Holier / Allowances

This blog has been sparked from the topic of:

"being holier than thou versus making allowances for oneself or others".

The concept is a bit of a bridge off of the Diet Loopholes entry I made a bit ago. 

I feel as though I am constantly striving for a kind of balance in things. My entry on Greed, for example, portrays my disgust for those who cannot achieve some sort of balance within the things they enjoy (from spending money to drinking coffee/booze, which naturally spills into the conversation of cigarettes). When I strive for this balance, however, I have a tendency to get a bit lost in the duality. Similarly when I consider Veganism. 

Is it better to aim for perfection and label any misstep a complete fail?

Or should I just be content with any amount of effort and be satisfied with the lesser of two evils?

My natural intention is to aim for perfection, because within some guidelines, if you do not accomplish perfection, you have not executed any of it. If you completely follow Veganism with the exception of MeatMouth Mondays (I just made myself gag a bit, not to worry - keep calm, carry on), you really have not achieved Veganism. It is more of an absolute. There are gray areas, yes (honey, secondhand leather), but in my opinion, purposefully consuming animal product at any time would not be one of them.

I said it before and I will say it again: Even if there was a loophole securely in place for you to eat that animal product - why would you want to, little vegan?

To me, there is quite clearly a difference between a vegan and a person who has more of a "zero waste" attitude toward all things (including creatures). In my opinion, if you are going to be truly vegan, you are not also going to be bothered with what we're going to do with "all these animal remains" and conversely, if you are going to complete the duty of a zero waste lifestyle that includes animal bits, I would not consider you a vegan. I feel as though you can, however, be a vegan who adopts a zero waste lifestyle for yourself. Which would not include animal bits as product to be considered. Otherwise you would be cooking up Fido and Aunt Shereece once they'd passed. Waste not, want not!

The problem with this outlook - if you would like to consider it that - would be that it would throw out the "Lesser of Two Evils" argument. (It may toss out the whole outlook of balance thing as well, but I suppose it could be argued that one could be even more balanced by only concerning oneself with balance some of the time.) (...That wasn't meant to get a laugh, but it really is quite humorous.) And so, with the disposal of the Lesser of Two Evils argument, it could be argued that we would actually be going further against veganism. Naturally this would depend on the actual topic of discussion. Because as far as I am concerned, the whole "only eating animal products when they're already dead" is an absolute that displays, without question, that you would not be vegan, by definition. (You would be some other thing like... Nearly Vegan. A Negan.) HowEVER! If the argument was "If you partake in MeatMouth Mondays (it doesn't get any easier with time), you may just as well not partake in any vegan activity, or even try to", then it could be argued that that attitude / outlook / opinion actually makes you less of a vegan (because at least those people are eating less animal product, and as such is better for the Great Fight as a whole/take what you can get/any amount of animal not eaten is a victory of sorts). 

It will certainly lower your popularity at most cocktail parties and social gatherings. 

Which reminds me: the line of being polite and being supportive is a tough one to learn. I still have troubles teetering on it. What I mean to say is that when a friend does not adopt the same attitude / morals / views as yours (on something that involve ethics and victims, such as Veganism), how far should you go (in efforts to keep them comfortable around you)? I do not want to shame these people for doing something that is different from what I do. Especially when it comes to food habits. Food is very personal. It goes in to your body, for crying out loud. But I also would like to not lie and pretend that Veganism is shit and "man-oh-man, do I miss cheese". *Vomits quietly so as to not upset said friend*

And I am so sorry to share with you, at this time, that an omnivore being supportive of a vegan diet is not the same as a vegan being supportive of an omnivore diet. Yes, I am aware that I am not a scientist / nutritionist / dietitian, and Yes, I am aware that I did not go vegan for ethical purposes. All of that is 100% true. I still stand by what I said about support not going both ways, because at the end of the day, YES! Veganism could be completely horrible for me and I would have no idea of knowing it until I die from spinach intake, BUT! The things that perpetuate me on this diet are the things that are for certain AND I am choosing not to eat a chunk of what omnivore's eat. They are still perfectly welcome to eat all they want of what I eat, and they could still consider themselves omnivores.

