Beer and Water

Beer and water are the only two things I drink these days.  (Not in that order - water and beer just doesn't have the same ring to it)

For many years I drank the 44 ounce soda from a fountain.  That would be my first stop of the day on the way to work.

Which is funny because I grew up with an uncle that loved Pepsi - drank it by the 2 litre (what were they called before litres?)  He owned a landscaping company and I worked with him from a very young age.

I swear back then I KNEW that soda was not good.  I knew before, even before all my college classes on the body, that the soda would spike your body with sugar and then it would be deflated.

Mind you, this was back also when the soda was carbonated water, sugar and food coloring.  Not the scientific petri dish a bottle of soda is today.

Back then I knew better.  I drank water all day long.  That was it.  At home, I would drink milk - as I was a 'growing boy'.  But that was it back then.  Water and Milk.

Spring forward and for some reason soda entered my life.  Gallons and gallons of soda.

Then one day I had enough of it and said to heck with this.  (Those that know me well enough knows better than that I would use a PG saying like that - but I don't know you loyal reader well enough yet)

I switched to coffee.

First it was a full pot of coffee.  I would take two large travel mugs with me every day.  I would drink em both (was never a fan of HOT coffee so this didn't matter)

Then after the coffee it was water.

Coffee til 10 AM.  Water until 4.  Beer from 5 - 8ish.  Big huge glass of milk or two and then to bed.

Last October 6th (2013) this vegan thing takes over my mind and I have been 100% vegan since then.

Instead of MILK I went to Coconut milk.  And for some reason I went to 1/2 pot of coffee per day.  I only had to take ONE mug with me each morning - yahh!

About two months ago decided to go caffeine free.  No thoughts, no delays just decided to do it - or more importantly not do it anymore.

Since then it's been beer, water and coconut milk...until this past week.  Coconut is out the window as well.

Now it's just beer and water.

Please Describe Briefly How You are Feeling This Monday Morning...

I am befuddled.  If you want to change then why does one not change?

My example for this is the numerous people I see on Facebook and other social media outlets constantly complaining about their health, weight and general lack of energy.

They consistently post Monday Morning Bugles that 'they are not looking back, this time IS it!'  Heading to the gym and not getting derailed by anyth-

The following Monday Morning they bugle 'That this time they mean it!  No more looking back!'

Then throughout the week there are multiple picture posts of places they are eating at.  Not a salad bar, not a smoothie shop.  Hell not even a decent steak house.

No they post pictures of shit food from shitier places.  And they quote oh how they love it and have been craving it.   Pictures of their home cooked meals that are loads upon loads of calories let alone all the other bad stuff I don't need to get into.

If you love something own up to it.  If you want to eat to make yourself sick, fat, unhealthy then just gawd damn do it and own up to it.  Stop with all the other bullshit whining of what you think people want to hear - because you know what?  I'm tired of hearing it.  Shut up, you aren't fooling anybody.

This is not a knock on anybody or anyone who is not lean, mean nor a fighting machine.  

This is a knock on those that don't own up to whom they truly are.

Wake Up.

Today

There is only one life to live, one garden to grow.
There may not be a tomorrow, there is no guarantee.
Tomorrow may never come, today is a gift.
Touch, smell, move, laugh, cry, smile, sweat and love.
Time will come when each one of use heads to heaven, hell or restart a new life - dependant upon your beliefs.

Let me ask you this, if you believe one of those three will indeed happen, why are you wasting now?

For then?  Are you sitting in a waiting room waiting for something better to come along?

When they call your name, when it's your time - suddenly everything is ok?  All better?

Why wait on anything to make you happy.  You can breath air and your heart pumps blood.

Your name has already been called.  Your time IS now.

Do

Saturday Night Vegan Date Night

I am going to stray slightly off from the direction that I was heading in my overall arc and talk about a slightly different topic.

We recently transitioned ourselves from two properties into one.  As maybe you know I am a contractor in the St. Louis area and enjoy creative endeavors when it comes to home remodeling.

We decided that we will end up in Panama City Beach part time in the near future, that time is not now.  So we decided to bring the beach home to St. Louis!

But aside from that what I really want to talk about is this new Saturday Night Vegan Date Night we've embarked upon.

A couple weeks ago we talked about the idea of attempting a new vegan recipe every Saturday night along with a bottle of white wine.

Sunday through Friday we have the menu down which pretty much equates to a routine.  It makes things efficient considering out work schedule and most importantly it makes stay on course with being Vegan.

So the past couple Saturday Nights have been fun and different.  We don't know the first thing about wine so the only requirement is to pick up a bottle with a unique and interesting label.  If it tastes good it's a bonus.  Btw - we're just doing whites for the time being.

So the first week we chose to do tamales and we used the recipe by the Peaceful Dumpling.

HMMM  HMMM good is all I can say!  A lot of work, but it was fun team effort.

I used to be one tamale loving fella and this really worked well for me.

