Chicks Love a Vegetarian

Gentle reader,

Are there any readers out there who are considering becoming vegetarians? If so, you might be interested and hopefully encouraged by this article.

About a month ago I made the decision to stop eating meat.

I had been thinking about it for years but had always been too unmotivated (ahem, lazy) to take the plunge. Then, a member of my family stopped eating meat. And soon after that, I found out that another close friend of mine had also done the same thing.

That set me to thinking.

Finally, I decided to jump on the veggie bandwagon after forcing myself to watch part of a movie clip that showed some chickens being mistreated and slaughtered. The chickens were placed into slots on a conveyor belt upside down, dangling from
their feet. The conveyor belt moved through a blade that cut their throats. Then they were put into hot water and scalded to get their skins off. I don't think that all of them were dead when they were being scalded.

Once upon a time many years ago I spent a day working in a chicken "factory". In just one day I observed how people become desensitized to the suffering of animals when they work with them in factory conditions, day after day. Terribly cruel things happen to animals in such conditions. Yes, I always knew that animals had to die to make meat. Somehow, until recently,
I was able to shove this information into a part of my brain where it still allowed me to
eat meat. That has now changed.

So how do I feel after the first month?

Well, so far I feel remarkably good. I feel much healthier and more upbeat. The day I stopped eating meat I was just getting over a cold. So in the beginning when I was feeling good and having more energy I reasoned that it was just because I was recovering. But that feeling has persisted now for the entire month. I feel much more energetic and happier than previously. I wonder if this is just a passing thing. I hope not! Psychologically I enjoy the thought that there is no longer a chicken, a pig or a cow "out there" somewhere who is going through hell because of me and my need to eat meat.

A nice side-effect has been a drastic reduction in the amount of unhealthy fast food that I gobble down. I confess, I was partial to the occasional McDonald's quarter-pounder with cheese. I no longer am tempted to eat at McDonald's because most of the menu is meat-based. Even though I still go there once in a while with my family, I no longer order a quarter pounder with cheese like I used to. I guess that is a good thing! Also I have my pizza without sausage and pepperoni. Small victories!

As for protein - I found out that many foods are a source of protein. Nuts are a well-known source, but even vegetables have protein. When you think about it, it makes sense. Cows eat mostly grass, yet beef is rich in protein. So a cow's protein must come from grass. Similarly, vegetables contain protein as well.

As far as adverse side-effects, so far I haven't noticed any. So, as of writing this, the experiment has been a great success.

Here is a summary of the benefits:

1) I am healthier and have less worry about ending up in the emergency room for bypass surgery, or worse.
2) Fewer animals need to be raised, potentially mistreated and ultimately killed just so that I can eat them.
3) We will no longer waste resources (grain, water, etc.) to feed the animals that I would have eaten.
4) I feel happier, have more energy and my pants fit a little better :)
5) I don't have to handle or cook meat, which I never enjoyed doing.


Time for today's quote:

Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.
-Mark Twain

Until the next time, gentle reader, I remain,

Your friend,

Buford Twain

Moving House? Not So Fast.

Gentle reader,

Are you thinking about moving house?

Are you caught up in the manic cycle of house buying and selling, just so you can"move up", impress the Joneses and feel good about yourself?

Hold on one minute, let's think about this.

Old Memories
--------------
There is something to be said about laying down roots in one place. I am not talking about shallow roots, I am talking about deep, deep roots.

I remember Karl from next door. He was in his mid-80's when we first moved in. We helped him and his wife mow their lawn when he was sick and I remember how he joked, when one day he had not woken up until 4pm, that he was "getting ready to sleep full-time". Old Karl is gone now. But those memories of him live on and they still make me smile once in a while.

I remember my children running about the house when they were little.
This old place has all those old memories in its woodwork. If I were to move, I am afraid that most of those memories would stay behind.

How about you?

What memories do you have and don't you think you might lose some of them in the shuffle?

Community
------------
It's hard to build a solid community when people are constantly coming and going.

True friendships are forged over long periods of time. Shared memories of "how things used to be" and hardships endured ("do you remember the winter of 1986?") help to form a bond between neighbors. Think about how long it takes to build these bonds.

People can be fiercely individualistic and it can take many years for people who were strangers
to become true neighbors. If you move, perhaps you will lose some or all of these relationships and it may take years to re-build them in another area.

