Lent

It's Lent season again. I really don't know much about it how started and what its all about generally, but I like the idea. I've done it with a little concept I like to call half-lent. Forty days is a long time to give up something you like. Not to bad if you don't care for the thing your giving up, but I believe that defeats the purpose of it. I think I've even gone with quarter-lent before. Why else would they have picked a number divisible by four?

What am I giving up this year? Televised sports. Even though I've got it down to a science where I can record a game and watch it in a hour, I'm even giving that up. It's a little easier coming on the heels of the soul crushing defeats of the Seahawks and the Ducks in championship games. It still is a little tough, though. (Say, the words tough and tough right next to each other and pronounced completely differently seems odd, doesn't it?) Portland might make a run in the playoffs and Kentucky are picked to win the March madness tournament. I did to check to see that the championship game would take place just after Easter, so I'll be able to get my heart ripped out again should Kentucky make it that far. And if they don't, I won't have watched it and will have saved myself a great deal of anguish. Also, I'm giving up my favorite show, Pardon the Interruption, for the next 40 days. That's OK. They've trashed the Ducks and the Seahawks of late, so nuts to you. See you in 40 days.

Speaking of sports - Jerome Kersey passed away a couple days ago. The Trailblazers were one of those teams that broke my heart with championship losses. They lost twice in the early 90's. Later they became known as Jailblazers, but in the early 90's they were the complete opposite. Great teammates and seemed like really great guys. Terry, Clyde, Buck, Kevin, and Jerome were like family members. And somehow two of them are gone now. In spite of the occasional heartbreak, I guess that's why people keep watching sports. You get to root for your extended family.

But for now I'm giving up on sports - At least that's what I'm giving up for Lent. Its not to late get in on your own thing. By my calculations Three-quarters Lent starts up on March 6th.