Well considering I haven't posted since winter, I'd say I've left things a little too long! What can I say, sometimes life just gets in the way...
A lot can happen in 6 months though. I'll do my best to catch you up on the goings-on.
The financial situation I was hinting at for ages has now changed. This is the reason I was giving up my hair dye amid a strict budget - I have moved out of home! The breathing space that this move has granted me is phenomenal. Independence at last!
The hair saga has calmed down... shortly after moving out I bought a packet of vegan hair dye from a health food store in a shade that I hoped was as close to my natural hair colour as possible (I think I must've looked pretty funny squatted up in front of a tiny mirror holding the hair swatch up to my ever-lengthening roots to match the two). A few small stains on the carpet later (that I hoped the landlord wouldn't notice) and voila - my hair was brown again! That was about 4 or 5 months ago now, and the semi-permanent colour has definitely faded. My hair is now looking pretty good, although there is a slight colour difference between my natural hair growing out and the left over colour from the tinting that went on a while ago. I like to think it's a subtle and oh-so effortless nod to the balayage trend that's sweeping the fashion world.
I'm happy to say that I no longer sit on a couch made from animal skin - the good thing about living in your own place is that we could start from scratch and say NO to animal products.
But by far the number one biggest improvement in our vegan lifestyle since moving out of home? We are the proud owners of our very own full size fridge/freezer, which we keep stocked full of delicious food, none of which has in it even the slightest hint of animals. Aaaah life is good. We plan our meals each week, and I'm still building up a repertoire, so I have to search through the many many vegan cookbooks that we own for meal ideas - poor me! Then every night I come home from uni and get to work in the ktichen. And it. Feels. Good. No more disgusting imitation mee goreng! No more pasta with store-bought sauce. We eat real, fresh, healthy food. And we are loving it.
In all honesty, our food habits need some improvement. I need to get into the habit of eating breakfast every day, something I've struggled with since I finished high school. Plus we really need to force ourselves to shop at the farmers' markets every week instead of the local small supermarket, so we know exactly where our food is coming from. But we are getting there, and it feels so wonderful to finally be able to practice what I preach in the diet department.
Financially, my health has taken much more of a priority too. I'm a regular at the chiropractor now, and in a month or so, I'll be making my first appointment with the naturopath whose office is just across the road. My wisdom teeth are finally being removed in April, after 4 years or so of problems and pain. I've laid my hands on a meditation CD by Sara from The Space In Between over in Melbourne ( and just quietly, I really want to treat myself to one of her theta healing sessions... the fact that I'd be forced to have a short trip over to Melbourne to do so is just a problem I'll have to deal with!) and I've got my eyes peeled for a beautiful cushion or rug that can create a sacred space for me to meditate in every time I sit down. I've also got some bare-bones plans for an August trip to Samudra for a yoga retreat which I am beyond excited about and which I can use to establish a yoga routine for me at home every day. I'm on the lookout for cheap Pilates classes nearby and I'd also like to take up Tai Chi this year but what with the yoga and Pilates too, we'll see how much I can squeeze in! I'm also waiting to bring my beautiful bike over from home so that I can ride her around in the mornings, and the evenings... hell, anytime I want!
In 2011 I was regularly attending counselling sessions with a fabulous woman. Changes to the laws by the Federal government meant that even with referrals to a mental health worker (counsellor, psychologist, psychiatrist or otherwise) the number of annual visits allowed under Medicare had been slashed from 18 to 10. This meant I had to abruptly end my visits at the end of 2011, and I never quite seemed to get around to rescheduling in 2012. Well this is a brand new year, and I'm looking forward to booking in with this woman as well as trying some couple work and even some hypnotherapy!
And then there's the usual stuff on the cards: full-time uni, part-time work as well as getting my hands nice and dirty with plenty of full-on wedding planning! So I'm sure that latter will feature heavily in the blog over the next year and a bit.
Well I think that about sums things up for now. Until next time!
