Tuesday, May 31, 2011
No! No, no, no!
I am not giving up meat!
Then why am I doing this?
Well, many reasons, but it all comes down to this; I like to try new things.
Culturally speaking, vegetarians are an alien species who rarely make an appearance in society. We, or me I should say, have never met anyone who willingly gave up meat back in Peru.
It's just not something we do. If you can afford meat, you eat it!
No, I wasn't poor either, but my family did not have the "luxury" of choosing to be vegetarian. You ate what you could afford and that's that.
So I've never known anything outside of that world, we ate meat, that's normal right?
Well when I came to this country I learned so much, among some of the things I learned is that an individual has a right to make decisions whether others like it or not.
I still didn't understand why someone would not want to eat meat, but I respected it. To each their own.
Lately though, I started to feel intrigued by this lifestyle, could someone really give up meat and not miss it?
How would your soup taste without the flavorings of chicken, how would your stew taste if meat didn't simmer in it for oodles of time?
It just didn't make sense.
So I've embarked on a journey, a very short one I should add, but a very rewarding one I hope.
I've decided to give up all forms of meat for five days straight.
To you it may not seem much, but for me it's a huge deal. I eat meat every day, several times a day!
With the help of a very good friend, and a lot of motivation, I started my journey today Monday, May 30th 2011
Menu for the day:
Midnight snack - A full ripe Avocado and some bread
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs, some more bread, viajero cheese, and some orange juice
Lunch - White rice, beans, fried eggs, and iced tea
Snack - Chocolate cereal
Dinner - Boiled potato (oven broke), with butter, and water.
Wow, seems like so little.
May I add that my father in law made oven roasted chicken today? Dude! WTF!
You make my favorite kind of chicken the day I decide not to eat it?
Oh well, I'm glad it was yummy because my family gobbled it all up before I had a chance to steal some.
I should also add that I am a bit ashamed to be sharing this with my Peruvian friends and my family.
My boyfriend didn't take my decision so kindly. He made fun of me and told me that there was no point in it.
"Why do it?" he said.
Well, it's just like trying sushi for the first time, I want to experience it, learn from it, and then form an opinion about it. I may not like it, I may love it, who knows. This is something I need to figure out on my own, and the only way to do it is by experiencing.
I do want to give Ronald some credit, as the day progressed, he was very kind about eating things with meat in it, he fed the baby his chicken so that I wouldn't be tempted to sneak pieces of it into my mouth. When I hit the 12hr mark he told me he was very proud of me.
It was a good day all in all, meat did limit my options though, I'm not used to eating something without it, and I had to resort to simple things.
We'll see how it goes tomorrow.
Edit: I didn't explain this well so here goes a bit more info.
What I meant about vegetarian being a luxury is that you eat what you can get. My family in Peru can afford to eat what they want most of the time, but in Peru, if you happen to get I don't know, a nice chunk of meat that day, then you eat it. Sometimes you don't have enough for vegetables. They don't have the luxury of choosing what to eat, they eat what they can afford and period. So if they can afford meat, they will choose this rather than going vegan/vegetarian.
I am not giving up meat!
Then why am I doing this?
Well, many reasons, but it all comes down to this; I like to try new things.
Culturally speaking, vegetarians are an alien species who rarely make an appearance in society. We, or me I should say, have never met anyone who willingly gave up meat back in Peru.
It's just not something we do. If you can afford meat, you eat it!
No, I wasn't poor either, but my family did not have the "luxury" of choosing to be vegetarian. You ate what you could afford and that's that.
So I've never known anything outside of that world, we ate meat, that's normal right?
Well when I came to this country I learned so much, among some of the things I learned is that an individual has a right to make decisions whether others like it or not.
I still didn't understand why someone would not want to eat meat, but I respected it. To each their own.
Lately though, I started to feel intrigued by this lifestyle, could someone really give up meat and not miss it?
How would your soup taste without the flavorings of chicken, how would your stew taste if meat didn't simmer in it for oodles of time?
It just didn't make sense.
So I've embarked on a journey, a very short one I should add, but a very rewarding one I hope.
I've decided to give up all forms of meat for five days straight.
To you it may not seem much, but for me it's a huge deal. I eat meat every day, several times a day!
With the help of a very good friend, and a lot of motivation, I started my journey today Monday, May 30th 2011
Menu for the day:
Midnight snack - A full ripe Avocado and some bread
Breakfast - Scrambled eggs, some more bread, viajero cheese, and some orange juice
Lunch - White rice, beans, fried eggs, and iced tea
Snack - Chocolate cereal
Dinner - Boiled potato (oven broke), with butter, and water.
Wow, seems like so little.
May I add that my father in law made oven roasted chicken today? Dude! WTF!
