Lent-ish

Today is the first day of Lent '17!

"Lent (Latin: Quadragesima: Fortieth) is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends approximately six weeks later, before Easter Sunday. The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, doing penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement, and self-denial. This event is observed in the Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, and Roman Catholic Churches."

and

"In Lent, many Christians commit to fasting or giving up certain types of luxuries as a form of penance. Many Christians also add a Lenten spiritual discipline, such as reading a daily devotional or praying through a Lenten calendar, to draw themselves near to God."

Me, I use it as a sort of discipline challenge: what can I give up for forty days that would be difficult and therefor, allow me to celebrate how awesome I am for going through it when it's over? Last year, I did without meat of any kind and that went pretty well. Until the first time I had some afterward and immediately experienced a severe case of meat bloat. I had just a reasonable portion of roast beef for dinner prior to a Lightning game and it made me feel like this...

All I wanted to do was lay down right where I was and sleep for three days. It was an awful feeling and I never want to go through that again. This actually turned me off eating meat in general and now, with ocassional exceptions fueled by ill-advised cravings and primitive pre-wired inclinations, I really don't eat it much at all anymore.
Coming up with this year's Lent challenge has been a challenge. What can I give up that will be a sacrifice and will test my stamina and discipline?

MEAT - Fun! Last year (as stated above).

SODA - Too late. I'm already off Coke, Pepsi, etc.

CANDY - I can't remember the last time I ate candy.

SOCIAL MEDIA - Tempting! Not exactly a sacrifice though.

HER - No. Absolutely not. Can't. Won't.

SPORTS WRITING - Too easy, because it would mean not having to associate with sports writers. I love sports. I love writing. But I really dislike most sports writers (old white men who sit around and swap stories about the 1987 NFC Championship and what a swell guy George Steinbrenner was or whatever). The other day, I had the distinct displeasure of listening to one of them complain about having to sit through four innings of a spring training baseball game. Ugh. 

PIZZA - Hmmm. Okay, yeah. I guess I'll do pizza. Here's hoping I don't come out on the other side never wanting to eat it again. Not exactly a spiritual penance, but as stated above, that's not really why I'm doing it. So, okay then. Pizza. All right.

Let Lent '17 (40 days sans pizza) begin!!