Oliver's Birthday

Happy Birthday Oliver!!!!

Fitness notes

I haven't done this in a while, but the tread's starting to come off of my running shoes, and it made me wonder how many miles I have put on them - so I did a little digging in the fitness notes, and the extremely handy tool of my iPod's pedometer history and came up with:

Daily pedometer history in miles:

8.5, 4.5, 0, 7, 6, 4, 5, 5, 0, 0, 7.5, 0, 0, 0, 6, 0, 5, 8.5, 0, 11, 5, 3, 5, 0, 8, 3, 11, 6, 0, 6, 0, 5, 7, 11, 11, 10, 5, 3, 0, 9, 12, 7, 7, 3, 9, 4, 5, 6, 2.8, 5, 10, + weekly total from pre-pedometer fitness notes of 42, 30, 34.5 =

362.8 miles on my running shoes.

I think.

I may not have tallied it up right (that's a lot of numbers to add) but I think I'm almost at 400 miles, which is when they recommend you replace them, and since the tread is coming off in one place, I'm starting to think that that recommendation isn't so crazy after all!

Sweet Vegan Deprivation

Things I have given up:

The usual suspects; the consumption of milk, cheese, meat, eggs, purchasing leather,wool, etc. I have exchanged my processed, fast food diet, for a vegan diet of predominantly whole foods.

The personal disconnect, and fog of denial, that are important components of being opposed to suffering and cruelty - while simultaneously continuing to consume the flesh and secretions of animals.

My addiction to cheese.

My estrangement from fruits and vegetables.

Chronic fatigue and an aversion to exercise.

53 pounds (so far). Although, I admit, vegan baked goods are not helping on this particular front.

The misguided belief that I couldn't do this because it would be too hard. It's not hard, and I am doing it.

The belief that I'm not worth it. The belief that investing in myself, improving my diet, and my health, is extravagant, and too much of an inconvenience for me, or my friends and family. It's worth it. I'm worth it.

A feeling of helplessness and despair. The belief that what I do doesn't matter; that I can't change, or change things. I can reduce the demand for products and practices I can not, in good conscience, endorse.

The fear of being judged, as a freak, or hypocrite. I may not be a perfect vegan. I may make mistakes, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't try to do my best, avoid the obvious animal products and ingredients, and learn as much as I can, and do the best I can from this point forward. I have leather furniture that I can not afford to replace, and the damage has been done. Animals will not benefit from my getting rid of the things I bought before embarking upon this journey.

Fear of contracting lethal diseases from eating raw cookie dough.

It's better for me, the planet, and the animals. It's a better life.

My Mom Came to Visit the 4th of July Weekend!

My mom came to visit, this 4th of July weekend.

We watched the local neighborhood parade, visited Old Town, went to the Train Museum, my mom babysat, and we went out to dinner.

It was really fun - and I miss her already. Love you mom!

My mom brought brownies:

The Tower Cafe

"Pirates & Princess" Party in the Park

We went to a "Pirates & Princess," party at the park this morning.

I let the kids paint my face.

They made rainbow kitty whiskers and had a blast doing it.

The checkout guy at the grocery store said it looked more like a cat attacked my face, than a cat's face, but whatever.

Yes, I went grocery shopping like this - and totally recommend it. It's a lot more fun that way. I think everything is more fun with a pirate hat on, actually.

Toby fell asleep on the ride back.

The pirate party tuckered him out.