Tag: peace

Vegan Living 101: Beginning

Ellie Mae2 Comments

For a good portion of my life, I’ve been a quasi- to full-blown vegetarian. Seafood was the first thing to go, and I can’t even remember the last time I ate anything from the sea. Chicken was the last to go. For 11 years, chicken was the only meat I consumed, and, while I only ate it once or twice a year, I felt guilty doing so. For the last seven years, I haven’t touched any kind of animal flesh. However, I do occasionally have a splash of milk in my coffee if I’m at brunch and don’t want to make a fuss. I’ll also have the occasional bit of cheese and I’m trying my hardest to breakup with milk chocolate.

Soon, I’ll be living by myself, like I did just over a decade ago. This will be perfect for me to fine tune my vegan cooking skills. The only person I’ll have to feed every day is myself, so I can have complete control over the food that is kept and the food that I eat.

For those of you who don’t understand what veganism is all about, the simplest way to describe it is: a choice to abstain from any animal product or byproduct in everyday life, including nutrition, clothes, household items, cosmetics, and personal hygiene products. (The link provided is the Vegan wikipedia entry, and I feel like it does a good job explaining concepts.)

This means that the diet a vegan eats is completely void of anything that falls under the animal classification, including their excretions. One thing that drives us crazy is when a veg*n (an umbrella term that is inclusive of all vegetarians & vegans) gets asked “but you still eat fish, right?” This is a question that we get asked constantly and often results in some fierce eye rolling or a gobsmacked laugh. Sometimes, we’ll be blunt and ask “were you asleep when your fifth grade teacher taught you about animal classification?” Other times, we’ll be kind and say, “thanks for asking, however fish are technically animals, so we abstain from eating fish,” while screaming on the inside.

Here is a list of things vegans get asked if they eat, but don’t:
1. Fish/Shellfish/etc.
2. Honey
3. Poultry (this one really baffles me)
4. Milk/Cheese/Eggs
5. Anything with gelatin in it (i.e. most gummy candy, anything that is a mass produced gel)

I live in a part of the States that considers itself progressive and liberal. It was a hotbed of counter-culture activity in the 60s & 70s. Even with the runoff from that, I find that people are really confused by the concept of veganism. When having a discussion about it, I have found it turns out that people are confused by even the concept of vegetarianism.

So, a series of blog posts is born! I’m going to share a few posts that cover a variety of topics regarding veganism. These posts will include (and aren’t limited to) pantry & fridge staples, vegan candy, vegan cookbooks, vegan cosmetics & beauty products, vegan fashion, misconceptions, personal meal plans for 1, 3, and 7 days, and my favorite recipes.

Please contact me with any questions or possible topics you would like me to cover. Also, please know that I am not a nutritionist, chef, or MD. The information I am giving is purely from my own research, discussion with other people who live a vegan lifestyle, conversations with nutritionists & doctors, and my opinion. I’ll will be citing the information that I give you & will clarify if something is an opinion. If you don’t like or agree with my opinion, I do ask that you remain respectful in your approach. Part of veganism is respect for fellow beings, human and non-human.

Happy trails!!

Working Retail

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How many of you enjoy going to the mall for a few hours to shop? A large number of people do. That’s one of the reasons why malls still exist.

The thing is, people often forget that the people working at the mall aren’t all young idiots. There is a growing contingent of well-educated Gen Xers and early Millennials who lost their jobs sometime between 2008-2010 and have had a hard time finding solid, full-time employment in their chosen career field since.

Working retail is heartbreaking, and sometimes very demeaning. Especially for those who have college degrees. As we live in a world in which we need do need money to feed, clothe, and protect ourselves, well-educated people will resort to menial retail jobs while looking for full-time work. Now, there are some people who make a career of working retail. And, the last ten years, I’ve worked retail. Seven years ago, I had the hope that I’d grow within the company I work for and the possibility of growth was dangled in front of me without actual promise. That’s why I buckled down and told myself to go back to school and do something productive with my life. I felt that the act of me going back to school was taken as a sign of defeat from managers at the company I work for.

“If you want to work at corporate, why did you make yourself less available by going back to school?” and “There is no time to develop you as you’re only here two days a week. Can you change that?” Both are questions that had a simple answer of “you have had seven years to develop me, which was a constant request on my part.” Truth of the matter is that this is an entire combination of me trying too hard and getting disheartened when my hard work never paid off, and management not spending the time to truly get to know my strengths and see my hard work.