The second week we chose a  Taco Salad with Cilantro-Lime Dressing out of the Forks Over Knives Cook Book which worked really well since there was some left overs from the previous weeks dinner of black beans and pinto beans which I was able to utilize.

One thing I did determine is that I am going to need a food processor.  I fully realize a blender is not for my patience level.  I can cook all day long but when it is time for a tool to do something it better do.  Go big or go home I always say.

So I am going onto the quest of researching a food processor.  Not just any food processor.  I will go without before I buy one just to say I have one.  But the CADILLAC of food processors.

You know...Options!  Strength!  Easy to Clean!  Strength!  Large Capacity and in case you missed it...a strong motor!

If anyone has a recommendation for a food processor I sure would love your input.

Also if you have any suggestions for tomorrow's date night dinner, please share!

Have a great weekend!!

And the side benefit to all of this is that our new fish gets to eat once a week!

Vegan BBQ

The great starting gun to the BBQ season has been officially fired this past weekend.

Memorial Day signals the start of summer and along with that comes the sweet, sweet smell of hickory smoke.

Now most people confuse grilling with BBQ'ing and that is their choice if they wish to go through life not understanding the difference between heating something up on a grill and making a piece of art in a smoker.

I have been pondering, thinking, stewing, brainstorming, thinking outside the box, driving myself crazy with the thoughts of  BBQ.  Yes I will admit it, I was one of those guys - a BBQ guy and a damn good at that.

 (still I would think, to me it would be similar to riding a bike - you never forget)

So the above mentioned thinking sessions have been regarding the fact that I think I can develop a plant based BBQ menu that no one will know the difference.

Yes, it's a tall task.  It's a huge task.

But I think I can do it.  Now all I have to do is practice, practice and practice.

Stay tuned bat friends  Stay tuned!!

$3 Dollars on the Dollar Menu

Yesterday I wrote a quick blog about an experience I witnessed and wanted to put out there for discussion.

I understand my thought process is a little different and some people may be asking "What cha talking bout, Willis?"  But I assure you that over time you will see where all this is going.

I was attempting to head towards the Dollar Menu that is so popular in today's fast food.

When people who have known me for years find out that I have been 100% vegan for a little over 7 months their jaws drop.  I used to be THAT guy that ran and did what he wanted and ate what he wanted when he wanted.

Not 100% of it was BAD according to American Food Standards but in truth 100% WAS BAD according to the Vegan Lifestyle and Forks Over Knives.

So this short blog is a segue from the one I wrote yesterday to the ones I want to write into the future.

Commercials.  Advertisements.  Books.  Coupons.  2 for 1's.  $1 Burgers.  $1 Ginormous DIET Sodas.
Family Deals for $9.99.  3 pieces of chicken and a biscuit for $3.99.  Seven 'Meals' for under $4 (including a nutritious soda).  Pizzas delivered anyway you want them for under $10.  Go pick up a hot and ready pizza for under $5.

This is what I want to dive into.  This is what I have contemplated and internally discussed.  This is what I have spoken with at length to close friends and family.

How easy is it in the United States to NOT be a Vegan?

This... is the voice of a Vegan.

$3 Dollars on Pump 2

It amazes me the amount of people in line at drive thrus.

I have truthfully been in line behind a person at a gas station and they tell the cashier, "Three dollars on Pump Two".  They walk out, put the splash of less than a gallon of gas into their tank - drive out of the parking lot and immediately turn into the fast food place next door.

Then to top it off (I am pretty sure their tank hasn't been in awhile - insert drums and cymbals here) they get into the drive thru line that is ten deep???

First off, the distance to walk from the gas station was literally twenty-five feet.

Secondly, as par the course, the parking lot of the fast food joint was pretty barren - everybody is in the drive-thru.

Third and most importantly to this discussion at hand - they just put three dollars into their tank.

One is to believe that there is some nutritional value to stem from the fast food?

Now maybe this person enjoyed going gas station to gas station and throwing three dollars down at a time.  Maybe they are a self made millionaire - I truly don't know.

Yet if I was to lay down a three dollar bet on GottaGetFastFoodNow at the horse track - I am pretty sure I would come out at least even...

The Day I Became a Different Person

October 6th, 2013...

226 Days...

7 Months, 14 days...

I have been 100% Vegan.

Why?

I have always been suspect of the food system in this country - United States of America.

Although, I love the country and the freedom, I always thought the food system was shady to say the least.

So, one day (October 6th, 2013 2:00 PM to be exact) I decided it was time to flip the channel from the home St. Louis Rams to something else while I waited for the 3:15 start of the Dallas Cowboys game.

What did I chose to pass the time with?  Forks Over Knives.

I watched a half an hour before putting it on pause.  (Cowboys are coming on, remember)

I stood up and walked into the room occupied by my wife as she tooled around on her computer.

I said, "I'm done.  That's it."

She looked up me with a WTH look.

"I am not eating another piece of crap again."

After the Cowboys game I started Forks Over Knives again and we both watched.

Once it was over, my journey was only beginning.

This is my story, my thoughts, the Voice of a Vegan...