Showing posts with label leather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leather. Show all posts
Wednesday, 13 February 2013
Thursday, 3 May 2012
Little April showers
Yes, I know it's May, but only just! With winter approaching, it's starting to get a bit nippy around the
house at night. I've been wearing cheap slippers nabbed from an
overnight stay at a hotel a few months back, but my partner's tootsies
have been suffering since the demise of his old, worn, much-loved
uggboots. So we went out to a few cheap department stores to try and
find animal-friendly versions. (Since the brand name Ugg was developed,
I'm pretty sure noone can officially call them uggboots anymore. One
store we went to were calling them 'men's slippers' even though they had
small, loafer shaped slippers in the next aisle, and these ones clearly came
up above the ankle in a boot style. Anyway...) No luck in one store as
the upper was real leather, but a cheaper shop was our friend - fully
synthetic uggboots and for a tenth of the price! My partner has even remarked that his feet get too hot in them, if that could be a bad thing. Winter, here we come!
Talking about uggboots has made me think about all the things I own that aren't vegan. Not just the soaps and the hairsprays, but my sheepskin car seat covers. My duck down quilt. My pure wool blanket. My woollen beanies and scarves and gloves and jumpers. The woollen squares I started knitting last year to make a baby blanket. My silk skirts. All the books I own that are printed with animal-based inks. It's overwhelming. To be honest, though, I have no intention of throwing any of these items away, and will only search for vegan replacements if or when they wear themselves out. I know this would disgust some vegans out there but in my eyes, the damage has already been done. From a financial standpoint alone, I can't afford to give all these things to op-shops and start from scratch. As long as I don't buy any new leather, silk, feather items, then I'm not causing any harm. And if I contributed to the animal's suffering by buying these items made from their body parts, the least I can do is get a bloody good run out of them right? Surely waste would be an even bigger problem?
I guess there are a lot of things in the world of veganism that rely upon individual choice. I heard a story from a friend of mine of a vegan she knew that wouldn't eat anything from a restaurant if the plate it was served on was washed with other dishes that had had meat on them. Now, I personally find that to be a bit extreme, but I'm sure that person didn't and I'm sure many others wouldn't. It's a bit weird to think that I lead a lifestyle many people would think of as extreme, yet there are probably so many out there who think I'm copping out or that I'm not doing enough. I know my partner for example, threw away a lot of the items he owned that weren't vegan as he just couldn't stomach using them anymore. I, on the other hand, still wear patent high heels and use Maybelline mascara...
Talking about uggboots has made me think about all the things I own that aren't vegan. Not just the soaps and the hairsprays, but my sheepskin car seat covers. My duck down quilt. My pure wool blanket. My woollen beanies and scarves and gloves and jumpers. The woollen squares I started knitting last year to make a baby blanket. My silk skirts. All the books I own that are printed with animal-based inks. It's overwhelming. To be honest, though, I have no intention of throwing any of these items away, and will only search for vegan replacements if or when they wear themselves out. I know this would disgust some vegans out there but in my eyes, the damage has already been done. From a financial standpoint alone, I can't afford to give all these things to op-shops and start from scratch. As long as I don't buy any new leather, silk, feather items, then I'm not causing any harm. And if I contributed to the animal's suffering by buying these items made from their body parts, the least I can do is get a bloody good run out of them right? Surely waste would be an even bigger problem?
I guess there are a lot of things in the world of veganism that rely upon individual choice. I heard a story from a friend of mine of a vegan she knew that wouldn't eat anything from a restaurant if the plate it was served on was washed with other dishes that had had meat on them. Now, I personally find that to be a bit extreme, but I'm sure that person didn't and I'm sure many others wouldn't. It's a bit weird to think that I lead a lifestyle many people would think of as extreme, yet there are probably so many out there who think I'm copping out or that I'm not doing enough. I know my partner for example, threw away a lot of the items he owned that weren't vegan as he just couldn't stomach using them anymore. I, on the other hand, still wear patent high heels and use Maybelline mascara...
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
What's wrong with this picture?
Ummm... all leather is recycled. I know the company using this image are trying to be 'environmentally friendly' but come on. Someone used that skin for their whole life. They sheltered under it. It kept them warm, it felt the cold. It protected them from the elements and from diseases and infections. Someone needed that skin. Someone's life depended on that skin until we killed them, tore it off them, processed it chemically for days and days to prevent decay and made it into something else for us to use secondhand. Something entirely less vital.
Sooooo yeah. All leather is recycled.
Still learning
Did I ever mention I'm not perfect? No? Well, probably because I thought that wasn't necessary. But in actual fact, when I read articles, comments, blogs and musings of fellow vegans I usually am left with the impression that these guys can do no wrong. They all seem so smart and level-headed and so totally, totally committed to their cause. Which, by the way, I am as well (committed I mean). But, alas, I am not perfect.
