This is the end of the innocence.

Lent begins tomorrow with Ash Wednesday. To most Catholics, this tends to mean no meat on Fridays and giving up candy for a few weeks. Why give things up for Lent? Well, there's all sorts of origins on why Catholics fast that might be better described from a source like Wikipedia than from me. As I understand it, as Lent is a time for Penance and anticipation, of preparing one's self for the coming of better days.

I don't mean to get all religious here, but I write this because I'm trying to adopt this period as one to better myself. Better dieting. More active lifestyle. Et cetera.

I guess I'm a big fan of the policy of "today is the first day of the rest of your life." So, I'm adopting that, starting tomorrow. I'm adopting these through Lent:
- no sweets
*I know, didn't I just criticize pledges like this? What does this resolve? It's a symbolic thing. Of things to come.
- one salad as lunch per week
*I hate salad. Hate it. Nothing exciting about it. But I realize (a) I need to eats me greens, and (b) salad's a good way to do that. So here goes nothing.
- no food after dinner
*I had a friend in college who used to do this, rationalizing it that it's really a better way to get sleep. I had great success with sleep when I gave up on soda as a New Year's resolution. That is second only to alcohol in the ability to let me sleep like a baby. This year, I'll try this.
- minimize snacking
*I work 12+ hours per day. I can't make it without keeping the energy up. But there's an orange, and there's a strawberry pop tart.
- blog twice a week
*even if it's one sentence - this blog provides great release. I could use more of that.
- wear pants
*Oh, right.... moving on...

I'm publishing this not to inform you so that you can harass me at every turn. I just feel like I wish to say this out loud. For all to hear. To see what happens.

Wish me luck.