My New Year’s Resolution.
Happy Holidays everyone! As I write this, on Christmas Day, I am in a very contemplative mood about the new year. I truly feel that 2023 will hold a lot of promise for me, and for you as well. With that said, in this post, I wish to reflect on my key resolution for the new year.
My number one resolution is to become more fit and healthy. This would basically involve exercising more, losing weight, and eating more healthily. For those of you who do not know, I am currently a vegan. This does not necessarily mean, however, that all the vegan food I eat is healthy.
My target weight is around one hundred thirty-five pounds. To achieve this ideal weight, I plan to get more exercise. My preferred form of physical activity is walking. Additionally, once a week I attend a Zumba class with my grandma. I also try to work out at the gym with my parents every Sunday. Additionally, I enjoy walking to the gym, which is about a mile each way, specifically to go in the hot tub.
As far as diet is concerned, I feel that I need to start consuming more fruits and vegetables. It may be wise for me to stop consuming so much plant-based meat. I also believe that I should consume less carbs, less candy, and less processed food.
I have found that, whenever I set a goal, it is easiest for me to work gradually toward that goal over time, instead of just leaving it to the last minute and trying to squeeze everything in at once. This is the approach that I took with my Oxy comps paper, which coincidentally is posted on this very website.
I am fortunate enough to own an Apple Watch, which tells me how many calories I burn each day. I am also lucky enough to have some nice walking shoes and trendy workout clothing. This effectively means that I am all set to go. I just need to muster the determination and moxie to follow through with this plan. Ultimately, I do not truly feel that this will be a problem.
“If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, eventually you’ll make progress.”
Why I Decided to Go Vegan.
I still remember the day that I decided to quit eating meat. Back before COVID, I used to take weekly exercise classes at my local gym. Conveniently, on the way to the fitness club, there is an In-N-Out burger. As you may correctly surmise, I frequently found myself eating burgers, fries, and sodas, every week before my scheduled Retro Fusion class.
Eventually, I found myself dreading going to In-N-Out. Don’t get me wrong; I genuinely liked the taste of the burgers there—it was just that I could not stomach the thought of killing an innocent cow, every time I frequented that restaurant. It just became something that wasn’t worth it for me.
Almost immediately after I stopped eating meat, I started to feel physically healthier. At first, I strongly believed that I would miss eating meat. That I would feel that I was missing out by not eating bacon. Or that an inconvenient void would appear in my life, where once there was a juicy hamburger.
Surprisingly to everyone, especially to myself, I eventually just stopped craving meat. This took barely any time at all. As I write this, I have not eaten a proper piece of meat in years. And I am all the better for it, honestly and truly.
All these new dietary changes were going so well for me, that I decided to go from pescatarian to fully vegan. My dear aunt Sue, who has been vegan for years, was there to help me through the transition. During this time, I have discovered one simple fact: the systems that we use to raise animals for slaughter, as well as the procedures that allow us to consume their various byproducts, are quite simply inhumane, and obviously patently unsustainable.
I have also reaped many health benefits from these dietary changes. I take a vegan multivitamin in the morning; every morning. I am not afraid to make occasional exceptions to my diet; every once in a while, I will eat a sushi roll, or a bag of Hot Cheetos, et cetera. Also, for those of you who do not know, the vegan diet, by definition, does not involve the dietary consumption of cholesterol.
To conclude, I do not wish anyone who eats meat, or other animal products, to feel judged by me after reading this post. I simply wish to educate anyone who is curious about the various environmental and health-related benefits of going vegan, so that they can see for themselves if such dietary changes would be a good option for them. I personally have never regretted my choice to go vegan. Not only that, but I truly feel that it is one of the best decisions that I have ever made.
“Veganism is not a sacrifice. It is a joy.”
My Thoughts on the U.S. Midterm Elections.
On the evening of election day in the U.S., I decided to tune into MSNBC with my parents to watch, live, the results of the midterm elections. For those of you who do not know, I am a lifelong Democrat, who was raised by very liberal and open-minded parents. However, I like to consider myself as someone who is open to entertaining viewpoints different from his own.
Prior to Election Day, there was forecasted to be a “red wave” of Republican support, in both the House and the Senate. Years ago, I was taught in school that, typically, whenever one party wins the presidency, in the next midterm election, two years into the future, the other party often wins control of Congress. This simple fact, plus the idea of the impending “red wave,” did not make me optimistic about these midterms.
As I write, control of the Senate is virtually tied, and the Republicans are poised to win control of the House of Representatives; albeit not in the major, splashy way that they were forecasted to. As a Democrat, I honestly feel that the situation could have been much worse. There was no real “red wave,” and the Dems won many governors races. In addition, Gavin Newsom was re-elected as the governor of my state of California.
Unfortunately, however, the ultimate fate of Congress after these midterms has yet to be decided. In the coming days, we are expected to gain more information, as more results are tabulated. According to the news media, both the issue of reproductive freedom, and the obvious unpopularity of Trump, are to blame for the lack of a proper “red wave.”
I personally am optimistic so far with the results; although I fervently wish that the Democrats could retain control of the House. It does not look as though that will occur. If, somehow, we were to retain control, I would welcome the passage of a bill that would guarantee workplace protections for LGBT people, as well as a bill that would federally enshrine the right to reproductive freedom for women.
