by | September 14, 2011 · 4:15 am

New on the Veggie Stand

Good Morning Everyone!

Please check out my newest article on The Veggie Stand, “Simplify: What Happens When You Remove Meat and Alcohol from Your Life?”

I have an anniversary fast approaching: the anniversary of my switch to a vegetarian lifestyle. I say “lifestyle” because it truly is a lifestyle change that effects every aspect of your life including your personality, your health, and even your relationship with yourself and others. Soon after the switch, I removed alcohol from my life too.

What happens when you remove both meat and alcohol from your life? Some people would consider living this type of existence the exact definition of the word “hell.” I myself once felt that completely removing alcohol from my life would never happen. I liked my frozen drinks and micro-brews. Somehow social drinking was a part of me that I didn’t feel the need to give up, drinking once a month or twice tops. In fact, when I turned vegetarian, I remember being excited that I could still drink beer.

Read the rest of the article here….

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by | September 12, 2011 · 8:30 am

You Could Be My Silver Springs?

  Silver Springs? Hayley Rose 2011

 

Have you ever been exhausted from dating? I have! At first it felt great- to have so many dates lined up with men that seemed decent, were often cute, and successful too! And even better, they wanted to go out with me! Ah, naivety, it never goes away does it?

What ended up happening during this time in my life was much more bleak than the excitement I just exhibited (surprise, surprise). One lying man-child, two pretentious professionals, a normal guy, and a drug addict. Let’s start with the lying man-child who barely put effort into our dates. On the second date, we met at a sports bar, he showed up as if it was Super Casual Friday wearing track pants a purple T-shirt! Ugh. Then the professionals. We never made it to a second date. The first, a doctor, talked about himself the entire night and barely made eye contact with me. Then when he walked me to my truck, he tried to kiss me! He was extremely pissed when I didn’t let him. Then there was the lawyer, who also happened to be in love with himself but was considerate enough to ask questions about me, occasionally. He abruptly stood up while we were having coffee and cited that he had to get up early the next morning for work. Right. I didn’t feel bad, he was an atheist, I always question their motives. I feel like they are not so much non-believers as they are individuals who are angry at God for something and retaliate by denying his existence. Then there was the normal guy. We still talk, meet for coffee, and go for hikes together. We have become friends and have great conversations about all sorts of things like Native American spirituality and nature. Now for the drug addict, here’s where the story gets interesting.

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by | September 1, 2011 · 4:51 pm

A Happy Birthday Note to Self

Let's just call this vintage artwork by your's truly courtesy of my father. Thank-you Dad!

Dear Hayley,

Today is your birthday and I would like to commend you on the progress you made over the following year. Though the year was off to a slow start with spotty employment, bad dates, and even a psychopath boyfriend, from my perspective the year as a whole, ended well. I attribute this mainly to the way that you refuse to ever give up.

I know you write a lot about the importance of not giving up and I hope that the people who read your column take this advice from your heart to theirs. The previous year for you was a year full of what I refer to as ‘growing pains.’ Growing pain years are full of emotional pain and torment. To make matters worse, during these types of years, the days seem to drag along extremely sloooowly. 24 hours often feels more like 48. The phone never rings and when it finally does, it’s usually a telemarketer. That was your 2009 in a nutshell. However, in a year like this when you are alone and faced with your grief, you are forced to tackle it head on; you cannot continue to ignore it like you had years prior (because let’s be honest, if you don’t face it, progress will continue to be slow or non-existent). 2010 wasn’t much different. Though much less emotional, it was time for you to get your health in order. 2011 showed improvement, though like anything worthwhile it too was something that progressed slowly; it are these slow times in life we must utilize in order to heal.

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by | August 31, 2011 · 1:51 pm

Chaz Bono Joins Dancing With the Stars: Will This Impact the Public’s Perception of the Transgender Community? On Huff Post

Good Afternooon Everyone!

My article “Chaz Bono Joins Dancing With the Stars: Will This Impact the Public’s Perception of the Transgender Community?” is now on The Huffington Post. If you haven’t yet read it please check it out.

In the past year, Chaz Bono has become the unofficial spokesperson for the transgender community. Right now, gay marriage in the US is an issue that most people are familiar with to some extent, while transgender individuals still puzzle and scare some people. With the opposition that gay Americans have received for demanding the same rights attained by their heterosexual neighbors, you can only imagine how a transgender individual would be received. The subject itself is still very taboo and saved for satirical movies like The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Often, transgender and transsexual individuals are considered more of a freak or joke than individuals with thoughts and feelings.

When I heard that Chastity Bono was going through a sex change, I was as surprised as much as anyone else. I’ve known several transgender people, none of whom have made the transition. It is understandable why there are not more people in the world like Chaz Bono. Most people would got be open and comfortable being their true selves when it so brazenly goes against the grain of what public opinion currently deems acceptable. But imagine what it would feel like to be born in the wrong body. That is often how a transgender person describes the way they feel about themselves.

