I was first introduced to veganism in university. I thought it was a clever way to lose extra poundage. I fell off the wagon though after trying to subsist on a highly restrictive macrobiotic vegan diet that I had really no idea how to construct nutritionally.
After completely uni, being top of my class and working at the lower rung of a law firm (the mailroom or as I like to call Communications Hub because I did in fact graduate with a degree in Communications), I reverted to cheap, quick fast "food". Surprise, surprise, I became a walking zombie (oh how that is my dream but then I was living it and not so much a fan), dangerous levels of anemia returned and I almost returned to my birthweight (not really but you get my picture and the reference to the Simpsons).
Then a lovely messenger boy breezed in to the dark dungeon of my working conditions. He was cute, sweet, intelligent and vegan. As we began our courtship (which really involved us both skipping work to hang out amongst other zombies in our government working town), I transitioned into veganism (NOTE that as I am writing this blog post veganism <- yep that one too - is recognized as a non-word...funny considering it is a major philosophy in my home, maybe it is like unicorns to some...pretty fantasy but oh so distant from their realm of contemplation and reality).
It was super easy to cook for someone I loved and with such whole, inexpensive ingredients. So I went out and bought The Garden of Vegan and began my love affair. It sadly was short lived. The office Friday doughnut days were ever so tempting and so were those mini quiches at office parties.
My love affair with the bike messenger carried on. It was amazing, sweet and something I had never felt before in such an awesome way. I had never been loved without conditions and never pressured by him to change my ways, even though he knew veganism was the best for our future and health. I ended up gettin' knocked up...well it was planned and I tried again to be vegan. FAIL!!
Gave birth to my daughter and instantly wanted to be vegan. It was awesome. I was the healthiest I had ever been, the best shape and eating the most amazing baked goods, salads and sandwiches that my hubby (that's what I began to call him) got from a bakery he delivered for. It was great.
Then a trip to Holland and another pregnancy thwarted my desires again. Truth is, I have very little willpower, had always been trying to be vegan for the reasons associated with others, my skewed views or obsessions, and no real knowledge or research done into the cause.
Well 10 years after my vegan beginnings, I am vegan. After doing tons of research, reading The Vegan Girl's Guide to Life, Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Life, watching documentaries, finally knowing the truth about where our food comes from and being surrounded by two vegan babes who have no idea why someone would want to kill an animal let alone eat them and actually think that I am joking when I confront the issue made it so much easier to give up the others.
Now, I strongly believe in veganism and am not so into eating seafood bugs and messy, stinky eggs that have since caused me to vomit in my mouth but I also have a strong view of what that vegan food should include:
* seasonal, local and whole as possible
* no processed soy...I have strong aversions to processing processed soy myself and I also have a strong aversion to the process of getting that soy
* not so into the imitations although Tofurky's roasted deli, maple fake-on and Daiya toe-cheese (as we like to call it) rocks
* non-pretentious...I am not a better person than anyone who eats meat...I mean look how long I came to discover myself. It takes some people a little longer than others, being offensive about it will definitely turn others from the plight.
So xoxox Fellow Vegans, Fellow Earth People, and Fellow Vegan MoFo-ers...let the vegan games begin.
