Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Ash Wednesday

It's Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.  Though my husband is Catholic, I'm not, but I aways give up something for Lent.  I try to pick something that has meaning for me.  Otherwise, what's the point? I once worked for an attorney who each year for Lent gave up watermelon. He hated watermelon.

Some years I've given up sweets, chocolate, fast food - last year I gave up buying books for myself. That was hard as one of my favorite children's authors did a book signing right in the middle of Lent.

This year I am giving up checking out books from the library, unless it's job related.  I often check out books from the public library to supplement the small collection at my school or  for teachers who need a particular book that our library doesn't own.  I'm also in the process of starting up a photography business, so I'm allowing myself to check out books related to that.  But, all those wonderful mysteries, young adult and fantasy novels that I can't resist will have to wait until after Lent.

I patronize two library systems.  My local library doesn't allow you to suspend your holds, so I had to delete them all.  The library system just down the road in another town, does allow you to suspend your holds, so I've suspended them all until just a few days before Easter.  This will allow the books to go to others, but once the suspension date has passed, I will go back on the list in the spot I was when I suspended them.

I'm hoping this will allow me to read all the books I already have checked out. (I can't help it. Every time I see a book I want to read, I don't just put it on my to read list, I request it from the library - usually.)  And should I somehow manage to read everything I already have checked out, well, I do have an entire book shelf that is over flowing with books I own, but have not yet read.  My dream is to some day win the lottery so I can just stay home and read to my heart's content. One can dream right?

What are you giving up for Lent?

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