Economics
-----------
A move "just for the sake of moving" can be very costly. Consider the following:

1) How much extra mortgage will you have if you "move up"?

Perhaps more importantly, how much longer will you need to be paying that mortgage if you refinance with a new 30 year loan? Will you feel good about your decision later, when you are forced to keep sending a cheque to the mortgage company when you could have owned your old house free and clear?

2) If you move into a bigger house, what about the increased insurance, heating and cooling bills and property taxes?

3) Do you really need the extra space? Is it worth the use of all those resources (construction materials) and added energy usage?

Of course, sometimes it is necessary to move.

Jobs come and go, harsh economic realities often take precedence over personal preferences.

These are just some things to think about before you make your decision.

And on to today's quote:

"We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us."
-Winston Churchill

Until the next time, I remain,

Your friend,

Buford Twain

Being Religious is Easier

Gentle reader,

I was raised (loosely) as a Roman Catholic. I went to a Catholic comprehensive school in London on the weekdays and church on Sundays. Well, most Sundays. One time I snuck away with my brother and we bought comic books with the collection money. That was fun! But over time I have become an atheist. As I grow older and spend more time thinking about life, I cannot not bring myself to stay religious. The more I think about it, the less I am able to buy into believing something without evidence. I am a scientist at heart. Moreover, there are some aspects of the bible and religion that I believe are harmful. For example, threatening people with hell to make them behave in a certain way. There are many other things.

I walked away from religion. However, I can see how absolutely necessary it must be for some people to have religion in their lives. Having given up on religion myself, I strongly believe that life is easier if you are religious than if you are an atheist. Here are some of the reasons:

1. If there is no God then what is the purpose and meaning of life? Anyone who ponders this question and has no religion is left with a huge, empty chasm. I personally spend some time every day wondering about this. If you are religious, this question is answered.
2. If there is no God, what happens to me when I die? It is daunting and unpleasant to think about this question, and imagine oneself underground, or being burnt in a furnace, with NOTHING afterwards. You will never get to see your loved ones again. How much nicer it is to believe that they will all be waiting for you in heaven. Or that you will have a bevy of virgins, or attain Nirvana.
   
3. If you are religious you have an instant social network through your Church. Without church you may have to work harder to find friends.
   
4. If you don't have a religion, you are completely responsible for your own life. There is no such thing as "leaving it up to God". If something bad happens (e.g. you lose your job), there is no-one to turn to but yourself. That can be a lot to handle. How much easier it is to trust God to do the driving.
   
5. You are responsible for your moral choices and you must live with your conscience forever afterwards. There is no such thing as going to confession and being completely forgiven. I would love to have all my sins forgiven. But it's just not an option for me.
   

Despite all of these disadvantages, I have no choice but to be an atheist. I simply don't believe in any God, or Gods. But I do understand why many others are religious and I do not hold it against them. It is more difficult for me now that I know (I am pretty sure, let's say) I am "alone" in the universe, than before when I was a believer. Which brings us to today's quote:

"Whatever gets you through the night...is alright...is alright".
-John Lennon

Until the next time gentle reader, I remain,

Your friend,

Buford Twain

Buford Twain's Simple Fitness Plan for Life

Gentle reader,

Here is a simple and very inexpensive plan to help you stay healthy.

Exercise

MONDAY - FRIDAY

Get *some* exercise and remain as active as possible during the day. Walk around a lot if your job allows that. Even if you are stuck at a desk (as I am), you can get up every once in a while to run small errands to keep somewhat active.

If you work in an office, go for a 1/2 hour walk at lunchtime. Head out to a local park, or just walk around if you are in a city. If you don't have time for a 1/2 hour walk at lunchtime, make time.

You are more important than you job. You are the one who may die from a heart attack or suffer illness if you don't exercise, not your co-workers. You are worth it - do it.

THE WEEKEND

Try to stay active, e.g. clean your house a little bit (sweeping and scrubbing are good exercise), play with your kids (if applicable), go to fun places that involve walking (e.g. museum, art gallery, park). There are other activities that are great exercise that are also fun. You know what I mean :)


Eating

For Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner try to eat lots of fruits, vegetables and try to steer clear of fats and sweets. If you feel like a snack between meals, try to eat an apple or some other piece of fruit.

Remember, an occasional candy bar won't kill you and chocolate actually has some health benefits :)

The key is MODERATION.