Finish reading the article at Huff Post

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by | August 30, 2011 · 7:42 pm

New Post on the Veggie Stand, “Confessions of A Vegetarian: Before and After, My Two Selves”

As a biased free spirit, I am rooting for the Frida on the right. This painting strongly reminded me of an event in my life that occurred the other day when I picked up a pizza.  I scanned the menu while I chatted with the hostess. On the menu the buffalo chicken pizza caught my eye. It had roasted peppers, onions, hot sauce and homemade Gorgonzola dressing- oh and chicken. It was certainly the most delicious buffalo chicken pizza I’d ever heard of. “Your buffalo chicken pizza sounds really good. I don’t eat meat, but I used to lovebuffalo chicken pizza- before I became a vegetarian,” I blurted to the hostess. Our conversation ensued and she suggested I get it sans chicken because it would likely be just as delicious as with the chicken, I concurred and went on to tell her that when I used to eat meat, like buffalo chicken. I thought about buffalo chicken for a moment. Maybe she was right. I loved the hot sauce, the fried crispy breading, and the dressing, but never truly liked the chicken part. She nodded her head in agreement knowingly as we continued to discuss this issue.

I walked out with my vegetarian pizza, crushed tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil, I thought about our conversation.  As I spoke of my former self, the one who loved buffalo chicken pizza, It felt like I was talking about someone else. Indeed we were no longer the same person, but how could that be?

Read More At The Veggie Stand

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by | · 1:01 am

Chaz Bono Joins the Cast of Dancing with the Stars: How Will This Impact the Transgender Community?

Chax Bono, DWTS

   In the past year, Chaz Bono has become the unofficial spokesperson for the transgender community. Right now, gay marriage in the US is an issue that most people are familiar with to some extent, while transgender individuals still puzzle and scare some people. With the opposition that gay Americans have received for demanding the same rights attained by their heterosexual neighbors, you can only imagine how a transgender individual would be received. The subject itself is still very taboo and saved for satirical movies like The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Often, transgender and transsexual individuals are considered more of a freak or joke than individuals with thoughts and feelings.

When I heard that Chastity Bono was going through a sex change, I was surprised as much as anyone else. I’ve known several transgender people, none of whom have made the transition. It is understandable why there are not more people in the world like Chaz Bono. Most people would got be open and comfortable being their true selves when it so brazenly goes against the grain of what public opinion currently deems acceptable. But imagine what it would feel like-to be born in the wrong body. That is often how a transgender person describes the way they feel about themselves.

Continue reading →

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by | August 29, 2011 · 1:32 pm

Are You Only Attracted to Jerks?

Is there a pattern in your life? Does everyone you date end up being a total waste of your time? Are they nice at first but then after the first or second date (or sometimes even before) you start to see their true colors? And somehow you still keep picking them.

Are jerks generally more physically attractive and fit than their kind hearted alternatives? That could be part of it. I know that 100% of the jerks I’ve dated were decent looking or muscular. Maybe this is because jerks have to work on a superficial level to attract potential mates. When they have nothing going on on the inside, pumping iron and developing an appealing physique may still win them some points with the ladies. Am I calling nice men unattractive? Of course not, but I am saying because jerks lack substance, their looks are the only thing they have to attract women, and if it’s not their looks, often a flashy car will do the trick.

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by | August 26, 2011 · 4:40 am

“She Ain’t You,” Damn Strait She Ain’t Me, Chris Brown

What happens when a man loses the love of his life? Well, if you’re Chris Brown, you whine about it in a song. Sorry Chris. I don’t have any sympathy for you. The title of Chris Brown’s new song “She Ain’t You,” brings back some melancholy emotions from my relationship with my first boyfriend. He thought I could be easily replaced, he took me for granted in every way possible, and when I finally broke up with him, he kept coming back to me. By that point it was too late- it was too late way before that point, actually. If he loved me so much and thought I was so incredible why did he mistreat me in the first place?

 “She Ain’t You.”

Those three words express an entire story- a story of longing and lost love- and possibly something that went terribly, terribly wrong. As you can probably guess I am not a huge fan of Chris Brown, but the title of the song and the infamous beating he gave his ex-girlfriend Rihanna is enough information for us to piece it together ourselves.

Have you ever known a batterer? A man who was angry enough to hit or punch a woman? If you know anyone like this personally, you know that their anger issues are not caused by their victim: the person they take their rage out on. It is something darker within their own person, something that has never been addressed. So why would someone with an issue like this get involved in a relationship in the first place? Good question.

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by | August 25, 2011 · 12:42 pm

Is Honesty Really the Best Policy? On Huff Post

Good Afternoon,

If you haven’t checked out my article, “Is Honesty Really the Best Policy,” please follow the link below.

Is Honesty Really the Best Policy?

Well it all depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you are looking to forge meaningful friendships and relationships, then yes it is. If you prefer to dodge real connections and fear vulnerability, then no it isn’t. Let me explain.

When you are honest it is very easy for you to spot dishonesty. On the contrary, when you are dishonest the lines become blurred and it’s difficult to spot lies. Since I began writing and sharing some of my most painful and humiliating memories, many people have contacted me to thank me for expressing what they could not say. Don’t you sometimes find that when you leave yourself open and vulnerable and say what is truly on your mind, those around you nod in agreement?

Read the rest of it here 

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by | August 24, 2011 · 3:45 pm

Chocolate Covered Grasshoppers??? On The Veggie Stand

Good Afternoon Everyone!

If you are interested, I wrote and article called, “Chocolate Covered Grasshoppers” on The Veggie Stand. The article explores the sacredness of animals and the Native American belief in animal totems. It also questions the ethics of eating bugs…

You can check it out here 🙂

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