hey there. just joined the group. i love the site and it's cool to hook up with some a-town vegans.

hey i lived in pdx for a long time and thought i would share this link...

http://store.foodfightgrocery.com/index.html

it's a vegan grocery store in portland. they are rad and there are lots of cool products (vegan skittles, for example). hot damn.

okay. hi. dorkout.

welcome geoff!!!

hola! yeah i ordered some atkins stupid stickers from food fight by mail. i really wanna go check that place out.

you lived in portland??

hey guys!

yeah, I lived in Portland for years. I've been in Austin for a little under a year. Before that was in San Fran for a year. Before that, Portland. So yeah, I lived there. Have you lived there / visited?

Food Fight, the last time I saw it, was small (like convenience store sized) but everything in there was quality. And the owners are really nice.

Portland was a really nice place to be vegan, because there were some awesome restaurants and stuff. I miss that, but Austin is a really cool town and there are some great places to eat here. Too bad West Lynn cafe closed. :/

what motivated your move to austin?

i haven't been to portland or san fran, but both of those are places i'm hoping to visit soon to check out as potential future homes. i've heard so many things about the portland area being absolutely beautiful, especially going north up along the coast.

and i used to work at west lynn actually! but they never had too great of a vegan selection, so i'm hoping that its replacement (cosmic cafe) is a cool place. still need to check it out

I never, properly introduced myself, and now I feel bad about that.  I'm Ryan, and I'm stationed at Ft. Hood.  I recently became a vegetarian, and am leaning toward veganism, however it's wicked hard in the military.  But I figured this would be a great way to meet some like minded people and learn what the (sort of) local area has to offer for vegetarians/vegans.  So...hi...(I babble)

>I never, properly introduced myself, and now I feel bad about that.  I'm Ryan, and I'm stationed at Ft. Hood.  I recently became a vegetarian, and am leaning toward veganism, however it's wicked hard in the military.  But I figured this would be a great way to meet some like minded people and learn what the (sort of) local area has to offer for vegetarians/vegans.  So...hi...(I babble)
>

what's up ryan

how exactly does the food situation work?

>what motivated your move to austin?
>
>i haven't been to portland or san fran, but both of those are places i'm hoping to visit soon to check out as potential future homes. i've heard so many things about the portland area being absolutely beautiful, especially going north up along the coast.
>
>and i used to work at west lynn actually! but they never had too great of a vegan selection, so i'm hoping that its replacement (cosmic cafe) is a cool place. still need to check it out

hrm. I went there a few times and thought it was pretty yummy. I'll def. have to check out the new place.

I moved back because San Fran was bugging me and my family is all in Austin.

And you should def. check out Portland. It's the nicest place I've ever lived and I really miss it. If you like bikes and rain and music and living in the city, you'll dig it. I'll probably head back there in a few years to settle down.

Portland sounds like my kind of place. i LOVE rain, music and city living, and bikes too ha. but just the fact that there's an active vegan scene, sounds like true love.... ahhhh...

Welcome, I guess that makes me no longer the rookie group member.  I played music in both Portland and S.F. but I need the Austin sun.  Those are great spots though, not to be missed.

>>I never, properly introduced myself, and now I feel bad about that.  I'm Ryan, and I'm stationed at Ft. Hood.  I recently became a vegetarian, and am leaning toward veganism, however it's wicked hard in the military.  But I figured this would be a great way to meet some like minded people and learn what the (sort of) local area has to offer for vegetarians/vegans.  So...hi...(I babble)
>>
>
>what's up ryan
>
>how exactly does the food situation work?

Well when I'm at home, I buy and cook my own food.  I haven't done alot of vegan cooking thus far, and have been mainly living off of Amy's Organic stuff.  When I'm working I'm kinda stuck with what's available, either out of the chow halls, MRE's (which have a few vegetarian items, and maybe one thing that's vegan) or fast food when I'm working shift work (BK veggie burgers, veggie pizza, and such) And plus being in the military, I have to wear leather boots and stuff like that.  Though honestly, my reasons for being vegetarian/vegan are more health related than animal issue (not that I don't like animals, I just like me more ) so yeah, oh if anyone wants to chat, I'd love to talk I'm leachisan on AIM...

well at least you have options! may i ask what prompted your joining the military?

soon we're going to get the recipe index up so you'll be able to try a bunch of new things to cook. hopefully it'll give you some good ideas

>Welcome, I guess that makes me no longer the rookie group member.  I played music in both Portland and S.F. but I need the Austin sun.  Those are great spots though, not to be missed.

are you in a band? what're ya called?

