New to this group and to being vegan (long)

[Guest guest]

Hi, everyone,

 

I joined this group and am posting b/c I want to make the

transition to veganism. In high school I attempted to become a

vegetarian, but my mom did not support my choice and wouldn't

buy the foods I needed at the grocery store. I gave into the

pressure I felt (and maybe to my anger) and started eating meat

again. For a long time I didn't eat red meat, but eventually I

started doing that, too. I can't believe how easy it is to stay in

denial about what it really means to eat meat, but I did so for a

long time. I felt much healthier and more fit when I ate little or no

meat, but eating meat just became a habit again.

 

Several months ago I dined at a vegan restaurant and saw a

pamphlet about how animals raised for food are treated. How

had I managed to avoid knowing this information all my life?

 

I left the restaurant determined to go vegan and my resolve

lasted only about a day.

 

Then two days ago I got very sick, I think from some meat I ate.

I feel like I have " hit bottom " with eating meat. It has always

troubled me spiritually to do so, and I felt like my body was

reflecting that.

 

I've spent the last 6 hours online reading about veganism. I

have already given up a lot of substances and behaviors that

were bad for me, body and soul. Each time, in order to do so, I

have needed a supportive community of like-minded people. I

think that this has been what was missing each time I tried to

switch to a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle.

 

Everyone else in my family is a meat eater. One uncle owns a

restaurant that serves meat and seafood. Another used to own

several steakhouses. I come from 3 generations of the grocery

business. And on the other side of my family, hunting and

sharing meat that has been hunted is a big way of connecting

and bonding. I have respect for where each person is in their

spiritual journey. I don't judge my family members for eating

meat or for hunting. Hunting is probably more humane than the

slaughterhouses -- or perhaps I should say less inhumane --

and since I'm a former meat eater, I can't judge anyone who is

still in that place, anymore than I can judge smokers for polluting

the air now that I've quit smoking.

 

But what I hope I can do is to become a vegan myself, despite

the pressures I may feel to eat meat. Toward that goal, I wanted

to post to this group and begin to connect to the vegan

community.

 

Mostly what I would love to hear is how people got started as a

vegan, how they have dealt with having family members who are

meat eaters or hunters, and with the pressures that come with

that, and just to say hello to you all.

 

I've read some of the posts, and I hope to catch up on more of

them in the coming days. I hope to return to this list often in

order to keep touching base with my spiritual reasons for

wanting to stay vegan. Just for today, I am committed to not

consuming animal products. I plan to take it one day at a time,

and if necessary one meal at a time, until veganism becomes

my new habit and lifestyle.

 

Thanks for listening!

 

Lori (username: aurora-arwen)

[Guest guest]

welcome lori, and good luck!!!!

 

fraggle

 

 

" aurora_arwen " <aurora_arwen wrote:

 

>Hi, everyone,

>

> I joined this group and am posting b/c I want to make the

>transition to veganism. In high school I attempted to become a

>vegetarian, but my mom did not support my choice and wouldn't

>buy the foods I needed at the grocery store. I gave into the

>pressure I felt (and maybe to my anger) and started eating meat

>again. For a long time I didn't eat red meat, but eventually I

>started doing that, too. I can't believe how easy it is to stay in

>denial about what it really means to eat meat, but I did so for a

>long time. I felt much healthier and more fit when I ate little or no

>meat, but eating meat just became a habit again.

>

> Several months ago I dined at a vegan restaurant and saw a

>pamphlet about how animals raised for food are treated. How

>had I managed to avoid knowing this information all my life?

>

> I left the restaurant determined to go vegan and my resolve

>lasted only about a day.

>

> Then two days ago I got very sick, I think from some meat I ate.

>I feel like I have " hit bottom " with eating meat. It has always

>troubled me spiritually to do so, and I felt like my body was

>reflecting that.

>

> I've spent the last 6 hours online reading about veganism. I

>have already given up a lot of substances and behaviors that

>were bad for me, body and soul. Each time, in order to do so, I

>have needed a supportive community of like-minded people. I

>think that this has been what was missing each time I tried to

>switch to a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle.

