Tuesday, February 16, 2010

In Need of Some Purging



Fat Tuesday is the last day of indulging (defined as: To yield to the desires and whims of, especially to an excessive degree) before Lent. And so indulging we will be! We had a big breakfast of coffee, juice, scrambled eggs and english muffins. We have leftover Valentine's cake in the house, and will be making chocolate dipped strawberries today with the kids. For dinner, I will prepare Phil's favorite: Maple Chicken (I could give out the recipe, but then I wouldn't be his hero any more!).


During Lent my focus is going to be on deeds of service, and offering up all my cravings by not satisfying them. I'm also going to get more focused on healthy eating and increasing my running...not so much for Lent, but because the half marathon is next month! I am hoping that Lent can help me with the discipline part of the training, that even when I want to stop, I will persevere.
(Lent = discipline through denial and good deeds)
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Speaking of perseverance, did you all see Alexandre Bilodeau, the first Canadian gold medal winner of this Olympics?
He is such a stand up guy, and I love how much he respects and looks up to his brother with cerebral palsy. In one interview I saw, he told the reporter that his brother never complains and that has made him so much stronger as an athlete. Because if his brother can face every day with the courage he needs, then what is stopping him? I was so proud to watch him win that gold medal. You can read a little more about his story here.


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Now it's time for a confession. Somehow this season I have been sucked into watching the Bachelor for the first time ever. And while I love dating/love/romance...this show is DISGUSTING. Never mind the fact that all these girls are dating and kissing the same man, but they are all apparently falling in love with him too. Do they not realize that he is saying/doing the same things with the other girls??
Last night the remaining three girls travelled to St Lucia with the Bachelor and each had a date with him. Every date ended up with the girl in a bikini (Phil refused to watch the "pornography" on tv) and then the Bachelor (Jake) gave each girl, on separate nights, a key to stay in the luxury suite with him for the night. And each girl accepted!!!
So they all stayed overnight with him (hmm, wonder what they did all night?) and it was all played out on tv like this was a normal next step in a relationship. Puh-lease! I know it's mainstream to live together before marriage, but to be seen on national tv, staying overnight in a man's room that you have so recently met and knowing that he is sleeping with 2 other girls at the same time?!?! Those girls are crazy!
One of the girls, Tenley, had been married before and had even saved herself for her husband. Then he ended up cheating on her and they got divorced. So she was constantly talking about how she had only been with her husband, and how she had such high values and morals, and then she still slept with Jake.
I was getting so mad at the girls for giving it all away so easily, and then Phil pointed out that Jake was the man-whore who was seducing all 3 women at the same time, claiming to be a man of integrity and values, and then sleeping with them all in order to help make his decision on who should be his wife. And of course, while committing all these heinous acts, he is claiming to be falling in love with all of them. Eeew, yuck, disgusting. Seriously, how is this show allowed on tv? I was so stunned and sickened by it.
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I feel so dirty and need a spiritual cleansing - Lent can not come soon enough for me!

11 comments:

  1. Can I get an 'amen'? :) I hear you loud and clear on the Bachelor. I have caught glimses throughout the years, but just couldn't watch. It's too much (not to mention, when Reed has caught me watching he sighs and eye rolls an AWFUL LOT!!) to see. And yet, like you, I wonder how it is that others indulge in these types of reality tv and get hooked? I get it, I do, so easily persuaded are we to turn a blind eye all for the love of a good "love" story. Ugh.

    I *heart* Alexandre Bilodeau!! He's my Olympic crush!! There, I admitted it. But seriously, what a great guy! I teared up watching him last night receiving his medal.

    Sounds like you have some great motivation for the upcoming Lenten season!

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  2. I feel the same way about the Bachelor. I have never watched more than a couple of minutes here and there and each time have to change channels. These woman must have no self-esteem!

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  3. I can't believe they show stuff like that on tv! When will people say enough? If they need to keep making things more and more shocking, where are they going next?

    We haven't had broadcast tv for 2 years now. I know I could just avoid the things I don't want, but it's just too tempting! To me, commercials are ridiculus. They're propaganda and brainwash people into doing things they never would do, even if you don't buy their products. They also instill certain "values" into people that they would never have otherwise.

    We always got kids videos from the library, so they aren't deprived of kids shows. Now we got this netflix on demand thingie. It's really convenient so they can get Clifford, Cyberchase, etc without toting movies back & forth. I like it because we can watch what we want, when we want it without the garbage we don't want. The episodes may be 6 months old, but we don't know the difference!

    I find that I'm also able to spend much more time with the kids bedtime routines and not trying to rush through bedtime stories to get to "my 8:00 show."

    Life has totally changed for the better! I don't need reality tv anyway since I have my blogger friends. These are actually people I want to rub off on me!!! I love your blog, you have a beautiful family. Keep up the great work!

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  4. The Bachelor is gross. I've only caught bits and pieces over the years, and just was kind of disgusted by the whole thing.

    Good luck with your half marathon! I really need to get out there (our 10k is May 1st) but there's just so much SNOW on the ground! Not very inspiring :)

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  5. I saw the same story about Alexandre Bilodeau. What a great person he is!

    And I do not watch the Bachelor...I can't stand that show...just seems like those girls are prostituting themselves out for "love". It may be harsh, but it's my opinion. =)

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  6. i saw that interview too.. it really struck a chord to me..

    and YES.. i am SOOO with you.. i hate the show the bachelor.. it IS so disgusting, and stupid, and uuugh..

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  7. Good luck on your goals Colleen. Breakfast sounded great!
    I can't hardly fathom watching the Bachelor...or the Bachelorette either. All that saliva swapping...those kids are just looking for something 'catchy'!!

    Love seeing all the heroic stories around the Olympics...and not just for sports either. ;0

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  8. THANK YOU! Yes! I was just reading about The Bachelor on Connie's blog {she does a hilarious re-cap each week}. I've never watched the show, but . . . GAG! Thank you for saying exactly how I was feeling. What is the matter with these people? And then, the fact that it's aired on TV like this is totally commonplace. It makes it all the more perplexing to me. Anyway, sorry about that rant.

    I watched the interview with Alexandre last night, and melted. What a sweetheart. I loved seeing all the clips of him and his brother. So very sweet. It was refreshing to see something like *that* on TV for a change ;)

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  9. Um I'm afraid to admit its a secret guilty pleasure of ours (yes Jonah included!). We have gotten roped into the train wreck that is the Bachelor!!

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  10. The Bachelor is far fetched and aloof - we see it here too! Antonio

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  11. Just wanted to say.... I am impressed with your celebration of Lent. I hope this time brings you closer to the Lord. I will visit often. I hope you continue to post.

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