From the view outside my window, you can see there are two men standing outside the apartment building chatting. One of the is smoking a cancer stick and the other is wearing ag cowboy hat.
I just made some kickass vegan mac & cheese...with gluten free pasta :)
There's something really challenging and exciting about baking or cooking vegan. Butter is so wonderful smelling and pure and all these other things, but it's easy. Give me something not everyone can do well and I'll have fun.
The other day I went to visit DePaul with the squeeze and a couple of other fellow students, we visited the V&L Community and had a nice conversation about organizing and what we're passionate about. So many things have happened that have led me to be who I am today.
When I was young my family made sure I knew how fortunate we were. My cousins and I were lectured on how we need to eat all of our food because there are kids in Guatemala who aren't as blessed as we are, to further emphasize this we went through the motions of actually visiting an orphanage when I was young (maybe ten?) to witness it for ourselves.
So.
Many.
Kids....on their own. No parents, only nuns who ran the place, cooked meals, and took care of them.
I remember feeling so sad that they didn't have their parents or the simple and delicious meals we were able to afford and eat in the U.S.
Middle school then high school happened and my "crazy" vegan teacher reminded me of the help we need to offer...it was charity.
Then that evolved, college came along and so did Lu who introduced me to Oxfam. Then the word charity died and it was an obligation, a responsibility to my community, it would be foolish to sit around and do nothing. CHANGE equipped me with the inspiration and the tools I needed to organize on my campus.
So I did the big picture gig and I've started thinking more now on our own small circles, friendships, and networks. The people we talk to everyday. That's where we can really hit the ground running but it's also super challenging. Can you imagine? Getting your family or closest friends to think the way we should- knowing that our earth's resources are not unlimited, that we cannot continue living the way we do. Our senators and representatives- oh they're dandy and working with them is important but seriously now...if we can't convince our loved ones of our position and urgency how can we convince strangers?
you know the drill
-papertowels are the devil
-vinegar kicks windex's ass anyday, ditto any other "cleaner" or bleach or miracle shit you see advertised anywhere
-dead carcasses are for wimps, real food is the greens, the colors in fruits, the diet/lifestyle that does not require anything to die or suffer for you
-simple living, your needs vs. your wants
Today I got my mom to think about water conservation some more and got her to be cool with "if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down." It felt amazing. She's also getting cozy with the idea of having worms for compost!
Speaking of food, can I just mention how cooking a meal with a lover, a friend, or a stranger beats driving/traveling to a restaurant waiting in line, sitting at a table, looking at a menu, ordering your food, waiting for your food to arrive, and finally footing the bill?
I'm hosting couchsurfers from Jersey the next couple of days, 3 girls my age graduating in May. Hosting people, bringing the world into your living space I forget sometimes is such a delight.
peace, love, and "vegan orange you glad this cake has chocolate chips" cake
-p
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