oh lent. as a lapsed catholic who’s been lapsed for longer than she was actually ever catholic in the first place (8th grade graduation from st. mary’s in augusta was the last time i went to church and never looked back), you wouldn’t think that the whole lent deal would be my thing. maybe it’s nostalgia for my nun-riddled past (remember that time that sister anne marie’s habit fell of in 3rd grade? priceless!)? wait no, definitely not.
it’s probably just that i am always willing and excited to “accept the physical challenge“, religious or secular. lent is like a game to me, a game of self-denial and physical/emotional limits (depending on what you’re giving up), with a built in team of players to provide the necessary solidarity to make giving up something that you love for 40 days actually kind of fun.
this year, on account of my fatness, i’m giving up sugar- or rather sweet food. i’m not going to go all nuts and not eat ketchup or anything just because it has a bit of high fructose corn syrup in it. but definitely no desserts, sugar cereals, vitamin waters, crappy girl drinks ending in -tini, bank lollipops, nothin. i have high hopes for how this next 40 days will affect my physical bottom line (as in my ass- currently stuffed sausage-style into double digit pants), as well as my financial bottom line. i’m pretty sure i spend a lot of money on garbage food (ancient m&ms from the flea market vending machine!), and not so garbage food (two fat cats!). much of it/most of it on impulse. people always whine about whole foods/whole paycheck being so expensive- but obesity has a pretty price tag of its own. *UPDATE* i just accidentally spent $14 at the whole foods on gelato, snackimals, vegan buffalo wings, and little lad’s herbal corn– I’M HOPELESS!
it’s ash wednesday people, and lent starts now (or on monday for those of us who don’t want our foxwoods trip ruined by abstaining from the dessert cart at the all-you-can-eat buffet ). anyone else on board for 40 days of something-less-ness?
broke 207 