Being vegetarian

So what is the big deal about being vego anyway? I pay my rent, I work hard at my job, sometimes I laugh at people who fall over, and yeah I eat things I drop on the ground when no one is looking but for the most part I consider myself a good citizen and at least I don’t bomb people. So what if I don’t want to eat cows, chicken and fish? It’s like the biggest insult to any meat eater here in London! What is the problem?!

According to ‘Living vegetarian for dummies’ I am a lacto ovo vegetarian, which means I still consume dairy products and eggs. But definitely no meat. To be honest, it hasn’t been that hard really - I don’t even miss meat. In fact, meat was never the issue, it’s the meat EATERS that are the issue. I almost dread every time a meat eater spots my fake meat (which pretty much looks like meat) at a BBQ or at a dinner party. I honestly don’t know how they know… but they know and before I know it they are on to me like a hound to a fox.

“What is THAT?”
“Oh you know, just some quorn sausages”
“You mean fake meat” (at this point they usually wrinkle their nose as if I am eating dog shit)
“Yes”
“You mean you are vegetarian” (here we go…)
“Yeah I am actually”
“But why? why would you do that to yourself??!!” (they say this like they're horrified... as if I am punching myself in the face right there and then!)

This is where I then have to calmly explain that I love animals and that I really don’t want to participate in killing them. Simple right? Wrong. This explanation is never enough. So I am always subject to one or two or three or even all of the following in one night:

“You‘re crazy, no really… there is something wrong with you” (this actually came from a guy who hunts for his meals as sport).

OR

“What do you mean WE are killing them? They live because of US! Animals are only bred for us to eat them! In fact, if you really loved animals you would be supporting them by eating them to ensure their survival . You‘re contributing to the extinction of animals! You actually hate animals” (I actually didn’t know what to say to this fucker at the time. I wish I had kicked him).

OR

“But meat is so tasty….mmmMMmm Chicken…smell the goodness, you know you want some. Look at me eating the chicken” (This is Thuy trying to tempt me to eat the bloody chicken)

OR ( and I have to say this is personally my favorite one so far)

“But what would pigs do without us to eat them? They would lead such meaningless lives, all they would do is live in their filth, eat their own filth and just be plain dirty. We give them purpose!” (Yes C, what would pigs do without us to eat them because without us they would definitely build themselves a pig pen with mud and then lock themselves in it to live in their own filth, eat their own filth and just be plain dirty).

OR

“No you may not cook your fake meat on our ‘BBQ for meat only!’ You’ll contaminate the meat!” (meat eaters can be so cruel)

OR

“Vegetarians are stupid” (Ok so no one has actually said this one yet, but I know you meat eaters are all thinking it!).

Being vegetarian is no piece of cake.

Chapter 2: Right. Down to business.

The holiday (short lived) is over. Now to get me a life here in London.

I thought I’d initially focus on sustainability and making new friends, two components which I feel are essential to having a successful life in London.

1. Sustainability

I guess having a source of income would be a good idea.

London is expensive and I am a girl who likes to spend. I can tell you a comprehensive list of things I need to buy (note the need, it isn’t ‘wants’ it’s ‘need‘) but unfortunately I can’t tell you a comprehensive list of occupational therapy assistant (OTA) positions going in London. Until my HPC goes through (to work as an OT), I am stuck in a rut. Fortunately, I managed to score an OTA position with the hounslow wheelchair service. This will do for now. (I know I don’t sound appreciative, but in reality I nearly cried with relief when I got the position and practically kissed their hands and feet! Phew! I can continue to financially support my eyelash extensions!).

2. Making new friends (housemates don’t count)
This might be problematic since I can be quite shy, not much of a talker and apparently when I do speak, my stories are not interesting (thanks C for the critique). I think I solved this problem by installing the shut up button on my iphone.

