April 25, 2013
Opinion
5
Vegetarians like a nice meal out, too Before I begin, I would like to make one thing clear: I am a vegetarian. Now that we have that out of the way, let me tell my anecdote that instigated the writing of this article. This situation is more of a general occurrence rather than a specific event. I am sitting in a booth at a fine eating establishment, gazing at the menu. I begin to hesitate as I near the end of the food and transition into their plethora of satiating drinks. “Great,” I think to myself, “salad it is.” Yes, I have to sink down to a generic vegetarian meal. I am not amused. Now, I am in no way bashing the delicious, leafy greens, but it is time for some restaurants to get a reality check. Vegetarians seem to have this image of a skeletal humanoid sitting in a dark corner eating lettuce; an image that is far from the truth. We like to eat more than just salads. That is how we stay alive. In today’s world, when there are so many meat substitutes, veggie burgers, and many other “veg” options, it is a shame that many restaurants have not adopted some form of them to their menus. On the flip-side, I would like
A veggie burger with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing and gravy makes for a gourmet and vegetarianfriendly meal. AP Images Photo. to commend those restaurants that have taken the plunge into the world of vegetarianism and have begun to offer “veg” options (other than salads) on their menus. Shout-out to Culver’s, Burger King, etc. My world brightened the day that I saw these announcements on the big board at the above restaurants. My inner cheerleader rejoices for vegetarians all over the country as more establishments are recognizing the efforts of millions of these people around the world. But, just one more complaint (I swear). My beloved veg-friendly
restaurants, if you are going to offer these wonderful meals, make sure they are cooked correctly. If I have to eat one more over-cooked veggie burger, I might just become one of those aforementioned skeletal humanoids. Specifically, I remember ordering one from a not-to-benamed restaurant, only to find that over three-quarters of it was stonehard and over-cooked. I am sorry to say that I had to enjoy a delicious... salad sandwich. While I praise you for offering these alternatives, I would recommend that they are cooked correctly, just like any other meal.
Go hard when you go There are many things that involve a clearcut choice to do your best or not. The regrets of not doing your best at something or not caring about it can be very disheartening. I hear people say all the time that “I didn’t try” or “I don’t really care about that.” The question is, why? Why have regrets in your life by not doing your best? A great example of someone giving their full effort is Michael Jordan. Although he was always fairly talented, he put in the work that formed him into the best basketball player of all time. He especially worked on his weaknesses to make himself better. For example, he shot hundreds of baskets each day to improve his three-point shooting even though he was already a great player from driving to the basket. Eventually, he became a deadly three-point shooter improving from 13% from beyond the arc in ’88 to 50% in ’95. Playing unbelievable defense didn’t come easy for him
either. Jordan had to study his opponents, learn their tendencies, and dedicate himself to learning ways to stop them. Because he pushed himself, he is now one of the most recognizable athletes in the world. An example of people not giving it their all in the world is today’s Catholics. According to a Georgetown University Poll, about 26% of Catholics go to Mass every week. I bring this up because our faith should be near or at the center of our lives. If it is only two hours out of the year that you can find time for God (Easter and Christmas Masses), then do you really need Him? Will you need God if the world is about to end? Set your priorities so that you are able to give full effort to the things that matter. When I give my full effort to something and come out of it successful or even unsuccessful, it leaves me with no regret. Although it isn’t my favorite thing to do, when I study for a difficult Human Anatomy test and do well on it only because I worked my butt off, I know it was worth it. Although I may not want to run on those hot and sticky summer
days for football, I push through, and I am fulfilled. Even when I fail and don’t improve on my time in track, I know that I ran as hard as I could and practiced as hard as I could, so there is nothing more I could have done. I would regret it if I knew that I could have done better or if I knew it was easy to push myself. Reaching my full potential is a way of glorifying God for the gifts He has given me. Don’t go halfway because you’re lazy; do the best with what you have been given. It can be exhausting to always give your best effort; in fact, it is nearly impossible. As I wrote in the last issue, you have to find a happy medium with everything. In order to give full effort, we need to find those times to relax and take a deep breath so that when we are done resting, we can go hard when we go at the things that matter: faith, family, school, activities, etc. So the next time you are considering not trying at something, think about the gifts that God has given you and GO HARD.
Ben Valentine Opinion Writer
Do not take this article as a complaint for something that is my choice. I understand that it is my choice. I am simply fighting for these alternatives, much like many have fought to get healthier meals on these same menus, which has been quite successful. As a vegetarian, I would like to be remembered by more than just a plate of greens. I am more than that, and so are all the other vegetarians in the world. How about a blackbean burger with lettuce, avocados, tomatoes, and mustard on a toasted bun with kettle fries? I could live with that. Power to the consumer.
Bryan Banowetz Opinion Editor
Hall Talk “I don’t understand why I’m always in Hall Talk.”
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