How to spot a douchenozzle: A practical guide Part 1

Oh my gosh people piss me off sometimes. You know what I mean, don't you? You're sitting on your couch watching binge watching That 70s Show for the fifth time (at least) and you're scrolling through facebook and some person on your "friends" list has shared this photo:

And you can't help it, but your blood starts to boil. You try to hold yourself back, and you are, for once, successful. Maybe its that your handsome boyfriend is sitting next to you talking about how awesome it is to live in a democratic country where people are accepted no matter what their cultural heritage, or maybe its the double chocolate oatmeal cookie you're scarfing down, but your blood stops boiling and you take a deep breath. But then, the next morning when you're scrolling through facebook again, trying to find our what people are thinking about the debate that happened the night before and your see that the very person who posted the above image has shared a link to a Toronto Sun article about a teenage boy who disguised himself as a niqabi woman and bought alcohol from three different LCBOs in Toronto. Now you don't have your handsome, accepting, vegan boyfriend beside you, and instead of a double chocolate cookie you're drinking a disgusting green smoothie that taste like death even though its supposed to bring you health and vitality and boom! Volcano! You try to stop yourself but its like there is this rampaging feminist, vegan, political activist gremlin inside you that you just fed after midnight and got wet and a waterfall of ranting irritation spills out of you onto his facebook page. And now, you're pretty sure everyone who is friends with him on facebook thinks you're a crazy bitch and you realize that your points are so obviously going to be lost on him and that letting it upset you was such a waste of time...but its too late baby. The seal is broken.

C'mon. We've all been there. Right?

Okay, maybe its just me.

But seriously. When did all these people on my facebook "friends" list become racist conservative buttbags? Did I miss something? Were there warning signs that I missed when befriending them?

Well, after giving it some serious thought I've realized that there weren't just warning signs; there were huge neon, glowing, sometimes flashing warning signs...accompanied by sirens and fireworks. But somehow I glossed over them in my reading of these people.

So, I've produced this list as a helpful guide for all of you who have experienced this same thing; it is for those of us who have befriended people, not noticing at first that they were just not good people.

How to spot a Xenophobe:

1. When you are having a conversation with someone and they at any time begin a conversation with "I'm not racist but..." then chances are, you are dealing with a racist. Anything not racist does not have to be prefaced with "I'm not racist"...you know, because it will so obviously not be racist.
2. When you meet someone and they tell you that they don't find _________ skin coloured people sexually appealing, then chances are you are dealing with a racist. You don't have to walk around telling people who you find attractive, and the fact that you feel the need to point out to me that you don't think Obama is sexy as hell (really?! c'mon...look at him!) because you just don't find black people attractive is a sure sign that you're kind of racist. Plus one point if they start their declaration of sexual distaste with "I'm not a racist but..."
3. If you're talking to someone and they are complaining about how they can't find a job and then they mention illegal immigration in the same sentence, then you're probably dealing with a xenophobe. For example "It really grinds my gears that here I am unemployed when there are people coming here from ______(insert country name) without any papers taking all the good paying jobs from hard working Canadians". Really, unemployed butthead? You really want that job working on the mushroom farm that pays minimum wage and demands 60 hours a week of back breaking labour in order to support your entire family and send money home to the rest of your family in ________(insert country name) to help them come over here to get a "better life" where they can also working 60 hours a week at a mushroom farm doing backbreaking labour for minimum wage? Well, I guess illegal immigrants really are the reason you can't find a job in banking. That makes PERFECT bloody sense. 
4. If anyone you know says anything similar to "Canada for Canadians"....then, you guessed it, they are probably a xenophobe. This whole line of reasoning is so deeply flawed. A little anecdote: an (ex)friend once told me that he didn't like it that Toronto was so multicultural because it was like Canadians were a minority there. I asked him to explain and he said that it was like for everyone white person there were five non-white people. WHAAATTT?! Turns out all Canadians are white, and all white people in Toronto are Canadian. Good to know, buddy. 
5. If your friend tells you that they love Indian women because they are always so beautiful and have the nicest skin...guess what...they're also xenophobic! This one might sound a little weird to you because you are thinking but I said I LOVE them, but there is this little thing that this guy Said termed "Orientalism" where we have a tendency to exoticize an entire culture or people based on our limited experience/knowledge. The uncritical exaltation of any culture, people, skin colour, language, or religion is xenophobic, friends. So don't get annoyed when I call you racist for being "super jealous of all the black women at [your] college because they all have the nicest legs/butts/hair/skin/singing voices"; because guess what...that's xenophobia my dear. 
6. If your talking to someone about national politics and they uncritically keep referring back to ISIS or the terrorist scourge, or the problem of the burqa, then they are most definitely xenophobic.
7. If any of the above people don't understand that a hijab, niqab, burqa and chador are different things, then not only are your dealing with xenophobe, but you're also dealing with an uninformed idiot. 

