other rooms. Its all about your scenario and job for your weapon though. Pistols would work great with a tactical light option. But like a broken record, anything works better than nothing. But you have to break down the important bits of information about your surroundings and choose what works best for you and the safety of your family. 00 buck is not ALWAYS the best option. But many disagree with me and say LULULUL LOAD UP MAGNUM SLUGS AND BLAST AWAY. Which is irresponsible and incorrect for most.


I may do this again in the near future as it was fairly comical with some of the questions, and responses to my answers. Will be posting more frequently if time allows it. I would like to specially thank the random internet lurkers for this one, as it was completely up to them with what was posted for this entry.

-TSB

CISPA & GUN LAWS

Its been nearly 3 months since my last blog entry and I feel gross about it. In a way, the ability to blog makes the experience better on my social networking accounts because people whom are less willing to read some of these "ramblings" for a lack of a better word, do not have to. In this special area I am pretty much open to express and explain whatever is on my mind without having to repress or censor anything because reading this blog is optional for all viewers. And that is a good thing. Because I do not like having to cater to any specific group or audience.

Since my last post a few things have changed. Most of my time was eaten up in an attempt to work two jobs. Flat out, just didnt have enough time to do any work or updates here or in other social networking realms. The last few entries were about Bug Out Bags (BOB's) and some survival type food from Wise Co. The seasons are changing, and the BOB and my EDC "every day carry" changes accordingly. And so should you.

In January, when my last entry was written the war on gun owners was in full swing. Since then, the battle against law abiding gun owners has indeed been losing steam. The gun legislation failed miserably and we heard our president on TV say that he was basically ashamed and will continue working to get the gun laws and regulation changed. We were basically scolded as a nation for standing up for the 2nd amendment rights. There have also been some events that are important to mention. The Boston bombings also happened very shortly after the legislation failed. Amidst all the riffraff with the media, the resurgence of CISPA v2.0 was in the workings. The House of Representatives passed the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, known as CISPA, in a 288-127 vote. Senators didnt even pick it up, claiming it was a violation of privacy. They are now working to increase security in places of high concern like nuclear power plants and dimming the original agenda. With all this crazy happening, what has happened to the firearm supply around where TSB lives?

Well were not exactly out of the woods yet. Gun sales spiked through the roof, making AR-15 platforms and any firearm with a possible capacity of over 10 go to insane demand. Guns were non existent. Stores and FFL dealers were nearly empty of stock. And ammo was even harder to get. As of right now the guns are coming back, prices are slowly coming down, but ammo is still no where to be found. The days of being able to get an SKS for under $200 are long gone. And the chance to find bulk spam cans of imported ammunition are as well. Is it better than in January? Yes, and no. The guns are about as useful as hammers or bludgeoning weapons without ammunition to shoot out of them for practice or hunting.

It isnt over just yet. There is supposedly an executive order in the works limiting or disabling import weaponry and ammo. And also, part kits are included in this list. So my chances for picking up 12 Mosin Nagant surplus rifles to refinish and admire is looking more distant. The Senate has been working overtime and I hope they do not fail the people here. It seems kind of strange that where the original gun legislation failed, they decided to take the alt route and hit the ammo and surplus markets. Like a slap on the wrist to the American people for not agreeing with our great leader? I cant ever remember hearing about drive by's or school shootings being committed with WW2 era bolt action rifles like a Mauser? As if the guns were the actual problem, and not the operators using them...

The NRA is pissed. This last term for our President is starting to look much different than it did the first time around. Hell, most of us are scratching our heads going, "Bush Jr. wasn't even that bad compared to this...". Only time will tell if the things will change in these areas. My only question is why would the democrats go out of the way to even TRY to pass these pieces of legislation that are either counterproductive to the cause or against the constitution?

Is it time for an ACTUAL multiparty system yet? Like more than the faux two party system we have been living with? I think were long overdue. You should be writing the state reps, and reading up on local and regional changes in your rights. The ability to stay informed is not optional now. You have the internet, you should be using it while we still have it. The ability to stay informed is the best weapon against this kind of bullshit. There are no excuses.