You make my favorite kind of chicken the day I decide not to eat it?
Oh well, I'm glad it was yummy because my family gobbled it all up before I had a chance to steal some.
I should also add that I am a bit ashamed to be sharing this with my Peruvian friends and my family.
My boyfriend didn't take my decision so kindly. He made fun of me and told me that there was no point in it.
"Why do it?" he said.
Well, it's just like trying sushi for the first time, I want to experience it, learn from it, and then form an opinion about it. I may not like it, I may love it, who knows. This is something I need to figure out on my own, and the only way to do it is by experiencing.
I do want to give Ronald some credit, as the day progressed, he was very kind about eating things with meat in it, he fed the baby his chicken so that I wouldn't be tempted to sneak pieces of it into my mouth. When I hit the 12hr mark he told me he was very proud of me.
It was a good day all in all, meat did limit my options though, I'm not used to eating something without it, and I had to resort to simple things.
We'll see how it goes tomorrow.
Edit: I didn't explain this well so here goes a bit more info.
What I meant about vegetarian being a luxury is that you eat what you can get. My family in Peru can afford to eat what they want most of the time, but in Peru, if you happen to get I don't know, a nice chunk of meat that day, then you eat it. Sometimes you don't have enough for vegetables. They don't have the luxury of choosing what to eat, they eat what they can afford and period. So if they can afford meat, they will choose this rather than going vegan/vegetarian.
Labels:
Monday, May 23, 2011
This is a path I've walked before and the way I see it, I can either avoid it or walk down it again with the knowledge I got from my previous voyage.
I'm not looking forward to it, there was too much sulking and tears the first time around.
*Sigh*
I don't know how to avoid it, I feel it coming and I make no efforts to stop it, I just can't.
I remember death, and separation. I remember poverty, and innocence being lost.
They are lurking in the back of my mind, they want to take center stage.
I very subtly push them back but eventually they're bound to come out.
I distract myself with everything I can. I dance, I write, I become an artistic goddess, but to no avail. I can't stop thinking of how miserable I'm starting to feel.
I feel sorry for myself, for the things I haven't had a chance of achieving. I feel like at 26 my life is over.
Maybe I'm dying?
Sometimes I feel like I am. I'm not sick no, I just feel like life is escaping me.
I don't know, I really don't know. I'm just sad.
I am very sad, and I know where this is heading.
I don't want to be sad, I am scared.
I'm not looking forward to it, there was too much sulking and tears the first time around.
*Sigh*
I don't know how to avoid it, I feel it coming and I make no efforts to stop it, I just can't.
I remember death, and separation. I remember poverty, and innocence being lost.
They are lurking in the back of my mind, they want to take center stage.
I very subtly push them back but eventually they're bound to come out.
I distract myself with everything I can. I dance, I write, I become an artistic goddess, but to no avail. I can't stop thinking of how miserable I'm starting to feel.
I feel sorry for myself, for the things I haven't had a chance of achieving. I feel like at 26 my life is over.
Maybe I'm dying?
Sometimes I feel like I am. I'm not sick no, I just feel like life is escaping me.
I don't know, I really don't know. I'm just sad.
I am very sad, and I know where this is heading.
I don't want to be sad, I am scared.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
I am all for quality.
Fine materials, durability, the feel, the look. I want it all.
Yes, all those things cost money and yes most of us, including myself, can't afford them all the time.
Once in a while though, we need to invest in some quality.
Look at it this way, an eyeliner.
You can get many types of eyeliner starting at $1.
The cheapest one will not necessarily be bad, but I wouldn't trust it to be durable.
Then there's my favorite eyeliner; Urban Decay's 24/7 eyeliner.
They will set you back $18 a piece, crazy I know!
I almost had a heart attack when after trying on this amazing product I saw the price.
$18? Are you serious? Who in their right mind would pay so much for an eyeliner?
Me, that's who, and I can't say I regret because it was that purchase that led me to understand when it's ok to splurge on some items.
This $18 eyeliner has lasted so long. I've used it almost every time I've done my make-up and it's still pretty long. I've only sharpened it four times.
How? Well let's get into the specs.
It's very smooth when applied, the liner just glides on.
The pigmentation is amazing, one pass through your eye and it's enough to get a nice black solid line.
It's also waterproof, hence the 24/7 claim.
You do not need to reapply it so you don't use as much product, that's why it last so long.
So in conclusion, I much rather buy an $18 eyeliner that is going to last me forever and look amazing rather than get 18 $1 eyeliners that are going to take too much effort to apply, not lat long and in the end waste product.
Another example would be clothing.
I live by Fordham Rd. and anybody who knows anything about cheap clothing knows that this is the place to go if you're looking for bargain piece.
