I think it’s easier to accomplish a sandwich if you eat meat. However, that could just be me. To me, it seems as if there is a lack of options. Maybe that is due to my limited definition of a sandwich: meat and cheese. Which, if you think about it is pretty limited.

Okay, what makes for a sandwich if you’re forgoing salami and cheese? There’s always peanut butter, or just cheese. I have few complaints for either, other than a steady diet of either is going have some negative consequences weight-wise. Then, there is hummus, which I love and make from scratch. By itself, though, it’s more like a condiment than the excellent source of protein it is. So, I think sliced veggies, maybe some sprouts and/or lettuce, too.

Some folks will suggest marinated tempeh or eggplant or zucchini. Those are good ideas; but, I usually want a sandwich on the fly, and those options take preparation and planning. I am not vegan, so eggs are an option; yet, they are easy to overdo, too. I do eat veggie burgers, but I don’t want a steady diet of them.

I haven’t tried any of the veggie “sandwich meats.” They are expensive and unappealing to me. Maybe I’ll give them a shot sooner or later.

What about you? Do you have a non-animal flesh sandwich you like and want to recommend?

My big concern in meeting my goal is in sustaining it over the long haul. I can do pretty much anything over the short run. One year constitutes “the long run,” I think.

My biggest temptation so for was a sudden urge to eat some jerky the other day. But, that passed pretty quickly. One of the other things is convenience. It is far more convenient to be a meat eater; it’s ubiquitous. You have to think things through a little more if you are opting out of the carnivorous lifestyle. For me, at least, that involves pre-cooking several dishes on the weekend so they are ready during the week.

Or, maybe I just over think it.

I’ve been meaning to get back to it for quite some time, but inertia…you understand. Then, I decided to conduct a personal experiment for the next year – all 366 days of it.  I am going to spend the next year NOT eating meat.  Mostly, I just want to see if I can do it.  But, part of me is also developing a much different perspective on the use of animals for food.  Again, though, it’s mostly because I just want to see if it’s something I can accomplish – much as some of my friends periodically give up alcohol, tobacco, or caffeine.

Strange how people respond when you say you’re going to give up meat, even if only temporarily.  Some seem to take it personally and say some fairly harsh things.  I don’t really get attacking someone’s personal choices in such a manner.  Folks who know me know I have a pretty strong libertarian (small ‘l’, not large) streak running through me; so, I really do try to accept people’s choices at face value.  If they’re making an obviously harmful choice, based on objective evidence – not my opinion, then I will say something.  But, when it comes to daily, life choices, it’s simply none of my business.

I’ve had a love/hate relationship with meat for the better part of the last twenty years.  I love meat.  I am well known as a fairly accomplished smoker/griller, and I admit to thoroughly enjoying the positive accolades I get when I turn out something that is especially tasty.   On the other hand, the older I get the less I like being involved in killing and violence.  And, make no mistake, if you eat meat, you’re involved in the killing of the animal, however passively.  This is something many try to avoid acknowledging, but it is true.  I am guessing this awareness for me has increased as I’ve amplified my studies in Buddhism…mindfulness and interconnectedness being key components of Zen study.  Not all, maybe not even most Buddhists, are vegetarians.  But, a good many are aware of the food process from start to finish, even the ugly bits.

I don’t plan to preach, but I am sure some will take my comments over the next year in that way.  That’s unfortunate.  I am far more likely to “preach” about environmental and forestry practices, which I will also be commenting on as the year progresses.  That’s something about which I feel quite passionately.  I hope I can convince you to be just as passionate about it.  We need to “put feets to our prayers” to quote a preacher from my youth.

Oh, and my first non-meat meal of the year 2012?  The very fine Where’s the Beef sandwich served to me by Courtney and Olga at Espresso World in Kennewick, Washington.  Mmm…mmm…good!

If you’re new to my blog, then I highly recommend reading many of the previous entries, which mostly cover my time in Saudi Arabia.  I think you will enjoy them.  If you’ve followed me in the past, you may enjoy re-reading some of them.

