Friday, March 30, 2012
Panem et Circenses
So, I kind of want to get something out in the open right now: I’m vegan.
Allow me to share the story of how and why I became vegan in the same monotonous (almost scripted at this point) explanation that I use frequently.
I became a vegan when I was nineteen years old. Around that age I started practicing Shao-Lin Kung Fu and continued to train for about four years. During my training, I befriend a number of black belts, whom I discovered were vegan. I saw this as an opportunity to change my eating habits, which were horrendous at that point in my life.
To put it simply, being vegan means that I can’t eat anything that is or comes from an animal. Yes, this includes chicken, cheese, and fish! You would be amazed how many people ask about those three foods. No, I’m not doing this for animal rights reasons and no, it doesn’t offend me when people eat meat (this is another common question I’m asked). I hate what they do to process meat, not the consumption of it.
Was there any positive change with becoming a vegan? Well, at the time I started, I weighed 215-220 lbs; I now weigh 180-185 lbs. However, I only partially attribute being vegan to the gradual change in my weight, though I feel excercise played the bigger part. Now, if you are thinking about becoming vegan to lose weight... don’t. As I’ve said, my diet was only a part of why my weight loss. Moreover, it’s important to do a lot of homework into what your body needs to stay healthy. It can be easy to overlook things like your protein intake or essential vitamins, which can result in serious harm to your body.
There, I can now direct the curious to this post. Why? Because I’m that kind of jerk, and I want more readers.
My editor, Arcelia, has been posting delicious vegan recipes and pictures on her Facebook page (as well as mine). This reminded me of my goal to acquire a vegan cookbook and try every recipe therein. I have already placed the order for one (Vegan cookbook) and I am excited to try some new dishes.
If this gets me fat again I’m blaming Arcelia...
Friday, March 23, 2012
100 of the Greatest Works of Literature
First, let me start by apologizing for not having anything posted last Friday (*insert excuse for being overwhelmingly busy here*). As I become more skilled with my writing and time management, so too will I succeed in posting consistently.
Having said that...
As I mentioned on March 9th, 2012 (“A Hitch in the Road”), I began the process of creating a list of the 100 greatest novels of all time. I would love to go into great detail about how I formulated such a list, but frankly, that would be boring. So let’s keep it simple and by the numbers, shall we?
Step 1: I started by collecting three different credible lists of the 100 greatest novels ever written; I tried to focus on lists that were not limited to the 20th century.
The sources for such were:The Guardian, NPR, and Time
Step 2: If two or all of the sources agreed on a title, that book would become a permanent addition to my list.
Step 3: After adding the the corresponding titles, I then finalized the list with my personal choices.
A note on this project: some popular titles were left out of the completed list as I had already read them. Furthermore, I’ve changed the name of the list to “100 of the Greatest Works of Literature”. The list in question can be found above, next to my 180 list. I would like my readers to be able to keep track of the books that I’ve read. Also, I happily welcome any discussion over any of the books that were mentioned.
Having said that...
As I mentioned on March 9th, 2012 (“A Hitch in the Road”), I began the process of creating a list of the 100 greatest novels of all time. I would love to go into great detail about how I formulated such a list, but frankly, that would be boring. So let’s keep it simple and by the numbers, shall we?
Step 1: I started by collecting three different credible lists of the 100 greatest novels ever written; I tried to focus on lists that were not limited to the 20th century.
The sources for such were:The Guardian, NPR, and Time
Step 2: If two or all of the sources agreed on a title, that book would become a permanent addition to my list.
Step 3: After adding the the corresponding titles, I then finalized the list with my personal choices.
A note on this project: some popular titles were left out of the completed list as I had already read them. Furthermore, I’ve changed the name of the list to “100 of the Greatest Works of Literature”. The list in question can be found above, next to my 180 list. I would like my readers to be able to keep track of the books that I’ve read. Also, I happily welcome any discussion over any of the books that were mentioned.
Friday, March 9, 2012
A Hitch in the Road
As you may know, one of my goals is to read 100 of the greatest novels ever written. The criteria I decided on for such a list had to meet the following: 1. It had to be published from a reputable source. 2. The list had to not be limited to the 20th century. At first I thought I found a suitable choice for the goal, however I found the intended list severely lacking. Their were books that I believed were well-written or popular enough to have earned a place for my goal, yet were not mentioned. I have come to believe that I am going about this goal the wrong way. To correct this, I intend to spend time this week crafting a list of my own. I intend to combine a few different sources together to hopefully create a credible and entertaining list. I look forward to sharing the results.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Why the Play Didn't Work Out
In this post I will be withholding the names of the theater group and it's participants I worked briefly with. What ever negativity is expressed here is strictly my personal experience. This should in no way deter anyone from viewing any of their performances, if you are familiar to the group in question.
…
One evening in early January of this year, I received a phone call from an acquaintance. The call regarded the opportunity to try out for the small role of Joe Scales in a local production of “Cheaper by the Dozen”. The moment I was presented with this, I immediately and enthusiastically accepted. Driven by my strong desire to complete a goal on my 180 list, I didn't realize what I had blindly agreed to...
Eyes bigger than my stomach.
