Shameless Plug

Yes friends, it’s been a while.  What’s my excuse?  Laziness, I suppose.  There’s been plenty to soapbox about.  You know, quitting my job, graduating from college four months after I graduated from college, kind of starting a new job, getting the MONSTER bruise at the opening of the Apple Store, kind of figuring out my life, making the July trip to California official, learning I’m going to become a 1st cousin-once-removed, showing my best friend from high school around Beantown, being diagnosed as not the least bit clumsy by two specialists, my discovery of the greatest drink every (decaf iced grande soy peppermint mocha)…I’ve just been too busy livin’ life and enjoying these last days of being 21 to keep up with the ol’ blog.  Sorry, folks.

But now I’m back in the saddle.  With many of friends either on fabulous European get-aways or visiting their families, it’s looking like I’ll have quite bit of time on my hands in the coming days.  So what am I going to talk about?  The heartbreaking news that my favourite president wants my preferred candidate to quit?  My up-coming birthday? Life in the real world? Nope.  I’m just going to brag a bit here so please hold back your vom.

Yesterday I ran in my first race since my high school track days.  Tired, dehydrated, and sick as a dog BEFORE the race, I managed to finish in 44 minutes and 45 seconds, putting me at an 8:57/mile pace.  I placed 554th out of 1702 runners and was the 99th 19-29 year old female to cross the finish line (out of 418).  Highlights from the day included seeing two friends of mine from high school, cheering on/being inspired by the half-marathoners, and spending the afternoon on the couch recovering and eating an eggplant sub.  While I won’t be setting world records anytime soon, I would like to brag that I am officially a runner now.  And I have my cheesy finisher’s medal to prove it.

Soapboxing from a Former Vegan

If you ever took a tour of BU in deciding whether to apply or go there, you were undoubtedly informed that BU LOVES their vegetarian and vegan students SO much that they actually provide vegan food options! The dining hall has a GREAT selection of TASTY veggie morsels and you can’t go to a school event without there being a plethora of meat-free options. Uh-huh.  In the wake of a week of BU-sponsored graduation events, I have two words. Bull. Shit.

But first, let’s talk about my on-campus days as a hardcore veg.  When you’re a vegetarian, the options aren’t so bad.  Boring perhaps, but I could choose from pasta, peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches, buttery vegetable side dishes, or hummus and spicy red pepper relish wraps.  My mom always told me I was crazy to complain about the food because all my omnivore friends raved about the astounding array of culinary choices.  As a health-conscious plant-eater, I admit I’m picky.  Sue me.  But then when I took out dairy, eggs, and honey, BU nearly killed me.  Seriously, when will they learn that a slab of baked tofu the size of my pinky does not constitute a meal?  If it weren’t for a microfridge stocked with soymilk, Morning Star Farms Buffalo Chik’n, and vegan cookies from Espresso Royale, I would have starved.

So then I moved off-campus and reintroduced dairy to my life and suddenly BU’s dining options didn’t seem so important.  Lately, however, I’ve found myself on-campus quite a bit.  First it was Beers with Professors.  The emphasis was the beer part, so I didn’t pay much mind to the food provided.  Then it was the CAS Senior Reception (cocktail attire required).  My companions and I are were too busy standing in line for our free booze to worry about food and we just stuffed our faces at Audubon after.  But then, yesterday brought the Senior Breakfast and that, my friends, was the last straw.

Senior Breakfast is the annual event where the graduating class assembles for the first time since matriculation to eat, find out who the commencement speaker is, and receive the Senior Gift, a cheaply- made item embossed with the BU logo.  I arrived early and found seats with Amelia and co. at beautifully-dressed round tables in Metcalf Hall.  Tablecloths?  Centerpieces? Multiple forks? BU, I really didn’t know you had it in you.  We feasted on fruit cups, orange juice (was that freshly squeezed??), and a bakery basket while Dean Elmore orated and President Brown explained why the Taco Bell in Warren had closed.  And then the food came out.  On individual plates with those things on top to keep the warmth in! Served by black-attired waitstaff!  Color me excited!

Boy, did breakfast look good.  There was an egg and asparagus quiche-type thing, roasted potatoes, and sausage.  Oh wait.  Sausage is my least favourite food in the world.  Veghead or not, I find sausage to be vom-inducing.  Fortunately or unfortunately, I’m the type of vegetarian who doesn’t eat food that’s been on a plate with meat.  Sorry if you think that’s annoying, but that’s how I am.  And I’m still kinda weirded  out by eggs.  They’re not really dairy, they’re undeveloped animals.  I mean, I’ll eat them…if they’re disguised.  But nope, this breakfast wasn’t happening for me.  

The girl sitting next to me has an egg allergy and she asked our waiter if there was another option.  He told her there was and it was vegan.  Woot!  Maybe I’d get to eat after all.  I waited and waited for my food, imagining what they’d serve me.  That asparagus looked yummy.  The potatoes might be kinda good.  And I love fake meat. Asparagus, potatoes, and fake bacon…I’d dig it.  Finally, le garcon reappeared with…this

What is it?  Pineapple, cantaloupe, and honeydew garnished with five blueberries and a strawberry.  So basically the fruit cup we’d eaten earlier minus some fruit.  And cut up and arranged nicely on a plate.  As one of my vegan coworkers said, that’s not a meal, it’s a part of a balanced diet.  Now I can only imagine I received this delectable fruit plate because they ran out of the actual vegan breakfast, which I discovered later was a bowl of Special K.  Plain.   At least mine had anti-oxidents!  

After finishing my fruit and with the knowledge that Larry Lucchino would give the commencement address, I picked up my Boston University portfolio (to carry my resume in to my nonexistent job interviews?) and left.  I’m proud that I graduated from a school the recognises that that meat-free people do exist.  I just with they would give us a little protein.