All My Gettings

Today is Mardi Gras, or as I prefer, Shrove Tuesday. I didn't shrive today, partly because I'm not Catholic and partly because I just did so on Sunday. Well, it wasn't really so much of a shriving as it was the acquiring of a temple recommend, but close enough in non-Catholic circles. At any rate, with today being Shrove Tuesday, that means that tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. It's also the time of year when I decide to give something up in what one of my friends calls "finding arbitrary ways to punish yourself". This year, I'm giving up food.

Ok, not really. But pretty close. I'm going to do a full-scale Lenten fast. That means no meat, dairy or eggs for the duration. Oh, and only one meal a day. So, it's like insta-vegan. Insta-reduced-caloric-intake-vegan. It should be an interesting time. Now, since it's the old school fast, I'm also doing an old school Lent, which means that I won't be fasting on Sundays (I'm still undecided about what to do on Fast Sundays that fall between now and Easter). This, of course, is in an effort to stave off some hideous form of malnourishment or other malady that cold turkey, one meal a day veganism might bring on.

For those who are booing or clicking their tongues or thinking ill of me, I'm also giving up movies and tv for the entire period between tomorrow and Easter. So, I'm not entirely slagging off.

I also get to go to mass tomorrow just after noon, thanks to it being reading week and not having class. I love this time of the year. If only I weren't just play acting and really were Catholic...