Wednesday, March 24, 2010

A little bit of everything.

Okay, this post is going to start with a rant and go on to other things that I've been meaning to write about. So if you're not in the mood see ranting skip ahead to the second dotted line.

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So, first of all, let me put this out there, I am in no way going on a rampage to make everyone I know a vegetarian. That said, please, PLEASE stop using the excuse that you will shrivel up and DIE if you don't eat meat. I don't usually go on political rants and political issues usually don't get to me as badly as some people (coughCHUCKcough), but this really hits a sore spot. To the point where I have to concentrate on not having to sock the person talking to stop the spew of ignorance. I think it's because when people use that argument, it implies that I'm allowing my body to wither away because I don't give it enough protein to live. That I'm just that stupid. Well, sorry to burst your pretty little bubble of a world, but I'm not that stupid. I'm not depriving my body of anything vital that it needs to live. There are plenty of other sources of protein, that are very available, especially since we don't live in a third world country and have lots of pretty stores that sell pretty much anything we'd ever desire. There are NO health detriments to being a vegetarian, in fact, being a vegan is one of the healthiest things you can do. Unfortunately, I love my dairy too much to be a vegan, and I have no problem admitting that as the reason that I probably will never be a vegan. On the other hand, when you make up reasons, cite reasons that have NO factual basis, that means (to me at least) that you just can't admit the fact that you like meat, therefore you don't want to be a vegetarian. So please, if you don't want to be vegetarian, that's fine - I don't care, I'm not offended, and I don't judge your lifestyle. But please be kind enough not to slander my lifestyle in the process of trying to justify your own to yourself. I don't do it to you, so you shouldn't to it to me. Especially to my face. Then you might get socked.

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Okay, now on to the other stuff I've been meaning to talk about. I think that, for a little while at least, this blog might just become a place that I reflect on stuff that I'm realizing about myself and life in general. I've realized that it helps to write these things down and re-read them when I start to doubt myself.

First of all, the more I think about it and live with my decision, the more I think this is the best thing for me to do! Animals are one thing that I'm truly passionate about, and it's one thing that hasn't changed for most of my life. I'm passionate about other things, but they kind of come and go in waves. And now that I'm pretty much 99.9% certain about this, I feel more creative too. Like, since I don't *have* to be creative, I enjoy it more now, and I feel even more creative - like I don't have boundaries now!

Another thing that I'm excited about is that not only is this going to be intellectually challenging, and physically, but it'll also be emotionally challenging. And that will make me a better person. I'd love to work with the Humane Society or the SPCA one day. That's another thing that helping me see that this could really work - I can actually see myself working as a vet tech. I never could see myself working as an architect. I always just kind of assumed it would happen once I got tossed into the "real world." I guess that never happened!

So the last few weeks I've been waiting and talking back and forth with Gwinnett Tech to find out if I'll need to take a pre-req chemistry course that's required to be done before June 20th (the admission deadline). Basically, if I needed to take it, I'd have to find a Maymester course somewhere that would transfer, enroll and take it. I would have to start working on that immediately, so I was waiting to get all that straightened out before I started a job so I would make sure I had time for a class if I needed it. But I found out today that AP credit transfers (hooray, Mr. Dalby!) so now I get to go find a job (which should be easier now for a whole list of reasons) and save money for tuition! Hopefully I'll get in :fingers crossed: and if not, I'll keep trying until I do. I really like the way this program is structured, and Gwinnett Tech is supposed to be really good. Not to mention that I met with Dr. Ballard, the vet who is the head of the program, started the program, and is one of the two permanent professors in the program, and I really like her. She's very no-nonsense and straight forward.

Other than that, we visited my parents this past weekend. I got to see a good bit of Mallory! She came by after work on Friday to have some banana-chocolate bread (made by me!) while she waited for her friend to get off work. She ended up staying a good while, because of some totally stupid customers her friend had to deal with, and we got to talk a good while. Then we got to have lunch on Saturday, wander Falls Park, and go see Totally Red at the Children's Theater. It was really cute. And if like me, you have never been to Falls Park, for the love of everything holy, GO! You have no excuse - as I had no excuse. And while you're there, go to Blueberry Frog - absolutely the BEST frozen yogurt I've ever had. Then Saturday evening, we hung out with my mom and play monopoly - which I won for like the third time...ever. Overall, an excellent day. Sunday on the other hand...it's amazing how a well-placed, snippy, snide three minute conversation pointing out all your flaws can totally ruin your whole day. If Saturday hadn't been so good, I'd say my whole weekend. Especially when the person talking is your dad. Le sigh. I spent the rest of the day going through cycles of crying and being very angry. But Chuck and my mom are awesome; they gave me lots of hugs, and told me all the right things.