The downside is, there isn't much quality.
The fabric on some of these pieces is somewhat thin, the stitching isn't that great, and the colors sometimes fade after a few washes.
Please don't get me wrong, not everything found here is bad. I myself have found some good sturdy pieces that I've had for years, but this is not always the case.
So should you not shop here?
No!
Just understand that buying a $2 top will most likely not last you months and months as would a more expensive alternative would.
Now I'm not saying that everything that costs more will last you longer.
I just believe that higher end brands do take pride in the quality they offer their customer and they actually take the time to find the best materials to create these pieces.
One last example would be purses.
I've always been a fan of the handbags. My favorite ones were from Victoria's Secret. I would wait and wait until their semi-annual sale and stock up on two or three handbags to use during the year.
Their bags are of nice quality, usually they are under the $40 mark and they come with goodies inside.
I never really did care for the lotion and mists included, but the bag, their designs are to die for. I love them!
Sadly, they do not last forever, and once the year has passed my bags are all but falling apart.
I do want to say though, I use these bags on a daily basis, they've seen the floor of every corner of my room, they been hung by one handled, thrown over the bed, sat on, punched, flung around, you name it!
Lately though, I've started to appreciate another brand such as Coach.
They are designer bags but the price-tag will not make you go bankrupt.
It's a more affordable way to sport some fancy purse that actually looks and feels good.
So far I own two but I did not pay full retail price for either of them.
Thankfully some friends of mine who take good care of their bags decided to resell their bags.
Well one person did, but one of the bags went to someone else before getting to me.
Regardless of that, the bags are of top quality, they may be pre-owned but you could not tell just by looking at them.
I think the combination of very careful handling by their previous owners, and the way these bags were made makes them age beautifully.
Granted, they aren't that old, but I can see the quality oozing out of them.
The stitching is sturdy and impeccable, the design is modern yet sophisticated.
There's so much more I could say about them but the point of this is to let you know that sometimes is a good idea to invest in quality.
I can't stress this enough though; Higher price doesn't always mean best quality and neither does low price mean bad quality.
If you like something and you know the quality is amazing then get it.
If it happens to be affordable then good for you!
If it happens to be a bit pricey then splurge a little. It will be worth it in the long run. You won't have to purchase a replacement so soon and that means more savings for you.
To conclude my very long speech, I want to say this. Yes, I like to buy higher end brands, no I'm not being a snob by doing so. I just rather have finer quality that will last me years to come than save a few bucks here and there for crappy things.
If I had 3k-5k to spend on a Louis Vuitton I so would. I wouldn't even think about it.
Sadly I can't afford it, but this would be a great example of where quality meets ridiculously pricing. Is it worth it?
Hellz Yeah!
Is it pricey?
Hellz Yeah!
In the end, you decide what's worth splurging on or not.
Fine materials, durability, the feel, the look. I want it all.
Yes, all those things cost money and yes most of us, including myself, can't afford them all the time.
Once in a while though, we need to invest in some quality.
Look at it this way, an eyeliner.
You can get many types of eyeliner starting at $1.
The cheapest one will not necessarily be bad, but I wouldn't trust it to be durable.
Then there's my favorite eyeliner; Urban Decay's 24/7 eyeliner.
They will set you back $18 a piece, crazy I know!
I almost had a heart attack when after trying on this amazing product I saw the price.
$18? Are you serious? Who in their right mind would pay so much for an eyeliner?
Me, that's who, and I can't say I regret because it was that purchase that led me to understand when it's ok to splurge on some items.
This $18 eyeliner has lasted so long. I've used it almost every time I've done my make-up and it's still pretty long. I've only sharpened it four times.
How? Well let's get into the specs.
It's very smooth when applied, the liner just glides on.
The pigmentation is amazing, one pass through your eye and it's enough to get a nice black solid line.
It's also waterproof, hence the 24/7 claim.
You do not need to reapply it so you don't use as much product, that's why it last so long.
So in conclusion, I much rather buy an $18 eyeliner that is going to last me forever and look amazing rather than get 18 $1 eyeliners that are going to take too much effort to apply, not lat long and in the end waste product.
Another example would be clothing.
I live by Fordham Rd. and anybody who knows anything about cheap clothing knows that this is the place to go if you're looking for bargain piece.
The downside is, there isn't much quality.
The fabric on some of these pieces is somewhat thin, the stitching isn't that great, and the colors sometimes fade after a few washes.
Please don't get me wrong, not everything found here is bad. I myself have found some good sturdy pieces that I've had for years, but this is not always the case.
So should you not shop here?
No!
Just understand that buying a $2 top will most likely not last you months and months as would a more expensive alternative would.