Enough about me. Let me get to the real point. As I’ve said, those of us who work retail are not idiots. Sure, you’ll come across some less than stellar people whilst out shopping. However, the majority of us are wonderful, insightful, caring people. We don’t like being treated poorly, and no, some of us can’t just quit if we hate the way customers treat us. Many retail employees, like me, are there to pay some sort of bill, whether it be student loans, a second mortgage, car insurance, rent, or tuition, etc.

The things that customers put us through is enough to make any happy, stable person cry. We would love it if every single customer that we interact with, including the awesome ones, spend a year working at our store. In fact, I am in favor of giving all of the on floor employees a month-long paid vacation and have customers man the store while we are gone. Business probably would fail, I don’t doubt that. But, it would be a great experiment and valuable lesson for everyone who shops there.

The best way to describe how we are treated (or perceived):
each sales associate is a special hybrid of two-year old from a non-English speaking country and the CEO of the company.

We are spoken to as though we have never heard a human speak before, we are constantly told we are wrong (especially when we are right), and yet, are expected to have the right answer for everything (ie. what the customer wants to hear), know every little detail about how the company as a whole works, and have the authority to change any detail about our store that hundreds of customers don’t like.

We know how our company works in a broad sense, and as well as it pertains to our store. We are able to work with what our company has given us. And, we will do our best to go above and beyond for our customers. Our company has provided us with the tools to get you the product(s) you need within reason. But, we don’t have the executive decision to knock down the nine stores within our vicinity just to carry every single SKU that the company sells. We don’t have the executive decision to start selling brands that ceased to exist a decade ago. Our backroom does not consist of a factory or lab or series of offices that our headquarters are located in. If we all had any kind of executive decision-making or say, we wouldn’t be sales associates. It’s that damn simple. If that makes sense to a ten-year old, it should make sense to a university educated 35-year-old.

And, if I have to hear “I want something that is 100% natural, organic, and not manmade” and “I need something completely chemical free” once more, I might just scream. Most of the stuff you buy that isn’t food is not 100% natural, nor is it likely to be organic. It may have been processed & put together by a machine in a sterile. Does that process of synthetically making something count as not manmade? (Answer: no.) Oh, and a very minor fact you may have missed in fourth grade chemistry: everything you know to exist on this planet has some sort of chemical structure. So, asking for something without chemicals in it is physically impossible. Stop acting as though two hydrogens and an oxygen bonded together is going to kill you.

If you are going to be rude, fine. We’d rather you not be rude to us, as that’s just unnecessary. We don’t need to be treated like idiots. Our request is simple. Please, stop assuming that we get paid enough to make magic happen. And, a smile never hurts anyone. Neither does “please” and “thank you.”

If none of this makes any sense, I have an idea. Consider yourself. Imagine spending eight hours a day having someone expect you to give them everything you own, then expect you to give them more. Imagine them never asking politely or showing the slightest shred of gratitude. Imagine being asked to explain something you understand immensely and have studied for years, then be told that everything you have said is wrong. Imagine people yelling at you for absolutely no reason. Imagine people stealing money from you. Imagine going home with swollen ankles, having to do housework of your own and caring for your own family. Imagine having to do that multiple times a week.

Working retail is not thrilling. We work hard for very little money. And, while we have plenty of fantastic customers, not a day goes by without having to deal with unpleasant people. We’ve cried because of customers. We’ve felt threatened because of customers. We’ve had to leave halfway through our shifts because of exceptionally unreasonable customers.

Be kind. Be patient. Be mindful. Be aware. And, please, for the love of all things good in this world, know that you are sharing this planet with other human beings. So, stay classy and treat others exactly how you expect others to treat you.

Fresh Start

Ellie MaeLeave a comment

Happy New Year readers!!

As I was taking a peek at my stats, it looks as though there are a very few random (or not so?) people in the world taking a peek at this blog. Many thanks go out to you! Thank you for taking the time to browse through some of my posts. I’m not sure if they were appealing at all. The fact that you took time means gallons!

As it is the start of a new year, I am feeling renewed and excited for new journeys I’ll be on over the next twelve months. I will be completing a Paralegal AA sometime between June & August. I will be running a half marathon for the second time in my life. I’ll be apartment hunting, and possibly even making a move out of California.