>

> Everyone else in my family is a meat eater. One uncle owns a

>restaurant that serves meat and seafood. Another used to own

>several steakhouses. I come from 3 generations of the grocery

>business. And on the other side of my family, hunting and

>sharing meat that has been hunted is a big way of connecting

>and bonding. I have respect for where each person is in their

>spiritual journey. I don't judge my family members for eating

>meat or for hunting. Hunting is probably more humane than the

>slaughterhouses -- or perhaps I should say less inhumane --

>and since I'm a former meat eater, I can't judge anyone who is

>still in that place, anymore than I can judge smokers for polluting

>the air now that I've quit smoking.

>

> But what I hope I can do is to become a vegan myself, despite

>the pressures I may feel to eat meat. Toward that goal, I wanted

>to post to this group and begin to connect to the vegan

>community.

>

> Mostly what I would love to hear is how people got started as a

>vegan, how they have dealt with having family members who are

>meat eaters or hunters, and with the pressures that come with

>that, and just to say hello to you all.

>

> I've read some of the posts, and I hope to catch up on more of

>them in the coming days. I hope to return to this list often in

>order to keep touching base with my spiritual reasons for

>wanting to stay vegan. Just for today, I am committed to not

>consuming animal products. I plan to take it one day at a time,

>and if necessary one meal at a time, until veganism becomes

>my new habit and lifestyle.

>

> Thanks for listening!

>

> Lori (username: aurora-arwen)

>

>

>

>

>

>

>To send an email to -

>

>

[Guest guest]

Lori...for more GREAT info...try the book by Erik Marcus titled Vegan.

 

You can download it from my website (link below) :c)

 

Good luck sweetie :c)

 

Peace, Love, and Grooviness!R-M (the Hippie Dyke)

 

Visit the Hippie's Commune -- http://www.geocities.com/rmlesbian

 

Join my -- send mail to HippieDykeCommune- in Houston? - LesBuddiesHouston-

 

Look for me - AIM - RMLesbian3 or JoplinHippieDyke - RMLesbian or JoplinHippieDyke

 

"If all lesbians suddenly turned purple today, society would be surprised, at the number of purple people in high places." --Sidney Abbott and Barbara Love, Sappho Was a Right-On Woman, 1972

 

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." -- Albert Einstein

 

-

aurora_arwen

Friday, February 22, 2002 9:13 AM

New to this group and to being vegan (long)

Hi, everyone, I joined this group and am posting b/c I want to make the transition to veganism. In high school I attempted to become a vegetarian, but my mom did not support my choice and wouldn't buy the foods I needed at the grocery store. I gave into the pressure I felt (and maybe to my anger) and started eating meat again. For a long time I didn't eat red meat, but eventually I started doing that, too. I can't believe how easy it is to stay in denial about what it really means to eat meat, but I did so for a long time. I felt much healthier and more fit when I ate little or no meat, but eating meat just became a habit again. Several months ago I dined at a vegan restaurant and saw a pamphlet about how animals raised for food are treated. How had I managed to avoid knowing this information all my life? I left the restaurant determined to go vegan and my resolve lasted only about a day. Then two days ago I got very sick, I think from some meat I ate. I feel like I have "hit bottom" with eating meat. It has always troubled me spiritually to do so, and I felt like my body was reflecting that. I've spent the last 6 hours online reading about veganism. I have already given up a lot of substances and behaviors that were bad for me, body and soul. Each time, in order to do so, I have needed a supportive community of like-minded people. I think that this has been what was missing each time I tried to switch to a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. Everyone else in my family is a meat eater. One uncle owns a restaurant that serves meat and seafood. Another used to own several steakhouses. I come from 3 generations of the grocery business. And on the other side of my family, hunting and sharing meat that has been hunted is a big way of connecting and bonding. I have respect for where each person is in their spiritual journey. I don't judge my family members for eating meat or for hunting. Hunting is probably more humane than the slaughterhouses -- or perhaps I should say less inhumane -- and since I'm a former meat eater, I can't judge anyone who is still in that place, anymore than I can judge smokers for polluting the air now that I've quit smoking. But what I hope I can do is to become a vegan myself, despite the pressures I may feel to eat meat. Toward that goal, I wanted to post to this group and begin to connect to the vegan community. Mostly what I would love to hear is how people got started as a vegan, how they have dealt with having family members who are meat eaters or hunters, and with the pressures that come with that, and just to say hello to you all. I've read some of the posts, and I hope to catch up on more of them in the coming days. I hope to return to this list often in order to keep touching base with my spiritual reasons for wanting to stay vegan. Just for today, I am committed to not consuming animal products. I plan to take it one day at a time, and if necessary one meal at a time, until veganism becomes my new habit and lifestyle. Thanks for listening! Lori (username: aurora-arwen) To send an email to -

