Home Stretch

Happy to say I'm in the final stretch of my Secular Lent pledge not to eat meat or drink alcohol for 6 weeks. The last official day is Monday, but I may fudge a bit and eat a hamburger that night. I'm attending a syntax seminar that lets out at 8, and it's been suggested that we go out to eat afterward next week. Depending on where we go, there may be more or less vegetarian food on the menu, and I'm thinking "less," since Bear's Place is the closest thing that passes for a restaurant.

This makes the third year in a row I've done this, and it's certainly been the easiest this time around. I don't remember having any real meat cravings, which I certainly did in the past, and I've also only had fish a total a four times, despite an informal rule that allows it once a week.

All the same, I think I won't do this again next year. It's mostly annoying.

The part about no alcohol turned out to be really nice, though. I like hanging out and not waking up feeling groggy the next morning. Beer tastes good and all, but mostly it's more trouble than it's worth. I'll certainly order one with dinner on Tuesday (some tentative plans to go to a steakhouse), but probably I've permanently cut back on that stuff. We'll see.