Why I’m on Twitter (and maybe you should be too!)

13 Aug

Most people say “Twitter? Oh, that’s that facebook status-wannabe site kids are using.” But I hope I’ll get you to change your mind and see what twitter is really all about. I started using twitter recently after having joined a while ago and quickly losing interest. I really didn’t see the big deal and I didn’t see it’s value in comparison to facebook. I mean, what do I care if Billy Joe is eating a hummus wrap on the couch and watching Housewives? Why would I want to read that? I’ll show you thats not what twitter is really about. I’ll tell you how people use twitter as a valuable social networking site and beyond . And maybe if you are curious enough to jump on the twitter train, you can follow me! :)

  1. Convenient, Easy, and to the Point: Unlike other social networking sites, you don’t have to weed through endless babble to get to the point. It has a 140 character max and available on phone applications. To keep things short, people can even use twitter shorthand. You can upload a quick comment, photo or link within seconds.
  2. Twitter is “Thinking Bubble” Newspaper: Let me explain. The newspaper is full of articles that the newspaper company thinks people want to know about and care about. Twitter is like a newspaper for what people are actually thinking and caring about. Its a similar structure to you walking down the street and reading the thinking bubbles above everyone’s heads. You can go to to the “Trends” area of twitter and see what everyone is actually thinking about and talking about. It gives you an idea of the world that you live in at the very moment. Currently as I’m writing this article at 12:41pm on August 8th, some of the the trends people are talking about are: Pauly D from Jersey Shore (new season aired last week), S&P (Standard & Poor downgrade of US debt), and Italy (most likely related to Jersey Shore). Have you ever wondered “whats the big thing these days?” Well, you can find out. As soon as it becomes the “thing.” Stay updated on what people are thinking about. It literally changes all the time.
  3. Find out First: Because of the speed at which news travels on twitter, you’ll hear about the latest news most likely before even seeing it on the news! Twitter spread the news about Bin Laden faster than the mainstream news. People on twitter found out first. I follow HarvardResearch to read about the latest findings and research published from Harvard.
  4. Stay tuned as part of a group: Twitter is appealing to anyone who wants to start a group or be part of a group, and listen in on what the latest is. Its easy to set up any kind of group and follow it. When you are following someone, your homepage becomes a “news feed” for any and all comments the group/person tweets in real instant time. For example, I’m following Barack Obama, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau (my veggie idol), CNN breaking news, Latest Hairstyles, Vegan Deals, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, Daily Gita, MigraineDotCom and many others. As soon as the news comes out about politics, animal rights, migraine treatments, fashion, and social awareness, I get it. Instantly. And I got to pick what I want to hear about.
  5. Keep in touch with friends/family: This is where the “eating a hummus sandwich on the couch” kinda tweet might come in. (But hopefully you’ll have more interesting things to say!) When you and your family/friends are on twitter, you can tweet about the things going on in your life that you want to share. Its the easiest way to stay connected for a person with a busy schedule. Think, “Gee, I wonder what my brother Alex is doing over in Minnessota.” You could pick up the phone and call him, but lets face it, you wont do that every day. Who has the time? You can keep in touch with him by signing onto twitter and seeing, “Oh! look at his daughter’s beautiful 1st birthday picture! How sweet!” or “Omg! He just got a promotion! I’ll have to call him to congratulate him!” or  even just seeing tweets that Alex writes like, “I feel so lucky and alive today. So grateful for my beautiful wife and children” will probably be nice for you to read because you’ll know that he’s doing well.
  6. Find out who’s the “Big Cheese” these days: Twitter has a “Who to Follow” feature that you can click and see who twitter suggests that you follow based on who you’re already following and your interests. You can also browse your interests and click the topics you choose to see suggestions of who to follow within that topic.
  7. Discover what people think about a PARTICULAR topic: Like I said, twitter is INSTANT. If you want to know what everyone thinks about the latest harry potter movie, just punch it into twitter. You’ll instantly get every tweet in order from most recent that has talked about the Harry Potter movie. Or if you’re watching a trial or big political speech on tv, you can tune in on twitter during the commercials and see what everyone thinks as it’s happening. When you tweet about a topic just add # in front of the word and it will categorize your tweet in that topic so others can search for it.
  8. PR and Marketing: Lots of stores are on twitter to update their shoppers and customers about new brands, sales, menu items, etc. If you’re a big fan of Old Navy, Amazon, Nordstrom, Best Buy or other companies, I suggest following them on twitter. If you’re a coupon maniac, follow CouponTrade.
  9. Entertainment: You can choose to follow comedians such as Dane Cook, Stephen Colbert, Borat, or many others. I follow “WarmFuzzyTweets” which provides me with my daily dose of cute animal pictures! :)
  10. Why you should follow ME on Twitter :) Especially because I don’t always update my blog often, I want my readers to be able to stay in touch with me and keep the vegan inspiration going. For example, I recently purchased a pair of vintage leather boots that look real (but are vegan!) from Charlotte Russe on sale! That fact is not big enough to blog about, but I want to let you guys know that Charlotte Russe sells great vegan kicks and they’re having a sale, so I tweet it and include a picture of my purchase to let you know about it! It’s as simple and straightforward as that. And since you either are interested in the vegan lifestyle or live one, you probably care about other things besides animals, so I’ll retweet from other companies what you probably care about like Greenpeace’s detox campaign for Nike and Adidas. Also, you’re all my friends on here, so I’ll let you know how I’m doing too. I recently went to the Cirque de Soile show and tweeted about how incredible it was and how I would definitely choose that show over an animal circus any day!
If you still don’t really get what the big deal is about twitter, try it for two weeks straight. Sign up, choose your interests and a nice bunch of people and companies that you care about to follow. Go on twitter daily and catch up on the twitter feed then click around on the latest trends. Every few days click around twitter and see what people are talking about. When a new movie, breaking news story, or topic comes up that you care to know what people think about, search it in twitter.
Oh, and don’t forget to follow me! VeganDevotee! :)

