I'm seriously considering going vegetarian (again). At 13 years old I went vegetarian as a first step in wanting to be kosher. I continued to eat kosher fish, but gave up all other meats until I was 19 years old. When faced with kosher turkey at a friend's thanksgiving dinner in college, I excitedly gave up my vegetarian identity, opting instead to do my best to find "happy" kosher meat (knowing where it comes from, free-range, etc).
While in London over winter break I started to reconsider meat. After going to a few different shiurs on kashrut I started to seriously think about what being kosher means to me. I also started to grapple with the fact that it is VERY difficult to find local/ethical kosher meat, and that killing an animal in a kosher way may no longer be the quickest/most humane way to do it. Then, today, I unintentionally ended up watching Oprah's episode on going vegan. As part of the episode, Lisa Ling goes inside a slaughter house to show the process. I think that watching those few minutes of footage were enough to get me to go vegetarian again.
I'm not saying that eating meat is wrong or that we, as humans, shouldn't eat meat. Nor am I saying that you, dear reader, shouldn't eat meat. I'm just not sure that I should keep doing it. Watching the way the cows were being processed reminded me way too much of gross anatomy lab, a class that I was VERY uncomfortable with for so many reasons. I realized that given the choice, I would never choose to slaughter, skin, or butcher a mammal in order to consume it. I'm barely comfortable taking raw meat out of the package in order to simply cook it! I strongly feel that I have no right to eat something that, in its entirety, makes me this uncomfortable. Vegetables, tofu, even fish; these are all things that I will take ownership of destroying for my own nourishment.
This is not a decision I am going to make lightly (this time around). So for now all I can definitively say is that I'm in the contemplation stage of returning to vegetarianism.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Growing pains
My heart hurts a lot after a really wonderful, yet intense, weekend. A friend came to visit, which allowed for fun times in the city I don't normally make time to enjoy. There was adventure and laughter. There was a lot of conversing too. I feel a little bit like I've been broken into hundreds of tiny pieces. She challenged me on a lot of my personal self views. She also forced me to think critically about what I want from the next few years of my life and how I might want to prioritize my experiences. I just dropped her off at the airport, and cried the whole way home.
As disheartening and frustrating as these conversations are, I recognize it as a golden opportunity for personal growth. In order to be the leader that I hope to become, I need to learn how to take criticism. This opportunity for reflection is a rare jewel which should be embraced. Just as long bones hurt when they are stretched too fast, no significant personal growth can happen without a bit of struggle.
As disheartening and frustrating as these conversations are, I recognize it as a golden opportunity for personal growth. In order to be the leader that I hope to become, I need to learn how to take criticism. This opportunity for reflection is a rare jewel which should be embraced. Just as long bones hurt when they are stretched too fast, no significant personal growth can happen without a bit of struggle.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
High school flashback
A friend shared this YouTube video with me today. While I deeply wish that we lived in a world where these types of speeches didn't have to happen, I'm am so inspired to know that there are youth out there like her. This young woman, Kayla, is articulate, passionate, and heart-breaking to watch. I have no doubt that (if she chooses to) she will help to change the world. Her struggle with self-realization, discovering of community, fear of future, and desire to love freely is something that strongly resonates with me. I went through a similar process in high school before ending up in a position much like her: being an outspoken advocate to my peers and the larger community through sharing my personal story. Even still, as much as I've grown into my self over the past 8 years, I still struggle with some of these factors.
Watching the video inspired me to pull out my old high school journal. While there are many pieces of writing touching on my evolving sense of sexual identity, there is one particular piece that strikes a nerve for me. It so strongly reminds me of who I was at 16 along with my fears at the time. It gives perspective on how far I've come, and also kind of excites me to see what changes the future bring.
Written at 16 (in Fall 2000):
"To be scared of the truth, that is only normal right? But what if the truth can change things? What if it changes the way people see you? The words that people use to describe you? What if it changes how people look at you? Or how they touch you? And does it really change things this much, or something you just fear. What if your initial instinct is wrong, and after all the trouble you are only 'normal'?
You see, it has been a big summer for me. A summer of self discovery and of experimenting. A summer of pushing the limits I had already set up for myself and of testing new unguided territories. But the summer has quickly ended leaving me uncertain and in new worlds. For the first time in my life I have a girlfriend when all I have ever imagined were boys. I'm now explaining to trusting friends that I am Gay, something that I'm not even sure of for myself. They all react the same way though; they all told me that they already knew, which only leads me to question myself more.
But summer has ended, and to go back to my old ways of life isn't as easy as I had hoped. What if people know? Will it change the way they see me? I'm used to hugging my friends and kissing them on the cheeks, will that stop? Would the people I'm used to cuddling with at [youth group] events be scared away if they knew the truth? It scares me, why wouldn't it scare them?