I got a new facial piercing just over a week ago, and was instructed to take Nurofen (anti-inflammatory) as often as possible for five days afterwards to try to minimise the swelling. So at the shops on the way home, I chucked a bottle of Herron Blue (my preferred alternative - Aussie made) in my basket. Despite quietly thinking maybe the whole ibuprofen thing was a scam, I took it every six hours for the next five days. It was only on the fifth day when I was lazily skimming across the info on the packet when I saw the words: contains lactose. Oh my god. Part of me was thinking, "Really? Really? Herron as well?!" while another part of me was thinking, "Come on... are you really that surprised?" I just didn't think to check. Why, I do not know. But I'm not taking them anymore and if I ever have a need for it at a certain time of the month I'll just have to tough it out I guess (or find animal-derivative-free alternatives).
Also, I'd been expected a package from the U.S. for about two weeks, and was so stoked when it arrived on my doorstep this morning. I hastily unwrapped the shoes that were inside, some gorgeous white and silver brogues, but as I pulled them out of their paper, something just... felt wrong. I turned the shoe over and sure enough, stamped on the sole: leather upper. Quite different to the lactose scenarios, I felt instantly unwell at the thought that I'd just purchased leather shoes. I smelled them, and the familiar cured, chemical but somehow organic odour was there. Obviously it's a real shame that I can't wear these lovely shoes, but I was just so annoyed at my own 'vegan incompetence'. I checked the website to make sure I hadn't been misled, and there, clear as day, they were described as "leather shoes". Why I didn't notice that before, why I didn't check for the materials I'm not entirely sure. It may have been because I thought for their price they had to be synthetic. It may have been because a lot of the shoes on this site are described as "vegan faux-leather" and I'd skim read and added the rest in. Whatever the reason, I'm so ashamed that I bought these shoes. I feel sick at the idea of paying for someone else's skin. I really wish there was an "I'm vegan and didn't realise these shoes were leather" option on the return slip. I guess the cost of shipping them back to America will just have to be my punishment.
So, see, I'm not perfect. I call myself a vegan, but I guess I'm still getting used to it. As long as I learn from my mistakes though I should be okay.
I got a new facial piercing just over a week ago, and was instructed to take Nurofen (anti-inflammatory) as often as possible for five days afterwards to try to minimise the swelling. So at the shops on the way home, I chucked a bottle of Herron Blue (my preferred alternative - Aussie made) in my basket. Despite quietly thinking maybe the whole ibuprofen thing was a scam, I took it every six hours for the next five days. It was only on the fifth day when I was lazily skimming across the info on the packet when I saw the words: contains lactose. Oh my god. Part of me was thinking, "Really? Really? Herron as well?!" while another part of me was thinking, "Come on... are you really that surprised?" I just didn't think to check. Why, I do not know. But I'm not taking them anymore and if I ever have a need for it at a certain time of the month I'll just have to tough it out I guess (or find animal-derivative-free alternatives).
Also, I'd been expected a package from the U.S. for about two weeks, and was so stoked when it arrived on my doorstep this morning. I hastily unwrapped the shoes that were inside, some gorgeous white and silver brogues, but as I pulled them out of their paper, something just... felt wrong. I turned the shoe over and sure enough, stamped on the sole: leather upper. Quite different to the lactose scenarios, I felt instantly unwell at the thought that I'd just purchased leather shoes. I smelled them, and the familiar cured, chemical but somehow organic odour was there. Obviously it's a real shame that I can't wear these lovely shoes, but I was just so annoyed at my own 'vegan incompetence'. I checked the website to make sure I hadn't been misled, and there, clear as day, they were described as "leather shoes". Why I didn't notice that before, why I didn't check for the materials I'm not entirely sure. It may have been because I thought for their price they had to be synthetic. It may have been because a lot of the shoes on this site are described as "vegan faux-leather" and I'd skim read and added the rest in. Whatever the reason, I'm so ashamed that I bought these shoes. I feel sick at the idea of paying for someone else's skin. I really wish there was an "I'm vegan and didn't realise these shoes were leather" option on the return slip. I guess the cost of shipping them back to America will just have to be my punishment.
So, see, I'm not perfect. I call myself a vegan, but I guess I'm still getting used to it. As long as I learn from my mistakes though I should be okay.
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