Hello, old friends

Hey everyone! It's been almost 3 years since I last posted on this site. The world is completely different now, and so am I. Are any of my old blogging friends still active here?

Myers-Briggs Personality Test

Hey guys! I retook the Myers-Briggs Personality Test, which I hadn't taken since high school, and my results were different! I don't remember exactly what my personality type was back then, but I remember it told me I was an extrovert, which I related to at the time. Now I'm an INFJ-A, and the summary describes …

What Every Non-Muslim Should Know About Islam

Most people would probably be embarrassed to admit that they don't know much about faiths other than their own, which is OK because most people didn't major in Theology and most people aren't religious scholars. However, with the current political climate and with hate crimes on the rise, ignorance about faiths, beliefs, and cultures different …

Things you THOUGHT were vegan but aren’t – Part 2

Soaps Some soaps will list sodium tallowate, aka animal fat, as an ingredient. L-Oreal, Dove, and Neutrogena soaps hold a "bottom" rating on the animal welfare scale, suggesting they're a company that does animal testing.. Condoms Some condoms are made with casein (the typical latex condom) or lamb intestines. Shampoos/Conditioners Ingredients like amino acids or vitamin B could be plant-based …

Things you THOUGHT were vegan but aren’t – Part 1

So many everyday products are non-vegan; the most surprising thing that I discovered when I became vegetarian was how many of the "fun" foods contained gelatin, which is derived from animal bones, skin, ligaments, etc. When I learned about how gummy bears were really made, it took the innocence right out of them. This is …

Books, Trump, and the “inner city”

About three years ago, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenéz was looking to make room in the annual budget by closing down 22 public libraries; next thing you knew, town halls were packed with angry Miamians, the Miami New Times was writing about it, and WLRN (our local NPR station) was reporting on it. The public outrage was so strong that …

The Environmental Vegan

The world's leading cause of climate change is animal agriculture, an industry contributing more than 51% of greenhouse gas emissions (a conservative estimate). Beef is a huge product among consumers, and the love affair Americans have with the industry valued it at $60 billion (in the U.S. alone) in 2015. There is a financial incentive …

Vegan Side Effects: Healthy Brain & Healthy Heart

Vegans are typically health-conscious individuals who, after cutting meat and dairy products from their diet, also choose to eliminate highly processed foods from their diets, even if those food products are vegan (like Spicy Sweet Doritos, for example).  The benefits of following a healthy vegan diet (it's okay to cheat on your diet with vegan guilty …

Illegal Immigration into the U.S.

People don't come here illegally because they want to break the law, they come here illegally because it's the only way they can in their desperate situation (meaning waiting X amount of years isn't an option). Illegal immigrants pay thousands of dollars to get here (that they would contribute to the U.S. if there was an avenue for …

How I Dealt With A Boss From Hell

In January of last year, I took a job that taught me a lot about interpersonal relationships, office politics, and how to deal with an alcoholic for a boss. Within the first week at this company, my boss was already bad-mouthing employees in front of me, asking me (at noon) if I wanted to join him for …