1. Kudus – In my weight loss journey, I’ve given up most fast food.  However, one place that has remained in my repertoire of quick eats is a place called Kudus.  Kudus serves pretty fair Philly-style (not actual Philly cheesesteak sandwiches) sandwiches of both the beef and cheese variety, as well as a very light meat and salad plate of both the beef and cheese variety.  In fact, most everything they have is fairly light and fairly healthy.  You can get stuff that isn’t; but, why do so if you can get something tasty and fairly healthy?  Plus, they have a very inexpensive, quasi-Western style breakfast, which is very good.  So, yes, I’ll miss Kudus.
2. Hummus – Some of you may be saying, “But, Greg, you can get hummus in the US of A.”  Technically, you’d be correct.  In a taste quality challenge sense, you’d be incorrect.  Although I am sure I can find some really good, freshly made hummus somewhere in the US, I have never been so lucky.  Most of it gets made from powdered mixes, combined with olive oil (hopefully), to yield this blah paste meant to be reminiscent of actual hummus.  The hummus over here is to die for…thick and fresh…with this near smoky flavor that I am unsure how to emulate.  I plan to learn to make fresh hummus once I am home.  I can only hope to do it as well.
3. Mama Nouras – This very famous place (grown into a small chain) is a Mediterranean grill run by Turkish entrepreneurs.  Although it is the original, numerous Mama <insert name of choice> grills have popped up all around Saudi Arabia, hoping to find the same success and praise.  I’ll stick with Mama Nouras.  Grilled kebaabs, wings, riyash (ribs – applicable to any rib, but specifically to lamb ribs), outstanding falafel sandwiches, excellent side dishes (hummus, baba ganoush, taboulis), and shawarma (served only after 4pm)…the place is cheap and so damned tasty.  I guarantee there will NOT be a Mama Nouras in the US…especially not in Cottage Grove.

That’s three specific things.  I might think of a few more.  But, those are the biggies.

Then, we plan to watch a movie and/or try to stream one of the NFL games across the Internet, hoping to create a sense of Thanksgiving back home.  Thanksgiving is my personal favorite holiday.  So, I always want to make something out of it…no matter where I am at.  It’s not quite the same here; but, just as when I was in the Navy overseas, you do the best you can to make it is nice as you are able.

To you and all of yours:   A VERY HAPPY, HAPPY, SAFE AND ENJOYABLE THANKSGIVING!!!!

And, if you have a chance to give holiday greetings to one of our men or women serving in the Armed Forces, especially overseas, please do so.  As someone who has served overseas, in the military, during the Holidays, I can tell you just how important it is to know your friends and family are thinking of you.

Please use a designated, sober driver if you drink during your festivities.

It’s sure going to be nice to be home, though I am not sure how we’ll fill the financial coffers.  We’ll manage somehow.  We always do.  But, so far, the timing seems right to end this chapter in our lives.  I’ll have more musings on this subject in the future.

The blog will not end.  I have a lot more to say on many subjects.  I’ll bet you’re shocked by that, huh?

I will be making some more posts in the next few weeks about KSA, including photo links to some cool pictures.

1.  A4 Paper – This will only apply to Americans, actually.  In the U.S., the standard paper size is 8-1/2″ X 11″, or Letter size as it is also known.  Because Americans believe themselves to be the center of the universe (and it’s true to some extent), they think everyone else in the world uses their standards.  This is not the case…certainly not with paper size.  The standard paper size over here is A4, which is slightly longer than Letter size.  This can be disconcerting when you print out a document from Word, and it is set-up for Letter size, only to find the printer has A4 sheets in the feeder.  To make it worse, some folks DO use Letter; so, you often won’t know what you are going to get until AFTER you print.  So, you always need to check.

