We just spent a restful weekend in Oregon with the in-laws. That is, if it is restful to drive at least 200 miles each day, Friday through Monday, including working full days both Friday and Monday. It was wonderful though, mostly because we got to spend time with the inlaws. They are such nice people and I love hanging out with them. They are Catholic with a capital "C" and not in any sort of judgmental way. They do good, act well, and don't give anyone flack for not going to church.
It is near a major Catholic holiday and so it was a definite topic of conversation during the weekend. What are you giving up for Lent? Now, I am not Catholic, big or little c, nor particularly religious but I am very attracted to the idea of control and self-sacrifice. Once, I didn't eat red meat for eight years and I spent more than a year being fully vegetarian. So what would be difficult to give up for six weeks?
Starting tomorrow morning, I am done with caffeine for at least the next six weeks. I considered just giving up coffee but that would mean I could drink my caffeine equivalent in tea each day in its place. I could drink decaf, but there is always a bit of caffeine, even in that. Six weeks. Not even green tea. Perhaps I should take up wasabi?
Posted by kerewin at February 28, 2006 10:41 PMI always forget lent. I forgot to go to Ash Wednesday today. I can't believe you are giving up caffeine. I didn't do that even when I was pregnant. I wouldn't want to kill anyone. Especially not during lent.
Give up...um...um...the internet? Yeah! Goofing around on the internet. Obviously, I can't give up email.
Thanks for reminding me about the lent thing.
Posted by: ozma at March 1, 2006 06:20 PMThe funny thing is, the things I would choose to give up are things I would probably not give up if I were pregnant (not that I am, nor am I trying).
Posted by: kerewin at March 1, 2006 08:06 PMI'm having trouble giving up the internet. I am so impressed that you are giving up caffeine.
I could give up nicotine and cigarettes and alcohol and even sushi when I was pregnant because they were supposed to be more dangerous. But the evidence on caffeine was so inconclusive I just used that for an excuse. I could hardly get out of bed in the first place.
OK, back to the drawing board. Now I know what ash Wed. is for. It's hard to start Lent in this abstract way. Maybe I'll get my husband to help me. He's Jewish but always so nice about helping me do Christian-type things.
Posted by: ozma at March 2, 2006 09:29 PMI could never give up the internet! And the caffeine thing, I am not giving it up because it is evil, just because it seemed like it might be a difficult thing to do. Also Lent has the side benefit of being over in some 40 days. Trust me, I haven't given up caffeine forever.
HARDLY!
Posted by: kerewin at March 3, 2006 08:58 AMI wouldn't even think of giving up the internets... crazy talk...
Posted by: NED at March 3, 2006 07:36 PMCaffeine... difficult yes- but for a true sacrifice, Kere would need to give up Wine :)
Being raised as the much feared and practically mythological strict Roman Catholic.... I know Lent is not for just giving something up- but for it to count to the church- you must SUFFER for it. LOL
For the record, I am now a Jack Catholic... Something about the Infallibility of the Pope got to me. :)
I would contemplate giving up being "judgmental" about bad spelling. But then again... maybe not.
Posted by: kjm at March 5, 2006 10:02 AMDamn! There's no extra e in judgment? Good thing I never went further than the classroom level in the Spelling Bee. Or rather, that is probably why.
As for giving up wine, I seriously contemplated it. But we already had plans to go to an Oscar Party thrown by a Wine Vendor and I knew for certain I would have wine there. It seemed like it might be a bit hypocritical to give up drinking except for parties!
Posted by: kerewin at March 7, 2006 10:04 AMI would also like to mention that a week into it, I am sick to DEATH of mint tea.
Posted by: kerewin at March 7, 2006 10:06 AM