Then yesterday, now that I had a plan and was about to go out on Wednesday (once I found out about the class) and pretty much beg for a job at whatever store, when I got a call from Jay asking if I'd like to do some design work for one of his friends. His friend actually asked for another of Jay's friends that's in advertising, but she never got back to him. So he was checking with me to see if I'd be interested, and then he was going to talk to his friend. So that looks promising, but I'm not getting too excited or anything. I'll meet with Jay and see what happens. But I think even if that doesn't work, I could get a job at any store now, because they won't be worried that I'll run off once I get a awesome architecture job. I almost got some jobs like that before, but pretty much they all decided to with someone else b/c a high school student would be more permanent than I would. But now, I'd be more permanent! Heehee :-)

I think there was other stuff I wanted to write about, but I'm hungry b/c I decide to write this instead of eating. I didn't think it would take as long, but I got interrupted by a text convo with Tracey! She's going to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute for her Master's in Architecture! It's in Rensselaer, New York, pretty close to Albany. I'm so excited for her! I'm already planning a road trip for Chuck and I (even though we have no money right now for it :-P) to visit her and Andrew up there, and Vicky on the way! Maybe if my dad decides to move to the Halifax plant, (waaaay in the future, so I'll talk about that later - hunger takes precedence :-P) we'll visit my parents too! Heehee, I'm silly sometimes in how excited I get.

Much love 'til later. Now time for noms. ^_^ (Yes, I know I'm having a very, VERY late lunch.)

3 comments:

  1. <3 I think your plan sounds amazing. :) So very Puja! And your attitude towards it just kinda exudes "this is right" vibes! Does that make sense?

    I have road trip plans too! And mine ALSO involve going to DC and then NYC! But then after NYC I go to Toronto, Toledo, and Chicago. Who knows when I'll have the finances for it but it's still a plan. :-P
    Dude, if you let me tag along I'll pay half gas! (Then I bus to other places) Haha. Oh, to dream.

    Good luck job hunting! I know you'll find something super fast now that you can tell places you can commit to them. :)

    And I am surely not as aggravated by the "the human body can't survive without meat" argument as you are, but it does really annoy me, too! It's so ignorant and just plain insulting the way some people argue for eating meat. Yeah, you have to get creative sometimes to get those omega 3s, and yes, many vegetarians don't do it right because they think a healthy vegetarian diet just means eating nothing but greens, grains, and fruit. But seriously it's not hard to be a vegetarian, and most often you'll be healthier for it - AND you'll save money!!! My lentils and walnuts cost a heck of a lot less than that ribeye or whatever!
    (Though on the other hand, the sensationalist PETA types get on my nerves, too!)

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  2. we all know how i feel about your plans-- i support you one hundred percent! :) and i'm bursting with pride and happiness for you. i really think this is right. you light up when you talk about it.

    look! falls park! http://www.wyff4.com/news/22935314/detail.html

    i was so glad i could introduce you and chuck to the park AND blueberry frog <3

    sorry your dad was being stupid :(

    in response to veg. argument: i love meat. (go ahead and laugh) i can admit it. i couldn't give up chicken. so being a vegetarian would be hard for me, but i don't have anything against vegetarians nor do i think they are stupid and not nourishing themselves. i wish i could be healthier and i can still do that with meat (when i move out of course) and have the money to. who sparked this?

    LOVE!!!

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  3. Eh, it was one of those things that I read something with people acting that way, and it reminded me of all those people that really did act that way to my face at Clemson and other places. And yes, it is very possible to be healthy without giving up meat. I still miss chicken sometimes :-(

    And Kay - those kinds of PETA people get on my nerves too! :-D

    LOVE BACK!!!

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