Yup, I'm "Pesky" All Right
I just found out that the true word for what I am is pescetarian (the "sc" is pronounced "sk" in English despite the Italian root). I've known for awhile that I'm not a true vegetarian because I still eat shrimp and occasional fish or other crustaceans, but I didn't know what the word was. A pescetarian eats seafood, fruits, nuts, grains, vegetables, and usually eggs and dairy. That's me!
But it's easier to continue to tell most people that I'm vegetarian because a lot of people think any diet with no red meat is vegetarian even though there's a broad range of terms depending on whether one eats or excludes various combinations of birds, seafood, eggs, and dairy. Unless they specifically ask, their eyes tend to glaze over if you start listing exceptions, and I don't blame them. And then anyone who cooks something for you has to carry around a mental checklist. So I'll stick with "vegetarian" for my public face, but I shall be secretly pleased with my little self-discovery.
But it's easier to continue to tell most people that I'm vegetarian because a lot of people think any diet with no red meat is vegetarian even though there's a broad range of terms depending on whether one eats or excludes various combinations of birds, seafood, eggs, and dairy. Unless they specifically ask, their eyes tend to glaze over if you start listing exceptions, and I don't blame them. And then anyone who cooks something for you has to carry around a mental checklist. So I'll stick with "vegetarian" for my public face, but I shall be secretly pleased with my little self-discovery.