Here is an example of the perfect interaction with one of these people:

Xenophobe: I'm not racist or anything but its just that I don't really find black people attractive. I mean, like, but Indian women, they are all super hot. But yeah, so what I was saying earlier about national security, we really have to keep the terrorists out, you know? So we should ban the burqa and make sure that ISIS can't get a stronghold in Canada. And its like a win win because then real Canadians, you know, like white ones, can keep the good jobs too. 

You: *Dropkick*

I usually don't condone violence, but like, maybe it could be a metaphorical drop-kick. I suggest you scroll through your facebook feed right now and delete anyone who makes the above mistakes. You don't need that negative, nasty, idiotic, and downright intolerant bullshit in your life. I don't care that you went to primary school with them, or that their your uncle, or that you like the Chuck Norris memes they post. Drop them like a dirty rag baby. You're better than that.

Oh, and if you catch yourself doing any of the above, stop it! Just because you don't fancy yourself a racist doesn't mean you're incapable of xenophobia. Catch the bad habit now before other people start taking my advice and delete you from their friends list. 

Happy Wednesday!

-J

Munk Leaders Debate: What you didn't miss by not tuning in

I don't think a debate has ever exhausted me more. Between the poor audio, the on and off translation (and in many cases...just totally whack inaccurate translations), the odd format of not allowing genuine debate, and the streaming quality which left much to be desired (I had to play catch up numerous times and switch back and forth between streaming on Facebook and on the Munk website) those are two hours I honestly wish I could get back.

Now, please hear me when I say that politics makes my heart race and my blood boil...I'm not the type of person to just dismiss a debate on the basis of poor production quality. But the production quality wasn't the only downfall. I also wanted to punch all of the candidates in the face at one time of another.

Please forgive me for the rants that are about to happen. I can't bring myself to respond intelligently to a debate that so completely missed the point on almost everything that matters in Canadian politics today. Here goes:

