how i echo these sentiments

"all i ask of you is one thing: please don't be cynical. I hate cynicism - it's my least favorite quality and it doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen."


i'm not a huge fan of conan o'brien. but these words? i love them.

eating food

i became a vegetarian at the nutty young age of six, determined to be sincere about my love of animals by not eating them. for the past twenty years, i've been strict about being a vegetarian, and not once has it crossed my mind to revert to eating meat. after watching the earthlings movie i wrote about below, i'm branching into the vegan world. i love dairy, but i just don't think that other creatures should suffer because of me. i'm not making a clean break right now - just figuring out how to use fewer animal byproducts in my diet. i've been reading some fantastic blogs on vegan cooking and baking (like this one and this one) and have just begun to try some new recipes. the results have been delicious and i feel encouraged to try more... it's great start to the new year.

and while he isn't vegan, michael pollan has been one of my favorites for a while now and and his ideas go hand in hand with my recent exploration of veganism. i can't wait to read his new book, Food Rules. the notion of being more aware of what we consume, how, and why is something that is growing more and more important to me.