Okay, admittedly "torture" is way too strong of a word here. And "masochism" would bring on too many Google-searching freaks. Besides, it's not really THAT bad. And it's for the best, right? Right?!

Caution. If you are sensitive about religion, do not continue to read this. I do not mean to offend, but I'm not completely PC either.

What am I talking about? Well, Lent, of course.

No, I'm not Catholic, nor am I a 'religious' person. And I'm not doing it for any of the religious reasons (or for that masochistic stuff either). But since I was raised Lutheran and am aware of the season of Lent, this has always seemed like the perfect time frame for some self-improvement.

From what I understand by the more guilt-obsessed of the Christians, Lent is a time to give up something that you enjoy. For me, I'm going to use this time (40 days) to learn new habits. Good ones.

So... for the next 40 days, I will:

• Not eat chocolate (or anything containing cocoa). yeah, so this really isn't a habit thing, but it's good to give up for a short period of time. And man - that first chocolate bunny or Cadbury egg on Easter morn is DE-vine!
• Limit my STiVo (um, television) watching to 10 hours per week. This does not included miniSTiVo time during my work out.
• Spend at least 30 minutes every night to write in a journal (off-line) and use my teeth whitening kit.

In addition, Matt and I are creating a list of things to get done. Stuff we have put off, procrastinated on, or completely ignored. And in the next 40 days, we will work towards their completion.

In the end, on Easter morning, my hope is that I will have acquired some better habits and have completed a lot of menial tasks. And as I sink my teeth into the sweet, sacrificial chocolate bunny, I will reflect on this time fondly while I, cozy in my PJs, select crap TV with the remote. Thank goodness that STiVo can save the best crap for last.

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