A Solution

They would make great pets.

It occurred to me that there is a solution to a couple of problems that I feel strongly about.  I have gone on, at length, here about how I feel about procreation, and that it is an act of cruelty when humans bring people or animals into this world of violence, pain, and misery.  So instead of bringing babies into this world, how about adopting a pet?  They bring great joy.  Some of my happiest memories are playing with dogs I have known.  Pets improve one's quality of life.  They reduce stress.  All you have to do is pet them and cuddle with them.  People who have pets live longer than those who don't.  They make life better.  And, unfortunately, there are tons of unwanted dogs and cats languishing in shelters.  There's another way of looking at that, though: as an opportunity.  They deserve good homes. 
Perhaps adopt an unconventional pet.  I love it when people have pigs as pets.  It shows people how pigs SHOULD be treated: with love and kindness: not cruelty and violence.  I read that hens make great pets, because they are soft to the touch, and they don't peck.  God knows they have a right to peck us, considering what we've done, and continue to do, to them.   
Of course, you should only adopt a pet if you, and everyone in your home, are willing to treat that animal as well as you possibly can for the rest of his or her life.  If you want to get a pet, but you live with someone who doesn't want one, then that is a problem.  The person who doesn't want the pet could end up being abusive toward him or her if you went through with the adoption.  There's always the possibility of getting rid of the person.
And, obviously, there is the option of adopting a human kid who needs a home.  While I believe that biological parents are selfish, I think that good adoptive (non-biological) parents are heroes.
And the sound of a barking dog just reminded me-be a responsible pet parent.  I was walking by a park the other day.  A couple of proud Canadian geese parents were watching over their babies.  It was a beautiful sight.  But then I saw 2 small dogs, off leash, approaching the area were the baby geese were.  I almost said something to the pet parents.  I hope the dogs didn't' bother the geese.  The poor parents were probably scared as hell for their babies.  I imagine that the goose parents could have scared the dogs away if they needed to, but the pet parents shouldn't let them bother the geese, and that's the point I'm trying to make.   

A Letter from a Dog to Humans

Please be nice to me and don't hurt me.

Please be nice to us.  Please don't ever hurt us.  Sometimes my dad comes home from wherever he goes, and he's very mean to me: even if I did nothing wrong that day.  He yells at me; sometimes he hits or kicks me, and I don't know why.  It seems like he's mad about what happened while he was "out there."  I love him so much, and I still do, no matter what he does to me.  But I love him unconditionally, no matter what, and I wish he'd love me that way too.  I never get mad at him: not even when he gives me a bath or takes me to the vet.
We trust you completely; it's been that way for hundreds of years now.  We put our lives in your hands.  We give you all we have to give: our entire bodies.  We can't give anymore.  Don't you see how wrong it is to betray our trust?  But people have made us fight each other.  People have hurt, tortured, and killed us in lab experiments.
If you're a breeder, please stop bringing more dogs into the world and spend your time doing something better.  So many of us are living in cages in shelters.  When you bring a dog into the world, and someone buys him or her, then there is a dog living in a cage in a shelter that could have been adopted if you hadn't sold that dog.  So many dogs need good homes; please don't make matters worse.
Please don't give up on your dog.  My friend, the bald vegan, was living with his ex-girlfriend years ago.  His ex-girlfriend wanted to get a dog.  The bald vegan asked her to not get a dog, becasue he was too lazy to walk a dog every day at the time, and he didn't yet know how great dogs are.  His ex-girlfriend got a dog anyway.  Just as he suspected, he was expected to walk him every day.  But the bald vegan has strong feelings about animals.  Even though he had not agreed to get a dog, he never once suggested that she get rid of him.  He believes that when you make a commitment to a pet, it should be for life: either the life of the pet or the person.  Even though the little guy bit him several times, he fell completely in love with him, and would not have wanted him to leave his home at all.  Getting a dog, then having a baby, then getting rid of your dog cause you're worried about the baby is a crappy thing to do.          

Backwards World

If you eat meat, I hope you choke on it.

