Eating Animals

Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer (author of the novels Everything Is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close) is one of the hardest books I have ever read. And I recommend it to everyone I know. I found myself reading it in small doses like medicine. Medicine for the accommodating, don't-make-anything-special-for-me, vegetarian. I'm still so overwhelmed with feelings and information that I can hardly express what I feel. But one thing is for sure: I don't want to be an accommodating vegetarian any more. I don't want to let my own morals slip for the sake of  others' comfort. I don't want to be party to the incredibly wrong treatment of animals.

Foer shares his personal journey of oscillating between being a vegetarian and a meat-eater throughout his life. On the brink of fatherhood he wants to find clarity about food and he goes all out: he visits (sneaks into) factory farms and slaughter-houses, interviews factory farm workers, ranchers, PETA members, and old-style farmers. He lets them speak in their own voices in his book.

I love what the most ethical turkey farmer says. He raises turkeys from old stock. They roam the fields all day, they can fly and they can reproduce by themselves (which factory farmed animals cannot do). He believes factory farming is deeply wrong. Not just for the inhuman way the animals are kept penned up and often beaten or almost killed (that's right - not killed, almost killed) before they are skinned and gutted, but also because of all the "preventative" antibiotics given which are undermining our nation's strides towards better health by making diseases mutate so fast that we can't keep up with the multiple antibiotic-resistant strains. Anyway, he says, "I don't want people to live up to my standards, I just want them to live up to their own standards."

I love this quote because most people would agree that they do not want animals to be tortured with electric prods, beaten with iron bars or mutilated by having beaks and claws cut off. And yet every time we buy meat at the grocery store we are voting with our dollars that we DO want this for animals, that we DO support the horrors of factory farming, and that taste trumps compassion.

I wish that Foer had talked about dairy cattle in his book. I so want them to be treated better than the meat cattle. I love cheese. I just bought some rice-cheese and it sucks. I am all confused about how I feel about diary now. I've always eaten cheese - it's my fall back snack/meal. I don't eat many eggs and when I do I usually get them from my mom's chickens. I don't drink milk and rarely eat any other dairy products (except cheese). I know I have some more research to do and some more feelings to sort out but in the mean time I ask that everyone read Eating Animals and think about what you want to support with your dollars.

Lunch and a Drug Bust

Dave and I were enjoying the warm weather, having leftover sushi for lunch on the sun porch, and chatting about our week so far. Dave has had a bit of a hard week in the 4X market while my week has been relatively easy (I only teach 5 classes this week, compared to 12 last week).

A couple of kids pull up in front of our house and start wandering around (looking suspicious). The driver goes around the corner and starts talking with some kids in another car (we can see them through our side yard hedge) and the passenger of the first car jumps in the driver's side and takes off. Dave and I are thinking this is all a bit strange.

Then another car pulls up and parks right next to the car by our side yard and these Mormon looking fellows get out and start talking to the kids. I was thinking, "Well, if the Mormons are talking to them they must be ok." Suddenly, the kids are out of the car and the Mormons aren't Mormons, they are plainclothes police officers and the kids are getting questioned by the law.

Then, just like in "Cops" one kid takes off on foot, followed by one of the officers. The other officer puts the other kid down on the ground and radios for help. Boy did the Black & Whites show up fast. Those kids didn't have a chance. They were so busted. Anyway, after a bunch of talking, the original kid from the first car whose friend ditched him, got arrested, and the kid who got put on the ground got a warning, and the girl who was a passenger got searched but no arrest or warning.

Kind of puts your week in perspective seeing a couple of folks get arrested like that. Really, overall, a pretty good week for us.

Into the Wild

So many people live within unhappy circumstances
and yet will not take the initiative
to change their situation
because they are conditioned to a life
of security, conformity, and conservatism,
all of which may appear to give one peace of mind,
but in reality nothing is more dangerous
to the adventurous spirit within a man
than a secure future.

The very basic core of a man's living spirit
is his passion for adventure.

The joy of life
comes from our encounters
with new experiences,
and hence there is no greater joy
than to have an endlessly changing horizon,
for each day to have a new and different sun.

— Chris McCandless, Into The Wild

Dave's Birthday!

And our 2nd Annual Trip South!

We visited our friends Kris and Carolyn again this year in Rochester for our 2nd annual trip down south for the winter. OK that's sort of a joke since obviously Rochester isn't that much warmer than Duluth and it's not like we did any suntanning or anything. But we did have a great time, laughed a ton and came home happy.

Last year's visit seemed too short so this year we spent two nights. We arrived on Friday, had a nice dinner and then attended Catherine's violin recital. This was a new experience for both me and Dave. Catherine did great and so did most of the other kids. There was one piece called "Meditation" which made us all quite sleepy.

After the recital Carolyn's folks came over and we all had birthday cake. Both Kris and I had made Dave a birthday cake and I think he was pretty happy about that!  We all know how much Dave loves cake!