2.  You Can’t Move Cars Involved In Accidents – Unlike in the U.S. (I don’t know about the UK or other European countries), you may NOT move a car involved in an accident here in Saudi Arabia.  You will be arrested if you do so before the police tell you that you may.  There are a lot of accidents in Riyadh, and this particular law causes an awful lot of traffic congestion issues.  Just a couple of weeks ago, I was about to walk into a restaurant and witnessed a wreck occur across the street.  The accident involved about six cars, on a major boulevard, so it caused a lot of havoc.  Then, going the other way, two lookie-loo cars got into a wreck at the corresponding spot on the near side.  More congestion.  Each major boulevard or avenue has a service street parallel it on each side for easier and safer access to stores.  Two more lookie-loos had another major wreck, with major damage at approximately the same spot.  None of these cars could be moved until the police said they could be.  We’re talking nearly three hours between the first accident to the clearance of the last automobile.

3. Dust, Dust, Everywhere Dust – I grew up in the Panhandle of Texas.  That means dust.  You can dust the house and come back an hour later to find more dust.  It’s a way of life.  It’s also about half the effort required to stay on top of the dust here in Riyadh.  Even if you keep our windows closed, you will find layers of dust on everything, regardless how often you dust.  Lots of folks employ maids (very cheap labor), so they don’t care.  But, if you do your own housekeeping, this is one of the most frustrating aspects of living here.  And, the dust is often red, which can wreak havoc on your white linens.  Dust is always in the air.  In fact, about the only time there is no dust in the air is right after a rain shower.  Given how often it rains hear, maybe 3 times a year, you can imagine how much dust is floating in the air – even on a clear day.

So, I’ve been kind of down recently about it, and trying to figure out how to get it jumpstarted DOWN again, and this negative thought and that negative thought…blah, blah, blah.

So, tonight, I stop at Starbucks to get a latte.  A couple of the guys with whom I’ve become friendly were there.  I had not seen either during Ramadan, so they had not seen me in over a month.  One’s a well-educated Nepalese guy, the other a Saudi kid raised in Florida (who would love to go back there).

Both of them, at the same time, see me and say, “You’ve lost so much weight!!”  They went on and on about how much I’d lost, how good I looked, how much smaller my stomach was now than it used to be.  Man, I just let them go and soaked it ALL up.

Perspective.  Although I still want to lose another 20 pounds, I am so much healthier and healthier looking than I was this time last year it is not even funny.

Sometimes, a well-timed compliment can do so much for you.

The Muslim holy month comes to a conclusion this Saturday, and Eid begins on Sunday.  Things start getting back to normal after that.  A lot of the restaurants and stores will be closed on the first day of Eid, as most Muslims will find their way to the Mosque – and spend the day with family – in much the same way we Westerners spend Christmas or Thanksgiving with our families.  Eid lasts three days (five days in Saudi Arabia), but most non-Saudi Arabs I know only observe the first day, then return to work.  The Saudis go for the gusto.  In fact, the government workers have been on holiday since Tuesday.  If things go as they have the past three years, King Abdullah will extend the holiday by an extra week, and it takes them a day to get through greetings upon their return before they actually get back to work.

For the Westerners, the primary change comes with being able to get coffee on the way to work in the mornings, as well as being able to go to lunch and not have to pay an exorbitant price at some hotel – where they hide you deep in the dark center of the structure so no one can see you and the other infidels ignoring the Ramadan fasting strictures.

I say that Eid begins on Sunday, but that actually depends on if a group of religious scholars see the new waxing moon Saturday night or not.  Each country has their own group who defines the start and end of Ramadan.  Usually, all the countries agree on the start and end; but, last year there was controversy, and both Iraq and Syria said that Ramadan started and ended one day after all the other Islamic countries said it started and ended.  This year, there has been no such controversy.

The first year I experienced Ramadan, I did so with a some trepidation, having never been through it before then.  But, after four of them, it’s not that big a deal.  There are ways to make do if you’re intelligent about it.  I haven’t starved, yet.

If you’re interested, or simply don’t remember, you can do a search on this blog using the key words Ramadan and iftar to read what I wrote about the past three Ramadans.  I go into more detail in those entries.

Eid mubarak!