Roberta:
<<  I'll just let others think I'm a vegetarian (or something) like you do,
and eat my RAF in private.  >>


Liza:
>Since I would rather not turn every social event into a discussion of
>health or nutrition, I try to keep my personal diet invisible.  At a restaurant
>I'll  eat the salad bar.  If there isn't one, I just order a salad, or some
>fruit, or steamed vegetables if that's all there is, or nothing if I can get away
>with it.  I figure it certainly doesn't hurt me to skip a meal anyway - as
>long as it doesn't turn into the topic of conversation.

I have also found the "blending in" at social gatherings, etc. a difficult
matter.  Probably the most difficult times are when I am entertaining
clients of our company.  I also opt to play the "vegetarian role" and just
nibble at the salad bar.  I choose to not tell most people about eating RAF,
due to the fact that many (most) people react with disgust.  And
furthermore, I agree with Liza; it gets old turning _every_ social event
into a discussion of my "special diet."  It has become much easier to deal
with over time, but it was very difficult to deal with the social
implications in the beginning.  It was especially difficult, as I mentioned,
in the work environment.

Plus, at times I find it a bit cumbersome to prepare _every_ single meal I
eat.  It would be nice if there was some RAF-ish place to eat at.  I'd even
settle for sushi/sashimi, but the closest Japanese cuisine is 60 min. away.
Do others who are the only RAFers in their family find it tiring to have to
prepare your own food _all_ of the time?

-Ben