General guide to eating healthy food:

Fruits and vegetables are best. It's a good idea to wash them before you eat them to remove chemicals that might be on them.

As for processed foods, try to eat the ones with the fewest ingredients.

Check labels and count ingredients. If you see a huge list of ingredients be leery, most of the
ingredients are probably additives and chemicals that you want to minimize.

Bread is usually good, particularly wheat bread. Again, check and count the ingredients in your bread. Bread really only needs to have flour, water and yeast.


What to Avoid

Don't diet, in the sense of depriving yourself of food.
Try to have a good diet (in the sense of good nutrition), but don't actually diet.
Dieting doesn't seem to work in the long run and makes you miserable.
Being miserable oftens makes people eat junk food in an uncontrolled way.
This becomes a vicious circle of misery and overeating.
The only ones to benefit from this are DIET COMPANIES.

If you can't seem to stick to the plan, it is possible that you are stressed, or have other issues that are causing you to overeat.

I overeat when I am stressed, and sometimes turn to candy as comfort food.
It feels good for a little while, but there are consequences later that I don't like.

Don't be too hard on yourself. Consider focussing on improving your state of mind.
Try a calming activity like yoga, or play music that you enjoy.
Paradoxically, exercise in itself can help you feel better mentally, which in turn
can help prevent you from overeating, in a positive feedback loop.


At the risk of repeating myself, if you get nothing else out of this article, here are 2 points to take away:

1) You can and should eat healthily WITHOUT DIETING.

2) You can and should EXERCISE A LITTLE EVERY DAY, and you don't need to join an expensive gym to do that.

That's it! I hope it helps someone. If it does, please post something. If not, please post and let me know what I can do to improve this.

And on to the quote of the day:

"Seriousness is the only refuge of the shallow."
-Oscar Wilde

Until the next time, gentle reader, I remain,

Your friend,

Buford Twain

Don't be Number 1. Be Number 2.

Gentle reader,

Despite what they may say ("our employees are our greatest asset!"), companies don't have your best interests at heart. Trust me on that.

They are there to make money and that's about it.

Not-for-profit companies may be the exception (I have never worked full-time at one) but somehow, I doubt it.

Given that it's a dog-eat-dog world, what can you do to improve your chances at thriving and surviving as an employee commando in the corporate jungle?

Here's a tip that may seem counter-intuitive but bear with me, all shall be revealed...

Don't be Number 1 at work...(even though you definitely have what it takes)
Don't be number 3 at work...
Be Number 2 at work (no, not in the scatological sense).

If you are number 1, you might be paid more than the others but that comes with some serious drawbacks. You are too smart to fall into that trap. It means...

* You are the person they all turn to in a crisis. This means: LOTS OF PRESSURE
* You must be driven and competitive. In other words, STRESSED OUT
* You will be expected to lead the critical projects. Or, YOU WILL LIVE AT THE OFFICE

If you are number 3 (i.e. significantly below number 1) you will have the following fun little issues to deal with:

* You will be passed over for promotions and will therefore MAKE MUCH LESS MONEY
* You will be viewed as a bit of a LOSER and will therefore be the FIRST TO GET THE BOOT when the layoffs start.
* You will probably not enjoy your job and so you will be MISERABLE at work

However, if you are #2, or just ever-so-slightly behind number 1, you will enjoy the following benefits:

* You will get to work on some of the most INTERESTING PROJECTS.
* You will be PAID REASONABLY WELL (though, of course, not as well as #1)
* You will enjoy PRETTY GOOD JOB SECURITY
* You will enjoy a moderate amount of prestige
* You will not have a lot of pressure, since the #1 guy or gal will be taking most of it (haha!)

It's a bit like trailing directly behind Lance Armstrong in the Tour-de-France.

It's similar to following in the slipstream of an 18-wheeler.

Or driving right behind the speeding emergency vehicle when traffic is stuck.

It's almost (but not quite) immoral (you are purposefully holding back your best work)
It's a little bit risky (you might just get promoted to the #1 spot. Aaargh!) but...
It can be VERY ADVANTAGEOUS

Come on, you know it makes sense. You're a savvy slacker.

And on to the quote for the day...

"If fifty million people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing."
-Anatole France

Until the next time, gentle reader, I remain as always,

Your friend,

Buford Twain