New veg*an sites
Lately, I have joined two new veg*an sites with chat rooms, that I really like. Also, I’m waiting impatiently for the launch of another. This is a short ‘review’ of those sites.
First of all, Happy Cow. The site offers a list of veg*an and veg*an-friendly restaurants and shops all over the world. I have known about this site for years, but only joined recently. Members can post reviews of these restaurants and shops. They also get a profile page. They also have a blog, message boards, private messaging and a very nice chat room.
Veganchatroom.uk is a similar site, with chat room, directory, message board etc. Most, but not all, members are from the UK. You don’t need to sign up anywhere to join, but there are advantages to signing up. For instance, you can use the same ID all the time, so people recognize you. Also, you can get a short profile so people can check out who you are and what you stand for.
It’s been ages since I last had a veg*an chat room to hang out in, so it’s great. Most of the time, there’s at least one other person around to chat with. I can’t say that I’ve made any close friends, but at the moment, it’s just nice to hang out with like-minded people.
Bleat, finally, looks very promising, even though, of course, I haven’t used it yet, since it hasn’t been launched yet.
This is what it says on the site:
So, what’s all this talk about Bleat?
For vegans everywhere, something big is about to happen…
Say hello to Bleat.
If you’re a vegan trying to find vegan friendly restaurants, looking for the latest recipes or just interested in meeting other vegans, all you have to do is Bleat. If you’re a vegan concerned for the rights of animals, have questions about a raw-only diet or simply perplexed about pulses just Bleat. Even if you’re a non-vegan and you’re simply contemplating the idea of a vegan lifestyle – BLEAT!
What’s so great about Bleat?
There’s a lot to discover at Bleat, such as:
A vast comprehensive vegan resource
Interact with vegans from all across the globe
Advice on vegan friendly brands
Recipes, restaurant guides & reviews
Information on the welfare of animals
How do we sum Bleat up? Well, Bleat isn’t just a vegan social network and it’s certainly far from just a vegan directory. Simply put, it’s a whole new way to get the absolute most from your vegan lifestyle.
Go on, Bleat about it.
It seems like a great addition to my old favorites, Livejournal (and Dreamwidth), Tumblr and last but not least Care2.
Disappointing vegan group
Recently, I’ve been rather disappointed in some of my fellow vegans, or perhaps it’s better to say that I’ve been disappointed in certain (Swedish) hangouts for vegans. Most people there, especially the more vocal ones, are only interested in allergies and food sensitivities. It’s their business of course, but they can become quite aggressive when they imagine they’re being questioned.
For now, I’ve decided to leave these troublespots alone and just hang out where I feel welcome. Though I must say it’s sad that we vegans can’t stick together.
Another thing that’s been very disappointing is that so many vegans go out of their way to ‘prove’ that vegans don’t have anything in common with each other. I think we do, even if we might have different reasons for going veg.
The whole thing started out with a girl asking if anyone else would like to find a village or some other place to live close to other vegans. Everyone, except my sister and I, seemed to despise that idea and went to great lengths to put it down.
I find it all depressing and discouraging. Personally, I’d love to have more vegan friends, preferably some who share some of my other interests and living close to them would be even better.
Some vegan books
I found these links to books about vegans and/or veganism, that includes fiction about vegans. It’s something I’ve been looking for for quite a while and though I haven’t had time to check them out in detail, I think it’s a really great start. Hopefully I’ll find something I’ll like here.
Fiction with Vegan and AR sensibilities
What is a vegan?
To me, who’s been vegan for several years now, veganism is something so natural and self-explanatory, I hardly even think about it. However, I’ve realized that many people simply don’t have a clue what it is. (And many of those who do, really don’t care, but that’s another story.)
So, just in case anyone’s wondering – What is a vegan?
And, here‘s the answer. (One definition, at least.)