isn't it funny how often we vegetarians get asked this question? i have a hard time even answering people anymore b/c i am bored of my own story. my standard answer is that i am just about as laid-back-a vegetarian as can be - ovo/lacto/pesca, whatever. lard in the refried beans, chicken stock in the rice, etc, when served to me in a restaurant or at someone's house is totally acceptable, although i'd rather not know about it and when presented with vegetarian options instead, i'll take it/them. my vegetarianism started when a peta representative spoke to my sociology class at the university of texas (modern protest movements) and made the environmental/food efficiency argument, which made a lot of sense to me, so i decided to cut back on meat. after a couple of months i found myself eating no meat at all...then one day on the way to work, i saw a possum smashed on the side of the road and its flesh splayed out just like the way meat looks at the store. my stomach turned, and from then on i decided that i didn't want that nasty stuff in my mouth. and chickens are ugly and dirty and stuff. however, i know i'm not going to die or get sick if some meat or meat products become a part of my meal, which i why i'm laid-back about it. i also know i'm not going to change anyone else's mind about this since it's mostly an emotional thing for me now. it's less like i "love animals" and more like i think animals are dirty and you shouldn't eat them. it's like eating a scab or something. i think picky eaters are annoying...also annoying are people who think that i have no idea about alternative sources of protein. i'm very irritated by people who get excited and think that i am picky and need a "special' plate or dish at a party. worst case, i skip a meal, no big deal, although i've never had to do that, even when going to a barbeque joint. they have beans and potato salad, or i can fashion a tomato sandwich or something. finally, although i know it's crazy, i have this idea in my head that eating meat is for boys and is therefore un-lady-like. overall, i just think meat is gross like some people think broccoli is gross. it's dead flesh. i also don't think that other animals should eat meat, like squirrels or raccoons or birds. that is also gross. if i had a hankerin' for a beef burger, i would totally just go for it...but i don't see that happening. lakshmi's carl'sjr ad is really gross.