1. Once again May was not invited to speak. WTF Canada? 
2. Once again, Justin Trudeau acted as though if he talked louder than everyone else it would some how make him more right? WTF Liberals?
3. Stephen Harper again decided to take credit for the reduction in emissions...which was a direct result of the economic crisis which caused countless job losses across the country. 
4. Mulcair responded thoughtfully and calmly to all accusations and seemed to keep the "angry Mulcair" everyone is tweeting about at bay...but he is at his best when he is passionate (unlike Trudeau, who sounds like he is lecturing me). 
5. Harper decided to again scare us into voting conservative to ward off those freaky niqab wearing terrorists. Fun fact, if you can't see someone's face they are more likely to bomb you. That is why ski resorts have banned balaclava's - they were tired of all those damned terrorists causing avalanches. Like, come on. How stupid does he think we are? Oh wait...I saw that scare ad about terrorists losing their citizenship shared on facebook about 10 times by people I otherwise thought were actually relatively intelligent, thoughtful people. Turns out, fear works. If I were to go back in time I would pursue a second major in psychology so I could do some studies on the psychology of scare tactics. This is your brain: "I love diversity. It's part of the reason I am so proud to live in Canada - a country that loves and respects people, no matter where they are from". This is your brain on Harper: "I'm all for diversity but, you know, how do we stop all the terrorists from coming over here and getting drivers licenses with their burqas/niqabs on (I mean, what if they are actually gun wielding men under there?) and using our healthcare and taking our jobs and bombing our schools and eating our food, and leaching off our system, and corrupting our youth, and inviting my child to join ISIS, and stealing our souls and ruining Christmas?!?!?!?! AAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!" 
6. Twitter freaked out about dairy...oh my gosh world, when will you get your shit together about dairy? WAAAH Mulcair, dairy prices will be too high! Boohoo, drink some freaking water and eat some Kale you big babies. I could be more precise...but I don't want to spend the next hour writing about this bullshit. Like, for example, you should probably know that I'm not all the way on board with Mulcair's take on the TPP... surprise surprise
7. Putin is the devil, apparently. I mean, don't get me wrong, Russia has a BUTT - TON to answer for, but why is it that we are blaming Russia for America's mistakes in the region? Also, Harper name dropped like a mofo when taking about our relationship with Russia and the Ukraine, which, as the incumbent PM, he is the only one able to truly do so. I fear that some might take this as an indication of his political savvy...
8. When Mulcair wanted to talk about child care, abortion, and the health of Canadians living in the North, as well as Canada's indigenous peoples he was kind of shut down. He was also told he was off topic when talking about Keystone...WTF Munk? How are these issues not on topic in a discussion of Foreign Policy? Are we really so closed minded that we think that border are impermeable and that social issues within a state have no international political implications?
9. Trudeau did this weird thing where he talked about his father's death. Yeah, Mulcair kind of set him up for it by mentioning the late Pierre Elliot, but his death and  Justin's pride in being his father's son are more than irrelevant in a debate on IR. So, why did we let this go on? Oh right, it would have been off colour to tell him to stop... 
10. And then, Trudeau was super unhappy to be personally attacked by Mulcair on the issue of "not understanding the debate structure" or something like that...well, you made it personal, Justin, so just deal with it. You're a political figure and you can be held to account as a person, not just as the figure head for your party. 
11. Again, I know I'm ragging on him a bunch, but damn Trudeau, you dumb; how can you put down one of Canada's leading environmentalists and then defend the environment so fervently (and ineffectively, might I add?).  For more information on this hilarity, see this post about David Suzuki's phone call from the liberal leader. 
12. Again, Mulcair talked about Tommy Douglas. I wish he would realize that people are so over his harkening back to the golden years of the NDP. Seriously, we get it: Tommy Douglas=Health Care=Good. Mulcair, you're making me sleepy.
13. In response to twitter and facebook posts a plenty by a bunch of silly heads: Fun fact, the NDP was super pissed back in the day when they got a bunch of support from the Communist Party of Canada. Douglas said on public radio that he by no means has and would ever have any affiliation with communists and berated the communist mission. So for all of you dumb dumbs going on about a socialist global scourge reawakening in the wake of a NDP win in this election...shut up. Also, we really need to get over this whole red scare bullshit. What is this, 1996? Oh no, the communists want us all to have free health care and free education and good roads and fair governance and democracy! I know I want all those things too, but I'm no communist. I'm too liberal to want equality for all. I still want to be able to be one of those rich fat cats who profits off of everyone else; you know, the ones I'm so critical of but only because they have nicer cars and bigger tvs than me. Leave my inequality alone. I want freedom. I'll take free and poor over free and equal any day...because that's the American...oops I mean Canadian way!  
14. Harper, once again, did not get enough attention from either of the other candidates on the stage (I say "on the stage" because May took him to task quite well on Twitter). 

Oh my gosh I could go on and on (or rather, I have gone on and on)....but you probably don't want to listen to a crazy person rant about how much she hated a debate you didn't see. So instead, here's a cute picture of George, peeking at me from beneath my office door. 