-TSB




Links:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/25/cispa-cyber-bill_n_3158221.html

http://www.firearmstalk.com/forums/f97/here-come-first-executive-actions-ammo-mil-surplus-parts-89442/

Your Bug Out Bag and YOU!

The show "Doomsday Preppers" has done wonders in doing two things successfully. The first and most prominent thing is opening up the world of preparing to people who never would have had access to the idea otherwise. The unfortunate opposite end of this stick is making people who prep look like paranoid, tin-foil hat wearing, conspiracy theorists.

Is it really that strange that there are people who like to be prepared? Have some people shown on the National Geographic show made it seem like folks are just losing their minds in general? Is it necessary to go the extent these people explained and brought to light? What is going too far survival wise?

The short answer to all these questions is no. However, I do think the Doomsday Preppers program is making the individuals out to be loonies and such with editing and cutting major bits of video. And of course, the extent you are willing to go is up to the individual. And also the digits their bank account possesses helps dictate how far one is fiscally capable to go.

Years ago, I started to make my Bug Out Bag or (BOB) as its aptly called in forums and other web areas. A BOB is a bag that you can take with you at any moments notice and survive for days at a time. This was long before the show Doomsday Preppers was even conceived. What had sparked my interest in building my own was fairly simple. Zombies. Yes, that is right. My love for everything zombie actually aided me in the start to building my own. My need/want to be self sufficient, and self reliant was a major drive to fuel the endeavor. What I knew was this.

• In the scenario came when I actually needed this stuff I was accumulating, Id be happy I did.
• If a scenario never came to be for the intended use, I still got camping gear etc.
• Natural disasters have happened in recent years past, and people were helplessly unprepared.

What started out as light research, turned into something different. The research I was doing was extensive to say the least. And in the true fashion that is TSB, it went full blown compulsive at some point near the start. The way I looked at this BOB gear was, "It certainly could not hurt." And in a very white and black way, I was never really prepared before this. It was not really a worry before this point.

Should I have a bug out bag?

Yes. I think everyone should have a contingency plan for given scenarios, and have a single bag ready to go in the case of any emergency.

"Everyone needs a plan B in their life. Sometimes, I even like plan C, D, E, F, or G."

Where do you start if you are interested in BOB gear and the items you should include?

As I said before, the love for fictional horror-based movies that usually had zombies was the start. Deep within that statement there is more. I hated the idea of not being able to leave ASAP if needed and being confident I had everything to leave for 72 hours in most scenarios. The drive to learn was leading me to the eventual forum areas. Which ones do not matter specifically, but many tactical forums and zombie related forums have much more information than I can give right here. I separated from the forums I was originally part of shortly after, as I felt the direction and demeanor of the moderators, and site advocates were not on the same page as my own. They were highly unrealistic to what real world scenarios one might encounter, and what measures one should take to diffuse/resolve them. Although, the differences in ethics shouldn't deter anyone from learning the necessary information.  My separation was quiet, I left because I was a paying member of the group. I refused to pay people who avidly opposed talking about the darker areas of survival, yet preach living under the guise of a "zombie apocalypse".

What types of things should I put in my BOB?

To loosely understand how and what yo put in your bug out bag, you should divide your bag into these categories. I have found this works the best for me, and many other people have too.

• Water
• Fire
• Shelter
• Food
• Medical
• Signal
• Miscellaneous

Each of these categories are very important. And you should remember if you were planning on having a 72 hour (3 day) bag to pack smart because you are hauling it around for long periods of time. Weight will come into play very quickly to an inexperienced new hiker.

"This is an example of an exploded BOB for comparison. Its a pretty good general idea of what would be found in any given BOB, with the exception of a few important tools."