I’ve got plenty on my plate. Enough to keep me busy and fulfilled. So, this month, expect a few posts about wellness: skincare, exercise (gear, workouts, playlists), recipes, and other uplifting topics. I might not get to them all, but I will get one or two posts up a week.

I wish you all a fantastic 2015! May you find joy and happiness!

We All Need A Little Support

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As we are nearing Hanukkah, Christmas, and a new year, the art of giving is upon us. You can’t forget the fun parties you will be attending, as well. So why not dress yourself up in some pretty jewelry? How about your girlfriends, wives, sisters, mothers, and any other amazing, fantastic person that enjoys a fantastic cocktail ring or statement necklace?

A few weeks ago, I became a chloe+isabel merchandiser. I’m finally starting to figure out my way around the company and business, enjoying the beautiful pieces I’ve started myself off with. I didn’t think I’d enjoy this jewelry as much as I do, seeing that I don’t exude femininity.

It’s been a few years since I’ve lavished myself in jewelry. I went from having about nine or ten piercings in my ears a few years ago to not wearing any earrings at all. It’d be a big deal if I got a ring or a dainty necklace on. Now that I am working as a merchandiser, I’m finally embracing my femininity again! Almost every day, I’ve got on a ring & earrings or earrings & a necklace or a necklace & a ring. When I do put on some jewelry, I feel special. Everyone should! Woman, man, child, adult. Jewelry helps us feel like we are making a statement about ourselves. It helps tell our story.

My dear readers, I am asking, oh so gratefully, for you to check out my online boutique. If you are compelled to purchase an item (or a few), I really appreciate it! Buy yourself something you are drawn to. Get a gift for someone you want to see smile. Go with love!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. And, if you do take a peek at the boutique (and even purchase something), I am forever grateful! By supporting me through my chloe+isabel boutique, you are supporting this blog and many posts to come!

Sweatin’ My Way To Happiness

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I’ve mentioned it before and I’ll keep mentioning it: I ran my first half marathon 13 months ago. This past year has been somewhat overwhelming and I’m sad that I didn’t participate in another run. The plan was to do the same one again. Due to school, the loss of my beloved Pushkin, and that wave of depression that took over for a few months, I put aside my overall health.

The idea of running an entire 13.1 miles (i.e.. only slowing down to drink some water, no walking whatsoever, etc.) has been lingering in the back of my mind. I’ve decided that because I love the idea of getting out of the Bay Area, I will use the Portland R&R half marathon on mid-May as an amazing excuse to get out of town. This trip will be a completely positive one.

I have six months to train for this half marathon. Six solid months of getting to the gym, hitting hiking trails, eating well, and taking honest care of my body. Setting this goal for myself is exactly what I need. There is no “I must drop 50lbs and/or four dress sizes,” just a simple goal of exercising, eating well, and being mentally prepared to run for 13.1 miles.

A week ago, I started back at my gym, spending at least 45 minutes on the treadmill. As I haven’t really run much this past year, I’m starting slow and easy, walking between 3.6-3.8 miles per hour and varying the incline. The regular cardio will help my muscles and heart ease into the action of running. I am also very mindful to do strength training as well. Having strong muscles, a strong heart, and strong lungs will make training a breeze.

My plan for the next one and a half/two months is to stick to 45-65 minutes on the treadmill, varying the speed and incline, easing the running into it. By January, I hope to do two or three consistent 2-5 mile runs per week. Also, by then, I hope to have a good strength training program down, doing it once or twice a week.

Nutrition is a huge deal. Much like exercise, what I eat will instantaneously determine how I feel, as well as determining how an entire day, week, or month will turn out. I am back to being more mindful what I am putting into my body. The way I see it, I should put into my body what I expect it to put out. The more colorful, tasty, enticing, enriching the food, the more stable energy I will have. My body will be able to rebuild itself more appropriately with the proper fuel. And, there is no point in hopping on a treadmill for two or three hours a week if I’m not going to eat the right food. I have to remind myself that the worse I eat, the longer I have to exercise. And that time spent chugging away at tedious exercise could be spent at a dance class or on a bike ride or outside hiking with friends.

Come May, I hope to be a positively different person. I am not going to put any pressure on myself to “succeed” at this half marathon. If I run the entire way, AMAZING! If I get to a point where I have to walk a mile, that’s still great. As long as I cross that finish line, I’m happy. It is the journey I am taking right now that is the most important. It is all about the happiness and positive shift I am creating within myself.

