Topic: "How Bacon is Changing My Life"

When SPH began Business School several years ago, the tuition included a "free" subscription to the Wall Street Journal. Initially, this was not exciting to me. But as I learned, the WSJ is great newspaper. Why? Three reasons: the Page A1 bottom section story, "Off Duty" and "Personal Journal."

I am not a financial analyst nor someone who understands ETF (exchange-traded fund--I've been told) or hedge funds, but I certainly understand articles like this morning's headline:

Vegetarian Doctors Go Whole Hog to Burn Bacon in Iowa

with the subtitle:

Festival to Serve Up 3 Tons of Fatty Strips; 'Baconpocolypse Now'

In the article, it describes an annual bacon festival with lectures entitled: "How Bacon is Changing My Life."

Reading the article, I felt torn between two worlds: bacon lovers vs. whole foods plant eaters.

I've often thought I could give up all meat...except bacon. The article describes the growing tension between a group of vegetarian doctors and Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival organizers. The doctors have been advertising in this area of Iowa, with warnings about excessive bacon eating.

As much as I do love bacon, I am finding my lifestyle more and more following a vegetarian path. You know why? I feel better. I have more energy. It feels great to eat healthfully.

This coming Wednesday is the beginning of Lent, and two years ago our family went vegetarian for Lent. But this year I am trying something new, something a bit more challenging.

I'll share our Lenten challenge next week, but in the meantime, I found this quote from today's WSJ article particularly ironic:

"'I don't see...taking a bunch of Midwesterners who have eaten bacon all their life and turning them to a vegan diet.'"

Hmmm, really? We'll see...

Have a sweet weekend!
SPC