40 days and 40 nights.

I was talking with someone today about Lent, and how I was glad I wasn’t religious because that way I didn’t have to subscribe to the annual denial-of-self that Lent brings about. But she presented it in a way that was a challenge to self, rather than for religious gain, and that caused me to rethink the whole concept. After all, New Years resolutions don’t really amount to much; the last time I really challenged myself was when I applied for grad school eons ago; and I liked the idea of challenging myself (especially since I haven’t taken an academic or non-academic class in forever). So I pondered.

The normal female desires like chocolate and ice cream just don’t do it for me on an average day, so they were out. I thought about trying to give up pizza (my all time favorite food), but I haven’t eaten pizza much lately and when I do, it’s because I am in serious need of comfort food, and who am I to deny my body of what it needs in that situation? And then I had an amusing thought, which went a little something like this:

“I should try to give up swearing. I do it way too much now, especially at work where it is SO not appropriate. Yeah, I should try that.” [… pause for consideration…] “FUCK that.”

That was my honest to goodness train of thought. But then, after laughing at myself, I reconsidered. I’ve wanted to do it for a while now, and it could be an interesting experiment. How hard could it be? Would I seek out other ways of expressing myself, e.g. with “rubbish” or “cable-ten” or “jabroney”?

Time will tell. Forty days, to be exact.* But I have five hours till Lent, so fuck fuckity shit fuck fuck fuck. Fuck.

Now accepting suggestions for alternate "appropriate in workplace settings" outbursts.

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* Exceptions include “damn” and “hell” which are in the Bible, so they're okay, right? Also I’m pretty sure I’ve heard Ned and/or the Flanders boys utter those words once or twice so I should be okay, right? And “biatch [beeeee-yatch]” because that doesn’t count either, right? If I guarantee I will never utter “hella” out loud, “biatch” is okay, right??