I know [youth group] is supposed to be a safe and accepting environment but when people use terminology like 'oh, that is so gay' and when they address people as 'fags' for being outcasts, how am I supposed to know what affect it would have on the way I am treated. And what happens when everyone is either hooking up or talking about their relationships at home, am I supposed to say 'yeah, I have a girlfriend' and well, come out of the closet to people I don't know so well when I'm not even sure if I'm in the closet?
But like everything else time will tell. The event will come and go and people will probably never find out. I'll hug and cuddle and just wonder what they would think if they knew the truth, and I will wrestle with the thought of being Gay in my own mind. In the end I will fall in love with the person I fall in love with, not with the sex of the person, and feel foolish because I pus so much time into trying to put labels to feelings that shouldn't always be defined."
Watching the video inspired me to pull out my old high school journal. While there are many pieces of writing touching on my evolving sense of sexual identity, there is one particular piece that strikes a nerve for me. It so strongly reminds me of who I was at 16 along with my fears at the time. It gives perspective on how far I've come, and also kind of excites me to see what changes the future bring.
Written at 16 (in Fall 2000):
"To be scared of the truth, that is only normal right? But what if the truth can change things? What if it changes the way people see you? The words that people use to describe you? What if it changes how people look at you? Or how they touch you? And does it really change things this much, or something you just fear. What if your initial instinct is wrong, and after all the trouble you are only 'normal'?
You see, it has been a big summer for me. A summer of self discovery and of experimenting. A summer of pushing the limits I had already set up for myself and of testing new unguided territories. But the summer has quickly ended leaving me uncertain and in new worlds. For the first time in my life I have a girlfriend when all I have ever imagined were boys. I'm now explaining to trusting friends that I am Gay, something that I'm not even sure of for myself. They all react the same way though; they all told me that they already knew, which only leads me to question myself more.
But summer has ended, and to go back to my old ways of life isn't as easy as I had hoped. What if people know? Will it change the way they see me? I'm used to hugging my friends and kissing them on the cheeks, will that stop? Would the people I'm used to cuddling with at [youth group] events be scared away if they knew the truth? It scares me, why wouldn't it scare them?
I know [youth group] is supposed to be a safe and accepting environment but when people use terminology like 'oh, that is so gay' and when they address people as 'fags' for being outcasts, how am I supposed to know what affect it would have on the way I am treated. And what happens when everyone is either hooking up or talking about their relationships at home, am I supposed to say 'yeah, I have a girlfriend' and well, come out of the closet to people I don't know so well when I'm not even sure if I'm in the closet?
But like everything else time will tell. The event will come and go and people will probably never find out. I'll hug and cuddle and just wonder what they would think if they knew the truth, and I will wrestle with the thought of being Gay in my own mind. In the end I will fall in love with the person I fall in love with, not with the sex of the person, and feel foolish because I pus so much time into trying to put labels to feelings that shouldn't always be defined."
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Modern love
Quoted from Nicole Hardy in the article "Single, Female, Mormon, Alone" (The New York Times, Modern Love, Jan 7, 2011):
"Perhaps the failure was mine — I’m sure many church members see it that way. I was too weak to endure. They’ll say I should have waited another decade, or spent my whole life alone if that’s what God required.
"Perhaps the failure was mine — I’m sure many church members see it that way. I was too weak to endure. They’ll say I should have waited another decade, or spent my whole life alone if that’s what God required.
I’m just unwilling to believe that’s what God wants for anyone, and was unwilling to continue spiraling further into a disconnected life, feeling abandoned, being discounted."
I couldn't agree more. While I don't really believe in a G!d that is so intertwined in our daily lives, if G!d is actually involved in our match making, I can not fathom s/he would want anyone to be single (who doesn't want to be). As much as I accomplish in my life, I can't help but feel my life is still completely unfulfilled because I haven't found my basherit. I'm nearing 27 and am seeming to be eternally single. I'm trying to make the most out of my life: being a family member, a friend, an activist, a community member, a (future) healer; trying my hardest to be content with my lot. But, I can not help but wonder if I'm destined to spend my life single... and if I do spend my life single, what will that mean for my standing in the religious community? A community that is totally built on family life and procreation. I need to put these thoughts on hold for now though as I go back to studying for tomorrow morning's exam!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Passing of the tourch
Since coming back from winter break, we second years have been working hard to hand off our extra curricular responsibilities to the first year medical students. The theory is that by starting so early we are allowing for a bit of transition before we fully disappear into step 1/clinical rotation land. The reality is that most of us just want to play a game of "ding dong ditch" with some of these things. Yes, they are causes that I'm passionate about, and leadership roles that I really appreciated having this year; but my current priorities have shifted to 1) staying sane, 2) doing well on step 1, 3) staying sane. Staying sane, which involves eating health, sleep, exercise, and a bit of socializing, doesn't leave much time for running 2 student groups, doing research, and involvement with major amounts of grassroots organizing.
