I'm 35 and live in the wonderful city of Seattle, WA. Was vegetarian for 7 years and went vegan once and for all on 12/31/06. My husband threw away some chicken he had purchased and let go bad and I suddenly found myself looking at the trash can and sobbing, thinking "it died for nothing, absolutely nothing."
It was an "a-ha" moment, and suddenly avoiding meat became for me truly about animals' pain and suffering rather than just it's-gross-to-eat-flesh. In that moment I fully realized that eating animal products (dairy, eggs, etc) is just as bad as meat. I am horrified. I am SO horrified -- how we fool ourselves into thinking that what is socially acceptible is really okay. We have the capacity to put out of our minds what we don't see or have to think about. And somehow we feel better when we pay extra for those "free range" eggs. Have we all gone insane? How do people do this? How did *I* do this for so very long?
Thank God I live in an area where it is not unusual to be vegan, and my local co-op is just as convenient to shop in as any large grocery chain. But I have no vegan friends or anyone who understands this - so here I am!
<- that is a very cute emoticon.
Blessings to all! I am thankful to be here!
Jenn
. Awesome forum, huh?
Love the cat photo - my Dad's cat looks just like that, especially when next door's kitten wanders into our garden 