1. Water - purification tablets and collapsible canteens are pretty much a must.  You can get kits that allow water purification for under $100. Otherwise, you can decide to carry all the water you would need for 3 days from the start. Camelbak's are a great way to haul and drink. 100oz packs are easy to come by, and they are usually reasonably priced. 
2. Fire - Well derp. You cant cook, or keep warm without it in most cases. Lighters, waterproof matches, and magnesium bars will usually get the job done. Candles may also come in handy for starting and keeping light as the wax is a good fire starter. Or if you are Bear Grylls, you can rub your penis on a piece of wood and fire appears.
3. Shelter - The most important things regarding shelter can be learned with learning some bush craft skills. The lessons are invaluable in a survival situation. You could carry a tent, but its heavy and bulky. Or carry some para cord, and a tarp for example to make a simple shelter. Or a hammock would work good in some cases. Yes, companies do make single person, light bivvy alternatives. They get a bit expensive. Anything light or backpacking gear seems to have been picked up and price raped by REI. If money isnt the issue, why are you reading this still?
4. Food - High energy bars, granola, soup packets, or MRE's (meals ready to eat) will suffice. Or if you got the cash, you can buy food prepacked in camping outlets. Some other items are a mess kit, fishing supplies, knife, aluminum foil, and freezer bags will be useful if you plan on obtaining food while out. Should I mention guns yet?
5. Medical - Lip balm, butterfly sutures, surgical knife, broad spectrum antibiotics,  gauze, soap, bandages, topical ointments, anti fungals, aspirin, anti-diarrhea, safety pins, and compression wraps. Any medications taken should be stored here too. Manuals, and first aid booklets would help the average person in most cases.
6.  Signal - Personally, I think every bag should contain 3 items for signalling. A mirror, a loud whistle (of the rape variety), and flashlight. You can also get cheap neon items to use as signalling devices. Laser pointers work too. A US flag is always recommended as.
7. Miscellaneous - Compass, money, knife sharpener, survival manuals, maps, needle and thread, extra glasses/contacts. All of these items are good to have. While I don't consider some of them miscellaneous and more so ultimately necessary, the US ARMY SURVIVAL MANUAL does. 

"This single person bivvy tent is great for backpacking. Lightweight backpacking gear is $$$ if its price that dictates your gear."

This list is a very basic idea of what you would want to have with you in a BOB. Weight is key. Think durable, multipurpose, and lightweight. Imagination can do wonders for a bag like this. This by no means is a finalized version of what every person needs in a bug out bag for every situation. Your bag will change through out the year seasonally to conform with what will be needed clothing wise and equipment wise. Plan for a specific, generalized scenario. It will help with the overall usefulness of your BOB, and make for a more comfortable survival situation.

You can spend obscene amounts of money on something like this. But truth be told your equipment is of no use if you are a busted up, rambling mess in the woods someplace. Knowledge is the golden key to this, and practice using the tools and smarts you acquire will make your chances for surviving go up exponentially. Read manuals, and find forums where the information is free to you. Find ways to try and get others involved doing the same thing. If you care about them, you should care about their survival too. Remember though, the first aid in your backpack is not meant for your friends. Its ultimately meant for yourself. Spread the information to them and hopefully they will share an interest in learning and achieving alpha level survival skills like your bad ass self.

"Sorry, TSB refrains from posting his personal collection. A few items in this picture would work"

Oh, and I almost forgot. Not only can this whole bag be left to the imagination but I kind of forgot one very important thing. Defending yourself! The possibilities are endless. I suggest carrying a firearm (or 8) to help in the possible situation you encounter zombies or food you want dead. A short - medium range rifle, and a pistol will work for most people. This is open to interpretation, and local laws play into this heavily but lets be honest. If the shit hits the fan, you want to have this part covered. Because laws wont mean dick. You will need every necessary means to defend yourself, and to be able to thrive and survive if any SHTF scenario does arise. Firearms make that part a little bit easier. Tools like machetes, hatchets, axes, saws, and shovels are also in this area I think as they are multi use.