My time with the group started on the wrong foot. This was due to bad driving directions, and as a result, I was 30 minutes late. Once I had arrived, I was handed the role of Joe Scales without question. I felt that this was not due to my acting abilities, rather it was simply because I was male and they had no one else who wanted the role. Without ever hearing me speak or even knowing what I looked like, the character was mine. I admit that I was not happy with the role, and like all actors, I wanted a bigger part. However, I had promised myself when constructing my 180 list that I would accept any chance I had to act on stage again.
Around the time rehearsals began, a number of other conflicts began to arise. One such issue was scheduling conflicts with my job. The director expected us to rearrange our schedules around his play. This is difficult for someone like myself who works in retail as I could only offer two days a week of my free time (maybe). Moreover, any changes I made in my shifts at work negatively impacted my team. I was asking them to change their lives around in order to accommodate my dream of completing a goal that they had no stake in. It would be safe to say that I was demanding the same of my roommate as well. I have no vehicle of my own, thus I needed to borrow his truck for every rehearsal. This was yet another person inconvenienced by the pursuit of a goal of mine.
As for the theater group itself, I can't really complain much about them. They are a very talented lot, and I felt dwarfed by their performances which far surpassed my own. Though I did feel very alone when meeting with them as no one made any effort to befriend me. But to be fair, I did keep to myself as I normally do.
Despite all the difficulties I had working with this group, I was determined to complete this goal. While present during rehearsals, I made no protest to any direction given to me and put a great amount of effort into the role.
Unfortunately, my job would put the completion of this goal on hold.
Last week I was written up at work; this is my final notice before termination. Whether this was fair or not, one thing was for certain, my job is on the line. As I don't have anything to fall back on, nor a great amount in savings, my only option is to outperform the expectations of my management. This will be difficult to do when I have to continuously ask for special treatment regarding my hours. Also, because my store isn't doing so well, it would be wise for me not to add my name to the chopping block of “necessary cutbacks”.
This whole experience has left a very bitter taste in my mouth. This acting opportunity made me miserable, and demanded too much of me. Nevertheless, I wanted to see it through to the end very badly. It was my intention to fight on and graciously exit from this group and bid farewell to its participants for good. But now, all I have to show for my efforts is time wasted. By talking to very close friends of mine, I have come to realize that not every goal I complete is going to be easy. In fact, some goals might be disheartening and test me. The one positive thing I can take from this is that I now know what to expect. From here on out, I can search for ideal acting opportunities when the time is right.
…
One evening in early January of this year, I received a phone call from an acquaintance. The call regarded the opportunity to try out for the small role of Joe Scales in a local production of “Cheaper by the Dozen”. The moment I was presented with this, I immediately and enthusiastically accepted. Driven by my strong desire to complete a goal on my 180 list, I didn't realize what I had blindly agreed to...
Eyes bigger than my stomach.
My time with the group started on the wrong foot. This was due to bad driving directions, and as a result, I was 30 minutes late. Once I had arrived, I was handed the role of Joe Scales without question. I felt that this was not due to my acting abilities, rather it was simply because I was male and they had no one else who wanted the role. Without ever hearing me speak or even knowing what I looked like, the character was mine. I admit that I was not happy with the role, and like all actors, I wanted a bigger part. However, I had promised myself when constructing my 180 list that I would accept any chance I had to act on stage again.
Around the time rehearsals began, a number of other conflicts began to arise. One such issue was scheduling conflicts with my job. The director expected us to rearrange our schedules around his play. This is difficult for someone like myself who works in retail as I could only offer two days a week of my free time (maybe). Moreover, any changes I made in my shifts at work negatively impacted my team. I was asking them to change their lives around in order to accommodate my dream of completing a goal that they had no stake in. It would be safe to say that I was demanding the same of my roommate as well. I have no vehicle of my own, thus I needed to borrow his truck for every rehearsal. This was yet another person inconvenienced by the pursuit of a goal of mine.
As for the theater group itself, I can't really complain much about them. They are a very talented lot, and I felt dwarfed by their performances which far surpassed my own. Though I did feel very alone when meeting with them as no one made any effort to befriend me. But to be fair, I did keep to myself as I normally do.
Despite all the difficulties I had working with this group, I was determined to complete this goal. While present during rehearsals, I made no protest to any direction given to me and put a great amount of effort into the role.
Unfortunately, my job would put the completion of this goal on hold.
Last week I was written up at work; this is my final notice before termination. Whether this was fair or not, one thing was for certain, my job is on the line. As I don't have anything to fall back on, nor a great amount in savings, my only option is to outperform the expectations of my management. This will be difficult to do when I have to continuously ask for special treatment regarding my hours. Also, because my store isn't doing so well, it would be wise for me not to add my name to the chopping block of “necessary cutbacks”.
This whole experience has left a very bitter taste in my mouth. This acting opportunity made me miserable, and demanded too much of me. Nevertheless, I wanted to see it through to the end very badly. It was my intention to fight on and graciously exit from this group and bid farewell to its participants for good. But now, all I have to show for my efforts is time wasted. By talking to very close friends of mine, I have come to realize that not every goal I complete is going to be easy. In fact, some goals might be disheartening and test me. The one positive thing I can take from this is that I now know what to expect. From here on out, I can search for ideal acting opportunities when the time is right.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)