Poor Poor Natalie Portman

Apparently Natalie Portman slid off the vegan wagon because she missed a few things and wanted a more convenient life.  (I should be so misfortunate).

There is nothing convenient about being a vegan.  Nothing.  We live by a set of ethics that trump ease.  We read nutrition labels like mad scientists and download apps that tell us if unconscionable collections of consonants came from anything that was ever an offspring.

Every meal in a restaurant is an inquisition, 20 questions and a measure of trust and honesty of a not so basic knowledge of culinary ingredients.  You have to make the Sophie's Choice of "it's good enough," or throw down the fork in defeat.

Every meal with non vegans is a kindergarden class and a series of inane, "yeah but what if you were ..." and "Is your watchband leather?" questions.

You know what?  Sometimes you just want to relax at dinner.  

I totally understand the desire.  I look at a slice of pizza and don't think, "Mmmm," but, "Why no Daiya or Teese?"

There is an undercurrent as I move through my day of smells and memories of good tastes that I can no longer enjoy without the thought, "Yes it smells good but what IS it?"

I have put up with aching feet because I vowed to buy no more clothing made from animals and my options are so limited that I bought a size just a smidgen too small rather than a size where my feet were swimming in a non leather shoe.  I work outside and when it's raining outside I wear my old leather work shoes because they're more waterproof and fight the discrepancy between what I believe and want in this world and my need to not go through a day flying with wet cold feet.  Hopefully in the future there will be a plethora of choices but we don't have that today.  When I take the NYC subway to MooShoes I pass a THOUSAND shoe stores to buy ethically.  Hardly convenient.

I understand being in a restaurant and craving something sweet after a meal of chips and salsa and there isn't one thing I can have.  I do understand cravings.

There is nothing easy about being a vegan.  Nothing convenient.  There is one thing though, that at the end of the day we have that "they" don't and that is the satisfaction of living by our ethical commitment.