Transportation:
I really am failing at this aspect of the experiment. We
were on a bit of a time crunch to get supplies for an art project and I didn’t
even realize until I was sitting on the bus that the experiment required me NOT
to take the bus. At this point I am wondering how other people are reminding
themselves about transportation because I am really struggling with this one. I
think the shuttle bus has become such a regular part of my life that it is easy
to forget that I should be walking instead of riding. I have now posted a
sticky note on my mirror that says (in all caps letters) “DO NOT TAKE THE
SHUTTLE BUS!” so hopefully this will be good reminder.
Food:
Today I grabbed food from the vegan section! I had pesto
pasta with bread and some peppers that I dipped in Caesar dressing. It was not only a completely vegetarian plate,
but it was also very healthy!
Ever since becoming a vegetarian, I have found that my diet has improved and I have become more conscious of the food that I am putting on my plate. I have been eating more vegetables (and not just salad) and more fruit. The best part is, I actually enjoy eating these meals more than I ever enjoyed eating fried chicken or any other meat concoction that the dining services has prepared. I never would have guessed that eating healthy could actually be so delicious! I have even been doing some brainstorming for future recipes that I want to cook that are strictly vegetarian (I am planning on doing a lot of cooking over the summer!).
Ever since becoming a vegetarian, I have found that my diet has improved and I have become more conscious of the food that I am putting on my plate. I have been eating more vegetables (and not just salad) and more fruit. The best part is, I actually enjoy eating these meals more than I ever enjoyed eating fried chicken or any other meat concoction that the dining services has prepared. I never would have guessed that eating healthy could actually be so delicious! I have even been doing some brainstorming for future recipes that I want to cook that are strictly vegetarian (I am planning on doing a lot of cooking over the summer!).
One site that I found lists the recipes by meal type,
cuisine type, and food type so you can really find the meal that you want.
I have also become addicted to Pinterest and I plan on trying
to recreate some of the recipes that I have found on that website!
Spinach, Strawberry & Goat Cheese Salad with Pomegranate
Vinaigrette
Avocado with Bell Pepper and Tomatoes
Peanut Butter Banana French Toast
Consumerism:
No more news to report here other than I have not spent a
dime on anything other than food! I haven’t even spent money on food recently
because I use most of my meal swipes or Eaglebucks to purchase food. The
result? My wallet is feeling very happy.
Technology:
Success! I only went on Facebook once today! Okay, so it
might have been for a very long time that I was online, but I still consider
this to be an accomplishment! Wednesday was another story… I believe I went on
Facebook around 3 or 4 times. However, I have really made use of my sticky
notes and have left a note on my laptop reminding me to not sign onto Facebook.
I have also signed myself off Facebook so that when I click the link for
Facebook I actually have to enter in my username and password. It used to be
that when I click on the link for Facebook that it automatically signs me in. This
extra work actually helps me remember and reevaluate my choice to go on
Facebook.
Positive Impact/Political Action:
Today I talked with my site manager of Jumpstart about
moving forward with community service after my term with Jumpstart is over. She
offered fellow Jumpstart members and myself some advice on the future in terms
of volunteering. Although I haven’t been able to dedicate much more time
yesterday and today than I already do to Jumpstart, I still have been thinking
about the impact that I make when volunteering and am keeping that open as a possibility
for the future.
Health & Happiness:
Yesterday I went for two walks with two separate friends.
This whole walking for a half an hour thing has really been beneficial to
having real conversations with people that I really enjoy spending time with. I
think I am going to try and incorporate more walks into my daily schedule even
after this experiment is over. Also, today I painted my nails and watched a TV
show. It was nice to have some “me” time to help de-stress and take a break
from my work. To be honest, this has to be my favorite part of this whole
experiment.
This experiment is going great so far! I have become so
passionate about vegetarianism and late-night walks!
This sounds like a really good way to improve one's life! As someone who became vegan almost two months ago, the vegetarian/vegan lifestyle is important to me and definitely a way to "live deliberately". Transportation is another area where I often feel guilty (so I know how you feel about the shuttle issue!) but I'm going to try to get better with that too.
ReplyDeleteIt also sounds like you're doing well with the other aspects of this lifestyle! You're not taking a part in consumerism, and you're making an impact with Jumpstart. The walks also sound like a fun way to stay healthy and catch up with friends.
All in all, this sounds like a fantastic plan to "living deliberately"! I might have to try to incorporate some of these tactics into my lifestyle too!
I gave up Facebook for lent and I am so happy that I did it! I was just as addicted as you are, maybe even more because of my iphone. But this past month was like a Facebook detox, and I think I am cured! It also helped me to spend more time on schoolwork and spending my time with my actual friends, and actual family other than their Facebook pages! I am seriously considering only going on Facebook on the weekends from now on. Good for you for challenging yourself to stay away from Facebook, use your time wisely, and not become too dependent on technology! Its not easy!
ReplyDeleteYour blog is great! I've taken a lot of pleasure in reading it. Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteHey Meg!
ReplyDeleteI love the way that you include the recipes you use and pictures of the food you ate. It gives me a much better idea of what you're doing and (as a fellow vegetarian) provides some great recipes! I also liked your idea for personal happiness. Personally, I know that I spend a lot of time with my friends but often, our conversations revolve more around school work and how busy we are--because of this it's hard to connect with people on a more personal level. Going for late night walks seems like a great idea to get to know people on a more personal level and to get away from campus for a big. Great work!
-Lauren