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Kentucky

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Guen Parks said #1 Jan 30, 2011 at 10:20am

Hello! My name is Gueneviere and I live in Louisville, Kentucky. I just bought the book and I'm excited, happy, nervous, hopeful...so many feelings right now!


How I came to be here is a very important story. I've always been an animal lover and I've always held the desire to be a "good person" but until recently I did not take the time to figure out exactly what my lifestyle meant for our planet. I had all the same excuses I hear around me now, and I was so busy trying to make my life "work" I did not make the effort to really take a close look at the choices I made in my everyday life.


Last year I reconnected with an old friend from Colorado and my eyes began to open to the truth. My friend is a photojournalist based in Johannesburg, South Africa. He does freelance work and also writes for Global Post. This friend is out there trying to make a difference. This friend risks his life to travel into the heart of conflict so that people like you and I can read the truth sitting safely in front of our computers. As I followed the work my friend was doing the amount of respect I already held for him grew even bigger, and a seed was planted. Since that time I have found myself beginning to change. I have a desire to learn more about the big picture and where I fit in. I want to make choices which are a part of the solution because I have realized, sadly, that I have been a part of the problem.


On my Christmas vacation in Colorado I had the chance to meet with my friend and he asked me to join forces with him on a project which I'm so proud of and can't wait to share with you. (That is for another time!) I have been doing research online for the past few weeks to prepare for this project, and that is how I stumbled upon The Kind Life and The Kind Diet.


I really don't know how this will go for me. I can honestly tell you that I want to commit to going 100% vegan, but I know it will be hard. The high cost of healthy foods, especially in a state with the market geared to extremely unhealthy eating habits, will be a great challenge. The family I work for as a nanny eats so much JUNK and I am surrounded by it every day. The kids are spoiled and will not be open to this type of change, and my boss does not have the desire to support me in this area, so I am on my own. I have unbelievable cravings and since I live alone I have no one here to be supportive. So I am hoping to make some friends on here who can cheer me on and keep me going when the going gets tough. I am already getting ridicule from closed minded "friends" on facebook as I enthusiastically try to share with them all the things I am learning. I am hoping to inspire others, to shed light on some subjects we all find easier to ignore, and like my friend I am hoping to make a difference!

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Heather Simpson said #2 Feb 23, 2012 at 9:50am

Hello Gueneviere! My name is Heather and I, too, live in the unhealthy city of Louisville Ky! I have been trying to go 100% vegan for a year now and still have been unsuccessful. I am married with two little boys and my family is just not willing to change their eating habits so I am on my own as well (although I try to have my children eat vegan as often as possible). I think one of the toughest things for me is holding on to what I've always known as comfort food- Chicken and Dumplings, Fried chicken, derby pie, hot browns,etc....you know, things that are uniquely Kentucky. I have only met one other aspiring vegan in this whole city which makes it even harder because I'm always considered the hippie vegan wierdo. We should start a vegan recipe club or something here locally to give all of us aspiring vegans a place to go and feel totally normal. Anywho, I hope you are able to find the motivation you are looking for and we can both be successful on our journeys toward a kinder life!


Heather

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