Provided they partake in MeatMouth Mondays.

Not that this is even similar enough, but at the least comparable, picture a health nut / gym rat watching someone eat processed, pre-made, artery-clogging, people-who-make-it-getting-paid-unlivable-wage shit-food and take a bash at how you think they might feel about it. 

ONE LAST PARTING SHOT:

Why are we coming up with such extraneous circumstances for others? Surely you've heard the stories:

"You're a vegan? Oh, ok, well..." *immediately is triggered and mentally shoots off to find holes in the opposing theory* "what if you were on a deserted island and there was only a pig on the island and no vegetable and you were starving?"

(Well, it's funny you should ask, because what you're describing actually happened to me, just last week. And I'll tell you just what I did. But you're not going to like it.)

First of all: there's no telling. You can think you would / wouldn't eat that pig all you want, but more likely than not, you have not yet been faced with that level of survival mode, and so there is no telling. 

Second of all: why does this scenario and answer matter to this person? Are they planning on getting stranded soon after opting for veganism? Is anyone? And just what are the odds that there is a pig on the island with no veg to even keep it alive? I will tell you that at this point in my Veganism, the last thing I need on a deserted island is horribly-cooked fresh pig meat. It would only prolong my misery (having to live with the fact that I killed on purpose just so I could survive instead of the pig - why am I so special?) and shortly thereafter give me diarrhea, which would quickly dehydrate me and surely be the reason for my ultimate demise.

I only remember so much about water distillation from Voyage of the Mimi.

Most importantly: this would never happen, so it doesn't matter. And it isn't fun for everyone involved, so I really just don't see the point at all. 

Who are these people creating these stories? Is it fun for them? Do their brains work differently than ours / at least have some kind of thought process that takes them under a troll bridge, through riddles and prose? This is ridiculous. What are these people doing with their lives when they save their energy for useless proposition?

Greed

(My blogs have become somewhat sassier, and less objective. Maybe it's a mood, maybe it's a change... we'll see.)

It's official: Greed is disgusting.

When I heard the word in my youth, I would often just picture Scrooge McDuck, swimming through his fortune, never giving a penny up. But it really covers so much more than the obvious. I also feel as though selfishness is greed's annoying little sister; when you're greedy, you're probably being selfish and when you're a selfish human being, you are likely to be dipped in greed.

I finally get why consumerism makes so many people want to throw up! I may not agree with all of the reasons, but I will certainly say that I find it absolutely repulsive when a person / people viciously pursue Black Friday deals with the unmistakable look of hunger and desperation in their bloodshot eyes (at 2:20 in the morning). Half off and free gift with purchase? They may as well be salivating. We have all seen what the insanity of sales can do to a human-greed-monster hybrid, as well as any who dare stand in its way (trampling someone in the name of a flat-screen television? Yeah, that checks out). And just adjacent to this behavior is that of an addict.

I don't mean to delve into anything too serious or dark, here, I literally mean to reference substances such as coffee. Alcohol. Legal, boring shit.

I have seen the whole alcohol culture grow in just a few years. I am hearing more people joking about how they're alcoholics (yolo), seeing memes; they could have fun without booze, but why would they?? Yeah, alright, I will admit that I drink, and sometimes it's a fun way to mark a celebration of sorts (a birthday, for example). But drinking to excess, to me, is just not a cute look. It's gross. As if you could not bear the thought of a weekend without your martini in hand. As if that is the only way you know how to socialize/enjoy yourself. Read a book. Get creative - use a brain cell, for God's sake.

Coffee people are equally as annoying. I love coffee. I love the whole ritual of it. I could light a candle and play smooth jazz hits every morning for that slow, easy, first few sips of joe. However, the minute it becomes a necessity is the minute it gets a little gross. "Oh, you wouldn't wanna see me before my coffee!" Why? Can you not be a decent human being to your fellow man without the injection of this substance into your bloodstream? Just clawing at the espresso maker like a wild animal every morning. Perhaps it is time to consider an alternative route.

