The Lent Experiment

So yesterday was pancake day, and I completely forgot until the late afternoon once in the midst of essay hell and it was too late to haul-ass to Sainsbury's to buy pancake mix. This is a total shame as it is one of my favourite days of the year. Not only because you get to eat copious amounts of pancakes (yum) but you also get to stuff your face without feeling guilty. It is traditionally the day in which you prepare for the period of self-denial known as Lent.

Last year I gave up chocolate for Lent. Unfortunately this ended about a week in after I completely forgot and baked a whole bunch of chocolate chip cookies. Ooops. The year before I gave up caffeine which only resulted in me being a nightmarish creature - I think just about everybody was offering to buy me coffee just to put an end to my murderous mood. However, in 2010 I have decided to step up my game a little and give up cigarettes AND alcohol for the forty day lent period. I have been trying to give up cigarettes for about three years and even after my most successful attempt that I began on New Years' Eve, I have found myself succumbing to the temptation of the foul-smelling, evil, wonderful, beautiful, disgusting habit. So I am hoping that if I can get through these forty days, I will be able to kick it forever. Also, I have been drinking moderately heavily pretty much solidly since the age of 22, so it would be good to give my body a rest also.

As I am always partial to a good experiment, I yesterday made a list of all of my physical, mental and emotional characteristics, so that I can see if any of them improve as a result of this period of abstinence. I have two things that I must try to do during this period. 1. Not give into temptation under any circumstances. 2. Not replace cigarettes and alcohol with food. I will be keeping a daily journal of my progress, snippets of which I will add into the blog. So wish me luck!

Also, in an act of support, Ollie has decided to give up meat for 40 days which Im sure will also be very challenging. We walked past the hog roast stand in Dulwich this morning and I could see him salivating. I think I will need to take him out for a great big steak at Easter xx