Rationis Capax

 Many consider humans to be "rational animals" but Johnathan Swift said that humans are animals capable of reason.  I agree.  Because of this capability we mull over what is right and what is wrong.  For some of us this morality issue exists in what we chose to eat.  But our ability to "reason" interferes with our instincts.

Can you say that you eat instinctively?  That you just know what to eat?  I didn't think so.  Whether it's your mother, television ads, health blogs, or diet books there is something that dictates what we eat.  I've found that no matter what the influence is on an individual's consumption, guilt is constantly tied to food. 

This guilt is a consequence of reason and goes against animal instinct.  Because we are constantly fed information on which foods are good for us, what food comes from good sources, and what food is morally right to eat, we over-think.  This over-thinking results in regret and guilt.  In some cases the guilt may be justified and helpful.  If a person eats McDonald's for breakfast, Burger King for lunch, and Pizza Hut for dinner every day this guilt might help them change their habits.  On the other hand an individual who has spent time reading books, magazines, and blogs on fitness may feel the same dose of guilt for eating a frozen yogurt.

I do feel the second variety of guilt on occasion but my biggest source of guilt is based on a morality issue rather than a heath one.  I've been a vegetarian since I was 10 years old.  I am turning 21 in a month.  Lately, I've done a lot of thinking on what I want to eat, what I should eat, and what is right for me to eat.

Here's what I've come up with:
There are certain foods that certain animals are meant to eat.  Because of these divisions we have herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores.  Human beings are omnivores but unlike other omnivores we have this capability to reason.  Some humans utilize this reason and come to the conclusion that meat should not be consumed by human beings because it is wrong.  What makes it wrong?  These people don't get mad at birds for eating worms. Human consumption of meat is the thing that helped us survive.  Survival cannot be wrong.

I think some people feel that humans have an unfair advantage.  We are not hunting anymore and if we do it's for sport.  I will say that I am against raising animals FOR food.  It seems cruel to harbor life for the sole purpose of death and (obviously) factory-farm torture is a bad thing.  Because of this I am strongly against consuming meat that comes from large farms.  These farms also pump their animals full of hormones and treat them poorly for the duration of their ill-purposed lives.  These actions produce unsafe environments for both the animals and the humans consuming the animals.

I think that a life made for death is wrong.  However, I do not think it is wrong to eat animals - IF the animals are taken care of, fed well, and allowed to enjoy the life they have OR caught in the wild where they lived their lives as they were meant to live.  But our reasoning shouldn't end with the consideration of where the animal was raised.  We must appreciate the animal's sustenance.  By living, consuming, dying, and providing matter for consumption the animal perpetuates the cycle.  One day every one of us will provide food for the soil that feeds the plants that feeds the animals (unless you have your ashes sent to space ;]).  We are part of the cycle and thinking that we are so special that we escape the cycle is moronic. 


A rational animal realizes that it is still an animal.  Biologically we are meant to eat meat therefore it is "right" to eat meat.  However, we have evolved into a power that believes itself to be more important than other animals.  Because of this power we no longer value where our food comes from.  As rational animals we have the ability to think about our food.  So eating meat is natural but using our power to hurt other animals is not.  It is that cruelty and ignorance that I am against.


*Braces self for onslaught of tomatoes*

*tap* *tap* Is this thing on?

Well, hello Blogger. I see you have changed your layout. Lookin' good.
Yes, I missed you as well.
Still friends?
Good.

Onwards.

Where have I been? Here. At college. Plowing through the most difficult semester yet. This is a stack of the articles I have read for various research papers in the last month.

What else has happened?  Well, My younger brother joined the Air Force.  My mother got engaged, planned a wedding, and had it postponed.  My soon-to-be step father was committed to a psych ward.  My significant other lost a large client and then scored a sweet position as director of marketing.  I made a B on an essay and cried for my failures. I made a 100% on a 15 page research project and felt nothing. I was invited to and joined Phi Kappa Phi and Gamma Beta Phi honors societies.  I will soon be joining the national English honors society Sigma Tau Delta (probably as an officer which means I don't have to pay fees - score).  I got accepted for a technical writing intern position starting in the fall.  Lots of ups and downs, people.

But in relation to the part of me you are used to, (the part that eats) I have some things to say. Let's jump in:


I've been doing a lot of thinking lately.  I've been thinking about animals and their role in existence as well as the human animal's role.  This blog started off vegan.  Then it moved to vegetarian.  Then, last spring, I began making a conscious effort to buy cruelty-free products only.
I've always been very aware of animals and their involvement in modern human life.  I think most people that eat meat don't go to McDonald's thinking about where their burger came from, the fact that the animal had thoughts, or the environment in which it was raised.  Along the same lines, people don't always consider the steps that were taken to get the meat to their plate.  The machinery and transportation required for meat production has a great impact on the air we breathe, not only the food we eat.

I think about these things.  I also think about health a great deal.  I know that as a vegetarian, there are certain nutrients that I don't get as much of unless I really make an effort to.  Specifically Omega-3's.  I'm getting to a point, bear with me.  Recently I've tried eating fish on occasion.  By occasion I mean maybe once a month.  I had some salmon over spring break.  I ate shrimp recently.  I've eaten a few tuna sandwiches.  I had a fish taco and fish and chips.  The tuna has gone well.  I'm excited to have my mother's tuna salad again because it was always a summer favorite of mine as a kid.  (As southern as tuna salad gets: boiled eggs, apple chunks, sweet pickle relish, tons of mayo mmmm).  The breaded fishes were also good.  The breading balances the texture.  But the salmon? the shrimp? Oh...oh god...I don't think I can.  It's so.....meaty.  The texture...the salmon skin...that weird shrimpy crunch.  I can't talk about this any more.  In short, I just can't.  Before I tried the fish I even thought to myself that I might try a burger one day. How? How could I think that?? I still can't drink milk because I think about the nasty "bonus" excretions that come with your jug.

