The Life and Times of a Vegetarian

Well, as you all know from my last blog, I am a vegetarian and have been for 10 years. Being a vegetarian is relatively easy for me, it always has been. However, other people find it highly irregular and ridiculous. This makes me feel ridiculous on a regular basis. Whether it's being made fun of for the 1000th time from my Uncle, "bawk, bawk bawk--Becky can't eat chicken." or the ever-popular "Do you want any beef, Becky?" and then an uproarious laugh about how funny it is that he/she asked me such a hilarious question. No--I've never heard that one. Then, there's the absolutely horrified looks that my grandma gives me every time we eat together, "I don't know what you eat--are you getting enough to eat?" Grandma, seriously, look at me...I am CLEARLY getting enough to eat.

Anyone who really knows me, knows that I hate the following things more than ANYTHING...
1. When someone makes something "special" for me to eat at a function. I've been doing this for a while, so I have it down...give me some salad (which is present at almost every meal) and I'll be good. Usually, when you make me something special, I don't like it anyways, and I have to choke it down to be polite, when I'd be much, much happier eating salad and bread. Leave me the heck alone!
2. People chattering on endlessly about how I am a vegetarian as I eat and commenting on everything that I eat/do not eat. Listen, I do not comment on what you eat, I don't EVER make anyone feel guilty about eating chicken, turkey, beef or whatever else you put on your plate...ever. Why does everyone feel the need to comment on everything I eat. SO. ANNOYING!

Now, let me tell you a little story...about Friday. I went to an Adviser's day at probably my least favorite restaurant in the entire world--Northwoods. If you haven't been in there, don't go. There are dead animals all around the place, but MORE importantly, they kicked my brother out of there once and he had to press charges against them.

Okay, so anyways. I went to Northwoods for Advisers Day. First of all, let me tell you that I am also trying to do a low-carb diet, so this makes things even more interesting. First of all, there were doughnuts, from Munster Doughnuts...AkA best doughnuts EVER. I passed, I didn't get a whole lot of flack for that. Then, the waitress comes upstairs and takes our order. They only have a side salad as a vegetarian option. So, I say...very calmly, very casually, "I'll just have the salad." Everyone looks at me aghast...WHAT?? I just want a salad? Then, I have to have the awkward, yet inevitable "I'm a vegetarian" conversation, which usually ends in people looking away awkwardly because they don't know how to respond.

The food comes 1-2 hours later, and then it sinks in for everyone that I really am a vegetarian. I eat my side salad and I am done 100 years before everyone else, so I go to get my chair massage (awesome? right!). When I come back everyone says, "Don't worry Becky! We got you a plate of rice and veggies!" Everyone looks exceedingly proud when they say something like this to me! It goes right along with "I made you vegetable quiche!" or "I made you a special casserole!" I hate this. Now, on my plate I have broccoli, carrots, corn and rice. Because of the low-carb thing, I can only eat the broccoli and some of the carrots. I can only eat two of those items, so then I look like a huge jerk, because they ordered it "special" for me and I only eat a little bit of it. GOODNESS!! So then, I have to hear about that. Finally, they have dessert, which I ALSO can't eat...so I looked like a huge idiot all day long, because it's not like I weigh 110 pounds and people are like "Oh, she just eats healthy." that's not the case. It was bad.

I can only imagine the chaos that will ensue when I have to say to people, "I don't eat meat--except for humane, cage-free, animal welfare approved chicken that I have to order specially through local farms." I'm thinking I may just stick with the "vegetarian" angle for occassions such as these.

I have, however, made my decision--I will be eating chicken and we have placed an order through two places, one a local farm in Illinois that sells organic, cage-free "certified humane" chicken breast that delivers to your doorstep and the second, an organic co-op that has a pick-up point once a month.

We'll see how it goes! :) I'm feeling better about my decision, mostly because I've actually made a decision.

I have also lost 6 lbs so far on Atkins, and I feel good! :)