I will be honest; I think it is positively stinking when I don't get to have food when I want it, but I am not about to act violently and be a haggard mess about it. And that's food - ya know, that stuff we ingest to keep living? And certainly I try not to overindulge. I guess it's the obsession of the addiction, making us act like ill-behaved toddlers that irks me most. Gross. Completely unattractive.

why, as soon as we find something we enjoy, must we spam the fuck out of it until it becomes an emotional / mental / physical health issue? Why must we throw adult-sized temper tantrums when we do not get our way?

Going Without

I am almost certain we have all done it at one point or another. My experience may not have been as intense as the next guy's, but regardless of the details, we have all likely "gone without".

I try not to bring up mine up all the time; not everyone cares, I don't mean to sound like I am complaining and regardless of the topic, there are only so many times one can hear the same stories with only a few details I forgot to throw in during the first round. Be considerate. Golden Rule.

I also try not to one-up anyone (about anything, really) / invalidate their feelings/hardships/emotions. Just because you don't have a hard time driving to the next town over doesn't mean I don't. And Just because I have a hard time with that doesn't mean I also have a hard time with everything else you do. More often than not, if I have a hard time with something that the population at large does not, I will have an easy time with something they find impossible to accomplish. This or that. Yin and Yang.

That is why I found it downright laughable when, during a social gathering, I heard some man shove this topic into a conversation:

"I don't own a bed."

First of all, this must have been for my benefit and mine alone, as everyone else in the circle knew the aforementioned bragger very well, and - judging by his accelerated need to scream this from the tallest mountain top - probably already knew this incredibly amazing fact about him.

"Oh, cool."

I said, in an attempt to regain the story I was in the middle of (rude). I began to retry the sentence I had gotten cut off from when I was once more denied. This is where I decide to give up and shift gears; clearly this man needed attention. And not just attention, but specifically the kind that would acknowledge his heroism in a life less complicated. This guy doesn't need a bed. Man. So brave. So tough. He's like a New Age Siddhartha. 

What is it with these people? This population of beings who insist on inserting themselves (and all of their CRAZY QUIRKS *fanfare*) into literally anyone else's day/life/conversation? These people who need so badly to be unusual - nay - remarkable. Really something. The crowd who will search for any reaction of caliber - and aggressively, at that. I just imagine these people storming into buildings of assorted profession, kicking down doors and elbowing past strangers only to say, in elevated voices:

"I HAVEN'T WATCHED GAME OF THRONES."

They are the same people who come into my second job and speak to "themselves" in loud enough voices for all those around them to enjoy. Have they watched too many movies? Do they think that the only way to start a conversation and make friends (or more) is to have someone overhear them and laugh hysterically at how clever they are? Or to have someone understand their obscure Doctor Who reference? These are the people who quote witty people to feign being witty people. I wish I could just tell these individuals to "relax". And maybe that "being authentic is so much better, cooler and surely the way to an increased quality of interaction". How stressful it must be to so in-character all of the time.

What is this phenomenon? How did it begin, and how can I make it stop?

I'm not knocking not owning a bed. I've been there - my choice - went well enough. But don't hijack the conversation just to talk about it. I understand that what you're doing is out-of-the-ordinary. And I am not judging you for it. I am however judging you for your desperate need for attention for it. I almost want to give into these people and react with a

"WOWWWWW you don't own a WHAT?? STOP everything. I have NEVER heard of anyone EVER going without  bed. HOLY COW. I am SO privileged with my bed. Queen Lexx over here. Get a load of me. SHEESH. How DO you do it?"

But for the greater part of my adulthood, I would like to be able to look back and say that I was able to handle it with patience.

The best punchline to this story? He still owned a cellphone.

Moral of the story: do what you want because you want to do it and not because you want to get some kind of reaction/praise out of those around you.

Family Dinners

The following is intended to be a free-flow of thought.

Hold on to your butts.