BTW Tobi the bunny votes Green (though she'd vote Vegan if there was a representative in our riding. She's a bit of an idealist). She simply can't get enough of May's cleverness and quick fact checking. Lego and George, ever the realists, vote NDP. It's the only thing the two see eye to eye on. Well, that and how much more delicious food tastes out of George's bowl.  

Don't forget to make sure you have the proper ID to vote in the upcoming election friends!

Happy Tuesday!

-J

Monday Happies: The wilderness

Adjusting to living in Hamilton has been quite difficult. As someone who grew up in the middle of the bush, and who later moved to a relatively small city where I spent the beginning of my adult life, Hamilton is a whole new world. Every week there are cops on my street for one reason or another, and while we are lucky to live in an area that is pretty quiet at night, it is a strange feeling to have to lock not only the doors but also the windows if we leave for the evening. 

Hamilton has a certain smell and sound about it all the time. It is like a soft buzz. Maybe it is far off vehicle traffic, or maybe just electric lines...and the smell... who knows. Perhaps just a buildup of trash, or something nasty brewing in the sewers. 

Sometimes I miss the soft sweet smell of the North, and the quiet of my home growing up.  I miss being able to leave my door unlocked, and I miss being able to walk wherever I want, at whatever time of day or night, and feel safe. 

Working on my thesis has made it difficult for me to see the bright side of living in a place like Hamilton. I don't go out as often as I could to see music and art, and so I am left with a longing for somewhere else most of the time.

But sometimes on weekend VOMD takes me somewhere that makes me feel at peace. We've made it a bit of a tradition this summer to explore as many waterfalls and wild spots we can in Hamilton. 

Even though Hamilton is big and loud and sometimes smelly, it is nice to know that peace and quiet and fresh air are only a short drive away. 

If you're anything like me, next time your miss peace and the colour green, definitely take a little trip to Smokey Hollow. 

Happy Monday!

-J

Being Awesome in Hamilton Part 1: Ottawa St. Top 5

I started a little series called Being Vegan in Hamilton a while back, but then I started thinking about how many awesome people are in Hamilton who may not be vegan and though...they need to get their props too!  Every time I leave the house and head out into the strange, wild world that is Hamilton I know that the day is going to be a good one because I know that I am bound to meet someone who is doing awesome shit with their lives.

The best way to do this, I think, is to go neighborhood by neighborhood. So, given that yesterday I spent hours wandering on Ottawa St. (and given they have a side-walk festival coming up this Saturday that everyone should check out) that is a good place to start!

1. Prouse Pottery and Soap Co: If you have not checked out Prouse yet, you simply must, especially if you're a fan of fun geekery, beautiful and funky pottery, and handmade soap that uses natural, healthy, and ethically sourced ingredients. I've been into the shop twice now, and both times spent about an hour (at least) talking to the awesome couple who run the shop about everything under the sun - from bees, to art, to the philosophy of photography, to social media, and to, well, soap! They also run pottery workshops that work around your schedule, and have guest instructors in who teach art, scrap-booking, and much more! 
2. Wick'd Wax Creations: This place is absolutely wicked! (and is eco friendly, and vegan friendly, as a happy coincidence!) Wes Fletcher, the guy who runs Wick'd Wax has been making candles for more than 20 years and the skills that come with experience are evident in his work. Wick'd Wax sells scented and unscented varieties of candles, in all shapes and sizes. I went to Wick'd Wax to get gifts for a prize basket a few months ago for my girlfriend's bridal shower, and his tart-shaped candle was an absolute hit!
3. Earl's Court Gallery: I am not the art buff I wish I was, but my favourite gallery in Hamilton right now is Earl's Court. Their exhibit right now is a combination of different styles of modern, abstract art that explores our relationship with the space, physical environments and territoriality. I am blown away by Laura Culic's work which uses hot and cold wax. Check it out, people!
4. Steel Town Pickers: This is one of my favourite antique/nick knack shops in Hamilton. They sell antiques, small furniture and other oddities and it is always an adventure to wander through this crowded, colourful store. 
5. Bounty Hunter Toys: TOYS! Need I say more? I guess I should. This is the perfect shop for the child/geek in all of us. It is packed full of toys, both contemporary and classic, and even carries some arcade games! They are located right next to Prouse Pottery and Soap Co. so if you want to nerd it out for a few hours, this is the perfect place for you to get your geek on. 

