Bop Catan

[BopCatan]

Stumbled on this site yesterday. It looks like a strong community. I'm looking forward to rummaging through the boards.

I've been vegan for a couple months now. My journey started last summer when I befriended a cow at the state fair. Little by little I cut more and more from my diet and lifestyle after epiphanies of my hypocrisy. I didn't really mean to be vegan - it just sort of happened. I have little interest in expressing my convictions publicly to non-vegans but will gladly share my experiences with the curious ear.

I am lucky to share my life with a wonderful woman who shares the same spiritual and physical ambitions I do. Without our relationship the conversion to veganism for both of us may have been further delayed.

I am participating on this board because not only am I vegan but I am also a runner. It's as much a spiritual outlet for me as it is a physical one.

I'm looking forward to sharing experiences and getting to know the lot of you.

[vegan hal]

welcome. i dig your story and congrats. yes you will like this place. great people here.

[skoptic]

Good work .. glad to hear of the epiphanies!

Lots of us runners here - and I think most see it as a spiritual / meditative thing as much as a physical, so you're in the right place

Welcome!

[Alistar]

Welcome! Yeah cool about your friend the cow etc helping with your epiphanies And great you've got a supportive and similar minded partner, which always helps

[BopCatan]

I'm actually starting to take a different position about what I said about publicly speaking my convictions. I've been reading some animal rights articles and feeling very disgusted about the state of humanity in general. It's shaking my already broken faith in capitalism. I have this infinite cycle in my head that goes a little like this:

"Nobody cares about your diet and you definitely didn't care about some Joe's diet when you were not vegan"
"But if you don't do something, who will?"
"I don't have the resources to make an impact."
"But I'm keeping my side of the street clean."
"Maybe that's not enough..."

Rinse and repeat...

I have to admit a few years ago I thought most vegans were flamboyant picketers who spent their weekends handing out fliers about McDonald's. When I was eating flesh I took great offense to anyone telling me how to live my life. I like to think attraction is stronger than promotion but on issues like this I'm not sure. I think I may have to spend a lot more time rethinking my position on speaking out...