Comments on: How I Lost My Vegetarian Life

By: Guy LeCharles Gonzalez

Guy LeCharles Gonzalez — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 07:25:22 +0000

Despite knowing how badly animals are treated, I don't think I could ever be a vegetarian, but I do try to eat a bit smarter nowadays. Especially after my wife read The Omnivore's Dilemma! Ick. Dilemma, indeed.

I totally agree with you about Cracker Barrel as road trip food. Sometimes we'll take a mini-road trip just to justify eating there!

By: Jane Friedman

Jane Friedman — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:18:11 +0000

In response to cczivko & Kellie: Yes! Recognition & admission! So peculiar to me how sometimes we desperately want to change an aspect of our life or identity, yet can also be hard on ourselves when we change unexpectedly. As you say, it can be difficult to let go of the labels we've used to differentiate us.

I realized I was undergoing a struggle when I suggested to another vegetarian traveling with me that he ought to eat meat too. When we're uncertain or insecure, one of our first instincts is to reach out for some company — to reassure us we're doing the right thing.

I love the attitude of stop explaining (or worrying)! Most explaining in life is totally unnecessary (as it is in writing).

By: Jane Friedman

Jane Friedman — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 19:52:22 +0000

Fortunately, in Cincy, there has been strong support of restaurants using local produce and meats, which usually means organic and humanely raised. Here's to hoping the locavore movement takes stronger hold.

By: jeannevb

jeannevb — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 03:24:24 +0000

You threw up on your mother too? I only did it when forced to drink milk. But, in all fairness, I threw up on the lunch lady too.

Yes, Jane, you are officially not a vegetarian. Welcome back. Very fun post : )

By: Michael Wheatley

Michael Wheatley — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:39:55 +0000

Very proud of you for coming clean… or going dirty… Oh, you know what I mean.

~TC

By: Kellie

Kellie — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:03:35 +0000

Kudos for posting about this, Jane. I went through similar myself. I was a strict vegetarian for more than a decade, dabbled with periods of veganism, and then my strictness slowly loosened. A bite of this here, an okay to that there, a not-asking-what-kind-of-stock-it's-made-of somewhere else. I can't even explain it. The hardest part was recognizing and admitting it. There's a good amount of guilt involved, as well as a weighing of priorities and feelings and even of personal identity. It's not easy. I applaud you for putting your feelings out there.

I've always thought the “flexitarian” label, as Marisa above mentions, just plain silly (not meant as offense, Marisa), so I just skip it. My vegetarianism only ever came up as a matter of necessity; now, I feel no need or reason to explain what I do or don't eat or by how much. And happily, being a vegetarian for so long expanded my knowledge of tofu, beans, and dishes and preparation methods I might never have learned about otherwise, and because of my age at the time, it formed the backbone of how I learned to cook. I still eat far more veg than meat, but rather than worry about what to call it, I just make my decisions as I go along, and go about my day.

By: cczivko

cczivko — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:41:43 +0000

I understand where you're coming from. I was never much of a TV watcher (didn't own one for years in college) and stopped watching TV altogether after 9/11. It has become part of my identity to say “I don't watch TV.” However, when Nurse Jackie (I'm a critical care nurse) and Glee (and lover of theater) came along things changed. I even subscribed to Showtime in order to watch Nurse Jackie (yes, she keeps it real). And my 13 year old daughter and I started a ritual of watching Glee together. Although both shows are in their respective off-seasons and I haven't replaced them with anything else, I have to admit: I watch TV. What can I say? People change.

By: Marisa Birns

Marisa Birns — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:35:53 +0000

I think the tired “flexitarian” label is what I'm going with. I don't eat as much meat as I once did, though. As a matter of fact, I can go weeks without eating it. But if I attend a dinner where meat is served, I do enjoy it.

However, one has to be so careful now about the quality of meat being served. So I'm eating less and less of it when I eat at restaurants. Health reasons, animal cruelty reasons…are becoming more important for me as I get older.

My late father was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and he made the best empanadas. Now, I make them with vegetables and they are just as good without the meat.

But, when I was in Italy…YUM to pork sausage dinner!