Well, I've decided. 40 days. No alcohol.

Everything Catholic is fun even though I'm not Catholic.

No message boards.

I actually had that on my list of possibilities, along with YSI's.

I grew up Catholic. I wouldn't call myself that anymore. However, that is neither here nor there. When we were little, on the first friday of the month, my mom volunteered at our school to help run bingo. It was a big fundraiser for the school. So, each first friday, while mom was volunteering, dad would take my brother and I to McDonald's....happy meals, playland, the whole 9 yards.

We used to get pissed on Friday's during Lent. No burgers, no chicken nuggets....only fish sandwiches. No 8 year old wants to eat a fish sandwich at Mickey D's.

I can't wait to put a cigarette out on my forehead a week from Wednesday.

I don't think anyone wants to eat a fish sandwich at McDonalds.

And even though I'm not Cathloic, I'm going to give up abortions for lent.

i'm going to wash my clothes and clean out the lint screen in the dryer.

Aside from meat,
I'm giving up:
Red Bull
Vaginal Sex
Hair Product


Pop, meat, chocolate, processed foods, that's all easy. I gave that up for my New Year's Resolution and I feel NEW.

Should probably give up all 'bellow waste' sex, you don't want to get caught in a leagality type discussion on a passionate night with a male friend and rationalizing the other option.

But anal sex is a big part of being Catholic (har har). I don't really have full sex anyway so it won't be a problem.

You know what, I should just give up male physical interaction altogether. Yes, I think so. Will be good for me.

I've decide to give up vaginal sex as well.

But hair products??? Are you MAD?

I'd give up sex if I was having it often enough to make it worth it. Afraid I can't really say its a 'habit' these days. Leaving college sucks folks, don't ever do it.

The ultimate challenge.

And of course I'm stark crazy.

You sound like one of my friends from work. Gave up guys for like a year and a half. Said it gave her the clarity to select the next one better. (granted this was after divorce)

I might unintentionally give up the ladies for lent seeing as how my recent luck has gone

Right now there are a bunch of guys who I wish I could mash up into one. I'd rather wait for a guy I want to know, like really know. That's why. Mediocrity, I won't have it.

That's the philosophy I've had since college (except replace guy with gal). So I usually have dry seasons, but right now I'm much more in the quality type of mind set for relationships.

CHEATER. You're supposed to pick something hard.

(joke joke, hug)

LOL, Deej.

Ouch, I have been zung!

Its just that new brian sadowski single 'Girl of My Dreams has put me in a lamenting mood.

My priest says we focus too much on giving something up. He suggests we take something up. Of course, I tried this last year, but it didn't feel much like Lent. The year before last I gave up rock and roll. I listened strictly to jazz and classical. I nearly died that year.

I've done this in the past, its actually worth while.

MUST.... RESIST.... MAKING..... COMMENT.....


Anyway, Lent can suck my plums. I'm going to eat pancakes for 40 days.

Why do Catholics do such numbing things to themselves?

It's irresistable.

Its kind of the same response to a hot plate, you kind of just want to touch it. Or like when someone takes a bite out of something, gets a disgusted look and says "This is aweful, try it"...and you do.

or

Smell this.

or

Get down on your knees... and you do.

I can't believe there are so many Catholics around here.

We should all go drinking sometime.

I was raised Episcopal.

I only know of divorce and the warmth of communion wine.

I didn't escape Catholicism soon enough. But oddly sometimes I miss giving something up every spring.

Irish Episcopalian. That's not common is it?

yes, you should.







you just like to be told what to do.

I'm giving up meaningless rituals.

Not all that common, but not as uncommon as you might imagine either.

You have to remember that Episcopalians are just Diet Catholics. My Dad is very Irish, my Mom is a little less Irish, and her other two thirds are mainly Scottish and German. The Episcopalian thing came from her upbringing. Pops was raised Catholic, but I don't think either of them wanted to put my sister and I through that.

I'm giving up sweets, biscuits and chocolate.

If i give up sex it will involve getting rid of particular men from my life to avoid any distraction, that will probably be a last minute disicion tho.

-It's becoming more likely as we speak.

this made me think of something. As a non-Catholic (non-Christian even), I was wondering, are there rules as to what you give up for lent? In other words, is supposed to be "vices", or can you give up anything? Just curious.

That's the idea anyways. It's really supposed to be about fasting.

The following I found on a website best sums it up;

A fast is different from a hunger strike: a fast is a personal act of devotion to God, while a hunger strike is a public act most often used to shine a spotlight on injustice. A fast is also different from anorexia nervosa: it is disciplined diet, not total abstention from food. During a religious fast, you still eat, you just abstain from certain foodstuffs. Traditionally, people have fasted by eliminating luxury items from their diets, such as meats. You could have a fast that consists of eating whatever you want, but drinking only water. Orthodox Christians recognize five levels of fasting:

Abstaining from meat
Abstaining from meat, eggs, milk, butter, and cheese
Abstaining from meat, eggs, milk, butter, cheese, and fish
Abstaining from meat, eggs, milk, butter, cheese, fish, oil, and wine
Abstaining from all foods and beverages except bread, water, juices, honey, and nuts.
Note that the fifth and strictest level describes John the Baptizer’s diet, and it is may very well have been the fast that Jesus undertook for forty days in the wilderness. (Christians reenact this retreat during Lent.)

To fast, just omit an item or two from your diet—something that you would normally eat during the course of the day. Every time you get an appetite for those items, you will be reminded of your fast and that will remind you of the reason for your fast, and you can pray instead of eating. This can have immense spiritual benefit. You are simply using your belly as a spiritual snooze-alarm.

edit-admittedly I fell off the wagon several years ago. I don't know that I ever really looked at the ritual as being an act that would anticipate prayer so much as it would be a self-fulfilling habit that we do out of guilt as being the least we could do.

Also being vegetarian it also doesn't really seem to me that it changes much in terms of my own lifestyle either. I knew a guy who gave up listening to the radio in his car.
I tried that once out of curiosity but I found it to be less than effective to me.

I was considering quitting YSI too! even though I haven't given anything up for lent in ages. Maybe we can form a support group.

And Elc, it doesn't really have to be a vice. It's anything that would be a sacrafice. You know, the cathoplic deprivation/guilt thing, it's a blast.

And no altar boy jokes yet?

My impression re Lent (and fasting, for that matter) was that the whole concept was about self-denial, and using whatever time you spent with that thing was to be spent with God. The idea of replacing eartly things with spiritual things, so to speak.

Jesus loves you more when you're hungry.

I'm giving up organzied religion

I grew up Catholic, but the church is run by morons with blinders on.
Protecting preists accused of molesting children
Keeping women down by making them second class in the eyes of the church/God

fuck 'em


he must really be loving me today
I didn't have any breakfast & can't wait for lunch

I think that's "lust" or something. Jesus is mad now. Way to go.

shit
now he's prolly gonna send a hurricane to chicago

Why wait the week?

I was taught you are supposed to give up something that is not necessary in your life and is only for pleasure/selfish consumption.

I don't even think I go thru with Lent for religious reasons. I like an excuse for a little self- control test now and then.

Sorry Beano, I will not follow Lent for the same reasons why I do no wear a hajib. Besides, the sinners have more fun!
Cheers,
Janine



Oooooohhhhhhh! That must have been so HARD for you!
Cheers,
Janine

are you going to give up Mitchell?

NO im not, i love mitchell very much.

And he has a book, how to serve diet humans...wait, its a cook book!

not even going to think about hitting on girls younger than 17 for the next forty days

I think I'm going to do it for the next 40 days.