Gave up the giving up

I saw the smudge on the guy's forehead in the elevator. Oh yeah. It's Ash Wednesday. Start of the whole Lent thing. The time where good Catholics give stuff up until Holy Thursday, Good Friday, or Easter Sunday depending on who you listen to. I know people that will give stuff up every year. Some do the same thing while others every year struggle within to find something worthy to give up.


I gave something up a couple years ago. I called it being In Hell. It was not fun. I think it was pretty ridiculous. It was this particular "event" that made me realize that giving something up for Lent was meaningless. At least to myself and especially after I spoke with many of the good Catholics who could not justify where this comes from. It isn't in the Bible. Just something a sadistic priest thought up. Same with not eating meat on Friday. I think the frozen fish lobby thought this one up years ago just to sell more Lake Michigan cod to the churches. Hey, I am not against Fish Fry Friday (not as good as Pants Free Friday) but I want someone to tell me why.

So I shan't give up a thing. Maybe I should do the opposite. Go for excess. Pick up where others have left off. They give up drinking, I drink more. They give up sweets, I eat them. I like the thought of the abundance of steaks available on a Friday.

Mmm...a nice porterhouse sounds good.

Enough of this drivel. Go read about AlCantHang's trip south. Moving his way down the coast one bar at a time. I am a bit envious. Sounds like a good trip is planned. I really need to get out myself but the chain on my ankle is pretty damn tight and won't budge off my desk.