veggymeggy

Nice to meet you, and welcome

How did you save them from the street? Did you find a nest of kittens? I nursed an nest of baby rabbits(eyes still closed) whose mother was killed. I nursed until they where old enough and I set them free in the forest. One of my kitties is a shelter kitty and the other is an abandoned barn cat. Cava was brought into the shelter with her litter of kittens, and they all died I agree that it's not wrong for cats to eat meat, as they are natural carnivores. However since they're not able to hunt for themselves now, I don't want to support the cruel meat industry anymore than I have to, which is why I said I will *try* vegan food out with my cats. Supposedly it's balanced with all the nutrients they need/get from meat, so when it's an affordable option we'll see how it goes. If I see that their health suffers, of course I will switch to a meat based food. They're in my care, so their health is my responsibility, and of utmost importance.

Way to go bear! http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/11/25/bear.attack.ap/index.html Too bad the bear still died

I've discussed this quite a bit, with Topher in particular. My cats get regular food. I don't like it, but they're designed to eat meat, and buying vegan food for them is just out of the bounds of reality for me right now. I can barely afford to feed myself, I can't afford specialty food for them. Someday, when that changes, I will try to make them vegan kitties and see how they handle it. In the meantime, the justification to myself is that they're both living better lives with me than they were on the streets so at least I've saved them, and as a vegan, I strive to do the best that I can to reduce suffering and whatnot...that may not be 100%, but I'm doing the best I can.

The point I wish to make though, is that just because they didn't think it was wrong, and never came to realize it was wrong, doesn't mean it wasn't wrong. I understand that they didn't think it was, and maybe I do things that are morally wrong daily and don't know it...but that doesn't change them from being wrong.

It's wrong for you. If an entire culture does it, it's obviously not wrong for them. In other people's eyes it may be, but which side is right? The point of that being, the two opposing cultures have different moral views. Universal morality is a lie made up by people trying to promote their agenda as the only correct one. Nu-uh. It IS wrong for 'them' whoever that may be. You can't say something is ok if you're 'this' and not ok if you're 'that'. (I'm a white chick in 21st century U.S. and slavery is wrong, but if I'm a white chick in 18th century america, slavery is a-ok). That just doesn't work. It's either wrong or it's not. Moral relativity is a lie made up by people who don't want to answer for their actions.

incorrect. as a "christian" you believe that animals are available as food, yet it's still up to you whether you eat them or not. Incorrect. As a Christian you decide whether you interpret biblical teaching to say animals are here as food or are not here as food.

Whoa, I go to Portland for a day and my little thread turns into a monster! I just want to say a few things - first I want to clarify that when I ran into my friend and found out she's no longer vegan, I made no remarks beyond asking why, and saying "That's too bad". Given that I hadn't seen her in three years and was just excited to run into a familiar face in a town where I don't know that many people, I figured deep moral debate could wait for another day So please, anyone that thinks I was being judgmental towards her and forcing my values on her, the conversation was really quite limited and I did no preaching. As I said before, I was truly just disappointed to hear it. Second - moral relativity is a load of BS! That entire argument is nothing more than an excuse to justify letting people do whatever they want. According to some of you, ANYTHING flies, so long as you THINK it is ok. WTF is that. There are somethings that are more open to debate than others - veganism for instance comes down to an interpretation of man's role on Earth. If you're a Christian that interprets the bible to mean that animals are here for food, eating them is moral. If you do not, eating them is immoral. If you're not Christian at all you have an entirely different guideline. BUT either way, murder is wrong. The debate is in whether killing animals is murder, it is NOT in whether murder is wrong. The same applies to abortion. Pro-choice people still feel that murder is wrong, but they interpret life differently If you don't consider an unborn baby to be a life, a sentient being, whatever, then killing it does not fall under murder. That doesn't mean you think murder is ok! I'm as liberal, open-minded, whatever as the next guy, but there are some things that are just WRONG no matter what. And if there is an entire culture that accepts something that's wrong, it is still wrong. I think this example was used before, but slavery was wrong when the Egyptians did it, it was wrong when the US did it, and it'll be wrong in any other culture that uses it. Just because a group of people adopts something, does not make it ok. It makes it convenient, it means they've adopted a mechanism to allow themselves to justify it, it does not make it ok. Enough out of me

save it. someone from north america pushing there agenda on others...how unheard of.. lol Granted, Nat is in Canada and hence the generalization to North America, but what is it you have against the U.S., etc? Seems I've seen quite commonly in your posts that you take jabs at all things U.S. Kind of curious.

Thanks Crispy Q, I have read about the addictive properties of cheese before, but I thought it was something that loses its effect once it's out of your system? Regardless, I understand a little bit; if I were to be not vegan again, cheese would probably be the first thing I'd eat. I don't think I'm judging her for it? I still would like to see her, I'm not cutting her off as a friend, I, really, am just disappointed. When she moved into the house a lot of adjustments were made to accomodate her vegan diet (mostly by me, as I was in charge of the house budget, did the shopping, approved the sysco orders, and was liason to the cook) - so everyone knew she was vegan. I don't think it sets a good example that she was so outspokenly vegan and now she's not. I agree Bigbwii, that 'pushing' one's values on another is ineffectual at best, though to most meat eaters there is a fine to non-existant line between 'pushing' and 'educating' - but she'd already declared that she had the same vegan values. I just don't understand how one can change that.

