So, it’s that time of the year again. Lent. I’m a big Lent participator, which surprises people sometimes. I am not a big church-goer, but having gone all through my childhood and part of my adulthood on a regular basis, giving up something every year for Lent is something I just DO. I suppose it’s less about religion – actually, a LOT less about religion – than it is about detoxing or making something about myself better.
The list of things I typically give up for Lent is this: cookies, candy, ice cream, potato chips and French fries. I also avoid meat on Friday. This year, I’m changing it up a bit. Of the above list, I was only going to give up candy, but because I ended up having a Girl Scout Cookie party-for-one yesterday at work (I ate approx 1 million Thin Mints ALL BY MYSELF), I decided maybe it would be a good idea to lay off the cookies for a while. So as for food, cookies and candy are on the no-no list until Easter.
I’m giving up a couple of other, non-food things as well. One is swearing in my house. I often have the vocabulary of a very stressed-out sailor, and, you know, it’s not cool to drop f-bombs in the vicinity of your three-year-old. I mean, I try to keep it clean, but I’m constantly screwing up. (Obviously – and I don’t even have to say this, right? – I don’t swear AT her.) But anyway, I need to stop this, so I’m kicking off Project Clean Language during Lent, with plans for it to last FOREVER.
The other thing I’m giving up is Facebook/Twitter/the internet in general on the weekends. I often shut down my laptop for the weekend, but my Crackberry is always right there, and I am CONSTANTLY checking in on FB and Twitter, at least. And I don’t want to do that anymore. It’s such a distraction during a time that I’m supposed to be relaxing or having fun or gearing up for the next work week – and always checking on various social media sites seems counterproductive. I will use my phone for talking and texting however. I mean, I have to stay in contact, right?
Do you “do” Lent? If so, why? And what are you giving up?
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4 comments:
I do Lent. Every year. But my vices keep getting fewer. I've already quit smoking this year, and the Old Man and I are "eating clean" for the month of March, so sweets and fried foods are already out. Last year I tried giving up the effword, but had only marginal success. This year, I'm going to attempt to NOT fly off the handle. We'll see how it goes!
Good luck with yours. I'm looking forward to comparing notes as the time wears on!
You already know what I gave up! :)
And this is only the first day and it's REALLY DIFFICULT, but so far so good.
I too have a "stressed-out sailor" mouth. Maybe I'll work on that too. Nah. One &%#@!$? thing at a time OKAY!?!?!
"...which surprises people sometimes."
i still don't know if my brain has completely processed this fact yet.
Happy lent. I have given up desert after dinner. Rough one so far, and only one day in. :)
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