Almost Normal

Ok, I do feel a little out of place posting this.  So please dont think me looking to join a band wagon.
Growing up you could have considered me an alcoholic by the 'standard' terms given that my average intake of beer was a case plus just about daily.  When I moved back to US I started a family and worked hard and simply had no time to party so it simply ceased.  Now, I have maybe 2 beers a week if i play pool on saturday.  A six lasts in my frig for close to a month.  However, 1 habit I did not stop is pot.  On and off here and there mostly on.  I did smoke heavily (hash) growing up but again that went away at about 19.  Since then (now thirty five) I smoke still.  Funny though, society would reject me cause I smoke, amoung smokers, I'm not really a 'smoker'.  I go through about a quarter ever 2 to 3 weeks.  Smoke daily at the end of the day tword the evening, maybe 2-3 hits of a pipe.  Now the company I have worked for for 14 years has been bought out by a major company and though they say nothing will changed we had to sign the whole drug free enviornment agreement that we could be tested.  Now I'm worried.  The move and all is good so far however I have stopped (3 days ago) simply out of fear.  14 years later 2 children, wife and a big house all at virtual risk (hell wife dosent even know I do, she is one of the 'its evil and will destroy everyone' type).  Now I'm back to my hyper active, insomniac state.  I would say that I'm as sharp as a whip, but everyone I have worked with does that for me.  I work in a development atmosphere with some pretty serious stuff and climbed my way there from what could be considered the lowest position inthe company.  I have trained my self mostly and received official certs from all the common computer sectors.  Not sure if I am just being overly worried with the risk.  Also it really has me wondering how a society can look upon something so blindly.  Any advice?

[NautyOne]

if you smoke pot on a regular basis it will stay in your system for a long time.  also, factors are height, weight body fat, because it stores in the fat cells. I would google it and you will find a bunch of information, and facts.  Good luck.

Nauty..........

[ToManyToCount]

Hello there my development comrade - Your way to the top of the AD food chain sounds pretty familiar.  Learn, Live It, the get the certs to prove it.  

As an ex-smoker I can tell you that what will truly make or break you is how they decide to test.  If they do the old school fill the cup donation you can get some wash on the Wonderful World Web that will cure what ails you.  However, if your new 'Big Brother' goes for the true test it comes down to taking just a tad of your hair and you're done.  (Unless you decide to sport a look that is the cross between Mr. Clean and Mark Spitz and shave your entire body.)

You're not overly worried about the risk, if anything I'd say if you're still trying to bargain/justify it in the least you haven't given it a healthy enough dose of credit.

----Editorial Section Starts Here ---

Now -- don't read this part if you are an all or nothing sort when it comes to the belief that "all drugs are equally evil".  I can completely believe that there are levels of drugs and hence likelihoods of addiction.  I tend to put pot in the psychological level and certainly much lower on the food chain than nicotine (and I've got the raging nicotine habit to back this statement up).  That being said, is that puff or two you are somewhat mourning worth losing that groovy job and that posh pad you live in?  I personally adore my my groovy job, posh pad, and happy, although sometimes dysfunctional life, so long ago I put down my pipe and decided it could wait until I was old and retired and then I could do as I dang well please without the fear of losing all my goodies.  I'll just wait another 20 years and see if it is still as good then as my foggy memory portrays it to be.

TMTC
Ahhhhh-Cho!

[Noturaverage]

Yep, did that between 11pm til about 3am.  Finally got tired enough to sleep.  Some interesting things there, hell even learned some real health items that have changed over the years.

[Noturaverage]

Hello to you too!  As far as the test, I don't forsee anything out side of the pre-emplyoment screening test/pee cup type.  But still, funny enough I cant get it out of my mind on how selfish it is to still want to smoke.  Have not yet, again, Job is more important and I cannot neglect the guardian/father role I have.  Stressful as my enviornment is trying to find something else :)  started back with the 'Stress' vitamins again however dont know if they 'really' do anything anyway.  A beer here and there, but I really dont get a buzz easy.  Just seems so damn irresponsible to not allow some method of relaxation out of alcohol.  Hell, all these years later I'm glad my body is not retaliating against me for then.  Yeah, I've pretty much come to grips with the fact that I will have to either wait for the family friend glaucoma to kick in or retirement to come about.  I'm not the type to lash out in stress but my mind is always a buzz hence the cycle of worry I'm going through now.  A long time buddy of mine thinks I'm overly worried but then again I always am, which then feeds the hyper beast and insomnia.  Man, if it wasent this I would still be working on archatecture documentation just to fall asleep.  You ever hear of salvia divinorum (spelling?), was considering trying that.  Funny, I refuse to take sleeping pill...LOL dont like pharmacy drugs, man screws too many things up....