If Mardi Gras literally means, "Fat Tuesday" in French...

than Ash Wednesday means, "SOBER UP YOU BEADED INFESTED DRUNKS" in English. :)

Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday. It is also known as Mardi Gras Day or Shrove Day. A day to drink up, eat up, and balls to the walls, party your tuckus off. Usually, in Louisiana, the two weeks before "Fat Tuesday" are the most festive. Parades, the beads, the drunk guys showing off his boobs... And then puking on the side of Bourbon Street.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of the Christian season of Lent and a sign of penitence.. During Lent, Christians must fast and give up things they like. The Lenten season lasts for 46 days. I tried giving up on StarBucks one Lent. That didn't go over too well. There are some things you CANNOT be without, even during LENT: Sex, Chocolate, ALL FOODS, Alcohol, masturbation, and of course, Smoking. (from joints to fags) I've seen people fail miserably, and God just shook his head.

On Ash Wednesday, Christians go to mass and receive ashes on their foreheads in the sign of the dross. It is a reminder of from "Ashes to Ashes and Dust to Dust". It means that we came from dust and we shall return to dust, referring to our earthly bodies, not our souls.

I am not a religious person. I do believe in certain aspects of the Catholic faith. I go to mass for certain events: Christmas, Easter, Weddings, some baptisms, and Ash Wednesday. What's the point of confessing your sins, if you know you're going to do them again? The whole point is that you know you did wrong, you acknowledged that fact, repent, and live on. It's a great time to reflect on what you've been doing. No one is perfect. And yes, I do wrong. And yes, I will do better. And yes, I can and will change. That's what I get out of repenting. It's one of the solo moments I can take a deep look at myself and say, "I have it in me to do better." So, when you see me with ashes on my forehead tomorrow, just know that I'm not advertising my faith, as much as I'm advertising a new way of living. So there, you damn Jews. ;P Kidding, of course.

-On a side note: There was a cute child in the line at StarBucks this morning. He greeted me with a huge smile and a small red truck that he insisted I "check out". The kid was terribly well behaved and well spoken. (For a kid that age) After engaging in kid conversation for several minutes, he told me that I was pretty and that he likes it when I make him laugh. I was taken aback when he genuinely smiled and uttered the words to me. How can kids be that damn honest? No worries, no fears, no hesistation? In the Metro section of the Post today, a preschool teacher is quoted on a similar subject, "They're honest. If you do something silly, if you smell bad, they'll tell you." It's amazing to see that adults have lost that ability. I gather it's not so much on being respectful, or polite, but to keep from hurting others, and themselves. Wouldn't it be something if we, as adults, learned honesty from the kids? The kids learn that "Honesty is the best Policy" in the classroom. Outside the classroom, does the same truly apply?

Happy Fat Tuesday! You damn sinners... ;)