If you haven't already, you must go over to my little sister's page and read her entry! Warning: You better have already eaten a meal before you read it or else you'll end up twice as hungry! *wink*

So... a random observation. For those of you who don't know, I'm a vegetarian. I'm technically considered a "pescetarian" because I do eat fish. I don't eat poultry, pork, beef or game. And, I also don't consume dairy products--- my milk and cheese are all soy-based.

Whenever someone learns this fact about me, they usually respond with: "Oh, I could *never* give up meat! I like hamburgers/steak/etc. too much!"

And I usually reply with: "It's not that you couldn't give up meat, it's that you don't choose to do so...and that's ok. That's a personal choice."

The reason I say that is because *I* chose to give up meat. I chose to give up dairy. I chose to eat healthier and have a healthier lifestyle. This does NOT mean that I'm any better than anyone, it simply means that this is a choice that I made. There was a time that I ate chicken and pork and steak and cheese. It's not as though I have spent my entire life as a vegetarian.

What *will* be different for me is that I became a vegetarian in my 20s, but I plan to raise my FUTURE child as one. Ben likes the idea for our someday-kid to eat like I do: no meat or dairy but still fish/seafood. That is, barring that s/he doesn't have an allergy like her/his daddy! *wink* I know it'll be a little more challenging to raise a vegetarian child than a carnivore, but I also feel that doing so in the next decade is going to be a lot easier than if my parents had decided to raise ME that way 30+ years ago!

There are so many wonderful meatless products out on the market now but I think people just shy away from trying them because they automatically think back to the hippy days of tofu and go: Yuck!! I think it's really cool that my VERY carnivorous sister will occasionally eat something meatless---and likes it! Just think of all the health benefits you receive if you replace just one meal a week with a meatless option! :-)

Anyway, I'm not here to get up on a soapbox and preach to you guys. I'm okay if you eat meat so long as you're okay that I don't. I'm not a supporter of P.E.T.A., because they're too radical for my tastes---their intent is in the right place, but their methods are all wrong.

And if you ever CHOOSE to give up meat, lemme know... I'd be happy to give you suggestions and support and advice! And if you DON'T that's okay, too!!! :-)

Until next time...peace, love & HEALTH!!!