Post by SweetIrony on Aug 27, 2011 10:54:25 GMT -5
Bill, I think you're doing Ramadan wrong. No offense.
Oh, I'm definitely doing it wrong. I don't actually celebrate Ramadan, it's just kind of an inside joke. Years ago I worked at Busch Gardens and managed a shop with three Moroccan craftsmen who were Muslim. Ramadan happened to start at the beginning of February one year so a buddy and I challenged each other to give something up for the month so we'd have something to complain about alongside the 3 guys who were really fasting. Ever since then we've given up one thing (fast food or chocolate or alcohol or soda or coffee or smoking, etc.) every February and continued to call it "Ramadan." (Even though it's more like Lent, I guess.) Why February? Because it's the shortest month of the year - and there's no college football!
This year I didn't give up anything in February. So then last month I heard on NPR that the real Ramadan started this year on August 1st. And August 1st happened to be a Monday. And there was a full moon that night (I have no idea about the moon part, actually). I'd been wanting to start running again so I figured with all that coinciding on the 1st of August there were too many signs for me to ignore. It was as if the gods were telling me it was time to get my butt up off the couch. So on August 1st I gave up not just one thing but everything: chocolate, fast food, alcohol and soda. I suffered from caffeine withdrawal for about a week so I didn't start the Couch to 5K program until August 8th. But I've lost some weight and am definitely sleeping better.
So, yeah, no offense taken. But I did read recently about some study that showed that the Mormon practice of fasting one day a month may have some actual health benefits. So I might be adding that one day to my repertoire of religious practices that I co-opt and twist to fit my own needs!
A former coworker/friend of mine and I used to do that with Hanukkah, only opposite. Eight days of weird gifts. Yours is definitely healthier.