I don't think there is a whole lot of 'grey area' in ethical issues....but even if there is, my point is more that I was disappointed because I was hoping running into her would mean I'd have another vegan friend in town (the only vegans I know are Topher and Rob). I also remember having talks with her about veganism/AR etc, and it is bothersome that someone who knows what goes on in this world recanted her veganism on something so trivial as wanting cheese.

Yesterday while I was working a girl I used to live with came into the store. I hadn't seen her since my freshman year (3 years ago) when we lived together. She was a real cool girl, and I remembered that she was vegan, so I was totally happy to run into her. Then we got to talking, and she told me she wasn't vegan anymore. She said she just couldn't do it anymore, and she had to have cheese! How lame is that!? She justified it by saying she's still vegetarian, but come on! She was one of the first vegans I ever met. I was totally bummed......

Or, flip flops year round. That's what I do

I love shoes. I want the pink boots! Thanks for feeding my obsession Ash

I have no advice either.....but I know my ex-boyfriend's dad ripped his calf last year, and it took forever to heal....and he kept refusing to lay off of it, so he'd reinjure it before it was done healing. So go easy on yourself!

I'm awesome at ornamentation. Check out my christmas tree from last year http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a209/veggymeggy/102_0295.jpg

Funny, the EXACT same thing has happened at 2 locations in my hometown. It's been a long battle because Wal-Mart keeps trying to get in, but the community is quite firm that they're not welcome, and so far, community protest is beating out trashy and evil Wal-Mart.

Megan, I'm 5'8" & I would love to be taller. And what is it about our culture that we feel uncomfortable being with a guy who is shorter than we are? When I was in college I had a girlfriend who was 6'2". She was gorgeous! When the group of us would go out, she got all the attention! And ditto on the women's sizing. That part is true....you're gonna notice me when I walk in a room, that's all there is to it My friends say they hate going places with me because I get all the attention, and that part is fun. Plus, I love to wear heels I think it's less the men issue for me than it is other women. When I was a teenager it was awkward, but now that I surround myself with 'adult' males, I find that very few of them care about height, and I've also stopped caring. With other females though, I've always been left out of certain 'group rituals' so to speak....for instance, I have NEVER had a friend I could share clothes with. My best friend in high school was 5'2"! (Yet somehow people still got us confused, go figure...) It might sound really trivial, and it undoubtedly is, but it's little stuff like that that always made me hate being tall. That, and seeing photos of me next to my teeny tiny friends, I look so huge That's why I like my avatar, you can't tell that I'm 7 inches taller than the woman I'm sitting next to To summarize I think our culture values conformity FAR too much, (hence why all women's pants are the same length?) and being physically far from standard makes you not "fit in" (in certain circumstances) For me it took time and an extra bit of self confidence to realize that that's ok (and GOOD even) Ex: Me slouching Next to boy of average height (though the hat makes it a little harder to tell I think) But yeah - I tower over him http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a209/veggymeggy/hallcrop.jpg

I try to change mine somewhat often, but currently.... It's from this June at the pool at Belknap Springs. It's springwater, geothermically heated, no chlorine, smells like sulfur It's awesome there. Somewhere I posted pics of the hiking I did while there, all along the McKenzie is just beautiful! And the other person is Robin, a close friend who is more like a big sister than anything. She's getting married on the 1st;yay for Robin!

Awwwwww

This excerpt was shown to me as an example in which hormonal contraceptives can offer a benefit: Increased progesterone levels during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle cause increasees in both core and skin temperatures and alter the temperature at which sweating begins factors that could place females at an increased reisk of developing heat illness during this time. Cheung and others found that female athletes not using oral cont. are at a thermoregulatory disadvantage during the luteal phase of the mensural cycle suggesting that the use of oracl contraceptives eliminates any differences in heat tolerance thorughout the menstrual cycle Nutrition for Health, Fitness, and Sport Seventh Edition by Melvin H. Williams 2005 Makes sense, aferall they monitor body temp to estimate peak times of fertility. I found it interesting

"Now accepting applications for a future ex-boyfriend." I love it.

Wow, what an interesting dinner that would be! Everyone from Jesus to Rob Zombie...I wouldn't mind being in on that, especially since I love Indian food! Welcome!!!!

I think I'm going to do it.... Life defining decisions are scary But, once I get it over with, I think I'll feel better. Now - just have to figure out how to tell my parents!

I am with you! I am 5'5", which I thought was pretty much average height, but "regular" length pants are all too long for me and I have to search for "petite" pants. I'm not petite in any way! Yeah I do NOT understand what they were thinking when they set woman clothing size standards... I'm the opposite, my legs are freakishly long I need a 34in inseam- not easy to come by, and when I do.....usually really expensive!