Dear Veganism

Dear Veganism,
Oh how I love you. Let me count the ways you make me happy...

1. I never have to worry about my food going bad if I forget to put it in the fridge. With no dairy products or meat, I don't have to refridgerate things all the time (which comes in handy for a picnic)
2. I am afforded a luxurious life of regular BMs. Ahhh, the regularity. It's ok to be jealous.
3. I have the opportunity to try out all kinds of new healthy recipes using ingredients I'd never imagined
4. I am able to spread the word (I am not a Vegonomicon thumper, don't worry) when people ask about the yummy food I've brought
5. I have experienced some weight loss, but my knee pain and massive appetite have not allowed it to stay as steady as I'd like. That seems to be a constant struggle for me-vegan or not
6. I find that my decisions about my diet have helped me to stay flexible as well. This may be a terrible thing for strict vegans to hear, but I have a rule...Vegetarian 100% of the time, and Vegan 98%. I haven't eaten cheese or had a glass of milk or an egg, but I have had food that had some egg white or milk in it...I find that flexibility to help me out in emergency situations, and also shows people that are interested in the lifestyle that you can deviate and still make healthy, animal-friendly choices
7. I'm discovering vegetables, spices and flavors I've never tried, and finally learned to love tomatoes, which is crazy for me, but the ones out of my garden were amazing!
8. I've met a lot of wonderful internet "friends" who share their recipes and experiences and provide me motivation with continuing the lifestyle

Ok, enough lovey dovey kissy veganism. It just makes me happy and I'm glad that I am doing it. And how the heck can I like tofu this much? Even I don't understand.