When I think of family dinners, I think back to the times in my childhood when my mother, father, sister and I would gather around the television and eat the same food as each other at the same time as each other and watch the same show as each other. Or when we would actually eat at the "dinner table", sans TV and talk. That is, I think there was talking. I can't say that I remember contributing much to the conversations, but I am almost certain there were words of some kind.

As we all got older and evolved in one way or another as individuals, the family dinners became less and less frequent. Then the divorce, then my sister and I got jobs and before you knew it: everyone was in a different direction and we were all part of a memory of a family we used to know.

I actually liked it better when we were all doing our own thing; I was an incredibly private and constantly overwhelmed individual and as such, it just made for an easier time for me to be ignored / not a part of a greater party.

THEN. I started dating. Suddenly I was part of a greater party and once again finding myself at family dinners. At first it was terrifying / made me very anxious - there were people paying attention to me in that intense way again. And this time they were strangers. And even though I was older now, the strangers were older, too, and still felt like the position of authority (I didn't know any better back then). It just sucked me back to being younger, and not in a fuzzy, Perry Como, Christmas sort of way. I just felt uncomfortable. Then, once I got to know the "strangers" better (well... some of them, anyway) I began to relax and enjoy such things. I even got really excited to attend the significant other's family holiday gatherings. It was cool to pretend I had a large family that got along. Even if they only saw each other in the colder seasons (perhaps this was the secret?).

Now that I am older still and have completely adopted my own lifestyle and created my own principals and schedules to adhere to, my time has become precious. And I have become very certain about protecting it. Ergo, I am choosier about the people I spend time with and the activities in which I participate in. I still go to family dinners, but it's so much better. I don't go because of obligation, I go because I love and respect my partner. (These people are important to you? Okay, I'll come, no problem.) I have also learned to create my own family, and in doing so have lessened a great deal of stress that used to come with splitting holidays between my family's and the s/o's family's time. I am also just SO much more confident and comfortable in general, which naturally makes everything better.

Femme

(I had a different prompt for today, but I thought of this one and figured I might as well get it out while it was still fresh in my mind.)

I was always called a tomboy when I was younger.

I think it was mostly the way that I dressed (backwards baseball cap, baggy overalls and sneakers from the little boy's department). As I got older, my mother became accustomed to telling me whenever I was being a "girly-girl" (this would typically be whenever I expressed any interest in a soap that was not by the fine people at Ivory). I never really knew how much stock to put into her comments of that nature, as she is so extremely in the other direction on most things.

I have gone through my bouts of masculinity and sharing traits more stereotypical of the male human. My fashion still reflects that at times. There was even a time where I was sick of unwanted attention from men and tried to dress ugly / uninteresting / wear no makeup or crazy gross makeup / cut my hair in unpleasant ways. It didn't take long for me to recognize that it didn't matter what I wore / did to my hair; those men were still giving me unwanted attention. So if that bullshit was going to happen either way, I figured I might as well just do whatever the fuck I wanted and at least feel comfortable with how I looked.

I used to pride myself on my opposition against femininity. I wanted to be strong and cool, not weak and cute. I wanted to fight the stereotype and stand up for feminism.

Here's the thing.

I am strong. One of the most resilient people I know.
I am proud of women (and men) who stand up for themselves. Who fight to be heard when necessary.

I am also sick of being disingenuous in order to prove a point. Because it doesn't prove anything! AND you just end up being uncomfortable with yourself and stressing yourself out. It's similar to the hipster paradox; it started with people fighting conformity and ended with a brand new way to conform. Or when anyone goes so out in one direction; in efforts of presenting oneself in a compassionate manner to [party/group A], if the aforementioned one falls too deeply down the rabbit hole, one will inevitably pop out the other side and leave the [party/group B] in the dust. (*see also: political parties, extreme feminism, racism.)

The truth? (About me, I mean, not racism. Not ready to tread that water.) I love being a woman. I love the complexity. I love being strong in a way that only I could be. I love what I have conquered, how far I've come, my psychological and behavioral dimension. I love the amount of caring, earnest compassion I have put forth to others. I am proud of how far we've come, while still respecting and listening to and caring for the people around me who deserve it, whether they're male or female.

