Vegan-Vegetarian-Carnivore?

I think I made a comment on one of my posts awhile back that I was eating meat in preparation for the trip to Romania. I made this decision with very mixed feelings, namely that I would probably enjoy the convenience of eating meat and just go back to it, but knew that I had to as the Romanian countryside isn't filled with convenience foods or people that are willing to tweak recipes for the ugly American (me, by the way).

It's been a little over a month since I started eating meat, and only in the last week have I really pumped it up so that I have eaten meat actually more than veggies-and I'm feeling it. Not to be gross, but bowels work so much better without meat. Lily and I are going through the same thing, only I can manage it a little better than a sweet calico.

I'll tell you what works for me-bacon. And by "works for me" I really mean "scares the shit out of me because I try to find every excuse to get bacon into a meal and let's just say I haven't lost any weight since I started eating meat". I'm posting some recipes that have meat in them, but mostly I can really take or leave meat.

Having said that, I'm in a rough spot. Considering I have probably eaten a total of 10 meals that have meat in them over the course of 40 days, I'm not sure that 'giving it up' again is really what I want to do. Since we have a friend that has a small farm, he's really helped us out by giving or selling us organic, free range, grain fed meat, and frankly, I've never had a problem with that kind of meat. Yes, I still feel that it isn't right to slaughter animals for meat, having said that, this is the world that we live in and me not eating meat isn't going to stop the market from existing. So instead of avoiding it altogether, I may choose to support it as needed (or desired really) but when doing so make the best choices, supporting the local agriculture of Southern Maryland.

So sound off, what do you guys think? I know that most of your are omnivores and support meat consumption, and I'm interested in your take on the whole thing.

The post is almost over I promise. One last thing. I don't want to eat meat. I am just so sick and tired of everyone saying things like "oh, we'll make something special for you" or "oh we didn't think you could go out to lunch with us b/c you don't eat anything at the restaurant". I don't know, it was harder being vegan and I'll tell you, being a vegetarian is like a cheese-filled dream.

This topic is far from over for me. I've got a lot of soul searching to do on this.

I'm Ranting a Bit...

I'm in a mood tonight. I just feel like blogging because I am too lazy to look for my journal, so here it is.

• I am ridiculously nervous about my knee surgery. I have my pre-op tomorrow and my surgery is the 24th. I just don't like the whole idea of it, other than the feeling better and being more active again. There is no reason to be scared but I am terrified.
• I am going to San Diego tomorrow for approx 36 hours. I'm very annoyed to fly all the way there and back just to witness 12 hours of lab testing...which by the way if from Noon-Midnight. Which is like 3 pm to 3 am to my tired body, so I'm just thrilled as hell. On a positive note I get to see George, Rebecca, John and Allison, so that is great, but I'll be really tired b/c it's 11 pm for me. But I'll man it out b/c I love them!
• Olive (the new kitty) is even more high maintenance than Lily. She isn't eating nearly as much as she should be, and most of the time I'm encouraging her to eat, I've even hand fed her nasty little balls of wet food. And she got her tests all back from the vet and she's fine, so I don't know what her deal is. She has been pretty good with the other cats, but she's mostly lethargic. I don't know why I'm being so impatient with her-it's only been 5 days, but I'm used to my "seasoned" pussy cats.
• I'm a little frustrated with all the painting. I want it done so it's all over and the house can look pretty. But man, I'm so sick and tired of painting that I just want to leave the Bratz dolls up forever. Mircea is working hard on the other house and I feel pressure to get this one done perfectly, but that's my fault
• Mircea went to the Cowboys-Redskins game tonight with a friend. And the friend's girlfriend and her family. Am I the only one that thinks there is something wrong with this picture? For you couples out there, don't you usually do things as a couple? I'm not annoyed that Mircea went, I'm annoyed that once again his friend only thought of a ticket for him. He did this for a concert too, and it's not that he didn't have other tickets, he gave them to other people. I like that Mircea and I do things seperately but at the same time I'm also sick of all Mircea's "american firsts" are experienced with others. I think I'm just in a bad mood and I'm mad about this for no reason. But a little annoyed nonetheless.
• I'm irritated with my waistline. I'm not looking forward to wearing a bathing suit on the cruise, but I know it will be fine b/c it's just me and Lindsay and Lord knows that I won't be wearing a two piece. I'd like to do some activities but I baby the hell out my knee b/c I think I'm sort of saving it up for the flight of stairs at the house. I dread those stairs like you don't even know.
• I feel better having typed this out. I have no reason to be too whiney, I'm just a little frustrated and I try to hide that from Mircea b/c he gets annoyed (b/c he can't help me). I laugh at myself sometimes that I let this little crap get to me when there are so many bad things in the world, but man, if I focused on those I'd probably never come out of the bathtub.

Hope you all have a nice beginning of the week. I'll be on a plane-hopefully sans snakes!