Eggs-elent, cracking and all other eggs-travagant puns

As well as the daily Pledge to Go Veg update (hardly a trial today – Cote’s spinach and mushroom crepes were lovely) – I thought I’d tell you about an alternative Easter present.

Why anyone would not want chocolate for Easter is beyond me. However, if your family and friends are being healthy, or (shock horror) don’t actually like chocolate, Greenpeace has an alternative.

Each of their virtual Easter eggs contains a cute animal representing one of their campaigns: climate, oceans or forests.

For example, the climate change egg ‘hatches’ an emperor penguin because their habitat has been negatively affected by climate change.

For £8 you can send the virtual Easter egg with details on the animal inside and how Greenpeace is helping to protect them.

Personally I think £8 is a bit pricey for an animated e-card, though I suppose it’s really a gift of a donation to charity as opposed to a big load of chocolate. But, sorry, I know which I’d prefer…

Well, that’s my good deed for the day. See you tomorrow xY

Pulling A Fast One

A few posts back I bemoaned the lack of half-decent fast food for veggies.

But after rolling in at 2am and getting up for a 12-hour shift a few hours later, I was inevitably drawn to the chip purveyors at lunch.

Anyway, with some vague notion of M&S being healthier for you than normal food, I ended up at their fast food bar. Their falafel and haloumi burger was pretty good -comes with roasted red peppers but could do with more mayo.

Anyway, I was feeling quite pleased with myself until I heard those golden words: roast beef baguette. 

The French can make fun of Le Rosbifs all they want – a Sunday roast is the food of the gods. Am I allowed such blasphemy during my Peta Pledge To Go Veg month? Ah well, too late now…

Well, that’s my good deed for the day, see you tomorrow xY

Pride And Primula

The veggie month continues (I’ve taken Peta’s Pledge To Go Veg to find out if a. I can, b. it’s healthier and c. it’s a ‘good’ thing to do in terms of saving the planet).

This month I’ve mostly been eating a lot of cheese and not much veg. Which is probably not being a proper vegetarian, but since a lot of my meals involve grabbing a sandwich, and the only sandwich options now open to me are generally egg or cheese, these first few weeks have been lactose-tastic.

I’ve bought in yoghurts (and then forgotten about them) and bought in chick peas and mayo (with a vague notion of making my own hummus…don’t hold your breath) but I still haven’t tried Primula. Cheese in a tube? One has to draw a line in the sand somewhere. 

Well, that’s my good deed for the day. See you tomorrow xY

What’s The Story?

Do you think classes still exist in England? Personally I don’t know – I see Britain as more of a celebocracy these days (the more famous you are, the more you matter).

But if they do then I am definitely middle class. If this article by Roy Greenslade is on the money, I fit right into the stereotype of white, middle class uni graduate now working in the media.

If I am middle class I’m not going to beat myself up about it. But Roy makes an interesting point about the lack of diversity in journalism.

At my first, local paper, I can think of one reporter from (if the classes still exist) a working class background. He was an incredibly annoying, arrogant young man whose sole aim in life seemed to be winding me up. But he was also a talented reporter who, much to my annoyance, managed to steal the front page spot from me more times than I care to remember.

But he gave up eventually because ‘he wanted a job that meant he had enough money to eat.’ I think he was exaggerating but he had a point. In true (if it exists) middle class form, if I ever ran out of money I had the bank of dad to call on. In fact I’m pretty sure dad heavily subsidised my NUJ training in the first place.

Of course you could argue that you’ll never make it as a journalist if you’re not extremely persistent, don’t have a knack for making contacts and generally have the ability to pester people until they give you what you want (whether it be an interview or a job). But the idea that there may be huge financial barriers into journalism now makes me rather uncomfortable. Journalism should reflect society and if a whole chunk is being excluded then surely something is amiss.

Today I learnt about a social enterprise called Catch22 . It is not targeted specifically at the working class (if it exists) – it gives young people from all backgrounds with a passion for journalism a hand into the industry. Which can only be a good thing. (But it’s not to be confused with a charity, also called Catch22, which helps young people who have had a tough time get on in life).

Anyway, learning about them, along with another day of my Peta Pledge To Go Veg, is today’s deed. If you’re a fellow hack (or if you’re not) then please click above and see what you think. We could have a good twitter debate on this too…

Well, that’s my good deed for the day. See you tomorrow xY

Doin’ It For The Kids

Well, I never thought I’d sink to quoting Robbie Williams lyrics for a headline, but it’s late and I’m tired.

Today’s deed was, as well as the whole veggie thing, to sponsor a colleague who is raising money for Kids Company.

The charity gives practical, emotional and educational support to vulnerable inner-city children in London.

My colleague is cycling from London to Paris – rather him than me (I can’t even ride a bike!) – and hoping to raise £1,500 in sponsorship.

I have another colleague taking part in the London marathon for charity… both of which I fear may put my charity 10k to shame. Still, I suppose different things are challenging for different people…and there’s always next year…

Well, that’s my good deed for the day. See you tomorrow xY

Fry Another Day

Well, the pledge to go veg continues and today at least I managed to eat some veggie food that wasn’t one of the big Cs – cheese, chips and chocolate.

But I still didn’t have my five-a-day, which you’d think would come easily to veggies…

Ah well, more research needed.

Well, that’s my good deed for the day, see you tomorrow xY

A Pizza The Action

Well, the veggie month continues and the food puns just keep on coming.

Today, I admit, I was very lazy – just enjoyed the wonderful weather and a picnic in the park with boyfriend.

Today’s deed is, again to stick to my Pledge To Go Veg. I had thought being veggie automatically made you healthy. But, according to boyfriend, the fattest guy he knows is a veggie (he said making helpful gesture indicating man as wide as I am tall). And I have been eating a lot of cheese and not much veg…

Today’s culinary expedition into the weird and wonderful world of veggie cuisine was..um.. veggie pizza. I know, I know, I still don’t have the guts to buy in tofu and lentils (or at least I do, but I know they’ll just sit in in fridge/larder gathering dust and getting closer and closer to their expiry dates).

Anyway, here’s the result:

Hm. Possibly got a bit carried away with the topping

Not as bad as the previous veggie cooking attempts, but I still have a very long way to go. I also learned last night that veggie fast food really sucks, but then I don’t suppose the big brands generally have veggies in mind.

Well, that’s my good deed for the day. See you tomorrow xY