Speaking of painkillers, if one had happened to hang on to a couple of bottles of hardcore useful preparations, how long do they remain useful? Even a half-strength hardcore useful preparation would still be useful, unless it's going to give me unpleasantness.

Speaking of painkillers, if one had happened to hang on to a couple of bottles of hardcore useful preparations, how long do they remain useful? Even a half-strength hardcore useful preparation would still be useful, unless it's going to give me unpleasantness.

My guess is that the official expiration date is probably a year after they were dispensed. That said -- with the caveat that I don't have a pharmacy or medical degree (yeah, I know that everyone knows that, but we're talking about hardcore painkillers, so I just want to emphasize that this is not backed up by a PharmD or an MD) -- with old/expired meds, generally the worst that would happen is that they lose their effectiveness. They won't turn into something that harms you.

If it were me, with the old meds, the first thing I would do is make sure they don't smell bad/look funky (like the tablet shouldn't be crumbling to powder or changed color or have mold spots or suddenly have eldritch runes appear on it). And then, honestly, I would probably take it. But I'm pretty fucking cavalier about meds.

And about eldritch runes.

(Okay, as an example, I took Xanax that was at least 4 years old and it was fine and either placeboed the hell out of me or actually worked to relieve my anxiety.) (There were no runes on it, though.)

If eldritch runes suddenly appear in my vicinity, I have a shelf of books I can consult for dealing with them. Huh, looks like I got rid of Spiral Dance, but it was a bit too woo-woo anyway--which is probably a ridiculous thing to say about a book of magic.

or suddenly have eldritch runes appear on it

Dude, if eldritch runes appear on any of my pain killers, expired or no, I am taking that as a sign that I absolutely should take them.

In the right markets, I bet one could have a decent side gig painting eldritch runes (using edible vegetable dye) on meds. Probably need to check to make sure the beet juice or whatever didn't interact with anything.

Anyway, enruned or not, I hope the meds are helpful, Zenkitty.

And Stephanie, it's good to see your pixels. You're doing great things!

Expiration dates on meds are eldritch runes. They make you waste medicine.

On the woo-woo scale of Detox Your Chakras ==> Bonewits' Real Magic, Spiral Dance is at least not all the way to the left.

I wonder where my old copy of Real Magic is. Might have just fallen apart.

Good foggy humid morning, Buffistas.

I clearly have not read enough magical tomes.

I should turn off the tv before my head explodes. And yet I can't seem to manage it. These responsible watch dogs supposedly protecting us from Trump's worst instincts are cool with him meeting privately with Putin, Kim, and others. I keep telling myself that this too shall pass and be but a painful chapter in history, but today isn't a day where telling myself that is helping. It was a freak show that he was ever a candidate, insanity that he is considered to have been the victor, and each and every day something more unfathomable occurs. I am so far beyond the capacity to be surprised, but not beyond the capacity to be terrified.

Do not paint eldritch runes on pills with blood orange juice. Too many potential interactions.

Squid ink might be a good choice.

I"m with you, Laura. I hate that I'm reduced to waiting for a bunch of guys over 70 to die or retire, but that's where I'm at. There, and rewatching Steven Universe.

There, and rewatching Steven Universe.

I have to say my summer reading is going at a better pace.