The second potential problem which I can foresee is the reliability of my ‘friend’ filter. When alcohol is involved, everyone is my friend. Yes. This includes the crazies too and there are plenty of crazies here in London. I obviously need to set up some sort of system to sort the crazies from the not so crazy from the normal. If only there was an iphone application which could do this in a second. Some sort of face scan. It would save the unnecessary investigative conversations ( ’Soooo… are you into killing people, like random oriental people you meet in pubs?’) . With the iphone scan I could just walk up to potentials and be like ‘Please look directly here. Now keep your head still and your eyes wide open, you might feel a burning sensation as the laser scans your eyes. Not so long now, just keep still a little longer…a little longer. Oh damnit I moved, I’m sorry we need to do that again’. All the application would then need to say out loud is either ‘Warning! Crazy person ahead!’ or ‘Safe for befriending!’. I guess for those of you (like me) who would like that extra bit of confidence in managing difficult situations (where a crazy person is involved) - you could opt for a deluxe version of the app where it could offer advice like ‘1. Wait until subject has his/her/its back turned. 2. Make your escape quickly, quietly and preferably with style through the back door. 3. Whatever you do, do not look back.’ I think this could be a potential niche market. But until that app is developed, I guess I’m going to have to rely on my not so reliable ‘friend’ filter. Lucky I have Thuy around.

Down below is a picture of the first friend I made at Clapham North pub. I found her on her own. She then followed me to the next bar and gave me her number. I think she was normal, she was just alone, dancing alone and I think I saw her talking alone. That’s normal right?

My first friend Carmela and me (obviously drunk happy)

Starting to miss home

I hate emotional stuff. It usually involves being serious, you generally look really sad, nothing is really funny, it sometimes can include a swollen, ugly, puffy face (from crying) and you often feel like shit. It definitely is not fun. A completely undesirable state of being if you ask me.

But nonetheless, I can’t escape it. WHAT THE HELL.

Up until today, I was living in bliss. Carrying out the usual work, eat, rest and play routine. Pretty much living the life I did back home except for the minor difference that I am in London and it is the most awesomeest city (yes I know that’s not a word), and that there are endless opportunities for fun and so many more people to meet and so many new places to explore and…well that’s just it! The list of things to do here never seems to end!!

Well…
Those thoughts and feelings of excitement died today. Actually, I’m surprised it survived for this long.

In any case, I now miss home.

I perhaps (just maybe) got a bit teary eyed. Ok so there might have been the rare tear drop or two… or three or four, alright I bawled my eyes out. I don’t suppose listening to ‘All by myself’ (by Eric Carmen) really helped things much either. But there you go I’ve said it.

I miss home.

Only 6 weeks in too.

What an emotional pussy I am :)

Big white house

Riddle:
There once was a big white house on paradise rd. Inside this big white house, there were four rooms. Inside these four rooms there lived...?

Answer:

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Housemate one :Thi Cam Thuy Danh aliases Thuy Danh

Description: Very short
Well known for: aggression
Star sign: Sagittarius
Likes: Eating, meat, animals, Riley, seafood
Dislikes: Fake meat
Interesting fact: Thuy is secretly a oompa loompa. True story. I saw her dance like one.

***

Housemate two: Charith Davinda Gunawardena aliases Black man, C, Chazza

Oops sorry wrong photo... this is the real Charith (below)

Description: Very black (and very bald)
Well known for: body rolls
Star sign: Virgo
Likes: Talking, Steve
Dislikes: losing in scrabble, mint and dark chocolate (I might add that this is not normal)
Interesting fact:
Charith’s surname (‘Gun’ ‘a’ ‘war’‘den’ ‘a’) tells of a violent story: something to do with a gun, a war and quite possibly a den (which I‘m assuming was for hiding in).

***
　
Housemate three: Patrick Mann aka Paddy, giant

Description: Very tall
Well known for: incoherent speech (mumbles)
Star sign: Capricorn
Likes: Hanna
Dislikes: Losing in scrabble, when Hanna goes back to Sweden
Interesting fact:
Paddy can consume copious amounts of food in a very short amount of time. Record stands at 1 large Pizza in 3 minutes.

***

Housemate four: Minh Ngoc Tran aliases Minh Tran, Minhie

Description: Very cool
Well known for: Scrabble champion
Star sign: Scorpio
Likes: Thuy, eating, being regular, beating everyone in scrabble
Dislikes: Sam (our landlord)
Interesting fact:
Minh can eat all night.