Dear readers, what are some healthy things you like? It could be a healthy dish, a form of exercise, an event you like to attend. Please share!

Drink up!

Ellie MaeLeave a comment

Masks have seem to come back in style quite heavily recently. The oil trend has died down, and masks have taken over. I’ve said it before, and I will continue to say it: the US is often late to both the progressive party & trendy party. So, what European & Asian countries have been doing for decades, the US is only really just catching on now.

I’ve always been a fan of masks, ever since I was a kid. I’d poke through the beauty stash of both my mother and grandmother in awe of the pretty bottles they had. However, it wasn’t until I moved to California that I truely discovered the joy of masks. I never really saw any of the women in my life do a mask, probably because I was too young to remember. By the time I was 10 or 11 and starting to feel my body change, I started to grow into my feminine side. I would hit up Payless (later RiteAid) and stock up on some Freeman masks and my friends & I would go to town with them at sleepovers. And, let’s be real here, I still love Freeman masks, don’t you?

Long gone are the days of innocent pre-teen girly sleepovers. It’s been about a year since I’ve slept over at a friend’s house, and that was out of necessity. Our time spent together no longer involve stuffed animals, Ouija boards, and yearbooks. Well, we might still get out the yearbooks and gawk at our lithe, carefree bodies & smiles. But, more often than not, wine is involved, which makes sense twenty years later. Point is: if I sleep over at a friend’s house, it is because it’s always wise to not operate a vehicle if a wine glass has been accurately used. So, no masks are applied to our faces. We’re lucky if the makeup even comes off.

So, it is up to me, during down time to pamper my skin. I have quite a few face masks that I absolutely adore and always suggest to people. There is one currently out there that is my ultimate favorite.

The mask I have been obsessed with is GlamGlow’s ThirstyMud mask. At first, I was really put off by the smell. I had smelled a tester that had obviously gone off and it smelled like moth balls. Then, I was lucky enough to receive a jar to try. When I cracked it open and took a whiff, I was surprised. It smelled like coconuts and apple juice!

GlamGlow ThirstyMud

This mask is a lifesaver!! It’s full of amazing ingredients, such as apple fruit extract, coconut fruit extract, ginger root extract, green tea leaf powder, olive leaf powder, and so many more. I learned it feels best chilled, so I keep it in my fridge. This mask is essential to anyone with redness, irritated skin, sunburned skin, surface dehydration, or genuinely dry skin. It’s great for all skin types, however those dealing with the issues I just mentioned will greatly benefit from this mask. This mask can be left on as little as 10 minutes or as long as all night. And, I always wear this mask overnight. My skin does really well when I use the mask this way. The company even suggests using this mask in-flight to prevent that dreaded dehydration many people get after a long flight. For my skin, I feel that the apple extract helps gently exfoliate and brighten, while the coconut, green tea, and olive are replenishing, and lastly the ginger helps energize my skin.

Please, if you can afford this $69 mask, invest in it! It is worth every penny. If not, stop by a local Sephora and, at least, pick up a sample to try. And, fret not my loves, I will write a post about my other favorite masks, which include a plethora of cost effective masks!

In the mean time, please visit (and follow & like) my other blogs, twitter, and Facebook:
DJ Toaster Biscuit
A Life In Paperback
@DJToasterBiscui
@RealEllieMcHale
@lovenugget
DJ Toaster Biscuit at FaceBook

And, I have a very special GIVEAWAY in the works! Keep your eyes peeled. It involves hitting a like button or two & hitting one or two follow buttons. Also, get your creative juices flowing. I might ask for a haiku, ya hear?

Take Time

Ellie Mae4 Comments

Day three of my self imposed challenge! I’ll be honest, I almost didn’t log in today. I started thinking about social media and our need to be virtually connected all the time. The idea that Facebook plays a huge role in many lives across the US is quite daunting.

I’ve decided that after this “blog every day for a month” challenge is over, I’d like to try getting on to Facebook, Twitter, and WordPress only once a week for a month and using more traditional sources for communication and obtaining pressing news. Six out of the seven days, I plan on reading a newspaper, watching the news on TV (a fond memory I have of first moving to California: listening to KTVU/FOX 2 10 o’clock news from my bedroom), calling and texting my friends, and listening to NPR/KQED. I’ll be honest, I might not stick to that, but I am going to try. I’d love to get back to basics and enjoy my 30’s like my parents did. They survived very well and with immense joy without social media, computers, the internet, and smart phones. They did really well with land line phones, basic TV, newspapers, radios, and a great community of friends. I feel that I will be able to cultivate more honest relationships if I am able to distance myself from the virtual networks I am completely immersed in.

