Intro To My Vegetable Dungeon

     Hello, my name is Atepa Hathor Makalani.

 

    In the past three years I have undergone many major lifestyle changes, most recently was slowly transitioning into a Vegan lifestyle. I'm still not there 100% but I am pretty freak'n close. I would love to take you along my merry Vegan journey this upcoming new year. 

    Not only am I transitioning into a Vegan lifestyle I am also getting back in touch with my gothic roots. I would like this blog to be a resource for other dark alternative people and animal lovers to come together to share tips and tricks to live a healthy plant based alternative lifestyle. Not only will I be sharing recipes and videos I would also like to share healthy lifestyle habits with alternative fashion and culture. 

 Mooooving away from dairy and my humble beginnings:

     I guess we can say where my vegan journey all began was in my early teens when I took a tour with a 4H club at a local dairy farm. I was very overwhelmed, not only with the pathetic state of the dairy cows and the tragedy of learning about veal calves, but also the all-encompassing putrid smell of cow feces, EVERYWHERE. I couldn't stand the thought of drinking cows' milk for at least a month.

    Even as a young child I loved animals dearly and can remember aspiring to be veterinarian as early as the 2nd grade.

     Growing up my best friend was a black tabby cat named Katie. She tragically passed when I was a freshman in high school and that was the catalyst that sparked my interest in the macabre and dark gothic subculture.

     As I made more friends throughout high school, my new best friend (who we will refer to as LJ,) was already living a vegetarian lifestyle. This adapted me well into awareness for animal liberation and alternatives to the socially accepted carnist mainstream.

    As I learned to prepare vegetarian meals, as a blossoming young chef, I was soon to meet my first girlfriend! A vegetarian gutter punk princess named, Gina. She was stunning with a beautiful purple mohawk.

        I will never forget my first date with Gina at a local Thai restaurant where we both ordered tofu curries and made out in the booth. She ended up moving to California and we lost contact, but she initiated my love of tofu as well as Thai curry.

    Gina and I were both street kids and would roam the city streets way past curfew, unfortunately I was soon to find myself being homeless around the age of 16. I had to eat what I could get but thanks to my local 7th Day Adventist church I was able to get a lot of resources as well as healthy vegetarian food. I still volunteer at the church sometimes to this day. 

 

     I quickly grew tired of living on the streets and the troubled and very cold life that I led. So, I applied to join the Job Corps. where I made many new friends and acquired a Pantry Chef Degree.

 

 

 

Making the Switch:

 

     I wouldn't make the switch to committing to vegetarianism until I was 21 when I found a job at a local organic supermarket. (Currently I just celebrated my 38th Birthday.) While working at the organic market I was able to familiarize myself with lots of plant-based brands. During this time, I was laid off due to new ownership and I had just moved into an apartment with a friend named JT. I had to search for a new job, and I did eventually find one at another organic grocery store, but unfortunately it was not soon enough for JT. He expressed his frustration by physically attacking me. I was lucky to live not far from my mother where I stayed until I could save up enough to live on my own without roommates.

     Finally, I was living on my own working as a hotel clerk but my boyfriend (DD,) at the time (I was 23) convinced me to give up vegetarianism.

    Around the age of 24 I was hospitalized for my first Bipolar episode. During my time in the hospital, I ate mostly vegetarian but due to a lack of physical exercise I gained about 80 lbs.

    I worked very hard to lose the weight becoming Vegan for a month at the age of 25 and then making a commitment to vegetarian diet again until 2012. During this time period I got my cholesterol in check and managed to lose most of the extra weight, 

    I then began to dabble in power lifting and body building and my personal trainer convinced me to eat meat again. which I did for a very long time. 

    I really started to blossom into my plant based lifestyle when I started volunteering at the 7th day Adventist church,  and then once I started working at planet fitness I became more hyper focused on fitness.  By then it had become a lifestyle. 

    It wasn't until I was hospitalized from another bipolar episode in 2021 that I continued living a predominant plant based lifestyle. And then by May 2022 I began having a very hard time wanting to eat meat. My ability to tolerate the texture of meat deteriorated, I was finding that chicken was my only safe food.  I knew not much longer I would become a full time Vegan.

 Focusing on a change:

     i am starting to get my life together again, focusing on a compassionate plant based lifestyle and maintaining a sustainable house hold.

    My goals for this coming year are to progress in being more vegan and eliminating animal products from my house and my diet. My Fitness goals are to tone my body more as I continue to lose weight. I would like to focus more on yoga and belly dancing as well as weight lifting.

    I would also like to focus on running my businesses as well as my blog and YouTube channel. Also I would like to make my house more of a home and reduce my waste and decrease my carbon foot print.

     

 

    I've come a long way over the past 20 years, I got off the streets, worked on my mental and physical health, worked on my career path, and disassociated myself from toxic unhealthy relationships. Every day I have gone on this Vegan lifestyle transformation has been an immensely better day, everyday. And I hope to spend the rest of my Vegan journey with you as we shoot for the stars.