Meaty Thoughts

Unbeknownst to most people in my life, I've just gone a full month without eating any meat. While I hadn't made the conscious decision to become a vegetarian per se, my growing abhorrence for the factory farming industry prompted my curiosity about a meatless existence. It all started two years ago when Brett and I were writing our wills.

We haven't gotten around to any of the things people are "supposed" to do when they get married. I haven't changed my name, we haven't done anything about our bank accounts, Brett hasn't become an unbuttoned recliner-based babyman, and I don't wear circle skirts and a kitten heel while making dinner. I know, are we even married? 
But we did determine that if one of us kicked the bucket, we should have the right paperwork in place to prove that we liked each other. Both of our wills say something along the lines of "If I die, she/he gets it all," but it's written in Shakespearean for no apparent reason. Signed, sealed, filed away in case of emergency. But if we both kick the bucket?

Seeing as we don't want kids and all, we had to think about where our "assets" would go if we were to be smothered out holding hands in a fiery blaze on the Iberian Peninsula. Yeah yeah we have nieces and nephews blah blah. We started researching non-profits and found a neat website with a big ole list of ones that do a good job allocating their finances to the causes rather than the well-meaning pockets that started them. As we scrolled through the C's, Compassion In World Farming caught my eye.
"Wait, go back. Click on that one," I said.
"What one?"
"The compassion one." What on earth could that be? The webpage loaded and my life changed forever. I've always known about the paint-slinging PETA people and the Humane Society's hard work for our pets. I also knew about assorted World Wildlife Fund types that help the endangered critters. I didn't know there were people fighting for farm animals... because I'd never thought anyone would need to. Surely farmers love their critters as much I would if they were in my care. I was shocked to learn that there are actual animal activists. If someone had told me this in high school I may have actually had something to be interested in.

I ditched Brett and went over to my computer to read more about Compassion in World Farming. Boy those folks are neat. I immediately signed up to be a monthly donor and not long after, we had a subscription to a humane-certified meat delivery company. "Were not buying the tortured meat from Harris Teeter anymore," I declared to Brett, as though he'd had the same revelation, "And we're paying triple for those happy farm eggs. Do you know what they do to those factory hens?" 

Our grocery bill expanded, though the volume of product stayed the same. (Possible reason for the separate bank accounts?) Costs a lot of money to care for animals properly.

I carried on this way for about year. I was glad to be chipping in to CIWF as they make legal cases to pass basic animal welfare laws. I thought I'd even like to work for the company if only I had a background in law or politics. But a gal that makes flower arrangements and lives in fear of the outside world is really only of monetary value to such efforts. Brett and I also ate guilt-free from our Butcher Box subscription. Life was good.

The problem with becoming a regular contributor to a cause is that they send you updates and petitions to sign, and their head fundraiser calls you from time to time to make sure you still love them. I've loved all of these things really; I pretend I'm part of the team. The problem is that it becomes difficult to take in the different campaigns, efforts, and laws without learning more and more about the factory farming industry, and there is a definite point of no return where you can't eat any animal products without a having one of the heartbreaking campaign images flash through your mind as you chew.

"I don't want to be a vegan!" I shouted to Brett as he was trying to read a sci-fi novel. 

"You don't have to," he mumbled, not looking up from the page.

"I do though," I wailed, " I may as well start an Instagram page and take pictures of myself in workout clothes. #selfcare #plantbased." Brett ignored me in this moment but we did begin to do Meatless Monday two or three times each week. Brett will eat anything so long as there's enough of it.

Unrelated photo someone took of the bridge on our foggy New Years morning. 

A few months ago, CIWF mentioned partnering with The Humane League for an upcoming campaign so I did a Google search about those folks and found a new home in their volunteer program. I signed right up, attended orientation, and met my regional cat-hearder on a giggle filled zoom call. I sign petitions for the Humane League, but I also get to send sassy seething emails to companies who knowingly support cruel animal practices, and restaurants and grocery stores that committed to doing better but have dropped the ball. You now how I enjoyed reprimanding the tenants that wouldn't pay their rent on time? Who knew I had the audacity to scold strangers whose circumstances I didn't understand. Well this is like that but even better - mostly because I know they won't ever write back. All of us volunteers are in a giant chat database where we plot and scheme. We won a campaign back in December and I really felt like I was part of it. That's an entirely new sensation. Is this that teamwork thing?

One animal I've really fallen for in all of this is the turkey. They are so smart and loving. And then I read about how they "produce" so many turkeys in time for the holidays and I was appalled. I won't tell you about it but I'll simply say its painful and non-consensual. I skipped the turkey this Thanksgiving (sorry Dave), and seeings as its right there at the end of the month I thought, "Let's go the month of December without eating any sweet critters." So I did. Brett did a lot of the meatless meals with me but I'd still cook him a salmon filet or pork loin when he decided he needed more oomph. I took to some very creative vegetarian cookbooks and we ate better this past December than ever before. Almost every night had at least two new veggie creations, every one of which was delicious. Brett acknowledged that he assumed we'd have a month of bland boring meals and he happily conceded that flavor and variety run rampant in the veggie world. 

Anyways, during a recent chat with my CIWF contact, I mentioned off-handedly that I love to write and would be happy to write something for them if they ever needed a blog post or article etc. They've taken me up on that and connected me with their media person who slapped me into a press release right away. I didn't really write anything for it - mostly I was quoted, but it got picked up by the AP Press, Yahoo News, and 99 other online publications. Isn't that a strange thought? Meanwhile at the Humane League, my regional rep recommended me for a writing "internship" run by a media company that focuses on activism content and production. I find out in two weeks if I've been accepted. 

Will I continue to turn down meat dishes? Mostly. I didn't crave any meat that whole month (except one night watching Brett eat fried chicken), nor do I have the desire to eat it. That's the main thing. I just don't want to be part of the problem. But I also don't want people accommodating me. So if we go to a dinner party and they've made spaghetti with meat sauce, I'll just eat it. That said, I did tell Dad about my fried chicken craving and he said he'd do some for Sunday dinner this week...so. 

Will I ever go vegan? Likely no but perhaps to a majority percentage. I love cheese. I love a blop of cream in my tea. The official family birthday cake maker just can't be a vegan. But Lue, this contradicts everything you've just said. 

It does, doesn't it? Thing is, I'm not against eating animals or animal products. God gave us meat-eating teeth. I'm against torturing animals. Anything we can do to lower the demand helps. I'm pro lowering demand and increasing quality.

Ours is actually already an oat milk household. (Milk makes Brett extra pooty.)(The increase in veggies made both of us extra pooty for the month of December.) We buy the insanely expensive dairy products from allegedly small-scale happy farms. (If it costs a ton, they're doing it right ... or scamming us). For now, I feel good enough about that.

I hope I don't turn into a freak.