Lent.

Lent is largely a Catholic practice, but when regarded in a larger sense, it's not such a bad idea. Most religions or cultures support fasting or abstinence (and not just from sex) at one time or another, for purification, to clean out the sludge that slows down our bodies and minds and spirits, to get us in touch with what's really important.

So, a week after Ash Wednesday, I'm finally getting around to considering what I think I'll give up for Lent. Here are some of my options, and what I think about them:

1) Alcohol. Well, I don't really drink all that much to begin with (if I get drunk twice in as many months, then I'm in trouble), so it wouldn't really be giving up anything to pass on this till Easter. That, and I'm going to Austin next week expressly to drink.

2) Chocolate. More likely as a choice. The woman who sits in the cube next to me keeps her little dish on the aisle fully stocked with chocolate, and when I'm feeling frustrated, I can't seem to keep myself from grabbing a little Hershey bar(s) as I walk by. My mom successfully gives up chocolate every year, and she doesn't pig out on Easter Sunday, either.

3) All snacks. This would be a real sacrifice. It's in the lead as an option.

4) Not spending more than an hour a day on the computer outside of work. Another big sacrifice. I've been trying to do this off and on for several months now, always failing. Perhaps this is the motivation I need.

And that's as far as I've gotten. I know better than to choose more than one. Heck, even when I was a practicing Catholic, I had a hard time remembering not to eat meat on Fridays, much less try to focus on giving up more than one thing at a time.

I'll keep you updated. 'Cause I know you care.

UPDATE:
Rather than try to hold to two full-time goals at the same time, I have decided (with the help of Amy) on two part-time goals: to give up snacking at work, and the computer at home.