The problem is finding first years who are idealistic and naive enough to take on these responsibilities. Just as we are trying to hand them off, their work load has increased... scaring them out of taking on too much. Last year, I hated hearing my class referred to as "slackers" for not wanting to take on leadership roles. So I am trying my hardest not to be frustrated with the current first year class for their lack of eagerness to take over all of these wonderful opportunities. I do get it. But PLEASE, take my positions! I want to be done with them already! I want to disappear to step 1 land foot-loose and fancy-free!
The problem is finding first years who are idealistic and naive enough to take on these responsibilities. Just as we are trying to hand them off, their work load has increased... scaring them out of taking on too much. Last year, I hated hearing my class referred to as "slackers" for not wanting to take on leadership roles. So I am trying my hardest not to be frustrated with the current first year class for their lack of eagerness to take over all of these wonderful opportunities. I do get it. But PLEASE, take my positions! I want to be done with them already! I want to disappear to step 1 land foot-loose and fancy-free!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Cool as a cucumber
Yesterday, my preceptor (a 3rd year resident and really wonderful teacher) was telling us stories about his med school psych rotation. He explained how he was at an inpatient hospital and saw the crazy-of-the-crazies. He gave us a few patient vignettes, each one crazier than the one before. We were wide eyed listening, with growing excitement about the possibilities of our future psych rotations.
And then, "There was this one woman who thought she was a man!" Crash! Back to reality. Back to remembering that I am a medical student in the conservative South. He went on explaining the case, and when he got to a natural break, I spoke up. "You know they're in the process of removing gender identity disorder from the DSM?" I did my best to stay calm. To engage in a rational discussion about shifting understanding of gender identity. He tried to justify his comment and then quickly moved on to "And then there are narcissists! I had this one patient..."
It isn't his fault. It wasn't malicious. Even though he is a young doctor, he had never learned otherwise and so he was just passing on what he knows. This was a perfect case study in why medicine is a slowly evolving profession. But regardless, it is also a little heartbreaking. A sharp reminder that there is so much work to be done in this world. That the most effective way to do this work is to stay calm. To be cool as a cucumber. Slowly, I will rationally and politely educate my professors and peers one person at a time.
And then, "There was this one woman who thought she was a man!" Crash! Back to reality. Back to remembering that I am a medical student in the conservative South. He went on explaining the case, and when he got to a natural break, I spoke up. "You know they're in the process of removing gender identity disorder from the DSM?" I did my best to stay calm. To engage in a rational discussion about shifting understanding of gender identity. He tried to justify his comment and then quickly moved on to "And then there are narcissists! I had this one patient..."
It isn't his fault. It wasn't malicious. Even though he is a young doctor, he had never learned otherwise and so he was just passing on what he knows. This was a perfect case study in why medicine is a slowly evolving profession. But regardless, it is also a little heartbreaking. A sharp reminder that there is so much work to be done in this world. That the most effective way to do this work is to stay calm. To be cool as a cucumber. Slowly, I will rationally and politely educate my professors and peers one person at a time.
Monday, January 10, 2011
April 14, 2011, er wait, now April 18, 2011
After much heming-and-hawing and instinctively feeling uneasy about my STEP 1 date, I just gave in and rescheduled. Rescheduling is majorly (MAJORLY) not recommended; I am confident that this was the right decision for me. Plus I only pushed it back 4 days. Just enough time to have a few "catch-up" days scheduled in, which my original schedule didn't allow for. I was also able to get a seat at a better testing site! One closer to my parent's house that starts earlier in the morning, 7am instead of 8:30am, which will allow me to be home with my family for seder! Score! Sometimes you just have to go with your gut over everyone's advice...
And on the theme of going with your gut over everyone's advice, I have decided to move to the capital city for my clinical years. The academic set up and ability for leadership training was totally made for my learning style and my interests. Basically, the liberal arts alternative to medical school! I'm not looking forward to moving (who likes packing?) but am totally at peace with the decision. I've been getting pretty excellent responses when I tell people that I'm moving. So far, the best is: "I recommend only moving there until residency and not for residency, as that would ruin your grand plan of finding someone smart to date. As much as raising hell in [capitol city] is tempting, it turns out that pro-choice hell can be raised anywhere!"
And on the theme of going with your gut over everyone's advice, I have decided to move to the capital city for my clinical years. The academic set up and ability for leadership training was totally made for my learning style and my interests. Basically, the liberal arts alternative to medical school! I'm not looking forward to moving (who likes packing?) but am totally at peace with the decision. I've been getting pretty excellent responses when I tell people that I'm moving. So far, the best is: "I recommend only moving there until residency and not for residency, as that would ruin your grand plan of finding someone smart to date. As much as raising hell in [capitol city] is tempting, it turns out that pro-choice hell can be raised anywhere!"
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