Feb 08 2005
First Day of Lent Tomorrow
Today is Shrove Tuesday, or Pancake day as it’s more commonly known. Which means that in my house tonight we’re going to be gorging ourselves on pancakes, yum 
That also means that, traditionally, from tomorrow until Easter day is Lent, a period of fasting (starving yourself). My sister, whilst she doesn’t fast, gives up chocolate, sweet, crisps and shop bought cakes (she claims homemade cakes are ok as you use up energy making them and they’re generally healthier than the shop bought version). So I to am planning on giving up something for Lent.
I have been thinking about this quite hard but can’t figure out what to give up. I thought about chocolate but I don’t eat much, so that wont be such a hardship. I could try giving up caffeine but as I am an addict I’m not sure I would be able to manage the full period of Lent (I recently read an article in National Geographic about caffeine addiction) and I think my work would suffer. But Lent is supposed to be a period of hardship and self determination, so I am considering not completely giving up caffeine but simply reducing it to the amount which I require to keep going rather than a cup every 10 minutes.
Whilst I would still be able to function I would also be pushing my body and mind, and I might even reduce my addiction to a manageable level… a level at which I may be able to quit without seriously harming my working life…. or maybe I’ll just give up the junk food.
Or the altenative is to say ‘Stuff it!’ and enjoy life!!!
That is true. But it would also be nice to be able to enjoy life without having to have a cup of tea or coffee first.
Good for you. I only drink 1-2 cups a day now compared to my 10-15 cups when I worked 9-5!
Well you see you are talking about a different subject now!! If it just that you want to cut down on caffeine then that is fine and dandy… your post is about sacrificing pleasures for a religious cause that I was not aware you were a believer of!!!
Its just as rediculous as making New Years Resolutions (which I don’t actually do… but nm.) or sailing around the world single handed non-stop.
There is no point except to prove to yourself (and possibly others) that you can do it.
Praise lent , praise coffee and praise the Grinning God!!!