There are so many more amazing little shops down Ottawa St. but this is a little list of some of my favourites. More to come in the future!

Happy Wednesday!

-J

Monday Happies: Guelph Veg Fest, Vegan Pizza, and Sea Shepherd!

This weekend reminded me how incredibly awesome the world is! Saturday I spent the day with a friend that I had not seen in ages. She has been living in the UK working as a teacher for the last couple years and is home for a few months as she waits for her visa to be renewed. We went out for sushi (a tradition that got us through many stressful days during our undergrads) and ate way too much (as is expected when you opt for all-you-can-eat).

Saturday night VOMD and I had a nice quiet night and watched Hotel Transylvania - which is one of my favourite  animated movies of recent years. Watch it. It will make you heart go aww.

Sunday, though, was the cherry on top of an amazing weekend. We went to VegFest Guelph, and having missed the one in Toronto, we were all over the vegan food, and stocked our pockets full of stickers. The highlights of the event for me were: 1) Piebird Vegan Farmstay peeps were there! It made us feel all nostalgic for North Bay; 2) We bought some amazing vegan pizzas from a local bakery; 3) I had an amazing conversation with a man from Sea Shepherd and have decided that I 100% want to support their organization more and become a volunteer; 4) we ate some amazing vegan Pakoras; 5) we  met an excellent eccentric man with a pigeon friend who suggested I listen to an album by the kinks and it is actually incredibly amazing. We also had a great conversation about our culture's obsessive need to photograph everyone and everything we see, as means either to prove that we are interesting to others, or to convince ourselves that we have had interesting experiences. Are photographs false memories?

All in all, it was a pretty great day.

I'll leave you with some Kink's lyrics to stew on:

"People take pictures of each other,

Just to prove that they really existed,

Just to prove that they really existed.

People take pictures of each other,

And the moment to last them for ever,

Of the time when they mattered to someone".

Happy Monday!

-J

Some comments on the Globe and Mail 'Leaders' debate

If you live in Canada you may or may not know that last night was the second leader's debate for the 2015 election took place last night. The highlight of the night, unfortunately, was taking place elsewhere on the internet where Elizabeth May, the firecracker that she is, live tweeted her own video responses. The Green leader, just like in 2011, was not invited to participate in the leader debate, which unfortunately reflects their decreased momentum after their 2008 6.8% share of the national vote. By 2011 they received only 4%, which I would gesture to guess has a great deal to do with their young adult following who decided to just not vote in the 2011 re-election. May tweeted some pretty cute quips and delivered clear concise responses to the moderators questions, and given her physical absence, wasn't caught in a shouting match like the other party leaders. Some clever individual started the hashtag #glibandmale to highlight the obvious oversight of only inviting the white male leaders to the party. Damn I love the internet. After the obvious success of May in the last debate, it seems totally shirt-sighted that she wasn't invited to this one. The Globe and Mail really showed their cards last night...

from cbc.ca

Here is my take-away from the televised debate and the entire campaign so far in 6 points:

