I love Saturdays!

I like to sleep in on Saturdays. AND, I always work on Saturdays. AND, I like to go out on Saturday nights. The point of saying this is to point out that I'm actually a normal person. At least, I think I'm normal. No one's ever told me I wasn't anyway... I work at a fashionable retail chain, so I take that as certification that I can't be totally weird or they wouldn't have hired me...I don't think...You be the judge.

In any case, being normal is no excuse to not be a benefit to the world. You do not have to stop bathing, wearing deodorant, or loving a cute pair of shoes to live a life that makes the world a better place. I'm finding that you actually don't have to change much, if at all. You just have be aware and live deliberately. For example, when asked if I want a plastic bag, I now stop to think whether I really need one or if I just say yes out of habit. In most cases, I can actually carry whatever I bought, and, if not, it'll fit in my purse or in one of the reusable bags in my car.

ANYWAY, my point is that I didn't go out of my way to do something good for the world today because it isn't always necessary. Tonight, we went out for dinner and drinks but we chose a new, local restaurant. I've explained in previous posts that spending money locally is far better than dropping money in a national chain because it goes directly back into the local economy, and it keeps communities viable and vibrant. I actually read somewhere (I can't remember where :-/) that every dollar you spend locally generates twice as much income for the local economy. Making a point to try new places is also good for communities because it brings new life and new interest to the place you live. It also encourages entrepreneurship and economic development and diversity. If you want your community to keep growing and becoming more interesting, then give the new places a try. They won't survive without customers like us!

Reason #5 to try vegetarian living: It's delicious. Really. Many people mistakenly believe that being a vegetarian means eating cups of raw vegetables and salads all the time. BUT, I've found that eating vegetarian has all the flavor and satisfaction of eating meat. In fact, the restaurant we went to tonight was vegetarian. They served everything from 'meatball' marinara sandwiches to BBQ medallions, and it was all delicious! You honestly couldn't tell the difference between actual meat and the meat substitutes except that the food wasn't as heavy. That said, my assessment of eating vegetarian is that it's more interesting than my regular diet, more satisfying, and it lacks the guilt that usually accompanies eating foods that are delicious. I think every woman knows what I mean by guilt. Who hasn't eaten a meatball sub and felt that she just undid all the crunches she put in over the last month? Vegetarian makes me feel free to enjoy eating. and eating. and eating. :-P