[Guest guest]

> Mostly what I would love to hear is how people got started as a

> vegan, how they have dealt with having family members who are

> meat eaters or hunters, and with the pressures that come with

> that, and just to say hello to you all.

 

How I got started as a vegan... hmmm... well mostly I went vegetarian

because I thought it was wrong to kill an animal. I had no idea I was still

contributing to animal abuse. When I realized that, it was over for me... I

became a vegan.

 

I will honestly admit that I got a lil bit of " vegan burnout " about 6 months

ago (I had been vegan for 10+ years..since I was 13) and I decided to have a

slice of pizza, well it all went downhill from there, I went to a total omni

diet. After about 2 weeks of that I just couldn't fathom why I was eating

meat so I dug out my old books that really helped me go vegan and read them

again. A few good books that I suggest are: Animal Liberation by Singer,

and Diet For A New America by Robbins. Both graphically depict what happens

to animals and both re-inforced my decision on veganism.

 

I think we all sometimes need a kick in the pants to remind us why we are

vegans or why we want to go vegan, for some it's not as easy as others.

 

Talisman

[Guest guest]

Lori,

 

I forgot to add. With respect to those who say you need meat or whatever, you simply tell them you don't want to be a part of harming an animal, you are an adult and the choice is yours to make. I wouldn't get into a huge discussion with your family about your decisions because it seems rather pointless when they are very set in their ideas.

 

Talisman

 

[Guest guest]

Put some notices up in health food shops, a letter in your local newspaper, to ask other veggie and vegan people in your area to get in touch. You have to put the word out to find like-minded friends in your area and try to drop the toxic family relationships, your mother sounds really controlling. I'd drop family if they were like that personally. They don't sound very respectful of your choice.

You can at least have some choice over who your friends are.

 

Lesley

 

 

aurora_arwen [aurora_arwen]22 February 2002 15:14 Subject: New to this group and to being vegan (long)Hi, everyone, I joined this group and am posting b/c I want to make the transition to veganism. In high school I attempted to become a vegetarian, but my mom did not support my choice and wouldn't buy the foods I needed at the grocery store. I gave into the pressure I felt (and maybe to my anger) and started eating meat again. For a long time I didn't eat red meat, but eventually I started doing that, too. I can't believe how easy it is to stay in denial about what it really means to eat meat, but I did so for a long time. I felt much healthier and more fit when I ate little or no meat, but eating meat just became a habit again. Several months ago I dined at a vegan restaurant and saw a pamphlet about how animals raised for food are treated. How had I managed to avoid knowing this information all my life? I left the restaurant determined to go vegan and my resolve lasted only about a day. Then two days ago I got very sick, I think from some meat I ate. I feel like I have "hit bottom" with eating meat. It has always troubled me spiritually to do so, and I felt like my body was reflecting that. I've spent the last 6 hours online reading about veganism. I have already given up a lot of substances and behaviors that were bad for me, body and soul. Each time, in order to do so, I have needed a supportive community of like-minded people. I think that this has been what was missing each time I tried to switch to a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle. Everyone else in my family is a meat eater. One uncle owns a restaurant that serves meat and seafood. Another used to own several steakhouses. I come from 3 generations of the grocery business. And on the other side of my family, hunting and sharing meat that has been hunted is a big way of connecting and bonding. I have respect for where each person is in their spiritual journey. I don't judge my family members for eating meat or for hunting. Hunting is probably more humane than the slaughterhouses -- or perhaps I should say less inhumane -- and since I'm a former meat eater, I can't judge anyone who is still in that place, anymore than I can judge smokers for polluting the air now that I've quit smoking. But what I hope I can do is to become a vegan myself, despite the pressures I may feel to eat meat. Toward that goal, I wanted to post to this group and begin to connect to the vegan community. Mostly what I would love to hear is how people got started as a vegan, how they have dealt with having family members who are meat eaters or hunters, and with the pressures that come with that, and just to say hello to you all. I've read some of the posts, and I hope to catch up on more of them in the coming days. I hope to return to this list often in order to keep touching base with my spiritual reasons for wanting to stay vegan. Just for today, I am committed to not consuming animal products. I plan to take it one day at a time, and if necessary one meal at a time, until veganism becomes my new habit and lifestyle. Thanks for listening! Lori (username: aurora-arwen) To send an email to -

