Profile

Laura Lee. May 3, 1988. Vegan and tree hugger. Animal rights activist. Curly hair and tattooed. Left-handed. German, Lebanese, and Scottish descent. Big family of animals. Also enjoys nature, music, webdesign, figure skating, rain, photography, crafting, bagpipes, poetry, and Wall-E.

Vegan?

A vegan is someone who does not consume any animal products and avoids the exploitation of animals. Why? Animals used by the food, entertainment, clothing, and experimentation industries suffer from extreme abuse and neglect at the hands of people. Factory farmed animals receive horrific treatment, such as lifelong confinement, painful castration, and even boiling alive. Animals in labs die by the thousands from induced illnesses and injuries without veterinary care. Animals in circuses are even beaten to perform for humans. We can avoid this unnecessary torture with a plant-based diet and cruelty-free products. No matter how different we are from other species, we are co-citizens of the Earth, and we are animals too. They, like us, can suffer. The only road to compassion is to recognize that they are not our property, our food, or our entertainment. VEGAN -- For the people, for the planet, for the animals.

For more information, please browse my blog, read the articles in the Extra section, or visit my links.

Contacts

Mail: laura@julytree.org
AIM: screamingmanatee
Facebook: link

Hosted

Maddi @ words.julytree.org
Renee/KT @ meltedrainbows.julytree.org
Torrie @ stacy.julytree.org

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Changes
01.20.10

music: Matchbox 20 - "How Far We've Come"
mood: Sentimental

Things are changing, majorly. I just cut off 8 inches of my waist-long hair that I thought I'd never cut. But it was a big step for me, showing me I don't have to be afraid of change, that I can embrace it. For years I was so attached to my hair that the thought of parting with it made me cry. But no more!

I am re-evaluating a lot of things in my life now, which might cause some pain to those who are close to me. But it must be done.

I don't know where I'll be in a year from now, but I'm working on it. I just need to make my own path without letting my inhibitions hold me back.

We are going to Hawaii soon and I can't wait. I want a break from life and a change of pace.

Please also visit this new website for our renovated animal advocacy group: Richmond Friends of Animals. It's finally a website based solely around MySQL! Haha, Julytree.org is so retro with CGI. But I like it that way (for now)!


08:31 PM EST
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WaWa
10.08.09

music: Television
mood: Excited

Meet WaWa! He is a 4 year old chihuahua who was scheduled to be euthanized at a shelter. When we found out about him, we adopted him right away. Life with 3 dogs at home is going to be quite hectic, but we're adjusting and everyone is beginning to get along. WaWa is such a sweetie and is so friendly and trusting. I wonder what kinds of things he experienced in life before he came to us, and how he can still be so loving after being abandoned.

Bear's health is doing better, Powder is learning to make friends with WaWa, and all is well, for now.




09:43 PM EST
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Bear
09.13.09

music: Tegan and Sara - "Back in Your Head"
mood: Worried

This year has been one of the hardest of my life.

If all the trauma from the last few months wasn't enough, with the death of Mango, my grandma, and my parakeets, as well as Powder's pneumonia and several major life changes... our older dog Bear was just diagnosed with kidney failure. He seems to be hanging in there still, but we don't know much about his prognosis. Josh has had Bear since he was in 3rd grade, so of course, this news is heartbreaking for him and his family.

Every time I begin to believe in life again, something like this comes along and makes me realize my own mortality once more. I guess death is a natural part of life, but it took me 21 years to really be hit in the face with it like I have been this year.

I have lost loved ones many times before, but it just seemed like it was their "time," and my time was so far away from approaching. Now, at 21 years of age, I feel like I can taste my demise. Pretty sad, since at 21, my life should just be beginning. Everyone wants to be this age for the fun times and the parties, and all I can think about is dying.


03:22 PM EST
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Powder the Pitbull
08.29.09

music: Our Lady Peace - "All You Did Was Save My Life"
mood: Lazy

I haven't been writing a lot this summer. I can't believe my college is already starting up again tomorrow. It's kind of a relief that I'll never have to walk back onto that campus again (except at my leisure), but for some reason all of these life changes are bringing up a lot of memories. I work full time at PETA now, which has been an amazing experience, but I feel like the rest of my life has gone on hold. Friends, family, fun... it all just becomes a blur after you have fallen into a routine day after day. I want to break free and go on a vacation! I guess I just plunged full force into the real world with no real transition period. Norfolk is so far away from everything I've ever known that I don't feel quite like it's home yet. Every time I do travel up to Richmond or Northern Virginia, I just feel like my entire visit is such a rush because I don't have time for everyone and everything. I need to make some new memories, because right now, I am just reminiscing over every previous period of my life. I cannot believe I'm already 21 and my childhood will never come back. Being faced with mortality a lot this year after the death of Mango and my grandmother has made me realize that life is so temporary, and I am afraid. Powder was very sick with pneumonia several weeks ago, and I was worried I'd lose her too. Luckily, she's bouncing off the walls once again.

Speaking of Powder, I don't think I ever really explained her situation very thoroughly. When we found her back in March, she had been living with a family in a motel, and they no longer wanted her. They had often left her to roam the streets and just hoped she wouldn't come into any danger. Having her in my life has been so wonderful, despite the fact that she is a little monster who constantly causes commotion. One minute she's standing on the dinner table howling like a hound dog, and another she is digging through the trash or climbing a tree. It's definitely been a struggle, but in a good way. Powder is a pit bull mix, so having her around has also opened up my eyes a lot. In this country, pit bulls are one of the most hated and abused breeds. They're chained in backyards for their entire lives, beaten into submission, forced to fight, provided with very little veterinary care, and neglected. Of the millions of dogs who are euthanized every year, pit bulls make up a staggering number. When they do receive love and companionship, though, they will grow into some of the friendliest and loving dogs you'll ever meet. Everyone who meets Powder comments on her sweet demeanor and amusing character. Now that I've had a pit bull in my life, I feel drawn into this crisis and I hope I can do just a little to change things around.

To be honest, no one who's looking for a dog companion should ever buy from a breeder. Please, always adopt. There are millions of potential companions waiting in shelters facing death. Every time someone buys an animal, an adoptable shelter animal is condemned to die. I know people say that they are looking for certain traits in breeds, but do you really think you can't find a purebred in a shelter? There are entire rescue groups devoted to single breeds. And mixed breeds have advantages, too. All the dogs I've ever lived with have been mixed, and they've all been amazing and some of my best friends in life. They're certainly unique and come with their own quirks. There is a dog out there in a shelter or at a rescue organization who's waiting for you.




05:40 PM EST
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Endings and Beginnings
06.18.09

music: Television
mood: Strange

Well, my grandmother passed away last week. It all happened so fast. It's still really hard to believe. At first, I don't think I really absorbed it. I was almost relieved that she no longer had to remain in a comatose state that she had been in for the entire week before her death.

I miss so many things about her. Just the little things, like the way she used to make "finger sandwiches" for me at the beach. I still don't believe it's really happened. I know it's just a part of life, these things happen, but that doesn't take the sadness away. It does, however, make me think about death a lot and the fact that one day it will happen to me.

Life in Norfolk otherwise is pretty good. I haven't really gotten to spend any time with Josh, even though we are in the same house, because of the chaos. My new job is hectic but it's really interesting and I'm working on a lot of exciting things. Powder and Bear are doing well together, although Bear is having trouble eating as much as he would normally. We have to feed him many times each day to make sure he gets enough food, because he gets tired of eating after just a few bites.


11:15 PM EST
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