This video got me about a year ago. Nothing super graphic, not at a slaughterhouse, not even any abuse. But the "simple" act of taking a newborn child away from their mother completely shattered any remaining dissonance I had about going vegan, personally.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL9QJEm_SJY

I will echo the other commenters suggestion to get some vegan creamers. Honestly, it may be worth considering cutting them off if they can't follow your rules in your own residence. There's plenty of food to eat that isn't meat (obviously); there's no excuse for them having meat delivered. If they can't go one week (not sure how long they're staying) without meat/dairy in your house, then they honestly don't care about your feelings.

I would ask them what foods they would prefer -- give them options like tofu, different beans, lentils, edamame, etc. Maybe make a soup with their chosen legume.

I would encourage you to compromise and """allow""" them to eat non vegan if you go to a restaurant. I understand this is really distressing, but with some people it can be helpful to focus on one goal at a time (e.g. no animal products in your residence).

I don't think you're a monster -- I think what you're doing is noble and deserves recognition. Often I have had to be a supportive friend in difficult pet health situations, so I absolutely know what it feels like.

However, I do question why you refer to Toasty as "it". I understand you're trying to distance yourself to lessen the emotional impact. However, if it were you taking care of her grandmother in her final days, would it be acceptable to refer to her as "it"?

I also do have to question why the final step is shooting the dog. I could see if you don't have funds for euthanasia, however there are a fair number of clinics and shelters out there that will do a free euthanasia if you explain the situation. I understand if that isn't feasible but I urge you to consider euthanasia.

Either way, I'm glad he's being taken care of in his final days. It's what every animal deserves, and it shows you care on some level, even if you are trying to deny that feeling. I hope you can both find some easing of tension in this incredibly stressful situation. Thank you for caring.

Thank you for posting sources

There are brands that specifically state "live and active cultures" on the main part of the label

edit: usually these will be in the refrigerated section. If it is a fermented product and it is being refrigerated at the store it is likely live.

Even though they're not traditional shooters, the Ratchet and Clank games are really fun. There's a pretty big genre difference in the games in the franchise, with generally the earlier games being more platform-ey, especially 1 & 2. A lot of the humor from the original trilogy still holds up today.

There's definitely some "unfun" parts in the games (giant mech fight from rac2 and the hacker from rac3 come to mind) but overall cozy imo. Some of the most unique and fun guns in any game.

If you're looking for strictly more shooter, check out Ratchet Deadlocked. There's barely any platforming and no mini games that I can remember, it's pretty much all shooting. NG+ makes it super cozy. It's really nice to play emulated.

Adding onto this, I didn't enjoy green tea until I started brewing it gong fu style with loose leaves. Teabags are acceptable for black tea but completely ruin green imo.

It's also worth noting that there's a noticable flavor and taste difference between different types of green (for example, I dislike the popular dragonwell, but love maofeng/mountain green tips). There's also a gulf of difference between Chinese and Japanese green teas, due to the processing. Usually Chinese tea is pan/wok/hot air fried, leading to a more nutty and complex profile, whereas Japanese greens tend to be steamed, leading to a more vegetal taste.

I also really like matcha, if you can afford the initial investment. It's definitely unique and can be an acquired taste. I really like the ippodo Sayaka/Horai, since it doesn't have a very strong umami taste, which can be off putting for people new to matcha.

Edit: and yes, there is actual science backing up your interpretation of green tea being less jittery. The L-theanine, an amino acid unique to green tea and a few mushroom varieties, has a balancing effect when paired with caffeine.

Surprised I haven't seen this here yet: https://rainbowplantlife.com/

I have made over 20 recipes from her and never once been disappointed. She's well-studied and it shows. I just bought her new book to support her and it's nice, but honestly for cooking books (learning how to cook good food, not recipes) I'd stick with Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat and then just use the recipes on the RPL (or other) website. How to Taste by Becky Selengut is also good, but I found it a little redundant after Salt Fat Acid Heat.

I would highly recommend reading either or both of those books if you are interested in improving your home cooking. I wasn't taught to cook growing up; I grew up in an abusive environment. I have spent 2+ years teaching myself how to cook really good food (2+ months for vegan specifically -- still baby🐥) and the most "bang for your buck" time investment that continues to reap countless rewards was definitely reading Salt Fat Acid Heat.