Alice's Vegan Virgin Diary

And so the time has come...

I have decided to give my Veganism another go. I had flirted with a vegan diet before, but never went all the way. As such I still consider myself a Vegan Virgin. Given my strong feelings about animal rights, and the distress I think of when I contemplate using animals in the way our society does, It believe it is time to pop my Vegan cherry and to go the whole hog.... for want of a better phrase!

I have briefly referred to why I want to be a vegan. And this is still an area I am learning about. But at present I am truly upset by the way humans use animals as though they were products. We turn them into commodities and we don't care what pain or suffering they might incur. Not to mention the vile effects such industries have on our own health, environment and consciousness as we become more callous to the feelings and lives of other species.

A year ago it was the Viva! website that got me contemplating veganism. A year later I am working with David Gerow Irving and his book The Protein Myth and I feel I am being nudged, nay shoved into accepting the part of myself that says, 'Veggie is not far enough, Miss Alice, go Vegan!' Last weekend James and I watched the film Charlottes Web, and that was pretty much the last straw. So with excitiement this is the way I intend to tread.

And to help encourage my adherence to this new diet, I am keeping this diary for you all to see. I know many of you may not even be vegetarian, and I don't want anyone on Soul-Cafe to feel elbowed out. Until 18 months or so ago I was fully signed up to a love of Bacon Sandwiches, and maybe in your own time you will change, or not, that's your thing - no judgement. But if I do inspire any of you to join me on this vegan quest, then let me know, we can support each other, and maybe you can start your own Vegan Virgin Diary too!

So today is day one. I didn't mean to start today. But I was sent a sample box from Redwood Food. They do a lot of 'fake' meat products. Having been a veggie, it has been very weird to try fake duck and fake beef. Strange, but kinda nice. I was never a big meaty person. I liked things that were indecipherable as flesh, such as bacon butties, or duck wrapped up in pancakes with hoi sin. So to eat big chunks of fake meat has been disconcerting, especially on my first vegan day! That said, it was nice to have a texture and flavour that was different. I am, however, looking forward to what I can do with vegetables, beans and tofu!

I am now off to a festival for the day. Not sure what will happen when I get hungry, but I guess there is always French Fries - without mayo :( Noone said this was going to be easy!

Alice the Vegan Virgin has gotten all the way to first base. I'll let you know how this new flirtation progresses!

Have a Fabulous Weekend.