"For survival purposes and to keep moral up, I keep a copy of The Road Warrior in my BOB."

Congratulations! You are now a sniveling ball of compulsive, paranoid, doomsday preaching homeless vagrant! I kid.  What you are now is aware of a plan of what might be necessary in a hit the deck situation. I try my best to stay on topic, as this specific area could be written about for days on end. I might even consider doing follow ups about this exact subject. What I figure I can offer is a very easy to understand and follow guideline to making you more aware of what it might take to be prepared person. Think of it this way. You might want to outlive all your neighbors and sworn enemies just to be able to wear tires as armor, and see a real life gladiator arena. Why not?! Just to be able to say, "back when the (insert awesome apocalyptic event) happened" would be worth it.

Yes, you might tell people that you are making a BOB, and they might look at you like you are crazy. Then again, when you tell people that you are doing it, you should probably glare back with an intense look like you are sizing them up as a meal. With the idea in mind that its really just camping gear, it will put them in a different place with the intentions specially with family members. God forbid it has to be used as such, but its a possibility. Teaching others about being prepared is a duty. If you care about them, you will talk sensibly to them, and talk practicality, and if they have half a brain they should understand and be open to learning.

"They have delicious meals. Alpha children are the future."

Some people make Bug Out Bags (BOB), some make Get Me Home bags (GMH), and some people concentrate on Every Day Carry kits (EDC), all of which are important. I have at least some idea about each one of these and hope to touch eventually on each subject. I will provide links about where to begin, and I will also provide as much pictures (because I know people love pictures) to explain and gain understanding in depth. My hopes is that someone finds this of use. The whole point of writing this as a blog is to gain understanding and interest in the areas I have studied. I'm finding that after a long time of trying to explain individually to people, and open forum its exasperating and fruitless. Being a survivor is about being the ultimate alpha. Its about being prepared, and being conditioned mentally, and physically to endure any situation. With the economic situation changing here in the States, and the dollar becoming worth less than it was yesterday, it may not be that strange to start thinking about this off the grid information. You have to rely on yourself. You cannot rely on your government, or your local authorities to take care of you as we have seen in the past natural disasters and with any degree of alert.

"The Clark Griswald beachside vacation 20XX"

Links of interest for further reading:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_Preppers

http://survivalcache.com/bug-out-bag/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contingency_plan

US ARMY FM21-76 SURVIVAL MANUAL FREE TO READ DOWNLOAD IT!

http://www.equipped.com/fm21-76.htm

ONLINE STORE FOR GEAR

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/

FORUM - BUG OUT BAG THREADS

http://www.survivalistboards.com/tags.php?tag=bug+out+bag

Sleep, NSAID'S, or Suicide - Migraine Solutions

Even with the aid of the Internet, expensive doctor visits and Neurologist studies, these are basically your options for treatment. If you haven't figured out what the wonderful subject matter is, I am referring to Migraine headaches.

What is a Migraine? (according to WebMD)
"Migraines are painful headaches often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light."

How many people suffer from Migraines?
28 million people estimated, and more women get migraines than men. 

What causes them?
"The exact causes of migraines are unknown, although they are related to changes in the brain as well as to genetic causes. People with migraines may inherit the tendency to be affected by certain migraine triggers, such as fatigue, bright lights, weather changes, and others. [...] A migraine begins when hyperactive nerve cells send out impulses to the blood vessels, causing them to clamp down or constrict, followed by dilation (expanding) and the release of prostaglandins, serotonin, and other inflammatory substances that cause the pulsation to be painful."

Triggers list

• Stress
• Chemicals and preservatives in food
• Caffeine 
• Weather changes
• Menstrual Periods
• Skipping meals
• Changes in normal sleep pattern

So there you go, a short excerpt from what any average person will find out doing a quick search on the web about migraines. This information does little to no justice for what it actually is, or what it feels like. And for the first time I will go to the extent to explain my personal experiences with such medical anomalies.


