The priest makes a cross on your forehead with the ashes, and says, “Remember that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return” or “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” It’s supposed to remind you of your own mortality. Ash Wednesday kicks off Lent, which lasts 40 days, and ends on Easter Sunday. You’re supposed to give something up, and you’re also supposed to refrain from eating meat (other than fish) on Fridays. I think of it as sort of like Catholicism’s answer to Ramadan (though Catholics have been around a lot longer than Muslims). I’m non-practicing, but grew up Catholic.
bchadwick, the ashes on the forehead are intended to be a gesture of repentance and mortality, as cjones65 noted. I think that historically, lent is more widely observed by Catholisc, but certain Protestant denominations observe lent as well. I think some of these groups include Anglicans, Methodists, Lutherans, and Episcopalians (which I am one). For me, I don’t really view Lent so much as a formal obligation in the way that many Catholics seem to, but rather a choice that I make for myself as a means of bettering myself and also reflecting on my personal and spiritual growth. The number “40” makes several important appearances throughout the Bible, including the number of days that Moses spent on Mount Sinai, as well as the number of years the Israelites traveled to find the promised land. As for the 40 days of observing Lent (between Ash Wednesday and Easter), they’re supposed to be reflective of the time span that Jesus spent in the desert fasting and avoiding being tempted by evil, before he returned to the public to spread his ministry. For us ordinary folks, Lent is an opportunity for us to reflect upon not only what we would do to improve ourselves, but what we can do to help other people.
Bankin’ Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Work has been chaotic as of late. We acquired an > investment bank and it (among other things) has > thrown some hiccups into my modeling. Not to > mention with a new year comes a new budget, I > could go on… > > At night I’ve been mostly studying for Level III, > then my wife gets me up at 5:30ish to feed our > son while she gets ready for work. The > combination has been draining. I really shouldn’t > complain since she handles him during sleeping > hours and drives from our house (Frankford / > Tollway) to his grandmother’s house (in Allen) to > drop him off and pick him up daily. > > I’ve never been to Idle Rich. Do you recommend > it? Bankin’ – so you guys actually acquired an investment bank recently? Very interesting. I wonder if I can guess what firm you work for, since it’s not like there’s an abundance of M&A activity these days. How “recent” are we talking about? Anyway, sounds like your schedule has been even more hectic than mine, but for very different reasons – I guess in my case, it’s because I spend my time outside the office carousing with my friends and just generally having a rowdy time, while you actually have admirable responsibilities. Anyway, let’s grab drinks after work sometime (though if it’s within the next 40 days, I prefer coffee or soda). Idle Rich is OK – Mardi Gras ended up being pretty chill and I met some cool people there, but it’s a little too frat-tastic for me on the weekends when all the college students and recent grads come in. Plus, there are way too many guys (pet peeve #1) and a lot of them are trying to be someone they’re not (pet peeve #2). Lately I’ve been going out more to Knox Henderson or Downtown since I’m more into lounges and wine bars. ahahah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > numi Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > > (e.g. a cabernet, three glasses of scotch, two > tanq and tonics, and two Coronas). > > Come on Numi, don’t be a counter, you’re better > than that… Yeah, I know, shame on me…but old age seems to be finally catching on to me; either that or I finally have some “real” responsibilities (not like back in college when my only real obligations were to show up to class and help through our house parties). How are things going on your end BTW? Everything going OK up in NYC for you? Mona8835 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > LOL > > Nice! Who you telling about corporate lifestyle! > What level of corporate are you in? I’d tell you, but… j/k. I actually work in private equity. Not exactly “corporate,” but obviously demanding in different ways and the amount of time I spend on this forum during the day doesn’t help me get out at a reasonable hour, either. What about you? OK, I think I’m finally caught up on responding to posts. Mona, I hope you didn’t misbehave too much while I was gone…
@numi you so dodge that one! i would have upper cut you. i’m in corporate LOL. Media company but i’m in the accounting part of this wonderful Media company.
Mmmm…accountants in media companies
JohnThainsLimoDriver Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Mmmm…accountants in media companies Shaddap and DON’T even THINK about going THERE!!!
