But - in what way is Lent a fast? I thought it was a period of "giving up" on things (like alcohol, meat, chocolate, the like).

Yeah, it's fasting-lite.

Trivial, out-of-nowhere factoid:

Stonehenge is technically not a henge.

Okra is in the hibiscus family and is pretty in a spiky sort of way

And, okra is tasty!

My local 7-11 actually had paczkis today. Which scares me a little. How good can 7-11 paczkis be?

But - in what way is Lent a fast? I thought it was a period of "giving up" on things (like alcohol, meat, chocolate, the like).

Nilly, on Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent, which is tomorrow) and on Good Friday (the last friday of Lent, 2 days before Easter), [some] Catholics fast for 2 meals, or they have fruit juice during the day and then a proper dinner in the evening -- things like that. [Obviously, exceptions are made for people who are sick, diabetic, frail, elderly, and young -- they don't have to fast.]

On Fridays in Lent, [some] Catholics don't eat meat (beef, pork, poultry), but fish is allowed.

And then there's a tradition of people "giving up" something for the 40-day period of Lent -- no chocolate, no sugar, no alcohol, no TV -- basically the idea is to give up something that it's a real sacrifice to give up.

Fiddleheads are good sauteed with a bit of garlic. I don't have strong feelings one way or the other about okra. Though my roommate's mom used to do it dredged in cornmeal and then fried, and it was mighty tasty.

t hangs around, waiting for confirmation that this is also "Taco Tuesday"

t thinks: Wait! That is a commercial thing.

t shakes not-so-tiny fist at ... whichever Buffista did that.

I had almost forgotten about Fat Tuesday. Maybe I should indulge for lunch today.

Actually, since it's almost 11 and I haven't had breakfast yet, I think I'll let it slide.

hangs around, waiting for confirmation that this is also "Taco Tuesday"

It is Taco Tuesday in the Cult of Gud. You can join for just six easy payments of $19.99. AND if you join today you can get a free bathrobe with the image of Gud on the back.

Here's additional info about fasting during Lent that I found here: [link]

"The law of fasting requires a Catholic from the 18th Birthday to the 59th Birthday [i.e. the beginning of the 60th year, a year which will be completed on the 60th birthday] to reduce the amount of food eaten from normal. The Church defines this as one meal a day, and two smaller meals which if added together would not exceed the main meal in quantity. Such fasting is obligatory on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. The fast is broken by eating between meals and by drinks which could be considered food (milk shakes, but not milk). Alcoholic beverages do not break the fast; however, they seem to be contrary to the spirit of doing penance.

"Those who are excused from fast or abstinence -- besides those outside the age limits, those of unsound mind, the sick, the frail, pregnant or nursing women according to need for meat or nourishment, manual laborers according to need, guests at a meal who cannot excuse themselves without giving great offense or causing enmity and other situations of moral or physical impossibility to observe the penitential discipline."

Rick, how could you avoid getting confused in the afternoon and not weed out the thing you spent the whole morning weeding?

it's fasting-lite.

Heh. We have fasting (no eating and drinking), longer fasting, and longer fasting with more-things-you're-not-allowed-to-do.

Obviously, exceptions are made for people who are sick, diabetic, frail, elderly, and young -- they don't have to fast

In Judaism, too [Edit: but apparently with different, more strict, rules. You only start fasting from 12 (girls) or 13 (boys), and there's no upper age limit, other than the person's health situation]. And thanks for the explanation, Teppy.