[Guest guest]

Hi Lori

 

Its great to see you here and I'm glad that you've made the connection

between animal cruelty and that *pink* stuff on your dinner plate! A lot of

people are in denial, like you say. With your mind in the right gear,

you'll find that everything else will naturally fall into place. I guess

veganism might have worked for you the first time around if your family

(esp. your mum) had been more supportive. But you can't blame her totally

for that, because eating meat is what she has probably done all her life,

just like her ancestors. You are breaking from everything they understand.

 

I first became a vegetarian which I stuck to for nine years and everyone

respected me hugely. So I personally didn't make the jump from meat eater

to vegan, but I admire those you do!

 

Wishing you lots of good luck. I hope you'll find this list helpful Lori.

I do sincerely hope you can become a vegetarian, or better still a vegan and

know that you are having no part in the horrendous animal cruelty that

happens daily. Check out some websites, Viva or Peta for example, to really

get some hard facts or even check out some photos of factory farming or live

exports to convince you to become a vegan!

 

Keep us posted!!!

 

Janey

x

 

-

" aurora_arwen " <aurora_arwen

 

Friday, February 22, 2002 3:13 PM

New to this group and to being vegan (long)

 

 

> Hi, everyone,

>

> I joined this group and am posting b/c I want to make the

> transition to veganism. In high school I attempted to become a

> vegetarian, but my mom did not support my choice and wouldn't

> buy the foods I needed at the grocery store. I gave into the

> pressure I felt (and maybe to my anger) and started eating meat

> again. For a long time I didn't eat red meat, but eventually I

> started doing that, too. I can't believe how easy it is to stay in

> denial about what it really means to eat meat, but I did so for a

> long time. I felt much healthier and more fit when I ate little or no

> meat, but eating meat just became a habit again.

>

> Several months ago I dined at a vegan restaurant and saw a

> pamphlet about how animals raised for food are treated. How

> had I managed to avoid knowing this information all my life?

>

> I left the restaurant determined to go vegan and my resolve

> lasted only about a day.

>

> Then two days ago I got very sick, I think from some meat I ate.

> I feel like I have " hit bottom " with eating meat. It has always

> troubled me spiritually to do so, and I felt like my body was

> reflecting that.

>

> I've spent the last 6 hours online reading about veganism. I

> have already given up a lot of substances and behaviors that

> were bad for me, body and soul. Each time, in order to do so, I

> have needed a supportive community of like-minded people. I

> think that this has been what was missing each time I tried to

> switch to a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle.

>

> Everyone else in my family is a meat eater. One uncle owns a

> restaurant that serves meat and seafood. Another used to own

> several steakhouses. I come from 3 generations of the grocery

> business. And on the other side of my family, hunting and

> sharing meat that has been hunted is a big way of connecting

> and bonding. I have respect for where each person is in their

> spiritual journey. I don't judge my family members for eating

> meat or for hunting. Hunting is probably more humane than the

> slaughterhouses -- or perhaps I should say less inhumane --

> and since I'm a former meat eater, I can't judge anyone who is

> still in that place, anymore than I can judge smokers for polluting

> the air now that I've quit smoking.

>

> But what I hope I can do is to become a vegan myself, despite

> the pressures I may feel to eat meat. Toward that goal, I wanted

> to post to this group and begin to connect to the vegan

> community.

