Hello 2010 & Goodbye Animal Cruelty! (& 20 lbs I hope:)

I know I haven't blogged in a while, but since I'm my only subscriber (LOL) I won't apologize. It's a new year & I'm starting fresh and re-adopting some old ways - good stuff, I promise! Hey, "we fall down, but we get up!" I have decided to become a vegetarian... again. Not a vegetarian who consumes dairy and eggs (as I did for 14 years earlier in my life), but a full-on, no half-steppin' VEGAN - no animal products at all.

There are several reasons I have decided to make this commitment, but sadly this time around it began with a selfish search to lose these last 20 pounds & just feel better in general. I had been eating like a glutton through the holidays, drinking nothing but coffee (& lots of it!), eating virtually no fruits or vegetables (& pooping really infrequently & with difficulty - sorry, but it's true), and not exercising at all (unless computing is considered physical activity). I contemplated resuming my grody hemp shake, high protein, low carb diet until I remembered a book I had purchased about 4 months ago, but never read.

The book is titled Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman & Kim Barnouin. I bought it on a whim a while ago because it looked like a funny diet book, but set it aside for my holiday splurge-fest. Little did I know this book would trigger an avalanche of emotion, introspection, and research resulting in some major life alterations and a spiritual reawakening.

Now, let me tell you that I was a vegetarian from 14 years of age to 28 (with a short-lived backslide during my first pregnancy when I was 24). I was a member of PeTA for many of those years as well. I just couldn't bear the thought of animals suffering needlessly. I continued to consume eggs and dairy and my leather Doc Martens were practically cemented to my feet during those early years (except when I wore my Chinese slippers), but Meat is Murder was one of my favorite Smiths songs. I have always been quirky, artsy, idealistic, & uniquely me, so my family played along and I loaded up on whatever side dishes were available.
These were the days before the internet and information came solely from books or other informed sources, like aging hippies at the mystical bookstore, LOL. I went along, living life, years went by & somewhere along the way I slipped back into ignorant bliss... "Oh, one piece of bacon won't hurt me." (I wasn't thinking of the pig).

This book came to me through Divine intervention I'm sure. I've come to love Jesus over the last 5 years & I am just now seeing the connection between Christianity & a vegan lifestyle. Jesus is compassion and love & I want to be like Him (He's my super-hero!). I want to be healthy and fit and the best Mom I can be. I am ready to change my ways and I am ready for change on a grander scale.

I have subsequently read/purchased Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer (for my Sony Reader), The Kind Life by Alicia Silverstone, This Crazy Vegan Life by Christina Pirello, The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen, & Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food by Alicia Simpson and unearthed about 11 vegetarian cookbooks that I had from 'back in the day'. I've signed the PeTA pledge to go vegan for 30 days (forever is the plan) and cleared my shelves, cabinets, and drawers of household products and beauty products that test on animals. I'm on the road to healing and wellness, will you join me? I can use all the support and encouragement I can get, I'm already dealing with smart-ass remarks and people concerned for my health and sanity.

Now tell me, being the hoarder I am (another project for 2010) - what on earth do I DO with all the stuff I cleared out? (see pics) Do I send them back to the companies with a letter explaining why? Donate them? Chuck the stuff & recycle the containers? Suggestions are welcome...