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When I Grow Up.

8 Aug

What 23 year old me dreams to be in the future.

Lifestyle: When I grow up I want to cook healthy vegan food for my family but always bake cookies, cakes, crisps, turnovers, and ice cream sticks too because too much of a good thing is… well, just too much! When my kids grow up and think about their comfort foods they’ll think of family favorites like chickpea pot pie, cucumbers in the summer, or coconut milk ice cream. When my kids are growing up I’ll read them vegetarian kids books so they understand that it means from early on and how to live in the world where people have so many differences in lifestyle. When my kids go to a party they’ll always have something yummy and omni-friendly to bring and whenever my kid has a birthday at school they’ll always bring cupcakes for them to enjoy with their classmates. They’ll have the best birthday cakes because every year I’ll make them a decorative cake to fit their personality so they’ll feel cool in front of their friends who have store-bought cakes. (See my decorative cakes here.) They’ll have eco-friendly lunchboxes so they feel that they are making a difference  and doing their part instead of just watching their parents recycle.

Role Model: I will wake up early, exercise regularly, and chant regularly…  and I’ll show my kids how it makes me happy so they can relate those activities to good feelings. I will be an active member of the temple. The house will be clean and tidy. My wife and I will have a weekly “date,” even if it’s only for an hour, not only for us, but also to show the kids how to be in a healthy relationship is. I will never put my wife down in front of the kids and disagreements between us will always be behind closed doors. We will have open communication and “family meetings” to discuss important family topics. I will be a therapist and show my kids that I love people and I made a living doing what I love, so they can make a living doing whatever it is that they love. I will go to conferences, workshops and lectures so keep up-to-date because I want to be good at what I do. I will always encourage questions and curiosity from my kids because questions being deeper understanding of the world. When my kids are ill, struggling, or going through any sort of difficult time I will always show them that I will be there for them.

Adoption, Family, and Acceptance: I want a colorful family. I want my children to come from all walks of life from all around the globe and for them to grow in a family that nurtures characteristics of acceptance of people of all races, abilities, sexual orientation and religion. My children will understand and appreciate different nations and cultures because of where their brothers and sisters come from. My children will understand disabilities because one of their siblings will be disabled in some way. My children will understand the bond between family members because we will live close and they will often spend time with their cousins. Spending time with their cousins will continue to give them a sense of family and support after their grandparents and I have passed away. All of my kids will be encouraged to continue to work on their strengths, whether it be basketball, dance, music, or art.

Traditions & Values: We will be an active family in the temple on a weekly basis to show the kids faith and to make them feel like part of a family-oriented community.  The kids will go to Sunday school and make friends with other children of the same faith. Because of this, they’ll have other friends they can rely on so their whole social existence and value doesn’t rely on how they fit in at school. Every year we’ll have spring cleaning, Christmas traditions, and family reunions. During the holidays everyone will donate some time working at a soup kitchen so my children will learn that helping others is the key to happiness and making the world a better place. We’ll donate old toys, clothes, and trinkets to children who are less fortunate. I’ll teach my kids the value of volunteering to help people and animals because we are privileged to have the time and ability to do so. We’ll have weekly rituals like sports practices, family meals, going to temple, visits with cousins and “Spaghetti night.”

Now to self-reflect… am I on my way to becoming this? Into becoming what I want to be when I grow up?

It’s always good to think and reflect on where you are and where you want to be. I hope someday years from now I’ll look back on this article and say to myself, “how am I fitting in with who I always wanted to be?”