>

> Mostly what I would love to hear is how people got started as a

> vegan, how they have dealt with having family members who are

> meat eaters or hunters, and with the pressures that come with

> that, and just to say hello to you all.

>

> I've read some of the posts, and I hope to catch up on more of

> them in the coming days. I hope to return to this list often in

> order to keep touching base with my spiritual reasons for

> wanting to stay vegan. Just for today, I am committed to not

> consuming animal products. I plan to take it one day at a time,

> and if necessary one meal at a time, until veganism becomes

> my new habit and lifestyle.

>

> Thanks for listening!

>

> Lori (username: aurora-arwen)

To send an email to -

>

>

[Guest guest]

I'll never eat meat again, I know that. But I like to look at literature

(from Viva or Animal Aid or whatever) just to inspire me even further. I

want to get involved now, so I find the literature helpful in that respect

to get me motivated,but I don't need it to convince me not to eat meat.

I'll never need to be convinced!

 

Janey

x

 

 

>

> I think we all sometimes need a kick in the pants to remind us why we are

> vegans or why we want to go vegan, for some it's not as easy as others.

>

> Talisman

[Guest guest]

I'll never eat meat again, I know that. But I like to look at literature(from Viva or Animal Aid or whatever) just to inspire me even further. Iwant to get involved now, so I find the literature helpful in that respectto get me motivated,but I don't need it to convince me not to eat meat.I'll never need to be convinced!~~~The literature being inspiring is just my point. We all need that inspiration at some time, to help us further along our vegan path or possibly help those who are not quite vegan get there.

 

Talisman

[Guest guest]

Absolutely, I agree.

 

Janey

x

The literature being inspiring is just my point. We all need that inspiration at some time, to help us further along our vegan path or possibly help those who are not quite vegan get there.

 

 

Talisman

[Guest guest]

Look forward to the day you leave home and are free to be the vegan you want

to be .

Till then just do it when you can . Its not easy surrounded by animal eaters

who don't want to understand

All the best,

 

 

-

" aurora_arwen " <aurora_arwen

 

Friday, February 22, 2002 3:13 PM

New to this group and to being vegan (long)

 

 

> Hi, everyone,

>

> I joined this group and am posting b/c I want to make the

> transition to veganism. In high school I attempted to become a

> vegetarian, but my mom did not support my choice and wouldn't

> buy the foods I needed at the grocery store. I gave into the

> pressure I felt (and maybe to my anger) and started eating meat

> again. For a long time I didn't eat red meat, but humane than the

> > http://us.click./iZp8OC/4m7CAA/ySSFAA/PVjolB/TM

> ---~->

>

> To send an email to -

>

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/22/02 9:26:18 AM Pacific Standard Time,

talisman writes:

 

< Mostly what I would love to hear is how people got started as a

> vegan, how they have dealt with having family members who are

> meat eaters or hunters, and with the pressures that come with

> that, and just to say hello to you all. >>

 

i grew up in a very meat orientated household...meat was served with every

meal, snack, nibble, etc......meat was " healthy " , and ya had to grow up big

and strong and all that malarky....

i thought a lot about veggieness and veganiness from my teens

onward...stopped eating at fast food places back in the 80's....

then, one day, in 1989..i just decided it was wrong fer me to make another

animal suffer, have another animal die fer me..and all the environmental

issues..it just seemed wrong

so, i went cold tofu...

which, was bloody well hard..i was near to homeless, unemployed...livin' in

an inner city several miles from a grocery store.....

then..some other...bad things..happened..so, i started over as veg, and

slowly weaned myself off each nasty bit..diary was the first, then seafood....

been..vegan about...6-8 years now..i guess..never really noted wot date i

stopped eating all animal based products....

my father still asks me " so, do you eat chicken? how about fish? " what, no

eggs? " ..but, *shrugs*

wot can ya do huh?

i sent him food revolution fer the holidays, and he said he liked it...of

course, he went on the protein diet right afterwards, so, obviously it

impressed him about as much as a sparrow fart

but, we keep trying

cheers

fraggle