I have no idea what to expect in 2024, when the presidency will be up for grabs for the first time since Joe Biden was elected in 2020.
Just to conclude, I truly feel that it is our sacred duty, as U.S. citizens, to vote, whenever we can and are able to. Following politics on a local, as well as national level, has dramatically impacted my life, in a very positive and real way. I honestly believe that an educated and informed populace is what makes democracy in this country strong.
What I’m Thankful For.
As Thanksgiving this year fast approaches, I have decided to evaluate my life, in order to determine what I am truly grateful for. To boil everything down, I would have to say that I am thankful for the love that is in my life—love that comes from others; and love that comes from myself.
I was recently at my younger sister’s wedding in Washington, D.C.; and standing there, watching her kiss her beloved husband reminded me that romantic love is one of the strongest forces known to humankind. There is just something so special about loving someone else in that way—such love is different from the way in which you love yourself, and also different from the way that you love others.
I love my family, and I love my friends; and I am entirely certain that they love me back. I am so blessed to know so many kind and special people, and I like to think that they are very fortunate to know me.
I am thankful for the fact that I am healthy, and I am also very blessed to know that I am happy. I am even grateful for the fact that I remembered to bring my special shoes to Clare’s wedding. There was a time in my life when I was virtually incapacitated and incapable. From my bed, I would look across at the shoes, and say that I may never be active enough to wear them again. Just last month, I proudly wore them to my sister’s wedding ceremony. Everything about that day was basically perfect, and I am certain that I will always remember things that way.
So, to sum up—this year, and every year, I am grateful for the abundance of the love that is in my life. I was grateful to wear my special shoes to the wedding. I was grateful to go to Knott’s with my friend Anthony for Halloween. I was fortunate enough to eat vegan sausages, barbecued by my dad, for the both of us. I am also privileged enough to have this website to work on, and frequently update. It is these little things that make life special for me.
One can never sum up all of one’s Thanksgiving-related feelings in one blog, or even in a full-length novel, I would argue. Words, however, can be valuable tools. Writing this blog has reminded me that I am very fortunate to lead a happy life, surrounded by others that love me and guide me, just as I love and assist them.
Why I Love San Francisco.
San Francisco has always been my favorite place on Earth, for as long as I can remember. Something about the Bay Area has perpetually drawn me in, every time. Last time I was in the city with my dad was in October of 2021. I remember going to the Coit Tower with him, and looking out at the waters of the Bay; thinking that I was peering out at a literal paradise.
My dad and I typically make an annual pilgrimage to the Bay, to both visit family and explore the city. Each time we go, we fly out of Burbank, and from the Oakland Airport, we take the BART train into the city. The public transportation in the Bay Area is unparalleled, especially for the U.S. Everything within the city is incredibly accessible, from the delicious gourmet restaurants to beautiful expanses such as Golden Gate Park.
I have always nursed a lifelong wish to own property within the city. In my ideal world, I would own both an apartment downtown, and a house abutting Dolores Park, which itself is walking distance from the Castro. In the Castro, the nightlife can be found, as well as rainbow flags on every street corner.
I love everything about the city, from the weather, to the food, to the architecture of the very buildings. Whenever I walk within the area, I feel like I am home. It is my forever happy place, and it will always hold a special and unique place in my heart.
—G.M. Haffner, October 29, 2022
Yours truly, in San Francisco.
The Power of Love.
I was recently fortunate enough to be invited to my sister’s wedding, in Georgetown, D.C. It was the first wedding that I had ever been to, and every moment of the experience was incredibly special. As she walked up to her husband-to-be, the look in her eyes said everything; more than words or images can ever express. I was almost in tears as they kissed and exchanged rings. The love that day, in that garden, was so pure and so strong, and so inviolate.
I remember the day when the Obergefell decision on same-sex marriage was handed down by the Supreme Court. I was at my grandparents’ house in the O.C. As I compose this post, I glance to my left, where I have a framed copy of the Los Angeles Times, dated Saturday, June 27, 2015. The headline blares: “EQUAL DIGNITY UNDER THE LAW.” All love is real, and all love is truly equal, in my humble opinion. I was so enamored by this decision that I even wrote a 44-page paper on the reasoning behind it while an undergrad at Occidental College.
Watching my sister get married was one of the happiest days of my life. I know that she would do anything for her husband; and that he would do literally anything for her.
The flight to D.C. was very bumpy and full of turbulence, and, as an anxious flyer, I experienced much trepidation at 35,000 feet. However, when I saw the look in Clare’s eyes as her forever partner Stephen gazed at her walking toward him on that fine fall day, every shake, and every bump, was completely and entirely worth it.
October 23, 2022
G. M. Haffner
About My Blog.
It all begins with an idea.
I have decided to utilize this space as my personal writers’ blog. This is my first post. I am not yet sure as to the direction I will take this, but I do know that I desire a forum where I can post new and current writings, as well as various updates about my life. I want this site to be constantly evolving and changing instead of static; so if your interest is piqued, please feel free to visit gmhaffner.com as often as you like, to digest various updates from me posted here, as well as potential new writings. My plan for this blog is very fluid at this point, but I do know that this first post is only the beginning of what we could, together, do with this site. Also, for some reason, as of now, the correct date for this post is not yet displaying on parts of the website, so for your reference, the date of this post is mentioned below. Just wanted to thank you for reading the various works I have posted so far.
-G.M. Haffner
4/16/22