#64 - lent

the 40 days before easter is called lent. people fast and give up things to prepare themselves spiritually for easter celebration. lots of people do more praying and what not. for me it has nothing to do with religion. it kind of should but it's just a personal thing instead. when i was in college my friend ALQ asked if i wanted to give up something for lent. she's catholic and i went with her to mass a couple times. it wasn't for me but i wanted to do lent. we gave up eating fast food. it was surprisingly easy and ever since i haven't been a big fast food eater. they say it takes 21 days to make a habit. so lent is above and beyond that. i've also given up meat for it before, which was pretty easy at the time.

this year i thought about meat again just cause it would be good. but i don't really eat much meat in the first place. once i set my mind to something it will get done. why i need an excuse like lent to get something done, i don't know. so i've decided to give up SHOPPING. i am a bit of an emotional shopper and also very spontaneous. i am lucky to have a job and be able to buy whatever junks i want, even if i shouldn't. there is this site called steep and cheep and they have stuff on sale all the time. it changes once they sell out of an item, but it's easy to sit there all day watching it and buy stuff.

on top of my lofty goals with my budget, this will be just another thing. i've been spending above my means so this will kind of keep me in check. hopefully i'll continue the habit beyond easter. it will be a challenge but at the same time, i have enough and don't need more. save my money for something worthwhile. i don't need another t-shirt or pair of shoes.

the way i decided on this was one of my residents had a sweatshirt that said "simplify, simplify", a quote from thoreau. so i got on the idea of simplifying my life and buying less, which i've always thought would be a step in the right direction. for some reason i've not allowed myself to. i guess comforts of having stuff. we are consumers. we were brought up as such. also the capitalistic society we live in...it's hard to break away. i was also talking to one of my co-workers about just living on a farm in the future. i could totally see myself doing that. land, horses, dogs, a garden, goats, berries. BUT in order to get that, one needs to work for awhile. you might as well work in something positive.

so i will not buy anything except food until easter.