About

So this is where I write “About” myself, huh? Hi, I’m Morgan. I am pretty sure that I have ten followers right now, so these words are being written with no intention of being read. Maybe someday, someone will read this and connect with my words, and feel like they got some sort of benefit from spending their precious time here. And if no one ever reads this, that’s fine too. It will be my personal diary just floating around in the web world, and no one wants to pick it up and read it. It’s okay, I’m not really that interesting. But I am on a lifelong mission to make myself more interesting so give me a chance. It is actually just therapeutic and fun to start writing down what I eat and how I feel about it.

I have a passion for food. I don’t know if that sounds weird to non-foodies, but I know foodies understand this concept. The way a musician feels about music, is how I feel about food. Cooking is my creative outlet, sharing food is my connection with others, and enjoying it is my connection to the earth, and myself. I guess I have always had an addiction to food, although I think I have now mastered the addiction because I love food for entirely different reasons than I used to.

I grew up eating what the majority of white middle-class kids eat. I was told to eat my veggies, but meat, dairy, and over-processed foods were also a large part of my diet. I was always an active and athletic kid so weight was not an issue for me. Not until college, anyway. I gained 30 or so lbs. in college, which is not surprising because I was pretty much doing nothing good for my health. I stayed up late, drank beer, ate crappy food, and couldn’t seem to stick to a workout schedule. So yeah, no surprise there. The last semester of my senior year, I had an aha! moment where I decided to change everything, and it happened very quickly. I started an intense workout routine, stopped drinking, and pretty much just focused on eating less. My interest in nutrition was sparked but I still did not understand real healthy food. I counted calories instead of nutrients. Either way, it worked – I think because as much as I was transforming my appearance, I was changing even more as a person. I “found myself” that spring. Or, started finding myself, anyway. Maybe it was because I finally broke off a relationship that should have been ended much earlier, or because I stopped going out with friends and had more “Morgan time,” but I spent so many hours thinking about the world and my place in it. More than ever, I felt inspired to help people, to travel, and to follow my passions. I wanted to be the best version of myself (who doesn’t?). Losing the weight was symbolic of the real changes that were happening for me. I became more independent, gained confidence, and let go of the bullsh*t story that society told me about how my life should be.

That summer after graduating, I left for New York to work at a summer camp as a canoe and kayak instructor and trip staff. It was an incredible experience, spending my days on the water with new friends from all over the world. I met an amazing friend from NYC who was vegan. I was so intrigued by her (very recent) decision to be vegan, and one thing she said was that she wanted to live a kind life. That sounded right up my alley, so I made a mental note to research vegetarianism when I got back to Colorado at the end of camp. Being vegan was not even on my radar, I distinctly remember declaring “I could NEVER be vegan!” More than once. Hah, oh silly old me.

That fall, I decided to try vegetarianism. I continued my research on the many reasons to go veg. As a knowledge seeker, I was not about to make changes unless I had made an informed decision. The more I learned, the more I started to see things clearly. Yes, clearly. The fog was lifted. I would not call my decision to be vegan difficult, and definitely not a sacrifice. It was more of an awakening. Now I feel like everyone else is missing out on what I have found! If you asked me why I decided to go veg, I would probably have a long windy response with hundreds of reasons. I’ll keep it as simple as I can for now: I’m vegan for the animals and the environment, I’m plant-based for my health.

I went back to grad school that same fall for a Master’s in Sociology. In grad school, I researched food insecurity in the US and nutrition based social programs. My Master’s thesis was an exploration of the cultural perceptions of female muscularity and the body experiences of female athletes. So what now?

I am now coaching gymnastics and working at a brand new organic juice bar in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I love that my jobs reflect my passion to grow a career in health and wellness. I don’t have a clue what I will end up doing with my life, but I know that I eventually want to be self-employed and doing what I love. Maybe I will be a health coach, open up a small cafe or tea lounge, or write books. I look forward to seeing where life takes me, and I know that as long as I keep pursuing what I love, I am in the right place. I will eventually move back to my beautiful home state, Colorado, but I am looking forward to life in New England for a little while! I also hope to travel a lot and maybe even someday move to another country. I want to live in a tropical location (Costa Rica?), near the beach, and grow my own mangoes, avocados, bananas, citrus. To live a minimalist life and focus on a simple approach to my human experience. Measure my success in smiles and inspirational moments, not what car I drive or how much money I have. For now, I am still just a dreamer operating in the “real world.”

I also want to say that I am SO grateful to even be able to write this blog. For so many people in the world, hunger is a real concern and legitimate threat. Having local access to fresh fruits and vegetables every day of the year is a privilege that only a portion of human beings on the planet have. This is an inspiration for me to strive towards helping areas in the US, as well as other countries, gain access to nutritious foods. I also have an incredible boyfriend who supports my endeavors, and the greatest dog in the universe who will always be my side kick. He will make guest appearances in the blog because he is my best buddy and it would be unlike me to not include him! Here is a video of his life. Plus, I have the internet and a computer which gives me access to a whole community of people from all over the world. And that is so freakin’ cool!