Even in a more comical view of things: I love men's blazers and oxfords as well as pencil skirts and stacked heels. And honestly? Some of my best days during the work week are when I am able to listen to Etta James in my kitchen while I cook, bake, clean and sing. Keeping a home makes me feel great. And whatever I end up doing is just less W has to do. And now I get to feel good because I didn't leave the space we share in shambles / he will be more likely to be in a better mood when he gets home. I love contributing to his good mood. He deserves it. Why should I avoid helping simply because the act thereof is specifically part of a stereotype for my gender? The more one fights that stereotype, the further they inevitably end up in the other stereotype. Which would leave me fighting through the Trenches of Testosterone while my partner wades peacefully in the Pool de Femme; where I actually care to be. Why is that any better? I don't think it is. And if you're damned if you do, damned if you don't, you might as well just do what you want.

Advice:
Women! Don't fight who you are simply to fit into that 40's housewife stereotype. However, if you happen to just really like the things that fall into said stereotype, that's okay, too! Just maybe don't fight who you are, period. I don't see the harm in doing what makes you happy, as long as no one gets hurt.

Jobs

I have recently implemented a "topic-a-day" note on my calendar. This will give me a prompt for blogging. 1 a day, Tuesday - Friday. It worked out fairly well last week, so let's get at it again! Also, I don't remember my prompt for today, but I remember one from another day, which is:

I have two jobs.

This is not my first time holding multiple jobs at one time. In fact, there was a time when I held three at once. They were dark, dark times. But I did what was necessary to financially survive a shitstorm, even if it did wreck me a bit mentally / physically.

I remember feeling like I would never again be calm, and like the sensation of feeling rested was but a memory to fondly look back on. I was always sore. (My wrists and fingers even??) There were schedule conflicts (not with my social life, I could not afford one of those at this time. Conflicts with my other jobs). Which is really unfortunate because when you have multiple jobs, you must become an organizational wizard and have everything you possibly can "under control" at all times. And I was fucking good at it. But even so, one of my jobs would always be greedy / presumptuous / shitty and assume that they could put me on the schedule every holiday. Even the holidays that fell under my "I'm working at my other job" days. You see? Not my fault, but still somehow I was the one who got in trouble. Then, of course, if they wouldn't budge, I would have to rush over to the other job at break-neck speed to grab all of the associate's contacts that I possibly could and connect with all of them to see if they were available to cover me. Then connect with the supervisor to see if that associate was cleared to cover me for said shift. Then get shit from the other job that I was even asking. Then, if time allowed, I would enjoy a full-on panic attack.

But only before suiting up and heading off to the next job.

That was another matter of stress entirely; uniforms. One of the three aforementioned jobbies provided us with uniforms. They were ugly, they were ill-fitting, they were polyester, but they were free, and gosh-darnit I didn't have to spend any time at all shopping for them. I was elated. (I was the only one.)

Naturally, it cannot always be such nirvana. The other two jobs called for uniforms (one of which I found to be intensely specific), and supplied us with only the aprons.

job one:
wear all black
all-black non-slip closed-toe shoes
black pants (not jeans)
black belt (plain, no embellishment)
black shirt (plain, no pocket, tee or long-sleeve, no pinstripes or emblems)

job two:
all-black non-slip closed-toe shoes
blue jeans so dark that they are almost black, but not black
no skinny-jeans
jeans must have no wash on them and no colored thread (other than black or blue)
jeans must have no embellishment, no emblem, no thread design
black belt (plain, no embellishment)
white oxford shirt (plain, no pocket, long-sleeve only, no colored threads/designs)
shirt must be bleach-white at all times (pick up a tide-to-go pen)
shirt must be starch-ironed-crisp at all times
do not wear shirt until you clock in (to avoid even a single wrinkle)
no fake nails
no nail polish
no long nails
only one small ring allowed
earrings must be no larger than a quarter

...Jesus.