I'm now a vegetarian verging on pescatarian.  I might eat some tuna salad at a 4th of July pot luck and I'll gladly participate in catfish Fridays some this summer but that's my limit.  I love veggie burgers way more than I ever liked the beef ones as a kid.  I love pbj or cheese and tomato sammiches more than I ever wanted roast beef (ew. can we talk about unappealing?)

But I'm not vegan.  I like cheese. I like yogurt. I love eggs.  I love honey. And those things are good for me. 

I'm going to let this be the transition to my next entry.  I think this is enough change for one day. 

I missed you guys. I hope you still have a place for me on your blogroll.

Happy Halloween

For Dad

Pipe, Pipe tool, Lighter.

Pipe tobacco.

All photos taken on my new deer blanket.
Reminds me of home....
Where the deer and the antelope play*....
*Coon-hunters and TN Vols...

Phresh Ink

Quote from Allen Ginsberg's Howl.

RIP, Amy.

That syrupy, sorrowful voice sank into my heart with a single beat. It won't leave so easily.

You are an icon whose life was bigger than her death.
That beehive and dramatic winged eyeliner left an impression on me at a young age.
When I was 14, Rolling Stone featured you in an interview. I read it dozens of times and kept it by my bed. I was fascinated by your personality and talent.

You always said it best.

Antoinette's Revolution Cosmetics Review

I recently ordered six eyeshadows from ARC cosmetics and I love them so much that I am going to do a review.

Edit: I forgot to say that ARC is cruelty free (no animal testing) but not vegan. This means that some shadows may contain parts of beetle shells, little red shrimp, or other such creatures. The eyeshadows are clearly marked "vegan" or "not vegan" so you can buy only vegan if you wish.

I believe I first saw this brand on Beauty's Bad Habit blog. I was immediately drawn to the brand for these reasons:
1. Cruelty free indie makeup is my favorite.
2. I love anything French.
3. I love anything morbid.
4. I love History.
I bought six sample jars to test out the colors. I am going to order some more samples and at least one full size soon.

Upon first opening the package, the personal touches of indie brands were obvious.
I love the addition of the personalized message, ribbon, and pin.
The jars were also very well packaged to prevent loose shadow explosions in the mail.
They were in a plastic bag, shrink wrapped, AND had paper sifter seals.

Now, paper sifter stickers can be a pain. Ever tried to remove a bar code sticker from something and just end up with shreds of paper and a sticky mess? My solution is tweezers.
Gently pull the edge and it should come off clean.

Swatch time:

Duchess, Liaisons, Louis

Velvet Rose, Gangrene, Patina

I used Velvet Rose on my lid and Ladies in Waiting (free sample) to blend it out. Velvet Rose is such an amazing color. It almost becomes a different shade where it is blended out (difficult to photograph) so fewer shades are needed to create a fantastic look with it!
I love all sorts of reds and oranges (probably because of my hair). I know a lot of people think reds will make them look ill or dead but with a bit of eyeliner the crypt look fades. I've always liked the eerie look of reds alone, though.

See? I don't look dead. Dead people don't smile.

I love this company and I love watching them come out with new colors (usually one every week). Check them out!

Technical Difficulties and Prune Balls

You guyyyyyyyyyyyysssssssss. My camera says my memory card isn't formatted to it. It's the same memory card I've always used and now it's being a butt. Can any of you help?

I've wanted to do WIAW but....I can't take pictures. I made Banana Bread Pancakes for Pancake Sunday today but I couldn't photograph it. :(

Well, I've had a post saved for a while and I suppose this is a good time to use it.
This is a simple dessert or snack. I like to always keep some sort of thing like this around to satisfy sweet cravings.

I obviously have a knack for naming things....or I have just been inspired by Chef and Mr. Schweddy. At least I didn't call them "Prune-y" Balls....uh, I'm just going to get to the recipe now.

Prune Balls

Ingredients:
1/2 c rolled or quick oats
1/2 c prunes, packed
3 T nut butter, smooth or crunchy
Mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

• Put oats and prunes in food processor and pulse until they clump together
• Add nut butter and pulse to combine
• Stir in chocolate chips
• Form into balls
• Store in the freezer

Sometimes I like to put a peanut butter or butterscotch chip inside. Kinda like a little bon bon.

June Favorites

I went home for a while for father's day/my birthday and I remembered my camera....but forgot the USB cable. So...sorry about that. Now my camera has decided it doesn't like my memory card...so I must fix that.

BUT I have a new series for you. It's a monthly favorites series. Each month I will list my favorites in different categories. I'm just going to get right into it because I think it is pretty self explanatory. Tell me if you like this sort of post and what other favorites you may want me to include!

Meal
Ice cream breakfast bowls!

New Food Purchase
Silk unsweetened almond milk.
Silk has the thickest, smoothest almond milk (none of that "did I just put water in my cereal?" business) and now it comes unsweetened!

Snack
Prune Balls
(recipe soon)

Music
Peaches!!!!!!!
Check her out!

Makeup
Shiro Cosmetics
I bought some things from them but my camera ate the pictures.... Soon?

Clothing
High-waisted shorts
I got these from a thrift shop and cuffed the bottom.

Activity
Game boy Color!
When unpacking things at my dad's new house I found the ol' game boy as well as my Link's Awakening and Pokemon Blue games.....you know I brought it back with me....

I love you, Daddy

I love you and everything you do for me and my brother...and O'Malley

You are truly a wonderful father.
Happy Father's Day