Yesterday was my birthday. I turned 24 and had a wonderful time in the process.
For one thing, I finally have a full-time job! I now work at grocery
store that is a 7-minute walk from my house. Everyone I have worked with so far is very nice and I'm glad that I will at last be able to have some stability. I even get paid every week instead of every other week. When I first thought of working at
South Square, I thought how the job would offend
my vegan-self. I still have these thoughts. You should see me as I gingerly pick up the very tips of a cheese or meat package to scan it. I also worry about how my paycheck is partially coming from animal exploitation. It's not an ideal job for me in this respect but the way things have been for about a year now, I've barely been getting by. I've been surviving more than living but this is more than I can say for the animals' whose body parts and products I slide across my scanner and announce the price of. What would my thighs go for? What about my life?
Sadly, the job that I was barely getting by with ended and I needed another job. This was the first one that I could find that would pay my bills. I will continue to look for better options for me but in looking at the situation as it is, I see an excellent opportunity to do some activism. Here I am, being presented with pieces of people's lives. I recently listened to
a debate between Gary Francione and Erik Marcus and Gary mentioned he always starts the conversation by asking about people's pets. At my job, I'm ringing up their cat and/or dog food. What a perfect lead in! I've ordered some free business cards for The Abolitionist Approach and as soon as I'm finished my training I'm going to start talking to people about veganism and giving them cards at the end of our conversations. I'll probably get myself into some kind of trouble but as long as I'm not selling anything, I don't see what's so wrong about having a conversation made relevant by a person's pets. So, I'll see.
For my birthday, I worked and then I went back to my apartment where my boyfriend was waiting for me. He got me tasty vegan pizza and a delicious vegan dessert. After eating, he gave me a present which was a ukulele! How exciting!
Then, I dragged my roommates, friends, and boyfriend to Woody's, a wonderful, gay bar and I think that everyone had a good time. I had a good time. Sunday is 80's night meaning some drinks are 80 cents and there is lots of 80's music. I love Woody's! Everyone there is so full of joy and there's so much love in the room! This sounds corny but I don't care.
Oh, and P.S. I got a popcorn maker as a birthday gift! Hooray! The lid turns into a bowl!