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ask Nike and Adidas to stop using hazardous chemicals

27 Jul

Greenpeace has started an effort to launch a campaign to ask Nike and Adidas to stop using hazardous chemicals in their products. It has been identified that these companies have been linked to factories in China that release toxic chemicals into the Yangtze and Pearl River deltas, which seep into our oceans, atmosphere and food chain.

Wastewater samples from the factories were analyzed and alkylphenols and PFCs were found. These chemicals are well-known hormone disruptors and are hazardous even at low levels.

These toxic chemicals accumulate in places far from the original source and have been found in the bodies of animals including birds, fish, whales, polar bears and even human breast milk… therefore this is a GLOBAL ISSUE.

Unlike smaller companies that may be more financially cornered, Adidas and Nike don’t have to do this. Other shoe brands aren’t contributing to this waste like: Cristiano, David, Zoe, Tommy, Kumi, etc…

Sign the Greenpeace petition to ask Nike and Adidas to stop using hazardous chemicals HERE.

www.Greenpeace.org/detox

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vegan in walt disney world (part 3)

24 Jul

Such a cute way of folding a face cloth, itsn’t it?! I just loved it when I saw this in our hotel room!

But getting back on track… on our third day stay in Disneyworld we visited Epcot, which is my personal favorite park! They have all different countries and we chose to go eat dinner at the Nine Dragons in China.

I never realized Chinese food had so much meat and eggs…. There were no vegan items on the menu and the chef and waiters didn’t know what vegan meant so I explained that I do not eat any fish, meat, dairy or eggs and tried to work with our waiter and chef into making up a dish with little to no soy as well. It was a tough conversation because he would suggest a dish that he assured me was vegan and when I asked him what was in it he would say “vegetables, ginger, oyster sauce….” So that didn’t seem to work. After a bit of talking we secured an order of steamed vegetables, rice and a ginger sesame salad dressing. Sounds odd, I know. But it really wasn’t half bad! The salad dressing wasn’t what you would expect a salad dressing to taste like and it complimented the veggies nicely.

I was impressed that they actually carried a vegan dessert! (I asked the waiter for all the ingredients just to be sure!) It was actually something that I never had before: Chinese rice pudding. It had beans in it. I looked at it and thought to myself “uhhhh… I don’t know about this.” But hey, when in Rome! I dug in and it was so tasty! I couldn’t believe they could make beans and rice into such a great dessert!

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vegan in walt disney world (part 2)

24 Jul

For our second day we headed to Magic Kingdom. As you can see here, it was about to rain. Ah, Florida weather. The castle looks a bit evil with all the clouds doesn’t it?

When I got there I was a bit hungry for a snack so we went into one of the small fast-food/snack places close to the entrance. They sold typical American food like chicken fingers, corn dogs and hamburgers so their only vegan option was fries and I gladly took them! It was a good enough size to hold me over.

Unfortunately I started to get a migraine in the middle of the day. :( We went back to the hotel and I ate another delicious falafel at The Mara like I did the day before, and rested until dinner at Jiko.

Jiko is a high class African dining experience. The portions are small but the quality and price is high. This restaurant cost us two sit-down dining points because of it’s price but I felt like the food was worth it. Jiko had a separate vegan menu complete with appetizers, 2 main course choices and dessert! I started off with some flax seed bread and olive oil then I devoured my beautiful mixed greens salad with peaches and crispy plantains in a sweet sherry dressing before remembering to take a picture! I’m sorry my main dish is picture-less but you just have to take my word for it that it was delicious.

 I told you it looked pretty terrible, didn’t I? Well anyway, I also enjoyed some flatbread and crispy flatbread with different african dipping spices. Yummy.

And for dessert I had this beautiful rich mango curry sorbet with fresh mixed berries. When I heard “Mango Curry Sorbet” I was skeptical yet intrigued. I recommend it. Its a completely different flavor and the curry deepens the flavor of the sorbet. Sooo good!

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vegan in walt disney world (part 1)

24 Jul

Ah… the place where dreams come true! But do vegan dreams come true too in Disneyworld? The answer is yes.

My girlfriend and I stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It was amazing. We would wake up in the morning and and see giraffes and zebras right outside our window! Incredible! As an animal lover, I really appreciated it.

There were over 30 species of african centered wildlife just on the lodge grounds. To ensure the safety of the animals, there was only one designated smoking area on the grounds, and it was all the way on the other side of the resort as far away from the animals as possible. There are also a few signs on the porches outside of all of the room that explain that there are cameras recording to ensure that guests don’t feed the animals. Disney even provided a checklist of animal names and pictures so guests could see what species of wildlife they were able to view from their rooms! I definitely recommend this resort. I had a blast.

