What is brown and sticky?

A brown stick.

Hey Y'all. I'm kind of late to this here party, but I've been thinking on this whole veggie way of life for some time now and now I'm ready to bore delight you with my opinion.

I have been considering this lifestyle change for a long time. I have 3 kids. I'm 33, and I feel like I am reaping many of the benefits of my parent's healthy choices when I was a child. I have a lot of friends my age, which is pretty young, if I say so myself---who are struggling with a lot of health problems already. Who's to say what is causing them, but I can't help but think the Standard American Fare is a large contributor. My parents were about 98% vegetarian. Kind of how we plan to be. I am not going to decline meat if served it when I'm a guest. We plan to use fish regularly, and if I/We ever get an intense craving, we've decided we'll go for it. I'm hoping to use the W of W more as a guide than say...uh....Peta. This mostly Vegetarian is in complete accordance with my standard approach to life. Half-arsed.

So, here are a few things that have factored into my decision.
1. The above comment about reaping the benefits of my parent's healthy lifestyle. I want to give my children that same gift. McD's ≠ Gift of Life.

2. My young, 46 year old brother, who's youngest child is 7, was recently diagnosed with colon cancer. After removing part of his colon, more was found in his lymph nodes. My mother and great aunt both had colon cancer. Clearly, this problem is hereditary. I feel quite strongly that it is very important that I do my part, inasmuch as possible, to not give cancer a welcoming place to stay in my colon. Or my children's.

3. The W of W says NOTHING about caffeine, specifically. And yet, there are Mo's who will not touch the vile devil juice, or come within a yard of it. However, the W o W very specifically states the importance of eating meat sparingly. And yet---our culture has managed to make meat the center of every meal of the day. Those darn little mini weenies soaked in bbq sauce are so irresistible. Believe me, I get it. I find it ironic that most of us (myself not excluded) have conveniently disregarded this part of the wise counsel we've received, while others have kind of made up a part, that even nonmo people think is fact.

4. At the risk of sounding like a molly....the other night, I was driving home and heard a commercial for "a preventative medicine for cancer". I thought it was for that stupid, I-have-way-too-many-emotions-wrapped-up-in-this-topic vaccine that rhymes with Tardapill (if you approve of this vaccine, I mean no disrespect and more power to you. It infuriates me that it is touted as a "cure for cancer"--that is wrong and also neither here no there. Sorry.) And I almost changed the channel. Then they said, "And you don't even need a prescription, it's over the counter." Of course that caught my attention and I listened on. It was promoting a vegetarian lifestyle. NOT just fresh fruits and veggies, which it did do, and we've heard before---but an actual vegetarian lifestyle. Am I just waking up or something? Has anyone else ever heard something like that on public radio or tv? I haven't. I thought it was cool. The conclusion I came to is, this is how God talks to me. I start getting it from every angle. Even when I'm simply minding my own business, belting out with Jon Bon Jovi Living On A Prayer.

5. It's disgusting how meat is....uh...made? Produced? Grown? Whatever. You know what I mean.

6. I'm fat and this is my last ditch effort to change that.

Okay, to be fair, 5 and 6 kind of came after the decision had been made. I have learned more about meat since opting to give it up. And it has definitely solidified my decision.

So, thanks for starting this Millie. And thanks for the great recipes. We tried a new dish last night that we loved. I didn't make my kids eat it though, so I can't tout it as a wonderful family recipe.

Yet.

I'll post a couple that we love in a couple of days.

The End.