They didn't mention that, just the forehead mark.

Meat and bread?

Well, meat's so easy to stop eating for me--I had to go out of my way to eat it yesterday--that I felt I needed to up the ante. And bread--I like bread, so it's a nice sort of sacrificial object.

I usually give up booze for Lent.

And it isn't just Catholics--Episcopalians do it too.

Indeed they do! Big day when I used to work at an Episcopalian church. I would refer to it as the kickoff to the busy season. They go crazy on Easter week. Services every day! Retreats! Stations of the cross! Choir cast of thousands!

Well, meat's so easy to stop eating for me--I had to go out of my way to eat it yesterday--that I felt I needed to up the ante. And bread--I like bread, so it's a nice sort of sacrificial object.

I usually give up booze for Lent.

So no booze burgers for you!

What would be the best way to add booze to a burger? Sliced Jello shots?

I know. I think one year you gave up booze and sugar, right? I have this vague memory that connects to Peeps, somehow.

I...bread...I don't think I could give it up. The thought makes my ancestors moan in pain.

What would be the best way to add booze to a burger? Sliced Jello shots?

Jack Daniels in your BBQ sauce.

I know. I think one year you gave up booze and sugar, right? I have this vague memory that connects to Peeps, somehow.

Yes! There were Peeps involved.

My diet's changed so radically over the last year--I considered giving up sugar, but I so rarely eat it that it didn't seem worth caring about.

I...bread...I don't think I could give it up. The thought makes my ancestors moan in pain.

I feel that way about coffee.

Jack Daniels in your BBQ sauce.

I'm just thinking there's a limit to how much BBQ sauce you can put on a burger.

Tomatoes, onions and pickles pickled in vodka?

I'm just thinking there's a limit to how much BBQ sauce you can put on a burger.

Well, true.

So maybe it would need the vodka pickles.

Whoops. Even after saying I'd have to figure it out yesterday, today I woke up and forgot. So I guess I'm not doing a full fast. Or I'm not fasting from banana bread and coffee, anyway. Thank goodness. I really like coffee. What did I do last year? Does anyone remember?

So I guess I'll do vegetarian. Probably ovo-lacto-pescetarian when it comes down to it, because I'm not disciplined enough. We've been thinking about heading this way ourselves anyway, so maybe it can be a lifestyle change trial run. Which, I know, not the point.

But it will still serve. When I crave meat or whathaveyou, I'll still be reminded of what I'm doing and why. It'll still nudge me out of the daily routine enough to remember Christ throughout the day.

ION, I've been doing this thing where I've read back through years worth of gaming logs. (Text based gaming, so the whole thing's there, typos and all.) I was a warrior mage, so every time someone here mentions "ice patch" I keep thinking it's a spell. Maybe it is. I don't really have any information to the contrary.

Also?

Except we don't have AI yet.

[ominous tone] As far as you know... [/ominousity]