Let's see...
I announced to my mom when I was 8 that I was going to be a vegetarian. It surprised the heck out of her. I don't really remember what influenced me, but I think it had something to do with the movie "Bingo" (1991) where a butcher used to sell stray dogs as meat (and this was a kids movie?!). That was horrifying and it helped me make that animals-as-food connection. Know what I mean? Also, I had a teacher tell us a scary story about a butcher that sold human meat. I don't know what it was with me and butcher stories that year. Yuck.
I just read the synopsis for this movie... no wonder I went veg! At least it had a happy ending? Egads.
I flirted with vegetarianism off-and-on until I was 17, when I finally made the decision to go veg. Although, even when I didn't declare myself a vegetarian, I still wasn't eating that much meat. It's always kind of grossed me out. On nights where my mom made everybody a steak, I'd eat cereal or something. I've never tasted ribs or lamb or most seafood and fish, etc. and I haven't touched a piece of steak since I was eight.
I've always loved cooking. I made my first batch of cookies when I was seven (I made sure I asked Dad when Mom wasn't around, cause I knew he'd let me. Ha!). I used to watch the cooking shows on Discovery where they spoke in French and had a British lady do the voiceover. However, even though I liked to cook, I didn't broaden my horizons until I took a cooking/nutrition class my senior year of high school. When I moved out on my own, I really started cooking!
I just finished my Bachelor's of Science in biology this past December (2011). Plants (and fungi!!) are my thing. I'm going to graduate school for plant biology and I plant to do research in molecular and cellular biology. I intend to get a doctorate and do research in the private sector. I might teach when I get older. Go plants!
It turned blue! It's basic, baby!
I grew up in a small town (<4900 people) that was next to a small city (<72000). However, this city is located smack dab in the Midwest and it is extremely close-minded. It didn't have a health food store until HyVee (a Midwest grocery chain) showed up about five years ago. It has a pathetic farmer's market (the kind where almost nothing is produce!). There isn't a single place that serves veg food unless you count Chipotle and Panera (both are still fairly new, by the way), and the mall we have is 75% vacant. We have more restaurants than most cities our size. I swear it's one of the only industries keeping our unemployment down. We also have a shit ton of condemned buildings in the northtown, midtown, and southend areas. Oh, and there's also a lot of meth and STDs. One upside to the place I live is... well, we have a Chipotle. And we're close (enough) to Kansas City! When I leave to go to grad school, I won't miss it.
I'm a metal head. I only wear black clothes, but I prefer to wear trendy-kinda black clothing. I love high fashion (helloooo Harper's Bazaar), but I can only dream about it as I'm meandering through the local thrift stores (though I love bargin-hunting!). I used to have fushia hair, but now I'm trying to get it back to its original color (I haven't seen it since I was 12...). I used to have an eyebrow ring and a snakebite (two lip rings), but not at the same time. I miss the snakebite because I looked like a badass, it just sucked because you couldn't bite into an apple without it pulling on the rings. How can you be a vegan and not bite into a piece of fruit?! And that was just the least of things I could do! Ahem...
My bottom lip is a little swollen.
Oh, yeah. I went vegan right before I turned 20 when I worked at Chipotle (I'm 24 now). That made being a healthy vegan easy. I got a free meal everyday. I still love that place, and I go there
As a vegan, I never missed cheese or ice cream. I missed yogurt. I finally found two brands I like (Whole Soy & Co. and Wildwood), so I'm content. I was kind of lactose intolerant anyway, so giving up the dairy made me feel great!
Being vegan also expanded my palette. I had never tried lentils, Indian food, Thai food, couscous, sweet potatoes, fresh peaches and pears, split peas, and various types of grains and beans (and more). I also eat way more vegetables now. In fact, I haven't meet a vegetable I don't like! And actually, becoming vegan has led me down a path I never thought it would... Not only do I eat a variety of foods, I eat healthy. A complete 180 from how I used to eat (as a young vegetarian I would survive off pasta, cereal, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches). I've also become more aware of factory farming, animal cruelty, the state of our environment, and nutrition. Amazing.