Anyway. The good news was that I only needed one belt. The bad news is that I have trouble finding pants that fit me... ever. Like... period. Regardless of the color, cut, threads, etc... naturally this alone proved to be a fucking nightmare for me. I was not told I could not wear skinny jeans at first, and I recall purchasing the perfect pair (even though I could not truly afford them, I knew they would be more of an investment). I wore them to my training shift and promptly was told they wouldn't do. I was not allowed to change so that I could return them, and so I was now the proud owner of a very useless pair of trousers. I was walking at the time (no license, no car), and on occasion would receive a ride from my at-the-time beau (paying for gas each time, naturally). So more often than not, I would arrive much too early and much too sweaty, but would sometimes be able to cash in on my free shift food at this time (two sides each shift?? You spoil me).

My current experience with two jobs is much more pleasant. For starters, I actually love my first job (where I am treated like an actual human being). And the second job is so unbelievably great at adhering to my availability. Same schedule, every week (unless I ask for time off). I have a license and a car, I live in town, my supervisors are not bloody nightmares, and - my favorite part - no uniform. So as long as I don't show up in a tube top and pajama bottoms, I'm pretty much in the clear there.

Multiple jobs doesn't always have to be a death sentence. The coolest part about having multiple jobs is probably the fact that I don't get bored as easily. When you have only one occupation, that one place of business is all "work" means to you. It is very specific. The goods and bads are all the same, always. With two jobs you have alternate perks and downfalls, the downfalls never seeming as steep due to the fact that you only have to be there until you head to your next place of business. There is a larger pool of faces you get to see, interact with, be around.

All that being said? At this age and this point in time, I really wouldn't mind just having the one schedule to focus on and work with.

Quick Quiet Entry

at a desk
in a chair
gazing out a window
from the top floor
at these buildings
the street
the sky
this world
this life.

All that and there's a laptop in front of me. And! It's warm in here! Could life get any better? Probably not. It's so cozy and calm and quiet and smooth in here. Up here. Up and away from everything, it seems.

Pardon my gushing, I just love times like these. They remind me of when I was younger (pre-divorce) and I would stay up late during summer nights while everyone else was fast asleep. I was the youngest (out of Mom, Dad and sister), so this was basically the only time I could do whatever I wanted. I could watch anything on television. I could eat anything in the cupboards. I could play Zelda until my hands fell off. And what was it that I liked to do most of all on nights like these?

Be.

Be, and be quiet. It seemed as though the world was full of such catastrophe whenever alive. The Sun rose and so did the sounds; the sights; the motion; the sheer volume of pandemonium. Always someone to listen to, something to accomplish, somewhere to go - and quickly. People always talking. Good God. Did these adults ever stop? And the children were just as bad. But on nights like these?

Ahhh.

I would curl up on the couch, window slightly open (to better hear the midnight crickets), and I would play the low-volume version of my favorite Jim Carrey flick. Not that I needed to watch it - without being comfortable around people, I essentially had movie stars to socialize with. As such, I learned every punchline. But that was the point. It was my first attempt at my first version of a "controlled environment". It was calm, nothing crazy was about to happen, the ending of the movie was always the same.

A sanctuary is a very good idea, especially for people who find themselves mostly uncomfortable. Sometimes all you need is a night. And the cleverness to know how to properly take advantage of it.

Moving

(entry originally created in March 2019.)

I am moving soon!

(I have already moved.)

And this time, it is because there is a place that I found that I actually like and actually want to move into! Not because of some occupational scheme for furthering myself, not because of some poorly planned financial mess, no! This time it will be done as others often move -

With intention!

I love moving. I love packing. Unpacking. Organizing. Taking stock of things. Getting rid of things. Making sure you don't hold onto things you don't actually want in your life. Shaping your new living room. Filling the kitchen cabinets. Making puzzle pieces of old chairs, plants and shelving and seeing how it all fits together in the new space. Cleaning the whole place before anything gets thrown in there - the cleanest of cleans...

