Diary 25th January 2014

I'm went along to a talk of which it was about  going Vegan from Vegetarian.  It was quite informing.  When I arrived I was handed a questionnaire.  One question that I was asked what diet are you on. Three options were handed to me.

Vegan
Vegetarian
Omnivore.

I checked off vegetarian turning to vegan. However I didn't know what omnivore was. I had seen this term in the film Walking with Dinosaurs: 3D Movie.  Review can be found here. In the movie it explained there were 3 types of dinosaurs.  Carnivores (namely meat eaters); herbivore(plant eaters) and omnivore (the narrator (bird) failed to explain this term)). I was explained that they literally eat everything.  So maybe omnivore is da human version of carnivore. 

When we were all seated down,  we were treated to a presentation.  The presenter gave a few examples of very well known sports stars. He was trying to point out that just cause ur vegan don't mean that your Ill health r anything.  Take Carl Lewis for e.g. Back in his hay days he won 9 Olympic medals. Voted Olympic athlete of the year and might I add of da century too.  Another more my time modern would be the Williams Sisters.  As explained by the presenter Serena was forced to go on a vegan diet for health reasons. She was diagnosed  Autoimmune disease.  So to support her sister Venus went to vegan diet too.

We were then invited to interact with each other including the presenter by naming

5 Reasons going Vegan might be difficult

Workplace lack of support
Expensive
FOR ME brand names, constantly looking "suitable for. .."

Gary Yurofsky: this name was given as a recommendation for to look up cheese and dairy products to wean u off it.

Stats were also a feature.
3% of US population (approx) are vegans
(Source: PETA US study). This is impressive. Considering. 

And just before he ended he gave another example of how we can all work together in saying vegan  the presenter was at a wedding of 200 guests.  He told the chef and the chef replied that he felt privileged special and appreciated instead of creating the same meal all the time. 

Another member of the society or building (not sure) made a very valid point.
"You have the right to a vegan diet in a public body or building".  ie prisons,  hospitals, carers places etc.

The talk was met with great enthusiasm and applause. 

With this amount of information before I headed off I took down the brand names of vegan products.

I proceeded to the outhouse while waiting for my next meetup. While having my cuppa tea I met John Lyons Td (Labor).  I had met him once while canvassing for him a few yes ago for the Irish General Election of 2011. He is an out and proud Gay TD. Twas lovely to see him. He explained that there is a Labor LGBT AGM being held here.

As I was leaving to early for my next meetup, I decided to head up to the new Service that is now available in the Outhouse: Gay Switch Board Drop In Service. The service was launched in Nov 2013. I went up to initially look at the layout and the information. However I proceeded to ask them how to tell the guys that I have Hep B, and wondered should I tell em and if so how to break it to em. I felt a bit of chill there. aka coldness from one of the guys. The other was most helpful. 

So anyways I proceeded to head to the next meetup for Vegan Community of Ireland in KC Peaches on Dame St. Again I was slightly early, while I was parking my bike, I over heard bagpipes music etc., So I just listened in, while waiting around. When they finished, I headed up to KC Peaches and to meet Rachel of which I hope there was more than one person. Thankfully there was. There was  great buzz there. I felt a bit out of place in that I couldn't get too much in. Not sure why. As the cafe was very noisy, I could hardly hear what Rachel and Richard were saying. WE chatted for a few hours. 

So I proceeded to head up to Mum and Dad's. I travelled along Dame St., Lord Edward St. Thomas St. The area around Hueston Station  and instead of turning right to go down the keys, I turned Left then and an almost immediate right onto Infirmary Road which then lead me onto North Circular Rd. I wanted to cycle all of the North Circular Rd., while travelling ahead I came across a beautiful building namely the Mater Hosp. It was exquisite to look at. Just wow. I had to even stop fully to admire it. It was that lovely. 

I had arrived at Mum and Dad's, noticing Dad's car gone, I just tried the door bell, you'd never know. As it happens, nobody was home, so I then was thinking should I go into AIlish and Noel considering I had last seen them 2 weeks ago. I said I'd go in til Mum and Dad get back. SO I popped into em, all keeping well. Noel was telling me that Ailsih' back gave out. Hope she get better. While we were chatting, I asked Ailish in particular the following: as asked for Maureen on Wed. 

"Do you believe that people are born gay"?

"Do you also believe that gay is also a phase"?

AND MOST IMPORTANT

"Do you believe that I'm going through a phase"

The above questions which is very simple. 

With no surprise she quite agrees with me, and believes that Gay is not a choice and hence, possibly relations shall be restored. We'll see

I then said I'd pop into Mum and Dad and try again. Noel told us that he heard a door closing, so good chance, they's home. And as luck would have it, they were home. So I stayed with them for a bit. Dad asked me to print a few forms for him in relation to NDLS(new regulations). I had been charging my phone cause the phone was really low in charge. 

Then I headed home, as I was putting my bike away, I saw a car, and thought to myself, is that Dad's car and wondered why is he here. First question was "You have you're phone". I had left my phone behind. Before he headed off I wanna to ask him the question what I asked Ailish tonight and what I had asked Mum previously the following: 

"Do you believe that people are born gay"?

"Do you also believe that gay is also a phase"?

AND MOST IMPORTANT

"Do you believe that I'm going through a phase"

The above questions which is very simple. . Nothing too hard to ask. 

He went onto say about the priests that Cardinals think gays need medication which what else would they say. But he then went onto say That Gays is not a choice(Something I was delighted to hear - but nothing was prepared to what I was gonna hear next). When I asked him about me, he was trying to avoid the subject, but he got their eventually. He simply and basically put, he hopes I'm going through a phase. I was gobsmacked and gutted completely. Almost every single Saturday since my depression started there has been some form of upset or whatever. He wants me during the week to tests the lights, I'm gonna try again and see. You'd never know. 

So when I went inside, Maureen rang me. I asked the same questions to see would she have change her mind or anything. The first she still believes we are born equal. However no one can answer even herself(Maureen) whether or not I'm going through a phase or not. Like it ain't a difficult question. Either yes or no.