Currently as I type this, I am battling the day after effects of one of these migraines, and maybe I can shed some light on this subject and give some sort of explanation. And with that, it will require some background information.

"This picture pops up when you search for awkward family photo"

When I was younger, much younger in my early teenage years, my sister and I both experienced migraines for bouts of time. My sister whom is 15 months younger than I was seeing a neurologist for ADHD and ADD had an easy in to find a remedy. I had them fairly randomly, where as my sister had them more common, and was trying to find triggers for hers. She was prescribed medicine, Sumatriptan (Imitrex) in pill and nasal spray if I remember correctly. My father also randomly got migraines. Most notably, he got one from putting up Christmas lights. He said something like "the little light bulb left his vision starting to get blurry, and hindered. Like a splotch that wouldn't go away." Like when you get a picture taken with a flash on. The little aura stayed. He took Excedrin migraine to battle it, and slept for something like 17 hours. I remember checking to make sure he didn't die in his sleep or something weird.  We suffered from them all for periods. But the triggers were rather random.

My sister linked hers to specific foods. I can only be certain that one she said was hot dogs, and bratwursts. Mine were completely random. No reason I could find. My dad was environmentally set off it seemed.

Genetics are somewhat to blame. But with very different triggers/factors to look at its hard to figure. And after 5 or more years of going on living life without a single migraine, yesterday I had one. Randomly I add. And it was bad. Crippling bad.

The Setting:

"This is what it looks like normally, without a migraine. TSB vision activated."

 I was at work, doing all my normal things and suddenly I noticed I had a little blotchy aura (like the camera flash blotch) that wasn't going away. In my experience, I usually just go, "Meh, it will go away." I used to have this crazy belief that if I tried to forget about it it would go away. Not this time. Knowing that It had the chance to go full blown level 5, red alert, dropping nukes inside my skull, type of migraine... I clocked out, went to the grocery store and bought some generic migraine medicine and took it. This all happened within 15 minutes of the symptoms starting.

"By the time I came back and took the medicine this is what it looks like"

For visual representation, I will use an image to explain what happens in stages and time frame. For the unknowing I am a full blown visual migraine sufferer. It is pretty much debilitating when it occurs as you turn into a useless, sensory sensitive, noodle person.

Some time went by. I was really hoping the purchase of the medicine was not needed, and that it would go away. Another 30 minutes later I started to feel agitated and overall irritated, sweaty, nauseous, sensitive to sounds and light, and my hands were getting tingly. The welling up in my stomach was making it fairly easy to assume if I wanted to puke I had that option. Sometimes puking makes you feel better. My sisters medicine actually did it to both of us. The nose spray would make you instantly want to puke wherever you were. You would go to hock a loogie and spit and its all medicine. The taste created an instant gagging reaction, making vomiting a cinch! To the interested, I managed not to puke at my place of employment, I was worried I would have to clean it up. My visual aura got worse, much worse. After a mere half hour this is what it looked like.

 "By this time my field of vision was reduced by about 80%. Full blown Aura."

Aside from the obvious vision problems, and the other symptoms I was having there is always a signature with migraines. A sharp locatable pain behind one eye, and only on one side of my skull. For 48 hours afterwards, I get a migraine hangover feeling that lingers with any quick movement of my head. It feels like your brain is shrunken and dehydrated, and when you move its thumping against the inside of your cranium. Think of your worst hangover. Wine or dark spirits type of bad hangover. They last like that for 2 - 3 days usually.

 "Good thing I have photoshop. Helping people understand Migraine Auras since 2013."

The medicine did work partially. The aura did fade a bit. But the other symptoms were much more apparent. I had more of a tunnel vision problem. The medicine was doing its job, but I needed sleep. My work effort was reduced to standing with my head on a table, in between remedial tasks. Hardest part was driving the rest of the way home. Longest 4 miles ever. After I got home I slept. And that is pretty much all you can do.

"Gary Busey Mode activated. Insurance just went up."