Being a minimalist has surely played a large part in affording me this jubilant reaction. (See also: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.) However! I was not always like this! My Sensory Disorder ruled just about everything when I was younger. Moving was hellish. Overwhelming. But I also think it had a lot to do with the fact that I didn't have control over anything as a child, and I knew it, and that alone made me uncomfortable. So you can imagine what it did to me on moving day.

I was always terrified that I would lose something forever in a move. Everything was so important to me. WHICH! I think had a lot to do with the guilt that was ever-present in my childhood (some of which still remains). I would feel as though I let my mother down/would have made her sad if I couldn't finish the sandwich that she packed me for lunch. (Picture this: an elementary grade me, welling up as I hover over the cafeteria trash bin, sandwich bit in hand... the sandwich drops... a single tear...) Ergo, the minute I lose something my mother gave me, I am immediately submerged in a thick vat of heavy, sticky, tar-like guilt.

That shit is impossible to get out of your hair.

Once I realized that:
a. people aren't actually sad when you can't finish sandwiches they've made you
b. most things aren't impossible to replace, at some point
c. very few things are actually necessities
d. just because someone else thinks it's important that you have something, doesn't mean it is actually important to you.

I have since unburdened my shoulders and took better control of the things I knew I could. Which is why moving is no longer a miserable inconvenience! It is exciting. It is a metaphor for a clean slate, new beginning; renewal. Now every time I move, it is Spring (sans bunnies and chocolate eggs). I don't care if I have to go it alone - I mostly have, and have survived. Might take me longer (as my limbs are made of mostly iced coffee and tofu, in lieu of muscle), but at least if I go it alone I will not be irritating the shit out of the other party by way of eager bossiness.

I am sure it says something unfavorable and completely exposing that I am more comfortable moving than I am staying put, but let's not get into that today.

Diet Loopholes

Whether you consider it a diet or a lifestyle, I really just don't understand:

Why would you go vegan just to make exceptions for your vegan diet?

To be clear; I went vegan for health reasons (so many) and now I am encouraged to stay vegan for health, environmental,  and ethical purposes. I also just like it. Anyway. 

I recently watched a few youtube videos on the topic and I just find it so bizarre how people will try to make exceptions for this diet/lifestyle as SOON AS THEY CHOOSE IT. Or, possibly more aggravating; when the people around the vegan attempt to create loopholes for said vegan.

For example:

"Oh, you're vegan? Well did you know that you can still have mollusks? Mollusks don't feel pain. So you can have those, y'know."

Gee, thanks, can I?

"Well, I'm vegan for ethical purposes, so I don't see anything ethically wrong with eating off of my omnivore friend's plate if she's full. I mean the damage is already done. I was curious to see how it tasted."

DUDE.

If you went vegan for ethical purposes, that probably means that you are disgusted with the meat/dairy industry / the way that they treat animals / the fact that people are even eating animal products. Why would you even want to eat something that was created from that misery? Animal products are not even food to me anymore. You might as well fill a plate with actual garbage. I find it completely loony that a vegan (of any kind) would even think about consuming something like that regardless of whether or not the damage "was already done". 

Beyond the aforementioned; that scenario just perpetuates the stereotype that veganism sucks / it's impossible / incomplete / not as good as being omnivore / it's okay to cheat / one's cravings (selfishness) is more important than their principals. 

Why do you even want that, little vegan? Gross. 

I don't mean to be too hard on anyone in particular, but if I didn't mean to be hard on anyone, I would never have stood up for myself / gone vegan in the first place. Also: without taking the animals into account, why would you even bother adopting a diet / lifestyle jut to make exceptions? That's ridiculous. And I mean making exceptions on purpose. Consciously. It's a different story if a splash of butter falls into your tofu scramble at the restaurant while no one was paying attention. Accidents happen. 

It's just as bad as those people saying "oh, I would love to go vegan, but... eggs, dude."