1. What are old stock Canadians? Are they...indigenous peoples, Mr Harper? No? Just white guys, eh?
2. Harper thinks that we can balance out budgets without raising taxes and without running a deficit. Obviously he believes in magic (or, more accurately, he believes its totally cool to cut social spending in favour of balanced budgets during a campaign). Meanwhile, Trudeau thinks we should run big deficits and raise taxes for the wealthy 1% in order to "invest in the future". Mulcair is pretty unclear on how much a balanced budget would cost but he does think it is irresponsible to leave a butt ton of debt to future generations - his party's costing report is more clear on their approach, but damn it would have been nice if he's actually spouted out some of those figures.
3. The environment is completely absent from the mind of our current loathsome leader - and he claims that they have reduced emissions during the last year...did you catch that? Harper is taking credit for a symptom of economic downturn. Emissions didn't go down because of anything the conservative government did directly. They just effed up so bad that we're in a recession again and we can't afford to do the crap that produced all those emissions. What clever politics they play. Meanwhile, Trudeau seemed to not have a ton to say about the environment, except that part of the deficit the Liberal's would run would go to investing in clean water and clean energy. Good for them! They are on a better moral footing, at least, than the conservative on this front. Mulcair and the NDP have a plan to put a cap and trade system in place to reduce emissions, which has actually worked pretty well in Ontario where Wynne and her Liberals did the same earlier this year, following Quebec's lead. Critics argued that this would lead to higher consumer pricing and a bunch of other negative side effects. Can I also just say that cap and trade is not a tax? Are the other party leaders morons or something, or do they just think Canadians are? 
4. It is shocking (if entirely expected) that women’s issues were mentioned only once during this debate, by Mulcair when he noted the NDP’s plan for affordable child care. Maybe is May had been present this wouldn't have been the case, but to be honest, perhaps gender just doesn't matter to our politicians anymore, even though women still make significantly less money than men in this country, and represent a sizeable chunk of the unemployed, underemployed, and impoverished population. 
5. It is also nut surprising that during the last month of campaigning the death of the so-called “bathroom bill” seems to not have even crossed the minds of any of the party leader’s, least of all the conservatives, who saw to it that the bill would fail (thanks to a conservative majority senate). The bill would have made some important amendments to our charter to protect gender minorities in Canada but was first gutted by the conservative senate -  in an example of classic fear-mongering and hateful anti-queer propaganda they added an amendment that stated for the safety of women and children transgendered and transsexual people wouldn't be allowed to use the appropriate public restroom - and then let to die when Harper called for his far-too-long campaign. Coincidence?
6. I am shocked at the obvious incoherence in all of the leaders’ economic policy proposals…I am so tired of politicians thinking that their constituents aren’t smart enough to understand intelligent, thoughtful debate grounded in real facts and figures. Perfectly planned sound-bites and catch phrases (let me correct the facts anyone? Or that is simply not true Mr. Harper? Or let’s not put more debt on the shoulders of future generations?) It’s insulting and exhausting. Canadians are not stupid but politicians seem to feel the need to pander to a population of uninformed voters that simply …don’t exist. Voters in general are not uninformed…non-voters are. And let’s be honest, if politicians stopped treating non-voters like they are uninformed idiots, maybe they would become more informed and actually vote. But we can’t seem to get clear answers out of our party leaders that sum up their actual plans for the future of Canada. How are the 50% of Canadians who don’t vote meant to make a remotely informed decision about who to vote for (and why it matters who wins or loses) if our party leaders don’t actually tell it like it is?

That's all I have to say about that, for now. 

Happy Friday!

-J

The not-so-healthy-herbivore update: Heat Rash, Iron Supplementation, and Acne

Don't worry; I'm not going to talk about porn again.

Instead, I'm going to bit a little self-indulgent again and give a little update on those annoying health issues that have been bumming me out. Thank you internet, for allowing me to indulge my inclination to over-share about everything!

So, I mentioned in my last post that we moved into a new apartment and I got some pretty bad heat rash. After the puking and the bullcrap I went to the doctor and he told me it was acne. I was like...whaaaattttt. No way was this regular acne. So, I went to a different walk-in and didn't tell the doctor anything about what had happened the day before I got the break out and he immediately said, "that's some killer heat rash you've got there". It just goes to show you that while most doctors are brilliant and well educated, they each have their own areas of expertise. I still really like my family doctor, but sometimes it is still nice to get a second opinion. The second doctor told me to take cold showers and drink at least 2.5 liters of water a day. Best. Prescription. Ever. Easy on the body and completely free!

A couple family members and friends wanted to know what it looked like, and I have decided to not be embarrassed about it and share a photo with you. This was taken the third day of the heat rash issue. It had died down a little but it was still very itchy and the cream the first doctor gave me for it made me break out around my mouth and cheeks, which really peeved me.

