Guest guest Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 I bet this sort of thing happens a lot, and I wonder how others respond ... I was at a recent holiday gathering with the in-laws, and my omni MIL, who knows I'm vegan, offers me some pasta salad which had chunks of cheese in it. I replied " no thank you " and mentioned that I don't eat cheese. She said something along the lines of " well I don't know why not, but you can just pick them out " . Although I'm usually very patient and give people the benefit of the doubt that they mean well, on this occassion I said something like, " well would you just pick chunks of cat out of your pasta? " . Thankfully we were alone at the time, and so the conversation just quietly ended at that point. What do you say in situations like that? - Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 I'd respond to different people. If I got a smart-alecky response like your MIL gave I'd probably smart right back off at her. But then I do have a nasty temper about things like that!! If it was someone who didn't know, I'd just explain to them why I don't eat it and if they get rude, then of course use the " I guess I'm just not savage enough to eat the way you do, that's all " remark. People these days have no excuse for not knowing what a vegetarian or vegan eats. Isn't it sad how we're discussing how to deal with explaining our diets to others while there's a guy in my hometown, who I saw multiple times during my teen years ordering EIGHT Big & Tasties with a humongousize fries and ten gallon bucket of Dr. Pepper, eating every last bite, receiving his meal with no questions asked? What a silly world we live in. Alan <soy_decaf_latte wrote: I bet this sort of thing happens a lot, and I wonder how others respond ... I was at a recent holiday gathering with the in-laws, and my omni MIL, who knows I'm vegan, offers me some pasta salad which had chunks of cheese in it. I replied " no thank you " and mentioned that I don't eat cheese. She said something along the lines of " well I don't know why not, but you can just pick them out " . Although I'm usually very patient and give people the benefit of the doubt that they mean well, on this occassion I said something like, " well would you just pick chunks of cat out of your pasta? " . Thankfully we were alone at the time, and so the conversation just quietly ended at that point. What do you say in situations like that? - Alan Kadee Sedtal Build a man a fire and he'll stay warm for a day. Set a man on fire and he'll stay warm the rest of his life. " THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!!! " -Captain Picard, Next Generation, " Chain of Command part 2 " Check out my new , Classical 2 at http://launch.classical2/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 i say no thanks, compliment some other acceptable food and pointedly stuff my face with it, and move on. chandelle' On 1/4/07, Alan <soy_decaf_latte wrote: > > I bet this sort of thing happens a lot, and I wonder how others > respond ... > > I was at a recent holiday gathering with the in-laws, and my omni MIL, > who knows I'm vegan, offers me some pasta salad which had chunks of > cheese in it. I replied " no thank you " and mentioned that I don't eat > cheese. She said something along the lines of " well I don't know why > not, but you can just pick them out " . > > Although I'm usually very patient and give people the benefit of the > doubt that they mean well, on this occassion I said something > like, " well would you just pick chunks of cat out of your pasta? " . > > Thankfully we were alone at the time, and so the conversation just > quietly ended at that point. > > What do you say in situations like that? > > - Alan > > > > For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at > http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to > http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list and is not intended to > provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a > qualified health professional. > > edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health > professional. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 <<Although I'm usually very patient and give people the benefit of the doubt that they mean well, on this occasion I said something like, " well would you just pick chunks of cat out of your pasta? " .>> Oh, Alan, that was just beautiful!! Don't change a word. Can I borrow that line sometime? I never seem to think so well on my feet. Liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 That's awesome! I'm totally using that one. People ask me to 'pick things out' all the time. Even had a pizza delivery guy offer us a buck to take the mistakenly placed pepperoni off the stupid pizza. good one! Amy Geneva, Switzerland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 5, 2007 Report Share Posted January 5, 2007 Oh my gosh, if a pizza guy ever said that to me I'd sic my dog on him. What a doofus! " Dollar for your morals? " Geez. Amy Merwin <amymerwin wrote: That's awesome! I'm totally using that one. People ask me to 'pick things out' all the time. Even had a pizza delivery guy offer us a buck to take the mistakenly placed pepperoni off the stupid pizza. good one! Amy Geneva, Switzerland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 6, 2007 Report Share Posted January 6, 2007 Alan said: I was at a recent holiday gathering with the in-laws, and my omni MIL, who knows I'm vegan, offers me some pasta salad which had chunks of cheese in it. I replied " no thank you " and mentioned that I don't eat cheese. She said something along the lines of " well I don't know why not, but you can just pick them out " . Although I'm usually very patient and give people the benefit of the doubt that they mean well, on this occassion I said something like, " well would you just pick chunks of cat out of your pasta? " . Thankfully we were alone at the time, and so the conversation just quietly ended at that point. What do you say in situations like that? **************** Oh my gosh, Alan! I almost fell out of my chair laughing when I read this!!! That is such a great response! But, seriously, you asked how we handle situations like this. I'm also vegan and when confronted with this, I politely decline saying, " No thank you. I don't eat cheese. " Whenever someone makes a negative comment as your MIL did, I ignore it. Sometimes, it's hard not to respond the way you did, but I try not to, only because I think it can inflame the situation. We want to educated non-vegans, not alienate them. That said, I still think the cat response was hilarious! Sheri Celebrating 26 years as a vegetarian this month! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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