I read about the triggers food wise, and I can only think of one thing that may have set my episode off. I only ate one meal before this happened so it was pretty much the only bit of evidence I could point to. And since before they were random, I never noted or wrote about what it could have been before today. I ate Salami, which I don't typically eat. Could salami be the culprit? Well let me go through this list of triggers from our friends at WebMD once more to check if there are other reasons.

• Stress - (Living paycheck to paycheck, and gun laws changing are the thing lately... maybe?)
• Chemicals and preservatives in food - (Salami has plenty of these.)
• Caffeine - (Been drinking lots of green tea to fend off the Flu, 40mg a cup. Not likely)
• Weather changes - (Without saying too much, the Midwest NEVER has typical patterns)
• Menstrual Periods - (Nope)
• Skipping meals - (Scheduled meals? People do that?)
• Changes in normal sleep pattern - (Sleep when you are dead)

After reading the list the researchers and hosts at WebMD decided are some triggers, I exhibited pretty much all of them with the exception of a few. And I mean, the lot of them (with the exception of having a period) are a normal, typical, everyday occurrence for me. Stress, caffeine, poor weather, and unscheduled meals are common things in all people. The food chems and preservatives could be more responsible than the others possibly. I mean, can I really blame 3 pieces of salami I ate for this if I exhibited the laundry list of "reasons" you could get a migraine?

"Scumbag Salami Steve"

The truth is, I have always felt like my migraines have been totally, and inexplicably random. Specially since I get them so sporadically, I cannot really think that one thing was the reason why. Sure I would love to know if there was one fucking thing that did this to me but more than likely it is a number of things and total chance. And to think there is a research group that spends millions of dollars trying to figure out what the cause and or reason is to why a person gets them, and all I have is a random, open-ended list of possibilities. Why didn't the lead researchers just admit, "We do not know what the causes are, we spent half of the money from donations and research on hookers and top shelf medical grade marijuana, and the other half on Imitrix stocks." That would have been more noble than creating a universal list of "possible triggers."

And also, WebMD is garbage. Pretty much everything searched on the site will eventually lead you to Brain Tumors, Cancer, or Death as an end result. I used it as a reference because most idiots immediately go on a chosen search browser and go directly to WebMD for the medical "experts" answers. For Christ sake, the association that is supposed to be leading organization to the study on finding the reasons why migraines occur doesn't have the definitive answer, so WebMD is definitely not going to have answer. You would have a better solution for medical inquiries using yahoo answers probably.

"Still a better answer than what most WebMD searches yield."

If you want to know what the solution is, it's take migraine meds, sleep as long as you can in a super dark place that is quiet, and try to be comfortable for 2 - 3 days. Because if you experience anything even near what I do, it will feel something similar to having your head kicked around by the Ugandan Soccer team for about 48 hours after the initial shock.

I believe that food preservatives are more to blame than its being published about. And that the buildup of the chemicals are causing the conflicts in nerves and blood vessel pathways. On a chemical level, and neurological level it could already be proven, but the money involved in food, and in the preservatives are big money. I doubt the FDA would want to stop the use of some of these preservatives. Medicine as I have said before is big business. If it was cured or a single trigger was the answer, billions would be lost.

To finally have a chance to explain what it is like to have severe aural migraines with the aid of having photoshop was kind of necessary. I think that people who do not have migraine headaches look at people who do the same way an adult looks at a child crying at the grocery store registers for candy. The shit is no joke. It sucks. I wouldn't wish or hope for my worst enemies to have them. Well. Maybe just one bloke...

Nuff said.

-TSB


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-EDIT UPDATE-

This one lasted for 10 days. By far the longest one I have ever endured. I SHOULD have went to the hospital to get a brain scan. The hangover effect lasted that long. Do NOT wait like I did. Go see a specialist if your symptoms are anywhere near like what you have just read. Just do it.

Works Cited

http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/guide/migraines-headaches-migraines

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumatriptan

http://www.migraineresearchfoundation.org/