Two weeks later, taking my iron supplements (on the advise of my doctor for the previously diagnosed low iron issue), taking cold showers, and drinking about 3 liters of water a day and ... baboom!

So, yeah. Hurray for iron and water! The dark circles beneath my eyes have definitely gotten much lighter as well, and I have to say that I am sleeping much better this week, in spite of all the stresses of the thesis incident and the move to the new place.

Needless to say, I'm feeling some relief about my health issues.

I was nervous about relying on supplementation. When I went vegan everyone seemed to fall on one side or the other of this weird pro/anti vegan divide. Half of my friends and family were like "yes! you are going to be so healthy and perfect! do it! yay!" and the other half were all "but what about protein/iron/B12/whatever else?!" Admitting that I have to take a supplement to be healthy feels like I've let down the first half, and stoked the fire of the second. Also, some of my veg acquaintances are actually very un-supportive of my taking a supplement, which is very frustrating. There is a subset of the veg population who are adamant that eating anything unnatural is a sin against veganism and the planet. 

But, I feel so much better right now than I have in a long time so I am trying to ignore those voices and focus on my health. 

Here's to a happier, healthier future!

Happy Thursday!

-J

New Apartment!

So, VOMD and I have moved into the apartment above our old one. It is a LOT smaller, but oddly enough my office will now be bigger, and house all of my books, and the bunny, and my desk comfortably. I'm pretty pleased.

The place is a little bit insane right now, because we decided (using really poor reasoning skills) to paint before we unpacked...and then took days to paint. Nonetheless, the living room is now painted, as is my office and the bathroom. Now only our bedroom and the kitchen are left. VOMD has decided to save the kitchen for his winter project (he won't be working very much in the off season, because he is a landscaper).

The apartment has a TON of charm and awkward storage space and I am excited to show you once it is finished being unpacked and set up.

As an added bonus, the rent is $250 a month cheaper than our other apartment. Yay!

The day we moved in was very stressful, because it was insanely hot here and you know, heat rises. I ended up getting really bad heat stroke - vomit city. I also developed a really bad heat rash (miliaria profunda) on my face, my inner arms and behind my ears. Ouchies... and itchies.

Its almost all cleared up now (except the little bit of acne that popped up in response to it).

The day after we moved in my computer crashed. Thank you universe! So, we had to spend a lot of money we don't really have to get me a new one so that I can actually write my thesis. After my thesis being lost, I began saving my info in about five different places so that I didn't lose it again, so at least my computer kicking the bucket didn't destroy my last shred of sanity.

Regardless, I have decided that I am going to push forward in spite of the universe and finish my thesis before December 1st.

Anyways,

Happy Wednesday (Evening)!

-J

Food REgrowth! (Regrowing green onions and leeks in water)

So, a while ago I wrote a post about trying to be less of a passive  consumer. I started thinking seriously about how much we buy and how seldom we actually consider where our food and clothing comes from. In response to this VOMD and I have started shopping more often at local stores and buying lots of our groceries at the Hamilton Farmer's Market. But I was also interested in starting to grow some of our own food. Unfortunately, it is a little late  in the season to start a container garden outside, but I had read that you can regrow some food in your kitchen window using food scraps.

Well, turns out you can!

Check it; window grown green onions and leeks!

I also had some success with romaine lettuce and celery, but Lego and George like to hang out on the window sill and knocked them over a few too many times. 

As you can see a little bit the green onions and leeks were cut down to about two inches (and used in a very yummy stir fry) and the I just put them in jars with a little bit of clean fresh water (filtered water) and set in the sun. If you do this yourself, make sure you refresh the water every day or so so it doesn't get slimy. These took a few weeks to get this big, but they have a couple inches  within a week or so. 

We are going to use them today in yet another stir fry!

I do love this idea and now that I know it  is possible I will do it again and again. Buy once, eat twice!

Happy Tuesday

-J