As if prefacing in that manner excuses them, somehow. You'd miss flavor? Cool. That's a great reason to not do something that better aligns with your principals. Maybe it's because I just don't get it. I don't feel the same way. I missed burgers, so I ate a veggie burger. Of COURSE it's not going to taste the same, but it's something incredibly similar and it actually tastes so much better (in my opinion) and doesn't leave you feeling like a goddamn mess after you've eaten it. I've never been the biggest fan of eggs or cheese, but after eating a tofu scramble in the morning or cashew-cheez on my nachos? I'm pumped. There has not been a single food substance I have missed that could not be met or surpassed by the vegan version thereof. 

At the end of the day, for whatever reason, 

I

do

not

want

to 

ingest

animal

products. 

That's it. no exceptions. 

Personality Test: Myers

LOGISTICIAN PERSONALITY (ISTJ, -A/-T)

The Logistician personality type is thought to be the most abundant, making up around 13% of the population. Their defining characteristics of integrity, practical logic and tireless dedication to duty make Logisticians a vital core to many families, as well as organizations that uphold traditions, rules and standards, such as law offices, regulatory bodies and military. People with the Logistician personality type enjoy taking responsibility for their actions, and take pride in the work they do – when working towards a goal, Logisticians hold back none of their time and energy completing each relevant task with accuracy and patience.

Logisticians don’t make many assumptions, preferring instead to analyze their surroundings, check their facts and arrive at practical courses of action. Logistician personalities are no-nonsense, and when they’ve made a decision, they will relay the facts necessary to achieve their goal, expecting others to grasp the situation immediately and take action. Logisticians have little tolerance for indecisiveness, but lose patience even more quickly if their chosen course is challenged with impractical theories, especially if they ignore key details – if challenges becomes time-consuming debates, Logisticians can become noticeably angry as deadlines tick nearer.

Associate With Those of Good Quality if You Esteem Your Reputation...

When Logisticians say they are going to get something done, they do it, meeting their obligations no matter the personal cost, and they are baffled by people who don’t hold their own word in the same respect. Combining laziness and dishonesty is the quickest way to get on Logisticians’ bad side. Consequently, people with the Logistician personality type often prefer to work alone, or at least have their authority clearly established by hierarchy, where they can set and achieve their goals without debate or worry over other’s reliability.

Logisticians have sharp, fact-based minds, and prefer autonomy and self-sufficiency to reliance on someone or something. Dependency on others is often seen by Logisticians as a weakness, and their passion for duty, dependability and impeccable personal integrity forbid falling into such a trap.

This sense of personal integrity is core to Logisticians, and goes beyond their own minds – Logistician personalities adhere to established rules and guidelines regardless of cost, reporting their own mistakes and telling the truth even when the consequences for doing so could be disastrous. To Logisticians, honesty is far more important than emotional considerations, and their blunt approach leaves others with the false impression that Logisticians are cold, or even robotic. People with this type may struggle to express emotion or affection outwardly, but the suggestion that they don’t feel, or worse have no personality at all, is deeply hurtful.

...For It Is Better to Be Alone Than in Bad Company

Logisticians’ dedication is an excellent quality, allowing them to accomplish much, but it is also a core weakness that less scrupulous individuals take advantage of. Logisticians seek stability and security, considering it their duty to maintain a smooth operation, and they may find that their coworkers and significant others shift their responsibilities onto them, knowing that they will always take up the slack. Logisticians tend to keep their opinions to themselves and let the facts do the talking, but it can be a long time before observable evidence tells the whole story.

Logisticians need to remember to take care of themselves – their stubborn dedication to stability and efficiency can compromise those goals in the long term as others lean ever-harder on them, creating an emotional strain that can go unexpressed for years, only finally coming out after it’s too late to fix. If they can find coworkers and spouses who genuinely appreciate and complement their qualities, who enjoy the brightness, clarity and dependability that they offer, Logisticians will find that their stabilizing role is a tremendously satisfying one, knowing that they are part of a system that works.

introverted: 56% vs. extroverted 44%

observant: 70% vs. intuitive: 30%

thinking: 61% vs. feeling: 39%

judging: 75% vs. prospecting: 25%

assertive: 76% vs. turbulent: 24%

100% of the above work's credit goes to:
www.16personalities.com