Personal Update:

[butterfly]

So, I've decided that I don't want to drive my car. It uses gas, which is both expensive and bad for the environment, plus if I don't drive, I will need to walk and/or bike-ride to the places that I need to go.

I've been doing this for the last five or so days that I've gone places. Will let y'all know how it goes.

I've been off of meat and caffeine for a little while now and haven't had any trouble since the time I had issues with telling my dad that I was going vegetarian (have since told him, all to the good). Haven't managed to fully quit dairy (pizza and ice cream, mostly) but I am drinking soy milk regularly and have stopped putting cheese on my pasta.

I now have a plan for the future that I'm quite excited about. In about ten years, jic, vampireborg and I are planning to open up a bed and breakfast (preferably near Ashland, Oregon). So, we're starting to save up for that now. We figure, between the three of us, we make at least one quality host (borg likes to cook for vast quantities of people, jic is a numbers person, and I genuinely like people and find pretty much every person in the world interesting). I'm thinking that I'm going to tell my family that I would prefer money for the B&B fund on my birthdays and Christmas, rather than presents (this was my mom's suggestion).

Life is rather spiffy, at the moment.

Comments

[jgracio.livejournal.com]

Have you looked into electric powered bykes?

Cool life plan, hope everything works out. :)

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I actually want to stick with the regular bike because it means that I'm exercising now which I haven't really done in years, simply because I didn't want to bother making the time for it.

[trepkos.livejournal.com]

Wow!
You planny-planner you!
I wish I had the get-up-and-go to make plans.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

It really matters to me, I guess. I do feel so much more energetic since I quit drinking caffeine, which I find really interesting.

[sweet-torments.livejournal.com]

well, it sounds like you've got a plan, which is good. The diet sounds very responsible of you. I should really do the same. My beer and junk food diet really isn't doing me any good.

Good luck with the b&b. You have an experienced hotel front desk person here if you need another partner, lol. Then again, given that I'm at that job right now and trolling lj, maybe you wouldn't want to hire me. :)

Good luck with it all the same.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

The diet sounds very responsible of you. I should really do the same. My beer and junk food diet really isn't doing me any good.

Hah, well, I still haven't quit the pizza and ice cream. Those two things aren't great for me. I have really been feeling inspired recently, I suppose.

Good luck with the b&b. You have an experienced hotel front desk person here if you need another partner, lol. Then again, given that I'm at that job right now and trolling lj, maybe you wouldn't want to hire me.

If you're still interested in ten years and we've gotten to know each other better, I may ask! Always good to have someone with a different type of experience.

And thank you.

[scary-lullabies.livejournal.com]

Awesome on the not-driving! I don't drive and even though it can be inconvenient, I think it makes me more independent and helps me be more appreciative of life and time and is just a general very positive thing in my life.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I've found that to be true, just in the few days that I've been doing it. I'm not shut off from the world, the way that I am in a car. It's kinda nice. Plus, just tonight, I managed to bike all the way home from work without needing to stop for a rest, so it's already doing me good.

[fannishnonsense]

Wow, I'm impressed. I can barely plan what I'm going to do tomorrow, let alone 10 years from now!

And I gave up driving a few years ago. Never regretted it, doubt I ever will. Still haven't given up dairy though. Maybe I should try that next?

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm kinda bemused, myself. I was just drifting along in life, thinking that that's all I would ever do.

And I gave up driving a few years ago. Never regretted it, doubt I ever will.

I'm already looking into selling or giving my car away (Volunteers of America takes used cars, I think). I quit at the right time, I think, when I was ready.

Still haven't given up dairy though. Maybe I should try that next?

You could give it try! I'm still not there yet, but I plan to get there eventually. It's hard, though. Pizza is one of my old reliable comfort foods and I have no idea if they even make vegan pizza (or how it would taste!). It'll be hard to give up.

[fannishnonsense]

I've actually been considering giving up dairy for some time. I already switched to soy milk a while ago without any problem. Like you, it's pizza and ice cream that are my big stumbling blocks there. Although Tofutti is pretty decent if you get the right flavor (the vanilla is kind of weird). Ultimately though I think my biggest problem is that I always have to think things to death before I actually do anything about them!

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

Ah! I was wondering if all of the flavors were odd like the vanilla. Knowing that you think it's an exception should make it easier for me to try the others.

[brooding-soul.livejournal.com]

I very seldom use my car here at school anymore. Every now and then I'll run to the mall, Wal-Mart or out for fast food (1-3 times a week), but mostly I'll walk everywhere. Luckily, everything I need is reallyc lose by. Even driving places only takes me about five minutes.

[butterfly.livejournal.com]

I actually think I feel more in control now than I did when I was driving (but ask me again when it's raining out every day).