Do I Dare???

Well, Lent is coming up, and a bunch of people around the office are talking about what they're giving up. It made me wonder if perhaps I, too, should abstain from something for the next 40 days, and I decided that it might not be the worst thing in the world. Now, I'm not religious at all, so Lent doesn't really have any spiritual meaning for me, per se, but I figure, why the heck not?

So, what is it that I'm going to give up? My beloved beer... my New Glarus Spotted Cow, which is, hands down, the best beer in the entire world. See, normally I'm not a beer fan. Give me a good Lambrusco or a vodka cranberry any day. But I am lucky enough to live in Wisconsin, which is known for their to-die-for beers, and Spotted Cow is la creme de la creme.

So, HOW do I give it up for the next 40 days without going into withdrawals? (Now, lest my dear readers--all 2 of you! ;)--worry that I'm an alkie, never fear. I could have an entire liquor cabinet stocked full of the top-shelf brands, and I wouldn't touch it for weeks or months on end. No, it's not the alcohol itself; it's the whole Spotted Cow experience.)

So, we'll see how my quest goes. It's only 40 days, right? And this will definitely help with my weight loss, since when I imbibe, I want to order pizza, which, sadly, isn't on anyone's list of health foods. Yes, this will be a good thing. I won't think of it as depriving myself; I'll think of it as doing something good for myself. All right. It's settled. I'm giving up Spotted Cow for Lent.

But you can be sure that Dan and I are going to go all out tonight, as a last "hurrah!" And isn't that what Mardi Gras is all about?