How do you feel about Social Media and Social Networking? How often do you find yourself checking Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc.? Would you happily take a week vacation without internet access, a computer, or a cell phone?

Happy New Year!

Ellie MaeLeave a comment

Welcome to 2014! May this year be full of joy, love, happiness, and peace for everyone.

One of my goals for 2014 is to write more. To aid that goal, I plan on writing a blog post every day of January. The task seems a little daunting, but I don’t plan on writing a 10 paragraph essay in each one. I just want to write something meaningful every day.

I don’t do resolutions anymore. It has been years since I’ve made solid, intentional resolutions. The idea of a resolution seems negative to me. Instead, I strive for positive, attainable goals. As I mentioned, this year, I plan on writing more. Also, I hope to complete my first triathlon this year. I am going to start small and sign up for a sprint distance triathlon and will aim to do it in August if there are any great ones in California.

What are your goals and/or resolutions? Do you believe in the act of making goals and/or resolutions? Please share!

And, please wander over to my other blogs:
DJ Toaster Biscuit
A Life In Paperback

Love me!!

Ellie MaeLeave a comment

In an attempt to gain views and followers, I’ve devised a little plan. I am trying to get to 500 views by 11.59pm PST on December 31. So, if that happens, I will make my first YouTube video, share it here, and entice y’all even more to keep coming back.

What will I do in my YouTube video? I’m not sure yet. I might recite a poem. I might tell some jokes. I might do a goofy dance. Or I might just say hello, thank you, and a little snippet about myself. Whatever I decide, I do promise you a YouTube video.

So, get reading! Get sharing! And while you’re at it, please mosey on over to my two other blogs: DJ Toaster Biscuit & A Life In Paperback.

Thank you all so very much!

Pamper Time! Evening Skincare.

Ellie MaeLeave a comment

As my skin has settled down from its painful couple of weeks of dermatitis, I am able to get back into a comfortable skincare routine. I do all of my main skincare at night, as it is both physically and emotionally cleansing.

Tonight I am giving my skin some extra special love as it has been an arduous two weeks. I’ve been working nonstop and had finals this week. I desperately need some TLC! I want to share my pampering evening skincare ritual.

My skin type is dry, sensitive, and prone to redness & enlarged pores. I like to call my skin bipolar, as it really varies day to day as to how dry & sensitive it can be.

To start, I take off my make up with Caudalie’s cleansing water.

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This has been my favorite makeup remover for years. It takes off everything, including heavy foundation and waterproof eye makeup.

Next up is a proper cleanse!!

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Tonight I chose to use Ren’s cleansing balm with my Clarisonic Mia2. The cleansers I use vary. My other favorites are Ren’s Hydracalm cleansing milk, Nude’s cleansing oil, and Ren’s Hydracalm cleansing gel. It really depends on the day.

Next is a mask. I rarely do masks. Let’s face it, I’m lazy! So this is the unusual pamering part. And when I do a mask, it has to be amazing.

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Tonight I am indulging. Two masks! First is Ren’s Glycol Lactic mask to exfoliate, brighten, and hydrate. Then I hop in the shower. After the shower I slap some of Aveda’s intensive hydrating masque while I make some tea. This is supposed to be left on 5-10 mins, but I leave this on a lot longer sometimes. As it’s not a peel, it doesn’t hurt if I forget about it for awhile.

Once this is rinsed off, I finish with a serum & moisturizer.

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Along with Ole Henriksen’s truth serum & Korres’ wild rose sleeping facial, I have added some rose essential oil in a jojoba oil base.

Tonight I am all about exfoliation, hydration, nourishment, and brightness. I love nights when I pamper my skin!! It’s rare, which makes the ritual even more special. I do hope you enjoy this little snippet of my life.

FYI: I do not represent or am not paid by any of these brands for any usage or mention of them or their products. All of the products I used were paid for by my own money over the course of the year. Any product gifted me will always be disclosed and I will not use nor review something gifted to me if I do not like how it works for me. Thank you!!