Vegetarian vs. Vegan

I grew up eating meat.  No questions, ate out most nights, never thought about where my food came from.  As a teenager in the 90's, I thought being a vegetarian was cool, I tried it, I thought that only eating fish made me a vegetarian.  That got boring, I went on to the next fad, still not thinking about where my food actually came from.
  I moved to London England, and let me tell you, the food was amazing.  England has a horrible reputation of having horrible food, but I bet most of the people who tell you that have never even been there.  Especially London, you can get any type of food from any country in the world made by people FROM that country.  Even British food is amazing, Guiness Steak pie, oh man, nothing like it.  Paella in Spain, full English Breakfast with Bacon, Fish n' Chips, Vindaloo Chicken from the neighborhood Indian retaurant, I could go on and on.
  I came back to the US, the first time I went in to an American grocery store in 4 years, I was freaked out by how HUGE the produce was, i.e., genetically modified.  The US is so far behind when it come to organic and until very recently, no one even thought about the anti biotics and hormones injected in to the meat most Americans consume.  So, I started to think.  And research. And read and read and read.
  The first book I ever read about food was Fast Food Nation, and I read that while I was still living in the UK.  I did not eat fast food for 5 years after finishing that book.  5 years.

Four years ago, I was done, I became a vegetarian.  I rescue animals, I have 4 dogs and 3 cats, I love pigs and think they are intelligent and cuddly, why the HELL would I eat something that I want to pet and love.  Just ask yourself that, if I see an animal as a baby and think it's cute, see fish that are beautiful to you, why the hell would you eat it?