We arrived on a Sunday early in the afternoon, so we sought out lunch on the resort grounds and found The Mara. It was a fast food type of place and counted as a quick-meal (if you’re using the Disney Dining Plan). I saw two vegetarian/possibly vegan menu items: veggie pizza and falafel.

I asked for the manager and he explained to me that the pizza was pre-made and I therefore couldn’t ask for it without cheese. Bummer. But the falafel was made with mixed greens, (vegan) falafel patties, lemon vinaigrette, mayonnaise spray, and hummus with a bit of cheese mixed in, so he told me that I could easily have the falafel without the mayo and hummus… and that I did. To have a complete meal on the dining plan, I had this with fries, bottled water, and purple grapes for dessert. I loved it so much that I had this for lunch for three out of my six days. The patties are a bit spicy :P

Next we hit up Hollywood Studios, saw some awesome shows and went to the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theatre. This restaurant mimicked the 50′s drive-in movie experience by setting up the tables as parked cars and running commericals and old sci-fi movies (like The Attack of the 50ft Woman) in black and white. It was really cute! I found myself laughing and making fun of how terrible the monsters looked a lot!

Their menu definitely wasn’t the same as a typical drive-in theatre. The vegetarian option was actually vegan! It was called “Seared Marinated Tofu” and it was tofu with a mango glaze, fresh vegetables and white rice for 18.99. Because I try to be as soy-free as possible, I had it without the tofu… but it’s kind of fancy for a drive-in don’t you think? Hey, I wasn’t complaining! ;) The only downfall was that I could easily taste the G&O but I suppose when you’re on vacation, beggars cant be choosers, right?

But THATS NOT ALL. For dessert, they had milkshakes. Naturally, I wanted one but knew I couldn’t have one because the chances of them having a soy-free dairy-free ice cream would be near impossible. Then the chef casually offered me a milkshake made with Rice Dream ice cream and gave the the choices of: vanilla, chocolate, or oreo…. I was flabbergasted!!!! I chose a delicious Oreo milkshake and enjoyed it on my way back to the hotel because they even gave me a to-go cup too! I give this restaurant 5 STARS.

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Brussel Sprout & Artichoke Salad

29 Jun

A week went by where I didn’t eat that much green, and I didn’t like it! It was mostly due to laziness and being overdue for a grocery store trip. I looked in the fridge and saw some brussel sprouts and a leftover zucchini and I wondered if I could spruce up a simpler recipe I had enjoyed pretty recently. I like this version WAY better! I’m not a big brussel sprout girl but I have to admit that this is pretty tasty! It has such a unique flavor unlike anything else I’ve tried yet.

Before you even say it, I agree that its kind of a pain to cook each part separately, but I really think its necessary to cook in separate pots. When they’re cooked separately all of their individual flavors stand out so nicely! Also, I don’t think that the almonds can be omitted without compromising the flavor. You’d be surprised how much they matter. :)

Ingredients:

8 Brussel Sprouts, ends chopped off and quartered
1 tbsp nondairy butter (optional)
1 cup vegetable broth
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp soy sauce/coconut aminos
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 zucchini, sliced into thin strands with a potato peeler
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 full handful of chopped almonds
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp dill weed
1 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions:

  1. Cook the Brussel sprouts in vegetable broth until easily pierced with a fork. Add the tbsp of butter if you dislike the bitter taste of brussel sprouts and omit if you like it. Drain and set aside.
  2. Fry the chickpeas in the olive oil and soy sauce/soy substitute until they turn golden brown, about 15-20 minutes on medium heat. Mix chickpeas with brussel sprouts and set aside.
  3. Fry the artichoke hearts in the chickpea pan on medium heat just to get a few edges of them a bit crispy then add to the chickpea/brussel sprout mixture.
  4. Toast the chopped almonds in a pan until they begin to brown a bit and mix into the chickpea/brussel sprout/artichoke heart mixture. Add zucchini strands last.
  5. Mix in ginger, dill weed, and lemon juice and toss.
  6. Put in the fridge to cool for one hour, then enjoy!
Tips:
  • If you’re pretty talented in the kitchen, you can get these separate things cooking all at the same time on the stove. After making this dish a couple of times and getting a feel for how long each part takes I now do it all together to save time.
  • I like to buy slivered almonds to avoid the chopping. ;)
  • When toasting the almonds, I recommend doing it over medium heat on a dry pan. The oils from the almonds should be enough. If you use oil they might burn too quickly.
  • The smaller you chop the artichoke hearts, the better this dish turns out. I chop each artichoke heart into 4-5 pieces.
  • When adding the spices, try to sprinkle them over the top spreading it out as much as you can so you don’t find that the flavor is too concentrated in one area when you mix it in.
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