Well, today is Fat Tuesday, or Paczki Day, as the media decided to call it this morning while interviewing people at the bakery (we have a large Polish community in my area). It’s the final day to indulge in all those things that you’ve decided to give up for the Lenten season.

I’ve been trying to decide what I am going to give up for Lent this year. I’d love to say I’m giving up broccoli, but that wouldn’t exactly be challenging would it? A couple years ago, I gave up caffeine… going from a caffeine addict to caffeine free was really, really hard, but I made it. Actually, it was the catalyst for me giving up caffeinated beverages almost entirely. These days, I’ll drink a regular pop on the weekends, but mostly it’s caffeine-free.

What I’m leaning towards giving up is pop. Soda. Coke. Whatever you call it in the corner of the world that you are… I generally drink between 2-3 cans of pop a day, so this will be a significantly challenging prospect. At least this year, I know there won’t be any caffeine withdrawals to go along with my new beverage choices! I already drink only water while at my desk at work, so it’s only lunch and the evenings that will be a challenge. I just replaced the filter in my water pitcher, so that’s ready to go. I do have Kool-aid packets in my pantry, although I’m not exactly sure replacing carbonation with sugar is exactly the wisest move in the world.

I guess this makes it official. I’m giving up pop for Lent. So I’ll be stopping somewhere on my way home from work and buying a ginormous pop to finish off my Fat Tuesday in style. (I already have no pop in my apartment.) If the purveyors of said beverage just so happen to serve ice cream as well, so much the better!