Lent

Lent starts Wednesday, and I haven't thought of a thing to give up!

Lent begins each year on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday, and Catholics are supposed to give up some kind of personal vice during those six week. 
 
Alisa and I started observing Lent in 2005.  That was the year I gave up diet pepsi.  I actually made it the whole six weeks too. AND I was 7 pregnant, so bonus points for me.

No, we have not converted to Catholicism, so why do we do this to ourselves?  Gluttons for self-punishment I guess.  A little self denial now and then is good for the soul.  It's a sign of spring.  Lent that is, not self denial. And it makes for a friendly little mother-daughter competition. 

Alisa is giving up vending machines this year, which I thought was a clever one.  She is in for a challenge too, as the vending machines in her building are currently busted.  You can get anything you want out of them, including Oreos, for 50 cents.  Good luck with that one kiddo.

Me, I can't quite decide what my 2012 Lent offering should be.  It can't be anything too stressful this year, given our current level of duress.  I have a few ideas I am mulling over, and I have two more days to make my final selection.  Here is the final cut:

-chocolate.  I tried this one a few years ago and lasted about a day.  I could try again.  Alisa is sure I will fail, so the pride factor is riding high on this one.

-diet pepsi.  Yes, I already conquered this one once, for all the good it did me.  I am as addicted as ever.

-swearing.  No, really.  I swear a lot.  More than you know.  Much of it under my breath.  At work.

-self righteousness.  Nope.  Definitely much too important to me.

-television.  Teen Mom 2 is over for the season anyway. I could maybe do this one.

 The fast food resolution already has me feeling deprived.  I'm going to have to think about this one a little bit longer.