Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Shrove Tuesday-Katie's Commandments

Ok it's time to make it public. Like I mentioned before, every year I give up a list of things that I feel in my heart is a sacrifice. Or at the very least is uncomfortable to do. Now many of the things that I'd give up this year I've already done. I've given up fast food, diet coke (a huge one) and store-bought sweets. This year I wanted to go deeper. I was also looking for a sacrific that would give back. This year I'm giving up meat and meat products except for Sunday's. Though if I'm doing well with the "vegetarian sympathizing" and don't miss the meat I'll make a veg-head dinner for myself and feed the meat meal to the family.

The kids are not involved in this meat fast. In fact, they are not included in the lent sacrificing at all. They are too young to benefit from any sort of dietary change nor does it mean anything to them. They are too young to understand exactly why this period of the year means so much to us. They'll get their usual meals along with whatever I'm serving up that day.

Ok so that takes care of the dietary fasting portion of the Lenten Sacrifices. I'm also doing my TV fast. I'll get to watch some movies on the weekends but no live TV. I get to catch up with Y&R on Sundays so that'll mean a lot of fast forwarding through the crap to get the meat of the stories so that I can fit it all in. On top of the TV fast I'll be giving up my computer for all but an hour a day. That will be a big adjustment. I'm used to taking my time with composing my blogs. I guess what I'll have to do is to write out my blogs by hand and just type them quickly and post pictures to be efficient.

What I will do to keep myself from going nuts, practicing yoga 6 nights a week (can't do it on Tuesday Nights as I get in too late from Run Club). Reading a few books that I'll pick up from the library this week. Doing some more journal writing. Yes, it's true. I don't normally blog a lot that's on my mind. Somethings are too personal to cast out into the electronic void. I do keep a traditional journal. The only exception to the computer fast will be to check my calender for appointments and contact information or to play my music collection. That basically means only a few minutes a day to surf. It may mean more person-to-person contact. Looks like I'll be using the phone a bit more.

I also plan to plow through the last little bit of grade one with E. in the next 40 days. If I'm fasting from TV then I guess so are they. Though if they'd like to have a show after all the work is done I will not begrudge them that. We'll get a lot more done without digital distractions. I may even pick up a piece of charcoal and start creating short sketches again. Like exercising an old unused muscle.

I'll be baking and cooking a lot more as a result of the new menu and I plan to start to teach E. (and L. if he's interested) to cook. He can help prep some of the veg and get his hands in the bread dough.

Here is another big sacrifice which really I should have done years and years ago. I'm going to give up swearing. Yep, I'm tossing it to the way-side. I suppose the only forgiven swears will be as a result of injury and quick reflexes. If I slip up I put a dollar in a jar. I bet the food bank would love to have that cash! That's exactly where it will go.

Ok so here's the hot list aka Katie's Commandments:

  1. No meat unless its Sunday
  2. No TV unless its Y&R on Sundays, movies are ok on Sundays too
  3. Only 1 hour of computer a day
  4. No swearing
  5. All but three meals out of 120 will be home made
  6. Read more
  7. Journal more
  8. Start sketching again
  9. Min 30 minutes yoga a day times 6 days a week
  10. Finish Grade one!

1 comment:

  1. what the f$%K!

    well done - I will swear for you...sound good?

    ReplyDelete