To Be or Not to Be?

To be or not to be?

That is NOT the question!

The real question is...

"Is that Original Oldgirl LadyLee a Vegan or a Vegetarian?"

Honestly, I thought the two terms were the same.

(Honestly, I never really cared... Much less thought about it).

Anyway, boys and girls, lets look at the two terms.

In other words, gather around Oldboys and Oldgirls, it's education time.

*Lee does the happy dance*

One of my goals (and check the goal list, goals keeper Serenity3-0), was to read a book a season about vegetarianism. It is important to educate myself about it all. I have been digging around in two books: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Living by Beverly Bennet et. al. and The New Becoming Vegetarian by Vesanto Melinda et. al.

It's been very intersting reading indeed. There's like a whole spread of different types of vegetarians. Too many to list here, so I've narrowed it waaay down.

Let's define some terms:

Vegetarian - is a diet that excludes all meat (fish, game, red meat, poultry).

Near Vegetarian - a diet that includes some meat, fish or poultry. Also known as semi-vegetarian.

Near Vegan - a diet that excludes all meat, eggs, and dairy products. This can range from no eggs or dairy, but could care less about traces of animal products in prepared foods to eating pizza or ice cream or whatever every now and then. They largely exclude egg and dairy products though.

Vegan - a diet which includes the avoidance of ALL products of animal origin. This include eggs, dairy, gelatin, and honey (made by bees). Not only are animal products avoided in the diet, but they are also avoided in other areas: no leather, no silk, no wool, no feathers, etc... No going to the circus, no hitting up a pet store, none of that.

*big MC Hammer dancin' crickets*

*crickets having visions of crickets*

Man, I was alright up until that Vegan definition. Avoidance of ALL product os animal origin.

I was lost at giving up honey, just because it is made by an insect.

I'm not too sure that I know of many sistas who will give up the silk panties.

And dudes like their silk boxers too.

(Ain't NOTHING like a brutha in some silk draws. Nothing).

And this Oldgirl would NEVER give up leather sneakers. If that had to be the case, I might as well go down to Fat Matt's Rib Shack over on Piedmont Road and order up a slab of ribs and half a bird, man.

Really.

(And you might as well throw me out the window if you think I'm giving up my down pillows and my down comforter. We gonna FIGHT like some mad dogs in the street if you think I'm giving THAT up.)

Man, that whole vegan lifestyle is waaaay too much thinking. Waaaaaaay too much.

I don't knock it. You do you. I always support you doing you.

I found it VERY interesting that vegans are warned not to get a "holier-than-thou" attitude because of picking on people who choose to do differently.

(I myself have seen this before).

One author warned vegans to not go picking on folk if they aren't vegetarian because people watch you and will call you out on your mess. Really.

It is unfair, it is. That's a daunting, stringent choice, and not right for everybody. I prefer to work hard on my lifestyle change, and do the best I can do. If I slip up and eat a pot of chitlins, so be it. Get back up, dust myself off and keep it moving.

I saw on the news that the animal rights people were upset that Obama killed a fly.

I am sure these people are some hardcore vegans.

I can't fanthom being upset about a fly.

If you think I would twist my mouth to whine about President Obama putting the smackdown on a pesky housefly to my Grandmother, who didn't get her civil rights until she was in her 30s or 40s...

... then you smoking something.

And it ain't a simple cigarette.

The rights of a housefly.

Black folks don't even have all their rights. Heck, women don't even have all their rights.

Work all that out, and I might think about the rights of a whale, a seal, a dog, a cat...

... or a housefly.

Okay, let me get off my soapbox. I'd be in major trouble if a wonderful vegan came over here and read this.

But like Mister said, This here is MY mailbox, i.e., this here is my blog, and I sayest how I feelest!

But anyway, I would consider myself Near Vegan.

And I won't be impressed with myself 'til I hit the 100 day mark.

It's only been approximately

50 days

1206 hours

72360 minutes

4341600 seconds since this all started.

I exclude all meat, eggs, and dairy. I had some quiche that I thought was tofu, but it was actually organic free range eggs. I had that twice, but that's about it.

I was never a big milk drinker, and I prefer the almond, rice, and hemp milks instead. I had a slice of cheese once. That's because it came on a black bean burger, and I didn't feel like fighting with peeps over it. (I'd already had to send the salad back).

But that's about it. I could give a flip about what is in my prepared food. (I ask, and leave it alone if it is dairy or egg related if I can).

I'm sorry. I am NOT having a conniption fit over that type stuff. I have too much other stuff on my mind.

Shoot, I took a gang of hot wings to my writing workshop last week. Whatever. Thought the meat eaters would appreciate some hot wings and ranch and bleu cheese dip on a balmy Friday night...

(Too bad everyone there was vegetarian except the host. LOL!!)

So there you have it... a VERY simple primer on some things I never knew, and some things I bet you never knew.

Yeah, and go tell all of that to the housefly buzzing around your house.

Sure that sucka would be terribly interested...

...And would be hoping and praying that you are vegan.

LOL!!