February 26, 2009

• dry counting

  Giving up alcohol for Lent and I’m a little ashamed to say that I know it will be very difficult.

  I got rid of the interesting booze and wine and beer in the house.  I won’t tell you how, but I woke up with a little headache the next morning.  There is a bottle of white zinfandel on the fridge (blech).  I got it for Christmas.  It’s safe, believe me.  I’d hit the Sterno first, I think.

  I caught myself thinking, “but that’s all I look forward to on the drive home from work.”  Uh, hello kids!  Yes, I love you, get out of my way, you’re blocking the fridge.    No, it’s not quite that bad.  Almost. 

  I am irreverent and mean like that.  For example, I spent the contemplation time after ashes and Communion during Ash Wednesday Mass last night checking out ladies’ handbags and hairstyles.  Most were bad. 

  I have a stressful job.  But wine just doesn’t make me feel good like it used to.  I get sick of the sugar or some additive before I feel any kind of buzz.  I actually have been drinking a lot less since I figured that out. 

  So, I weighed myself and we’ll see where that number goes over the next 47 days.  I’m estimating that I spent about $10/day on wine or drinks.  Most days I drank 1-2 glasses and most bottles were about 15 bucks.  The total is padded to cover the 1-2 times per month I went to La Buvette and spent a whole lot more.  $10/day x 47 actual days of Lent = holy shit. 

  As hard as it might be, it will never be as hard as the year I gave up caffeine (shudder).  That’s hard core, my friends.  Just thinking about it sends me running back to the coffee pot to make sure it’s still there.  Whew, it is.

  • 9:09 am
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