Here’s a confession. Please don’t tell people. It’s not that I am ashamed; I am just terribly too busy to answer the questions that usually follow.

I am a vegetarian—yes, a vegetarian. I know; it’s a dirty word in this state. It’s a word that is stained like an artist’s apron. But this is my state, too. 

But hear me out, I’m a little different. Well, I’m very different.

I confuse and shock people when I tell them I photograph rodeo and support hunting for food.

They are even further confused when they ask “Oh so you’re not a moral vegetarian?” And I respond, “Actually, I am.”

Minds blown,  confusion city.

It’s just that I don’t want to kill an animal for food. Let’s face it, my aim sucks, I have shakey hands and “Bambi” is the first movie I remember. I have allergies, blood makes me queasy and I have a hard time looking at squirrels flattened on pavement. Yeah, I’m pretty weak. 

But most of all, I feel it’s unnecessary to kill an animal.  Hoever, I don’t think it’s wrong and I don’t judge people for eating meat. 

When I first tell people I’m a veggie, they are afraid I will go on a moral, high ground rant. The response is usually “Oh, well you must hate me then.” 

I don’t hate anyone. That would kind of defeat the whole point of attempting to be a compassionate person. 

I never want to cause a debate. However, I do love to talk about it because I rarely meet anyone else like me out there.

I’m not a member of PETA, nor do I want to be. However, I’m not a vegetarian for my health either; I have a fast food addiction. I am just doing what I choose because right now, that’s what my heart says. 

Maybe in a year I’ll be devouring live mice for flavor. Perhaps, I will become vegan, again. Who knows? The moment decides my choices. But I have been vegetarian for 14 years, so I probably won’t be devouring any mice, not by choice anyway. 

I’m a big believer in the motto, “Live and let live.” It is why I live in this state. It would be 100 times easier to be a vegetarian in Portland or San Francisco. But I enjoy being surrounded by differing opinions as opposed to people just like me. I enjoy being able to coexist.

As a Wyoming vegetarian, I support independent thinking. I’d rather be friends with an avid hunter who knows the true meaning of food as opposed to a vegetarian who is doing it because a rock star said it was cool. 

Besides, I would never judge a carnivore for eating meat. At least they know what they are eating most of the time. My veggie meats are made from an assortment of processed things. Seriously, some veggie meats taste so good, they must be made of pure chemicals. 

I also eat a lot of seitan, a meat substitute made of wheat gluten. Well, that can’t be good for the ol’ bodily system.  

I’m sure a pure deer steak is far more nutritious, it’s only one ingredient. My food stuff sometimes reads like a thank-you list from the Oscars. 

But it’s what I choose. I live and let live, even when those great barbecue places on the Food Network try to taunt me, even when my grizzly, burley Wyoming pals are taunting me at a steakhouse and I must pretend the French fries and salad are great. Because in the end, it’s my choice. 

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