Bay Area-based, Longtime Atheist, Newborn Vegan

[Shess1025]

Greetings all,

SWF, 55, Bay Area-based plant-based, veganish, objectivistish....almost completely vegan coming from a proteinoholic background, including having a WLS (VSG) procedure in March 2013.

Transitioning from Marin to North Beach/SF.... none of my friends are Vegan....and I'm not sure any are Atheists, either. Time to make new friends : )

Seeking Penn Jillette or his brother from another mother! Or at least the company of someone who is curious, clever and not emotionally constipated.

To new beginnings!

Sandra

[brimstoneSalad]

Welcome Sandra,

You shouldn't have problems meeting friends in the bay area; I know many forum members are around there too.

There's some merit to consequential libertarianism, but what do you mean by objectivistish? There's a cult like thing around Ayn Rand, so I'm curious to what extent you subscribe to that.

[Cirion Spellbinder]

Greetings Sandra!

What do you mean by veganish if I may ask?

I am also interested in what you mean by objectivish, but brimstoneSalad already asked!

[Shess1025]

I say Veganish as so many are so strictly vegan that I can't imagine I meet their criteria. At Starbucks, I usually still use the half n half in my coffee. And I had a couple of frozen yogurts this summer. When my dad was dying, last month, and he asked me to buy him a McDonald's cheeseburger, I did. I'm sure someone would poke around and see the imperfections but I am focussed on the ginormous transition I have made. I"m going to have a plant-based holiday drop-in at my home, but won't throw a hissy fit if someone brings food to share that isn't plant-based. I started out on this plant-based journey for health reasons and am being enlightened with the multitude of ethical reasons to be vegan. I'd say I'm 95% there. Pretty damn good.

Objectiveish....Rand's words really resonated with me when I was younger. I got caught up in it a bit. Much of it still rings true to me. It's been decades since I had or participated in any gatherings. I found the sense of life felt familiar and energized me....but, like the Veganish, I'm resisting any efforts to slap me up against a list of criteria to see how I measure up.

I like my fruits n veggies....I love a life of liberty and the pursuit of what makes life valuable to me. And I want that for all.

In the last year, I lost my beloved Dad (I run his business...we were tight) and my beloved dog.... it's been a tough month. I'm transitioning from a place in Marin to San Francisco....New Chapter! I am looking to make new friends that are like minded to one degree or many : )

Sandra

[Lightningman_42]

Welcome to the forum, Sandra. I live in the Bay Area too.

At Starbucks, I usually still use the half 'n' half in my coffee.

Starbucks provides soymilk rather than cow's milk if you request.

And I had a couple of frozen yogurts this summer.

Do you like "Silk" soy-yogurt? You can get it at Safeway and Lucky's. Trader Joe's used to have its own brand of soy-yogurt, which was the best and cheapest soy-yogurt that I've ever come across. Don't know why they discontinued it but I hope that soon they have it again. I'll ask next time that I shop there.

When my dad was dying, last month, and he asked me to buy him a McDonald's cheeseburger, I did.

Sorry to hear about your father. Still, I wouldn't have done that myself.

I"m going to have a plant-based holiday drop-in at my home, but won't throw a hissy fit if someone brings food to share that isn't plant-based. I started out on this plant-based journey for health reasons and am being enlightened with the multitude of ethical reasons to be vegan. I'd say I'm 95% there. Pretty damn good.

Sounds like you're making great progress! Feel free to update us or ask questions.

Rand's words really resonated with me when I was younger. I got caught up in it a bit. Much of it still rings true to me. It's been decades since I had or participated in any gatherings.

Who is this Ayn Rand person? I just remember seeing BrimstoneSalad make some negative criticisms about "Randian" moral philosophy. Also, gatherings? Is it some kind of a cult?

[Shess1025]

Per direction from one of my oncologists...soy remains off my menu for any regular consumption. I've tried almond and coconut milk ...even make my own almond milk....I like it fine for other things....except for how I drink my coffee. I stopped using sugar or artificial sweeteners but half n half in my coffee has proven to be something I'm not yet ready to give up....

I'm not stressing over this....but this is why I don't wear the vegan crown in its totality.

ArmouredAbolitionist....great tag!

[Shess1025]

If attending vegan gatherings makes me a cult member, I'm ok with that ; )

[Shess1025]

Next weekend, I'm attending a 2-day conference put on by the Forks Over Knives folks in Pasadena. I'm looking foward to meeting others with the same focus on food...I was introduced to the doc a few years ago and found it very powerful and motivating. Hope to come back having spent time with some positive minded folks who love to cook in a plant-based fashion.

[TheVeganAtheist]

Hi Sandra, welcome to the forum.