This morning I was once again wooed into the world of Carrie Bradshaw from sex and the city, as she battled the war of meeting and befriending the ex. I, on the other hand, faced an entirely boy-less battle, when deciding what I should eat for my 3pm lunch. Having spent the morning lounging around in bed, switching between travel guides to Bali and streaming my dear friend Carrie, my initial thoughts were captured by the idea of a lovely gluten free, dairy free, refined sugar free and atom free, Snickers Slice from my beloved Sip Kitchen, only a fifteen minute drive away. However, my mind was bought to a sudden holt when conversing with my mum over the phone, seven minutes into my fifteen minute drive, when asked to purchase her ‘norm’ – quarter pounder combo with extra fries -_-
For those of you who are unfortunate enough to have never met my mother, you will have also failed to witness her dead flat stomach… maybe she was born with it, or maybe its all bloody unfair and God did not distribute the ‘fast metabolism’ gene EVENLY! Some people deserve their body, with good eating and regular exercise, however, some people, for example my mother, eat crap and – and as she would put it – go on long walks, decked in Lululemon and expensive (ugly) ‘walking shoes’, at least twice a week (reality – she walks five times a year and it usually ends with wine). Regardless of this minor rant, McDonalds is a regular part of her ‘Alex Approved’ food pyramid, and here I was, trying to look like Megan Fox, but left compromising for a ‘fuller figure’ this summer.
In the end, I got a delish quinoa, pumpkin and feta salad, topped it up with some McChicken bites and smothered it in hot sauce…along with a Snickers Slice, Kombucha and a Nutmilk Chai Latte…. who says you cant have quality and quantity. So, having spent half a weeks wages at my favourite ‘kale in everything’ cafe, I was left wondering what all the fuss is about and why this constant tug of war between what is raw and real and what gives you diabetes…. some days I feel like waking up in the wilderness, with my long leg hair stocked up for the winter, eating nothing but ‘good, green stuff’ and never having to put on pants again…Other days, I want to live off multi-billion dollar corporations, feeding me hormone filled, chemical induced matter, wearing nothing but brands regardless of their makers and living completely unaware of the bigger world, splurging on my hospitality wages.
This past year I have experienced many new revelations, specifically around, being vegetarian, buying ethically produced goods, fighting the war against sugar and seeking men in suits, not boys in branded t-shirts and beanies. With all that is out there for us to explore and learn, its hard not to get sucked into a vortex of facts and figures, leaving behind all rationale and throwing out your emergency kitkat bar under the front seat of your car.
As mentioned before, I am in love with grey areas! I cannot live in a black and white world, and constantly search the tension between what is truth and what is grace. If you have ever picked up a Jodi Picoult book, you will know exactly what I am talking about, breaking the law in the act of love, murder in the act of fear and manipulation, stealing in the act of ensuring protection. Stretching your mind to think beyond protocol and procedures, to a place where our innate wisdom and discernment takes over to form our own personal judgement and reaction, not that of law or others opinion…
BUT in saying that, I am also an all or nothing kind of gal, either I am living off the land and drinking ten litres of water a day, or I eat a whole block of chocolate within the space of purchase and walking to the car, only to then grab MacDonalds for the beginning of my journey, to then pop into Wendys just before I get home, and then enjoy my secret stash of cashew nuts kept in my underwear drawer, as I hop into bed. I don’t like dipping my toe in the paddling pool, either I am baking myself in the sun with little care for dehydration, or I am head first, sprawled out into every inch of that pool. Having this mentality hasn’t exactly kept me clear of trouble, while some go a bit ‘Yolo’ and quickly tap the hot element, I like to hold my whole body against it, while turning up the heat, adding some oil and there you have it…bacon.
If any of you have heard Adele’s new song, Hello, I just realised how on point she is… Specially that line, “Its so typical of me to talk about myself, Im sorry” I just realised this whole post was supposed to be about the outside world and balancing the act of caring for others, the environment and even ourselves and here I am blabbing about soaking in paddling pools and cooking up some delicious bacon… Probs not the best for my vegan image. I guess what I really wanted to get across anyways, was that I want to be vegan, but I like cheeseburgers too much, and I want to take a stand against child poverty and poor trade, yet a new pair of Nikes are just too tempting to ignore. How horrible is that? What will it take for me to change? I want it all, but unfortunately the reality is, if I have it all, someone else is baring the consequence of that, unless my ‘only child’ self learns to share, and practice self-control, I will never truly outwork those goals to be completely outward focussed.
So, I guess making it official on my crazy jumble of a blog is somewhat keeping me accountable…From here out, I am going to live a little less selfishly and cut out meat because I don’t believe in supporting the cruelty and mass production of the meat industry. I am also going to actively make more effort in finding out where my clothes come from, and applying pressure to the fashion industry in asking where they source their cotton and the production of their products. These things are huge to me, LIKE MY TWO LOVES….food and clothes…But its changes like this that not only influence areas where change is necessary, but also causes shift in the my own mind, as well as those around me… All i am asking is that you do your research, don’t be blind to whats actually happening in our world…Is ignorance really bliss?
*insert funny pug picture to lighten the mood and let people know I am still funny and fun loving…
the girl who can't sit still 