Weekend Assignment #257: Giving It Up

Looks like Karen chose to go with a topic that Florinda suggested this week. It's very timely as we are just getting started on Lent. Time to give stuff up and show some willpower.

Weekend Assignment #257: Have you ever given up anything for Lent - and if you have, what was it? Did you make it stick for the whole forty days? (In deference to those of you who have never observed Lent at all, let's expand this to giving up anything for religious, ethical or health reasons - cigarettes, for example.)

I'll start by saying I am Lutheran. I went to Lutheran school from preschool through eighth grade and I don't remember having to give anything up. I don't know if that is something only Catholics do, or if I just blew it off all the time. Could go either way, really.

That doesn't mean I never have. About eight or nine years ago I gave up pop (soda for you people who call it that). I was drinking Sprite all the time, all day long. I mean, I was sweating lemon-lime. It was kind of cool when you think about it. So, I figured it would be a good idea to give it up. It worked out better than I though; I stopped drinking pop for good, though I would have one occasionally, with certain types of food. You cannot tell me that water tastes good with pizza. It just doesn't.

I have given up other things through the years, candy, chocolate, etc. One year recently, I gave up M&M's. It was kind of a cheat though, since I let myself have other candy. Jenn kind of gave me crap for it, as she should have.

This year I am back to giving up pop again. A different kind this time. See, a few years ago, I started drinking caffeinated pop, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, etc. I needed an extra boost sometimes whether it be from working midnights, to getting up early for the day shift, or just because we have kids that do not like to sleep in on weekends. I ended up developing a bad habit of having Dr. Pepper all the time. It never really helped anyway. Sure, I'd get the rush from it at first, but then, BAM(!) I'd crash from the sugar high. It was rough after lunch at work sometimes.

So, yes, I am giving up pop (again) for lent. Jenn isn't too happy because she thinks I'm going to be cranky, and she's probably right. But, I really don't need the extra calories. So, right now I am having some Gatorade G2. In this 20 ounce bottle, there is about one third of the calories that are in a 12 ounce can of Dr. Pepper. Don't worry, this isn't all I'm going to drink during lent. I'll mostly drink water. I was having the Gatorade for some flavor with my sandwich.

Extra Credit: Have you ever given up eating meat, either as a fast observance or as an ongoing change?

No. Again, I don't remember us doing this when I was younger. We were probably supposed to, I don't know. I don't think I could give up meat. What would I get to eat for protein, tofu? Blech.

Do you give up anything for Lent? Or, for any other reason?