Hold tight, and apologies for the delay. I realized I needed to do more research so I’m in a holding pattern right now.

Sorry.

In the meanwhile, I’m going to start updating with anecdotes about my time as a vegan. It’ll be good fun, all at my expense.

… is outlined briefly in the “Why Am I Doing This To Myself” page. To elaborate:

I did not conceptualize the following experiment all at once. The decision to become a vegan was caused by a genuine curiosity of the lifestyle coupled with general disgust at the quality of my diet. Indeed, in the months preceding my decision to shun all animal products, I ate literally everything. Well, not literally. But if you put a plate of food in front of me (or a bag of it, or an individually wrapped fun-pack, or a trough), it was all but certain that I would devour it, and quickly at that.

It is important to note here that my decision to become a vegan was not a function of my weight or a desire thereof to reduce it. I was far more concerned with the effects such a poor diet would have on my body chemically – our world is doused, practically submerged, in all sorts of nasty compounds and many of them find their way into our food, one way or another. (How surprising is it, then, that one in three of us will get cancer by the time we die) Dairy is full of hormones and antibiotics. Red meat causes polyps in the colon. Eggs are goopy embryonic cholesterol bombs. I was in dire need of a purge, and so my vegan experiment began as a reaction to the medical/spiritual/intestinal nightmare that is the American/Western diet.

As the month has progressed, I have thought more and more about the kinds of restrictions that people put on their diets. There are vegans, locavores, vegetarians, those who keep kosher or halal, those who eat raw or macrobiotic diets – this is but a small sample of the varied and sometimes weird philosophies that dictate eating habits all over the world.

Now, America is a melting pot (or so they tell me). Within our ample borders live people of such startling diversity that travelling from neighborhood to neighborhood often requires whole new flights of painful, ethnic-y vaccinations*. Clearly then, such variety in the population means there is an equal variety in eating habits and dietary restrictions. I knew about many of them (I listed them above, remember?) but I had never actually followed one or even thought about following one. And yet, people do so every day. In America. While going to work, and school, and the gym, and even fancy nightclubs! I had to know how they do it. How could they go to work without a hearty eggy breakfast, or hit up the clubs without a juicy bacon cheeseburger in their belly to soak up all the booze? I had to know.

Suddenly, veganism was just the tip of the iceburg. I wanted to thoroughly explore each diet; not just eat the food, but learn the history, live the life, get into the mindset. It is in this spirit that my experiment begins. I apologize that the blog starts somewhat late – my vegan month is all but over. I promise a full and comprehensive summary of my experiences as a vegan very soon, and then shorter, more economical posts thereafter.

I hope you will all find this to be as enjoyable as I sometimes have, and I look forward to hearing from you as my experiment continues.

Bon apetit,

Mike

* As an ethnic person, I can make those kinds of comments unmolested. Relax.

Just getting started… massive updates shortly.