Though I'm not quite so religious now (if at all), I grew up in a semi-Catholic household, and remember many of the religious customs and traditions - eating fish on Fridays, the Communion, confession, etc. etc. etc. One of the things I don't recall ever really doing, though, was "giving up" something during Lent.

I always found it funny when other Catholic friends of mine would "give up" something that wasn't quite so difficult to give up in the first place - something like, oh, I don't know, a certain channel on TV. Doesn't that totally defeat the purpose? Aren't you supposed to give up something that will make you remember why you're doing it every time you have to hold yourself back?

Chocolate, burgers, butter, cheese - these things I could give up easily. However, there are a few things I should, but doubt I actually could, give up for 40 days for Lent:

1. Diet Coke - I need the caffeine.
2. Coffee - see above
3. Eggs - I eat at least a half dozen hard boiled eggs a week (not all the yolks, though). I know that eggs are one of the things you aren't supposed to eat anyway (which is why we have "Pancake Day"), but then what would I eat for breakfast?!
4. Wine - I don't even drink this in excess because other than tequila, wine hangovers are the worst kind of aftermath. However, dinner doesn't taste good without a glass of wine.
5. Salt - I salt everything. Sometimes (ssh, don't tell), even before I taste it.
6. Garlic - I think that after salt, garlic comes in second for "putting into everything."
7. Chilies, peppers, and anything spicy - While others may have been born with a silver spoon in their mouths, I think I was born with a chile pepper.
8. Gum - My mouth is always moving, and if I'm not eating, I have to be chewing gum.