My Milo

My son's name is Milo (I probably mentioned that before...). We had a hellish time thinking of a name for our son and we decided to name him Milo on January 18th. He was born January 19th. My boyfriend actually gave me the green light on the name as I was in labor and headed to the midwife to be checked. Talk about last minute...

Anyways, people ask how we named him Milo and I don't really remember how the name came up. My friend has a son named Milo, but I didn't even know her before thinking up the name. My best answer is the name was inspired by... (dum dum DUM)


Yes, Saved By the Bell! Except I couldn't find a picture of Milo, the token teacher from junior high who was too much of a pitifully marginal character to even have his own cast photo. I do remember watching an episode with Miss Bliss talking to Milo a few days before I was in labor, so he made an impact on me if no one else.

But I think I'm going to change my baby naming story. A few days ago while at Phoenix coffee shop, a lady asked if I named my son from the main character in The Phantom Tollbooth. I said no, but I loved that book as a kid and I completely forgot there was a Milo in there. So I looked it up when I got home.

Lo and behold...

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Chapter I: Milo

"There was once a boy named Milo who didn’t know what to do with himself — not just sometimes, but always.

When he was in school he longed to be out, and when he was out he longed to be in. On the way he thought about coming home, and coming home he thought about going. Wherever he was he wished he were somewhere else, and when he got there he wondered why he’d bothered. Nothing really interested him — least of all the things that should have.

'It seems to me that almost everything is a waste of time,' he remarked one day as he walked dejectedly home from school. 'I can’t see the point in learning to solve useless problems, or subtracting turnips from turnips, or knowing where Ethiopia is or how to spell February.' And, since no one bothered to explain otherwise, he regarded the process of seeking knowledge as the greatest waste of time of all.

As he and his unhappy thoughts hurried along (for while he was never anxious to be where he was going, he liked to get there as quickly as possible) it seemed a great wonder that the world, which was so large, could sometimes feel so small and empty."

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I cannot tell you how happy that makes me.

An Intro (Of Sorts)

Since I've been such a transient blogger, it's only proper that I introduce myself to my newest (and now only) blog. Here's a bit about what my family and I stand for and some decisions we have made:

1 - We're all about veganism and animal rights. Both my boyfriend and I are vegan (you may be thinking "duh" at the moment) and we're raising a vegan son in a meat-eating world. He's only 11 months so his diet basically consists of breast milk, but there will be a day when he realizes his diet is at odds with the world. We're not saying "you're not allowed to eat this;" instead we're going to let him know the specifics about animal products and hope he chooses a vegan lifestyle (odds are that he will).

2- We're anarchists at heart. When I say our family is liberal, I don't mean we're Democrats. Hell no. Think anticapitalist socialist anarchists. (And try saying that five times fast.)

3- We hug trees, but don't call us hippies! We're enviromentalists who prefer to bike and walk (well, at least I do...). I try to conserve resources wherever possible (breastfeeding, using cloth diapers, cloth baby wipes, and other reusable products).

4- We questions doctors' orders. We've chosen not to vaccinate or circumsize our son. Vaccines are full of scary ingredients that shouldn't be injected into the human body (fetal cow serum, anyone?). As for circumcision, if you can't explain why you're doing it--don't do it. There was no reason for our son to be cut--none whatsoever--and I have no clue why this practice is still in place.

5- We're weird. We wear a baby in a sling, we plan on homeschooling (unschooling) our child, and I did everything in my power to have a birth without medication.

6- But we ain't hatin'. Even though I just listed some topics we're passionate about, we don't expect everyone to make the same decisions as us. We're not always right, but we make decisions that are right for us. I'd like to think we're not snobs who think we're better than everyone else. I tend to hate overly judgmental and pretentious people so I try to avoid being like one.

So there you have it. Nice to meet you.

The Perils of Being Vegan

I've been vegan for almost nine years and my boyfriend hasn't eaten animal products for about seventeen years. My son, Milo, has been vegan since conception (though I did catch him trying to put dog food in his mouth, that lil sneak!). I try to not be angry all the time, but it's hard to remain happy and upbeat in the face of such cruelties. I don't understand why us humans do the things we do. Why is money the ultimate motivator? Why must compassion and humanity take a back seat to profits?

I'm currently reading "Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food" by Gene Baur, co-founder of the sanctuary. (I worked at Farm Sanctuary in 2003--holla!) Even though I know much of what goes on in factory farming, it's always appalling to re-read case stories and the results of investigations. I cannot understand how any of this can happen. How could farming have gone so far astray from its roots of "pigmanship," cultivating the soil, and getting to know the animals?

I grew up in a rural county of Ohio and many of my friends grow up in farms--real farms--where the animals can actually walk around and experience life. Where the farmers are farmers--not corporations--who work to feed their families and provide for their communities.

I'm not an advocate of eating animal products, but these small-time farms were so much better than the confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs)/factory farms that dominate the industry today. I have no doubt that anyone (who isn't profiting from the bottom line) would be horrified if they witnessed modern farming today where animals are treated as machines.

Since I'm a breastfeeding mom, I have a unique bond with dairy cows. It's rough. I cannot stand to think about dairy cows and how the moms are impregnated only to have their baby calves taken away at birth. Instead of their milk going to their babies, it goes to humans, who, for some absurd reason, rely on the milk of another species. I can't imagine someone taking away my baby and then taking my milk to make a profit.

And... it just makes me angry. I try not to judge people, but when I read about all these cruelties I wonder how people can support these horrific industries. Farming is not what is was. Cows are not lounging in pastures, cracking jokes like on those ridiculous California Happy Cow commercials.

I don't want to be bitter, yet I don't want to forget the severity of the situation.

People ask me if being vegan is difficult. I say no. But on second thought, it is hard--not for the food--but for the truth you have to swallow.

So That Was Christmas...

Christmas came and went in a flurry. I can't believe my son's first Christmas is over. Where does time go? So that cliche everyone said to me when I was pregnant is true: Time does fly. Babies do grow so fast. My son, Milo, will be one on January 19. But that's a whole 'nother post.

This year I worked hard to recreate that magical feeling of Christmas I experienced as a kid. I made my boyfriend go out an buy a real tree (he sadly has a negative connotation with Christmas trees) and I tried to decorate the house a bit.

Multiple Blog Disorder Ends Here

Hello, my name is Sarah. I suffer from Multiple Blog Disorder (MBD). In essence, I have way too many blogs and they're growing stale from neglect. I didn't know what to do... Let them rot? Dust them off, start posting again and act like nothing happened?

No, I'm going to ditch everything and start a new, superior, all-in-one blog. Welcome to Mamahood... in the (216). I'll talk about my semi-radical mama life and what it's like raising a vegan baby in a McDonald's world and shed a few tears over my fallen city of grey otherwise known as Cleveland, Ohio.

And I promise. I swear. I will not neglect this blog.

This blog will contain:Urban decay (not the brand--the real thing). After all, I live in Cleveland. It's part of our culture.

Baby stuff. (I'm raising an 11 month-old son.)

And, you know, other stuff. Just wait and see.