I've been a vegetarian since I was fifteen years old. Lacto-ovo, thank you very much... I love good cheeses, honey, yogurt, eggs, and most other dairy...(blow on it, vegans/PETA... cheeses and honey are good!). I enjoy cooking with tofu and will pig out on Tofutti "ice cream" every now and again, to give myself a reprieve from regular ice cream (which I don't eat that often). About a year ago, I started eating salmon, cod fish, tuna, and tilapia every now and again for protein. Anyway, for the past several weeks, on and off, I've been eating... chicken. Yeah, yeah, I know. I'd been craving it for awhile, and finally decided to go for the gusto! The first time I tried it, I started with my sister's garlic chicken (much to her amazement), she had ordered from Chinese take-out. I ate it in small portions, as she sat there and stared at me incredulously, mouth agape. She relayed what she'd witnessed, to our other sister and my mother... she said they stared off into space, flummoxed, as they considered this new piece of information. Needless to say, I got extremely nauseous. Sis opined that if she had been a vegetarian for as long as I have, she wouldn't've started with Chinese take-out chicken. Good point. Needless to say, I was also met with derision from my friend, Cat... who said that she found it odd, that I'd become interested in eating chicken in the wake of Bird-flu. The nausea from the garlic chicken and Bird-flu joke prompted my chicken cravings to wane. But then, I began to crave chicken once again. This time, I started by eating my mother's baked chicken. I went to her house, raided her fridge in her absence (I still have the keys) for eats, and found it leftover from the night before. Digestion was successful! I didn't get sick. Yes, I've started eating chicken with the same frequency that I eat fish. Only when I crave it. Yes, I ate some baked chicken during Easter supper at my mother's house. And I enjoyed every bit of it. I admit this secret here, because I really don't feel like hearing folks make a huge to-do about it. Yes, coffey0072 has been secretly eating chicken for the past couple of weeks! Because I've been craving it, and because I'm grown! Does this mean I'm going to run out to the nearest KFC joint and buy a bucket? No. Since I've decided to eat the stuff again, I would much rather be healthy with it by either preparing it myself or eating it at my mother's house. Will I eventually graduate to beef and pork? The chances of that happening are not very likely. Just have no desire to eat it. No political rhyme or reason behind why... I just don't like the consistency or taste of beef or pork... which is why I became a vegetarian in the first place. I didn't like the consistency and texture of meat, and because it made me ill. Does this still make me a full-time vegetarian? Who cares?? I will decide what my dietary needs are, not a bunch of vegan/vegetarian nazis. There are varying degrees of vegetarianism. Veganism is not the sole type. There are at least four different levels of vegetarianism. This just means, I'm no longer a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I am what's called a Pecto-Vegetarian... I wont consume red meat or pork, but I do plan on eating poultry now, along with fish and dairy, when the mood hits me. Controversial as it is, because some people consider poultry meat, but once again, I say, who cares. Only I can read what my body is telling me. Apparently, it has been craving more types of protein, and that's what I've been feeding it. I will eat it when I feel the need to along with my regular diet of soy, tofu, and fresh produce. phew... Now the secret's out of the bag. It could be worse... at least I'm not sucking on a crack-pipe. And Cat, never you mind. You'll still have all the meat you want, without having to share. ;op