Geoff- I sang with John Lee Hooker for 14 years (www.valacupp.net), he's gone now and I miss him.  Now I'm doing gigs and recording here and there, but have been ill for a really long time (all that clean living really paid off), so I'm just writing and feeling sorry for myself.


Ross- you crack me up: "may i ask what prompted your joining the military?"
Can I just say, can of worms?

ryan, isn't being vegan in the military going to get you in some serious shit. I mean, If a soldier is against killing animals for food (the common perception of why folk go vegan/veggie), then that makes the soldier less likely to kill another human being for any reason.... and that's kind of the purpose of the military, to train you to kill or provide support for those who do the killing.

>ryan, isn't being vegan in the military going to get you in some serious shit. I mean, If a soldier is against killing animals for food (the common perception of why folk go vegan/veggie), then that makes the soldier less likely to kill another human being for any reason.... and that's kind of the purpose of the military, to train you to kill or provide support for those who do the killing.

Not at all. I guess this is sort of my fault for opening this can of worms... but here's my opinion... Let me start by saying that I am not FOR the killing of anything, however on the same token, I'm also not completely AGAINST the killing of anything.  I'm not an vegetarian or vegan for ethical reaosns, more for health. I like the fact that no one suffers due to my choice, but thats not the basis for my choice.  So far all of my training in the military has been to protect(quite literally, I was a bodyguard for the past year in Iraq) and to defend.  I don't agree with the statement that we are "trained killers" because that's not the case.  We are not trained to kill, however we do have the means to do so.  If you trained a watchdog to guard your house, and it killed a trespasser, is the dog a trained killer? It was trained, and had the means to kill, but I don't think the dog is a killer.  But that's beside the point... What it comes down to, if you have ever been close to death(I have), is who are you more concerned with going home tonight?  Yourself, or Jihad Joe?  Personally, if someone has the immediate means and desire to kill me, I hope he ate his Wheaties this morning, because I will do anything in my power to make sure I'm not the one that dies.  If that means he has to die instead, sorry for ya buddy, you brought it on yourself.  I hope I don't come across badly here, I don't mean to.  Like I said, I don't WANT anyone or anything to have to die, I've seen alot of death, and I don't like it. More so, I don't want to be the kid in that casket and will do what I have to, to make sure I'm not.  I hope this clears it up, if anyone would like to talk further on this feel free to email or catch me on AIM, I'll be happy to talk.  I learn from you, and maybe I can teach you something too!

soldiers aren't innocent. they are trained combatants.

animals are innocent.

No doubt, but I am not a trained KILLER.  I have been trained to handle a situation with the least amount of force nessicary to get my job done, and get home safe.  

By the way, there is more to me than just my job.  I'm actually a pretty nice guy, believe it or not.  I like music and movies.  Almost like a normal person....

>By the way, there is more to me than just my job.  I'm actually a pretty nice guy, believe it or not.  I like music and movies.  Almost like a normal person....

apologies for opening this up...i didn't mean to get anything started here. i'm sure it would have come up anyway eventually. i'd like for you to still feel welcome here, though.

i'm still curious to know why you actually joined, however. if you'd like i can message you?

>>Not at all. I guess this is sort of my fault for opening this can of worms... but here's my opinion... Let me start by saying that I am not FOR the killing of anything, however on the same token, I'm also not completely AGAINST the killing of anything.>>

thanks for the honest response. personally, I am in favor of violence in self defense. but not as an aggressor. I am not a pacifist. this could open up a neverending discussion about what constitutes agression and self defense.... so i'm just going to suggest some reading of revised u.s. history - start with Howard Zinn's "peoples history of the united states" or for simple facts and dates, try Ward Churchill's "On the justice of roosting Chickens". Both are available at monkeywrench books and I would not recommend keeping them in your footlocker.

Most important i think, is the ability to put yourself in the place or mind of your "enemy". I know this kind of thinking is not encourage in the military as there is no place for hesitation on active duty, but the new perspective it will give you is a valuable one. and I'm not saying you should buy into it fully, just be open to "cause and effect" rather than "end solutions". this relates as much to vegan activism as it does to iraq.

We usually percieve and label (or we are manipulated into doing so) our "enemies" in ways that make them appear alien or inhuman - "I can't understand how anyone can eat meat" "they're fanatics", when in reality their motivations in life are basically the same as ours - work, family, friends, food, survival, fun. The manipulation of people and their minds is how the capitalism stays in business. Just look at who is benefiting most from the wars in iraq and afghanistan and draw your own conclusions......

john, over to you...