Now I'm not saying that everything that costs more will last you longer.
I just believe that higher end brands do take pride in the quality they offer their customer and they actually take the time to find the best materials to create these pieces.
One last example would be purses.
I've always been a fan of the handbags. My favorite ones were from Victoria's Secret. I would wait and wait until their semi-annual sale and stock up on two or three handbags to use during the year.
Their bags are of nice quality, usually they are under the $40 mark and they come with goodies inside.
I never really did care for the lotion and mists included, but the bag, their designs are to die for. I love them!
Sadly, they do not last forever, and once the year has passed my bags are all but falling apart.
I do want to say though, I use these bags on a daily basis, they've seen the floor of every corner of my room, they been hung by one handled, thrown over the bed, sat on, punched, flung around, you name it!
Lately though, I've started to appreciate another brand such as Coach.
They are designer bags but the price-tag will not make you go bankrupt.
It's a more affordable way to sport some fancy purse that actually looks and feels good.
So far I own two but I did not pay full retail price for either of them.
Thankfully some friends of mine who take good care of their bags decided to resell their bags.
Well one person did, but one of the bags went to someone else before getting to me.
Regardless of that, the bags are of top quality, they may be pre-owned but you could not tell just by looking at them.
I think the combination of very careful handling by their previous owners, and the way these bags were made makes them age beautifully.
Granted, they aren't that old, but I can see the quality oozing out of them.
The stitching is sturdy and impeccable, the design is modern yet sophisticated.
There's so much more I could say about them but the point of this is to let you know that sometimes is a good idea to invest in quality.
I can't stress this enough though; Higher price doesn't always mean best quality and neither does low price mean bad quality.
If you like something and you know the quality is amazing then get it.
If it happens to be affordable then good for you!
If it happens to be a bit pricey then splurge a little. It will be worth it in the long run. You won't have to purchase a replacement so soon and that means more savings for you.
To conclude my very long speech, I want to say this. Yes, I like to buy higher end brands, no I'm not being a snob by doing so. I just rather have finer quality that will last me years to come than save a few bucks here and there for crappy things.
If I had 3k-5k to spend on a Louis Vuitton I so would. I wouldn't even think about it.
Sadly I can't afford it, but this would be a great example of where quality meets ridiculously pricing. Is it worth it?
Hellz Yeah!
Is it pricey?
Hellz Yeah!
In the end, you decide what's worth splurging on or not.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Yes, I cried. I'm still trying to figure out why.
Maybe it had something to do with Osama Bin Laden's death.
No, I'm not sorry he died, I'm not glad either, I just got sad for what his death represented; more death!
How do things change?
Is the war over then?
Was this just about closure?
When I found out he died I was very quickly taken back in time, back to 2001.
I was woken rather violently.
"Nachi! Look at the television, look!"
I managed to look at the TV and I saw it, my home, my city, my country getting hurt.
I couldn't believe it, I thought I was still dreaming, this could not be happening.
I won't try to take you down that path right now, we all know what I saw, but how I felt back then, the emptiness, the rage, the sorrow, it all came back to me.
So I cried.
I mourned the dead once more and I just couldn't help the tears from coming.
Because no matter how many more die, it's still not over, we are still losing our own people to a mindless war that I still can't comprehend.
Granted, I am not at all familiar why this is still going on, but war is war, and no matter how I look at it, it's still wrong.
Anyway, this man is now dead, shall we move on now? Are we safe now?
Ronald had a request for me today.
"Please don't ride the subway this week."
I hadn't thought of that, should I be worried?
Is the other side going to want to attack us now?
It never ends does it?
Maybe it had something to do with Osama Bin Laden's death.
No, I'm not sorry he died, I'm not glad either, I just got sad for what his death represented; more death!
How do things change?
Is the war over then?
Was this just about closure?
When I found out he died I was very quickly taken back in time, back to 2001.
I was woken rather violently.
"Nachi! Look at the television, look!"
I managed to look at the TV and I saw it, my home, my city, my country getting hurt.
I couldn't believe it, I thought I was still dreaming, this could not be happening.
I won't try to take you down that path right now, we all know what I saw, but how I felt back then, the emptiness, the rage, the sorrow, it all came back to me.
So I cried.
I mourned the dead once more and I just couldn't help the tears from coming.
Because no matter how many more die, it's still not over, we are still losing our own people to a mindless war that I still can't comprehend.
Granted, I am not at all familiar why this is still going on, but war is war, and no matter how I look at it, it's still wrong.
Anyway, this man is now dead, shall we move on now? Are we safe now?
Ronald had a request for me today.
"Please don't ride the subway this week."
I hadn't thought of that, should I be worried?
Is the other side going to want to attack us now?
It never ends does it?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)