On Saturday we packed in the activities. We went to the  farmer's market in the morning (wow does Rochester have a lot going on in the winter). There were so many delicious looking potatoes and leeks; there was a honey vendor, a couple of meat vendors, folks who had homemade pies and preserves; it was awesome. Luckily for us all, the chocolate-covered-bacon vendor wasn't selling his famous wares that day. I had almost decided to try a bite since I have never tried bacon before. And after all, how bad could it be if there was chocolate involved? Maybe next time. Then we took a special trip to Fleet Farm. I got some new rubber boots and a pair of Carhartt jeans. Carolyn and Emma helped me while Kris and Dave looked over the snowblowers. What a fun store.

We went home for lunch and then zipped right out again to make it in time for the community skating time. I haven't skated in about 20 years and Dave hadn't skated since he lived in Holland as a little kid. Oh the scary times of nearly tripping, careening over a fallen kid in front of you, and not being able to stop at will. Good time! After a while we both got the hang of it again - sort of. We had that I'm-old-and-scared-of-falling stance but what can you do?

Obviously we hadn't had enough activity so we headed home to take a quick walk and then play a few rounds of ping-pong and air-hockey. Carolyn is definitely a ping-pong shark. Dang she's good. We played girls against boys and I'm sorry fellows, but you just didn't rate.

More food and cake followed along with more good conversation. Well, the pressure is on for next year! How can we top this weekend?

Winter Break, the Wedding, and New Year's Eve

Dave and I were lucky enough to get out of Duluth over New Year's. We were happy to leave the cold, snow, ice and salty roads in exchange for California's sunny beaches. We flew out of Mpls so we headed down 1 day early to spend the night at our friend Kristen's house. She is a super entrepreneur who owns her own flight catering company, Atiki's Catering. She also makes me laugh my head off. Dave was talking about how he thinks everyone has a secret talent (his is blending in to any culture; mine is facial recognition). Kristin wondered what hers was and I knew right away - she is a funniness magnifier. She makes everyone around her feel like the cleverest and funniest person. She said, "I just thought all my friends were super funny." I said, "No- only with you." Anyway, we had a great time catching up and eating the delicious Pad Thai Kristen made for dinner.

The next day we headed to California for Bud and Jenifer's wedding. The gathering took place at the Asilomar Retreat Center in Pacific Grove (near Monterey). The retreat center is located on a state park so the feel inside the rooms is slightly government. If you've ever stayed somewhere run by the military you will know what I mean. I'm not saying I didn't like it because I did. It was awesome. No TV's, no phones, just woods, beach and quiet. The Center has tons of cedar shingled "cabin pods", each with about 10 rooms plus a common room. The wedding party took up about 3 of these pods plus a few extra rooms.

Dave and I got there early the first day and were able to walk for hours on the beach checking out the tide pools and the pathways throughout the resort. It was soooo nice to be able to walk around in just shirtsleeves.

The rest of the family arrived throughout the day. We were in the same pod as Aunt Lisa and Uncle Jim, the Pratts, Bud's parents, and a number of Bud's siblings and their kids. There was one unfortunate couple who were not part of our party but who were stuck with us in our cabin pod. I think we were ok to be around though. We observed quiet hours for the most part and shared some delicious wedding cake.

In the morning the day of the ceremony the family was able hang out, walk on the beach, and get some visiting in. Mary Alice and I even waded in the ocean. Definitely gave you an ice-cream-headache in your feet but it was still super fun dodging the waves.

The ceremony was both fun and touching. They interspersed their vows with singing (see youtube video - Bud and Jenifer sing their vows) and at the end the whole wedding party sang to the new couple (see  youtube video - The wedding party sings to Bud and Jenifer). Bud and Jenifer are so clearly in love. It is so sweet to see them together. I wish them as much happiness as they can hold in their new life together.

The wedding and reception were on New Year's Eve and held at the Asilomar Retreat Center. After the ceremony we took pictures then adjourned to dinner: an excellent  meal and delicious dessert. We were left to our own devices after dinner and luckily the moon was full, the tide was extreme, and the whole beach was lit up by moonlight. Dave and I took a late night walk (not quite til midnight but it was midnight in Minnesota - body clock time) on the beach and were amazed by the brightness. Each whitecap glowed as it came to shore, the white sand beach looked like snow it was so bright, and there were a number of small beach parties going on with little bonfires. And it was warm! Warm enough to walk without a coat. It was a lovely New Year's Eve.

On New Year's Day we all went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It was soooo cool. The jellyfish tanks were super serene. And the tank with the sharks, tuna and other fish seemed really big. The room where you could stand and watch was dark so the tanks seemed super blue and soothing.

That evening we went to Phil's Fish Market & Eatery for dinner. It's a family style restaurant - meaning that you sit at any old table even one where people you don't know are sitting. Not sure that would go over in MN. The food was great. And even though they were primarily a seafood place they offered vegetarian options and I had one of the best veggie burgers I've ever eaten. We rode there and back with Aunt Lisa and Uncle Jim which was fun because we were able to catch up and also devise a sure fire TV hit "Bridget goes to the Quetico." (Bridget being the northland version of Gidget.)

On the 2nd, Dave and I left the warmth and sunny skies of California and headed back to our regular life here in Duluth, MN. It's ok to be back. We like our life. But it sure was nice to take a break! Thanks to Bud & Jenifer for bringing us all together for such a fun and memorable event. Best to you both in your new life together.