Insomnia...

Can't sleep. I randomly started thinking about something whilst lying in bed and it has left me restless. I had pointed out in a previous post about how I've felt distant around my friends. "It seems to bother me alot now that my friends, some I've had since the beginning of school pretty much, are the same as the people I rant about every day. I feel distant from them and not just cause I moved. *sigh*"

It's just, I feel totally different around them. Like I'm always on edge. I was with one friend recently and she particularly has no consideration whatsoever, which is bizarre to me since she is an animal lover. For example, we'll be eating and she'll be talking about how good the beef she's eating tastes...or how she went out to dinner the other night and got *insert a bunch of tortured animal bits here* and how it was awesome. I just don't get it. Does she think I'm going to feel joy that she very briefly enjoyed the passing of animal flesh over her tastebuds?

She even asked me to have my mom pick up milk for her. I did it. I feel like scum. I know I'm not consuming it, but even being a part of something involving animal products disgusts me more then anyone can even imagine. I feel such guilt.

My point about her asking me to get her milk...does the thought not even cross her mind that maybe I would not like that? I don't know. I think if she'd be willing to expose herself to what's really going on in factory farming, she'd be more considerate. But no. Her eyes remain shut. Even though I know she is well aware that what happens in order to get her that "delicious" cheese is not pretty.

She once said that just because you eat/use animals products doesn't mean you don't care about animals. This has some truth, however allowing yourself to be blissfully unaware is not ok and never will be. It's like people who actually care but won't take the leap into veganism act like they have a disability or have some sorta disease and can't physically do it. I did it. What makes me so fucking special?? "But I couldn't give up burgers"(This is of course said in a sympathetic tone as if I'm supposed to be understanding). I love food. I'm a raging chocoholic...not to mention I love other junk food desserts(cheesecake to name one!). I knew that it's is not worth having a living creature brutally tortured just for me to sit on my fat ass and indulge in something that lasts no more then a few moments. I shop at regular grocery stores. I see these things I once craved(and still do when I see them), and I walk away from them. It's not worth it. Not even close.

Fyi, I went six months without chocolate. I couldn't even go 6 hours before. I only recently have eaten it again due to the fact that vegan options are way more readily available than where I previously lived(I live like a 2 minute walk from a vegan restaurant :D)

Back to what I was saying before; I love food. It's not like I never cared for it so it made it easier to give up dairy, egg, and meat. I can honestly say I love eating more then ever now as a vegan. I have been opened up to way more variety in food, and such amazing tastes. Guilt free. It's actually fun grocery shopping and cooking, trying to recreate a traditional non-vegan dish, or coming up with something completely different. Veganism is an art. Or at least I think so.

Just want to point out some foods that taste or look like animal products that I have recently discovered. Oyster mushrooms look and have the texture of chicken. Artichokes are very much so like fish, texture wise. Portobello mushrooms have a very meaty, beef-like taste. Mushrooms in general are a very good alternative to meat.

Back to the whole friend issues...I feel very bad for speaking poorly of this one friend in particular, but why should I accept that she lives a life supportive of cruelty and condemn others for it? It's cruel, selfish and wrong. And this is not a matter of opinion. Cruelty to animals(or any living being) is wrong.

As I posted in my previous blog, next month is Vegetarian Awareness month so I am going to push stuff on my friends. If it's to no avail, I honestly have no idea what to do...

Until there are none... rescue one!

I thought I'd make a post dedicated to rescues. I am of course referring to the act of finding homes for homeless animals.

Such a sweetie. :)

This is Jackson. I know I mentioned him in a previous post right when I adopted him, but I haven't really followed up on him in more detail. Maybe a small description of him is needed?

Jackson is a longhaired Dachshund. He's a small Standard, hence why he's larger then Bleak. Actually, they are about the same height due to Jacksons super short legs. Jackson is much stockier and less "puppy-ish" looking then Bleak. Jackson turned four in July but the exact date is unknown.

Jackson was surrendered to www.wienerdogrescue.com due to his owner at the time allowing him to cling too much to her. It's easy to see she allowed him to rule the house. This in result made him aggressive towards the children she started fostering when they wanted his old owners attention.

Jackson was super overweight when he first arrived in his foster home. When I got him, he was still large even after losing a few pounds(I liked to refer to him as my "walrus" ;p)

So now I have had him since the beginning of this year and I must say, he is amazing. He's better behaved then Bleak, whom I got at 5 weeks old! Jackson was possessive when I got him and you had to be weary with toys. Personally, I do not believe this is any reason to give up your dog, even though I am happy his old owners did or else he would not be mine! It only took me like a month to teach him whose boss. Things we accomplished were; having him bring toys to me and drop them infront of me and allow me to take them, we did some leash work, which still needs work(I think he just gets excited since I don't think his previous owner did much with him. Plus, he has all this new found energy since his dramatic weightloss), basic commands like come, sit, stay, down, etc, he won't run through doorways unless told he's allowed to, and he also will back up super fast when told to do so(it's quite cute), plus more that I can't seem to think of.

I'd like to point out that his toy aggression was pretty severe. I had quite the battle scars to prove it from one certain occasion. :\ But with patience and practice, he's seriously amazing. And he is also around my niece, and nephews whom are all between the ages of one and three with absolutely no aggression. We still supervise just incase.

I already posted the link where I adopted Jackson from, but I'll post it again!www.wienerdogrescue.com
I just wanted to make a shoutout to them since they do amazing things. This group is all volunteer work. I can't even imagine how much it costs to do this sort of work since a fair amount seem to come in injured and sometimes needing super expensive surgery. It's truly amazing the dedication put into this rescue group(and all other rescue groups too I'm sure). I hope to maybe foster in the future. It'd be tough, but well worth it no doubt.

So if you are considering getting another pet, look into rescuing. I understand some people are maybe picky about what they want, whether it be breed, or temperament, or anything else. I understand. I was specific about what I wanted. And look who I ended up with. A gorgeous, blue-eyed, Piebald longhaired Dachshund who has become bestfriends with my first born, Bleak(and just about anyone else he meets, dog or human). Just because you didn't pick the dog from a litter, doesn't mean you have to settle for just any breed(at Shelters you can't exactly be picky). Opt for rescues. There are many breed specific rescue groups located anywhere and everywhere and are usually willing to transport the pet to you(Jackson came from about a 10 hour drive from me). Rescue groups never put down animals due to over crowding.

I would like to point out that I am not encouraging people to avoid Animal Shelters. If you are not picky, and you just want a loving companion, go to your local shelter. The kill rates are super high. It's devastating to know perfectly healthy, innocent animals are killed just because someone wanted a puppy, and the large abundance of selfish breeders.

Adopt! You won't regret it!

One more thing, October is Vegetarian Awareness Month! http://www.worldvegetarianday.org/  I believe that if you truly want to make a dent in animal cruelty, then vegan is the way to go. But any effort is appreciated by me and I encourage people to try vegetarianism/veganism for a month. Look up recipes, read up on the impact it makes, and also watch documentaries, or read articles on the various mistreatment of animals. It's a huge bummer, but it is also an eye opener and people need to see what happens every single day.

Spread the word. ;)