SnowWhiteCyanide

I hate to say it, but I've grown to be ashamed of who I am.  I'm not talking about the things that I necessarily should be ashamed of either.  I'm ashamed of my diet and lifestyle.  I am *deep breath* a vegan.  I feel like in a lot of people's eyes this has become a dirty word.  Similar to the negative connotations that come with being "feminist."  I know there are plenty of liberal minded people out there who think being vegan or feminist is great and something to be proud of, but for me being vegan has become something I am ashamed of.

I don't like how other vegans act.  I don't like being associated as "one of those vegans."  I look back on my "How Not to Treat a Vegan" prose, and am reminded of how much I've changed.  I no longer am bothered by that kind of stuff.  People are going to live their lives in the ways they choose.  If someone is respectful of my values, I will be respectful of theirs.  If not, I'll just go about my business, silently disagreeing with them.  Just because I feel my way of life is better for me doesn't mean it's better for anyone else.  Even if I feel my lifestyle is healthier and better for sustainability, that's a choice I've made for myself, and if someone else wants to make a different choice, they are entitled to do so.  

It comes down to mutual respect.  I don't think everyone should be vegan, but I do think everyone should be tolerant and respectful of differing values and opinions.  I also think everyone should be informed.  I can't tell you how many stupid arguments I've had with non-vegans.  "Do you know how much land gets destroyed to grow your soybeans?"  "Do you know 10 times as much land is destroyed to feed your hamburgers?  Oh you thought cows photosynthesized?"  
"I don't get why you wont drink milk."  "Because I don't like how dairy cows are treated, and I think it's gross.  I think it's gross to drink fluid that comes out of another animal's nipples.  It's just not my cup of tea, per se."  My cup of tea is black with a drop of soy milk in it.

It's gotten to the point where I don't even tell people I'm vegan anymore.  Because they associate me with things that I don't associate with.  Things like PETA, ALF, militancy in general, tree-hugging, not shaving, and being a sissy.  I guess I'm just tired of arguing.  It feels kind of shitty to concede like this, but I'd rather not have to defend my beliefs every time I meet a new person.  So I'm "vegetarian" by reputation, vegan by practice.  I'm just sick of arguing with people who are uninformed.  And not being able to argue with people who choose to live in willful ignorance.  

I like the meat eaters who say "Meat is Murder... Tasty, Tasty Murder!"  Because they are acknowledging they are eating an animal.  It's the people who say "No I can't watch slaughterhouse videos because then I won't be able to eat meat anymore!" that I want to strangle with the entrails of a soy protein cow.  I just can't fathom choosing to be uninformed in order to be absolved of responsibility and morality.  I guess I still have some hangups and judgments in this area, but I've gotten a lot better.

Maybe I have a responsibility to myself and to other vegans to be proud of who I am.  By not being one of "those vegans" I can show people that there are vegans who are not pretentious assholes who think they are better than everyone else and judge your eating and lifestyle habits.  It's definitely something I'll need to work on.  But now I'm gonna let my vegan spaghetti with rawmegian cheese digest

Snow White, Solange Knowles, St. Jude's
One is a dumbass, one is a pretty pretty princess, and one is the subject of a kickass joke.  St. Jude's is the joke matter.  Solange is the dumbass.  I'm the pretty pretty princess.  We have this godawful jewelry at my store, in various colors like purple, red, green, gold, and black.  So I played pretty pretty princess by myself, and won!
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Go here www.anntaylor.com to see the hideous jewelry up close

Now for Solange Knowles!  I was reading this article "Kid Approved Jams" in People magazine.
I'd like to directly quote Ms. Knowles:
3. CRANK THAT (SOULJA BOY) by Souulja Boy Tell 'Em
"Julez gets this little baby thug face when it comes on.  The words are harmless so I get a kick of him singing 'yooooouuu.'"

Harmlesss?  Here's a little tip for you Solange- go to www.urbandictionary.com and look up superman and robocop, then tell me how harmless you think the lyrics are, sweetheart.  I can't speak for everyone, but I know that it's always been my personal dream to hear my toddler singing about 101 ways to denigrate women with semen.  Here's your report card Solange:

PARENTING:  A+

Now for my awesome St. Jude's joke.  At work we're supposed to ask every customer, "would you like to donate to St. Jude's?" when we ring them up.  If they say yes, we ring in however much they want to donate with the rest of their purchase.  I always say shit like "so you saved $14 today, would you like to donate one of those dollars to St. Jude's Children's Hospital?"   Some people say no.  To which I reply, "oh well then would you like to hear a joke?"

Knock Knock
Who's there?
Kids with leukemia
... kids with leukemia who?
Kids with leukemia who aren't getting any presents.  MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I had to wait almost two and a half hours to vote.  I may not have gotten 100% on my exam because of it.  But I did vote yes on prop K
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It was fun times.

I added some little folders to my gallery.  That was much overdue.  I did that instead of studying for my abnormal psychology exam.  Go me.  Part of me really wants a break from school, but another part of me knows I'll feel empty.  It's weird to know I'll have an entire semester off.  What the hell am I supposed to do?  Oh yeah, get a job so I can pay for graduate school.  Fun times.  

Also, I really don't want to vote.  I mean, I like voting, I'm all for voting, and I want to be able to bitch if Obama doesn't win... but I voted for the first time in 2004, and I was in line for a really fucking long time.  And my friend Alex's INSANE roommate with Asperger's Syndrome was in line in front of us, and he was harassing this girl I was standing with.  She actually tried to call campus police on him.  Trust me, it was an ORDEAL.  

I guess the real incentive is... P Diddy is going to cap my ass if I don't go out and vote.  VOTE OR DIE, MOTHAFUCKA! Seriously though don't yell at me, I AM GOING TO VOTE, I PROMISE!  I care a lot about some of the propositions that are up.  Like the local one for giving more money to hospitals like the one I do volunteer work in.

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