HERE WE GO AGAIN!

I know it's still two weeks away, but already I'm dreading upcoming Lent. 2009 will be my eighth or ninth time giving up alcohol for this forty day period (well 39 days since I get St. Paddys off). I remember way back thinking that with each passing year it would get easier and easier. But I was sooooo wrong. It gets harder and harder. The big challenges are not alcoholic cravings or "I need it to sleep", it's more a problem of social retardation. Alcohol (and consuming it) is an integral part of socializing, especially here in Asia. And opportunities for relaxation and enjoyment are limited without it (at least in my social circles). Plus there's always the issue of explaining/justifying why you aren't drinking to people who ask. I can't really say 'becuase of my religion' because I don't consider myself a Catholic anymore. So it leads to a long-winded explanation of why I started doing it and why I continue to do it. Plus it's very hard for me to sit in a bar or go to a club sober. And even harder to tolerate drunk people becoming drunker.
But all the negative stuff aside, it should be good for my health and good for my bank account. Let's just hope my sanity stays intact.