I believe human society is backwards in 2 major ways.  I think it is backwards to be a meat eater.  I am hoping, that in the not-too-distant future, the trend will be reversed.  I hope it will be commonplace to be a vegetarian or vegan, and meat eaters will be the minority.  Of course, I'd rather meat eaters not exist at all.  HUMANS DO NOT NEED TO EAT MEAT TO SURVIVE.  If you think you wouldn't get enough protein without meat, think again.  Mac Danzig was very competitive as a vegan MMA fighter in the UFC.  It is healthier to eat fresh veggies, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.  That is part of what is so frustrating for us animal-loving vegans and vegetarians; most people would rather contribute to the suffering of animals by eating meat, which frequently destroys the health of the meat eater.  Not only are you being cruel to animals, you're being cruel to yourself.  It's backwards.  It makes no sense.
Another way in which this world is backwards is amazing to me.  There is so much unhappiness in this world.  So many people are depressed, miserable, living lives and working jobs that they can't stand.  Tons of people commit suicide every year.  Don't believe me?  Look it up.  The media doesn't report it because the CDC has asked them not to, because it leads to copycat suicides.  Yet, most people become biological parents.  It blows my mind.  I've written it here before.  I think virtually everyone who brings someone into this cruel world does so for selfish reasons.  If someone wants to be a parent, why not adopt?  There are always kids who need homes.  Why bring another person into the world to suffer?  Life sucks.  I wish I had never been born.  I've never brought anyone into this world, never gotten a woman pregnant, but it's been done to me.  I am the result of a teenage pregnancy.  I am paying for the mistake my idiot parents made every day of my life.  Parents are supposed to be obeyed and respected.  That's a bunch of crap.  There's nothing wrong with hating biological parents.  They brought you into a world filled with pain, brutality, and death.  People who refuse to bring another person into the world, and adopt instead, are heroes.
Say or think what you want, but I don't eat meat, and I'm not a parent, so at least I'm not a hypocrite.    

Don't Kill Yourself

There's so much to live for.

Please don't kill yourself.  Life is hard.  It kicks the crap out of many of us.  But there's always something to live for.  For instance, I have at least 2 reasons to live.  I love animals, and I want to help those that need it.  I want to convince people to stop eating meat, eggs, and dairy.  They'd all be better off if they replaced those foods with fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and beans.  My other reason to live is to convince people to, if they want to be parents, adopt instead of bringing another person into this overcrowded (with humans) world. 
Suicide has been a major cause of death for humans for a while now.  The media usually doesn't report it, becasue the CDC has asked them not to.  When the media reports suicides, copycat suicides usually ensue.  If you think it's not a major threat, then Google it.  Once you start reading about suicide, you're liable to be blown away by some of the information out there.  What I can remember the most is reading that every year, since 1999, the number of suicides has increased in the USA.  I also read an article about NJ Transit.  New Jersey Transit is a huge transportation network.  It connects New Jersey to New York City and Philadelphia.  The article I read mentioned how NJ Transit has been putting up signs at their train stations.  These signs give people info about suicide hotlines and such.  They felt the need to put these signs up because an alarming number of people have been committing suicide in front of their trains.
I've attempted to kill myself.  That was when I realized I needed help.  That's when I went to a psychiatrist for the first time.  I've received quite a bit of therapy.  I take Prozac.  Recently, I've been eliminating processed foods and refined sugars from my diet, which has helped very much.  
If you are depressed, do something about it.  Take it seriously.  There are people out there who would love to help you.  Suicide is ugly and unnatural.  You should love your body and treat it well.  It's the only thing that is really ours.  Don't kill your body.  If you have nothing to live for, find something.  I don't have many friends, but I believe I'd greatly upset at least 3 people if I killed myself.  We all might as well make the best of it.  

Poor Cat

It's a cold world for stray cats

She's homeless.  She seems to not trust people; maybe she's been abused.  She's a stray cat who lives around here.  Last night, the temperature here hit a record low of 6 degrees below zero.   I've seen her trotting around in the snow.  I've seen her tracks, and I know she's been around.  It breaks my heart to think of all the stray cats out there.  They have to deal with horrible, sometimes deadly, weather.  There are people out there who would torture and kill them.  Please spay and neuter your pets.  There are so many unwanted dogs and cats.  They're either homeless, or they're languishing in cages at shelters.  If you want to make a commitment to a dog or cat for the rest of your (or their) life, and you're committed to treating the pet well, then please adopt.  Breeders piss me off because they play God and bring dogs into a world in which there are already more than people want.  
My diet is going well.  I've recently gotten into soups big time.  For a while, I considered myself to be the sort of person that doesn't like soup.  Now that I'm trying to not eat any processed foods, I've rethought that position.  I've been eating split pea and lentil soups.  A one-pound bag of them costs a little over a dollar.  I cook it with carrots and celery.  I've really been enjoying it: especially since it's been so cold.  I think of veggie soup as a hot winter salad.  Instead of eating a bunch of cold vegetables, it makes sense to throw them into a soup and heat them up.  I'm not much of a cook, but it's very easy to make, doesn't require much effort at all, and it's done pretty quickly.  It's very filling too.