Mona8835 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > @numi > > you so dodge that one! i would have upper cut > you. i’m in corporate LOL. Media company but > i’m in the accounting part of this wonderful Media > company. Hmm…how “wonderful” are we talking about? Is the firm holding up OK even in the current economy? And what’s this about “uppercuts?” I see you like to play rough. That’s all fine and dandy with me, but can we please wait till we get home for that? I see that you’re trying to distract me, but I’m still at the office. Guy’s gotta earn a living… 
Too late I already thought about it.
numi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Mona8835 Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > @numi > > > > you so dodge that one! i would have upper cut > > you. i’m in corporate LOL. Media company but > > i’m in the accounting part of this wonderful > Media > > company. > > Hmm…how “wonderful” are we talking about? Is the > firm holding up OK even in the current economy? > > And what’s this about “uppercuts?” I see you like > to play rough. That’s all fine and dandy with me, > but can we please wait till we get home for that? > I see that you’re trying to distract me, but I’m > still at the office. Guy’s gotta earn a living… > was replying to your comment about “(P.S. Hope you’ve got your sparring gloves on. I’m bringing my “A” game in Round 2.)”. it’s all good I’m a nice girl so i’ll leave you alone to earn your bacon.
Not Catholic, but my roommate did make some rockin pancakes yesterday…
Mona8835 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > numi Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Mona8835 Wrote: > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > > ----- > > > @numi > > > > > > you so dodge that one! i would have upper > cut > > > you. i’m in corporate LOL. Media company > but > > > i’m in the accounting part of this wonderful > > Media > > > company. > > > > Hmm…how “wonderful” are we talking about? Is > the > > firm holding up OK even in the current economy? > > > > And what’s this about “uppercuts?” I see you > like > > to play rough. That’s all fine and dandy with > me, > > but can we please wait till we get home for > that? > > I see that you’re trying to distract me, but > I’m > > still at the office. Guy’s gotta earn a > living… > > > > > was replying to your comment about “(P.S. Hope > you’ve got your sparring gloves on. I’m bringing > my “A” game in Round 2.)”. > > it’s all good I’m a nice girl so i’ll leave you > alone to earn your bacon. Yeah, I was just teasing – I know you were referencing my earlier comment. I don’t normally go for “nice girls” – if you ask any man, there’s a difference between a girl that is nice vs. a “nice girl.” (You don’t want to be the “nice girl.”) But for what it’s worth, I assume I just misunderstood what you meant. Anyway, girls that are nice might still have something going for them. My last girlfriend told me that she played nice too, and I actually believed her until we got back to my apartment later that night – that’s when she heard the Miles Davis and Frank Sinatra songs playing on my jukebox, and the rest was history.
Are Jews supposed to bring home the bacon? If not, what do they bring home instead? The brisket? You know, pork isn’t kosher because pigs don’t chew their cud (they have cloven hooves, so that part is acceptable). I’m wondering if I were to genetically engineer a cud-chewing pig, maybe it would be ok to eat it! Obviously not with cheese, though!
Numi > > Anyway, girls that are nice might still have > something going for them. My last girlfriend told > me that she played nice too, and I actually > believed her until we got back to my apartment > later that night – that’s when she heard the > Miles Davis and Frank Sinatra songs playing on my > jukebox, and the rest was history. TMI MAN!! TMI!!!
Wow smooth numi! - real smooth!
bchadwick Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Are Jews supposed to bring home the bacon? If > not, what do they bring home instead? The > brisket? > > You know, pork isn’t kosher because pigs don’t > chew their cud (they have cloven hooves, so that > part is acceptable). I’m wondering if I were to > genetically engineer a cud-chewing pig, maybe it > would be ok to eat it! Obviously not with cheese, > though! LMAO!!! OMG…some of these threads are freaking hilarious!! I never thought CFA candiate could be this witty and sarcastic!!!
KarenC Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Wow smooth numi! - real smooth! Thank you, Karen. Glad you approved – I aim to please.
numi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > KarenC Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Wow smooth numi! - real smooth! > > Thank you, Karen. Glad you approved – I aim to > please. LOL - oh really?? - ok I think i’ve talked to you guys too long when that’s my first thought! dammit
Oh, so *that’s* what you thought I meant? Bad girl, you… 
I like where this is going, but am thinking we might be better off taking our little dialogue off the forum before things get too far off-topic. You know, just in case there are any kids browsing the forums…what do you think?
Yeah grand - make up an address and I’ll send you a mail