More Austere Than "My Month of Austerity"

So I passed the half-way mark of my "month of austerity" sans alcohol, caffeine, and sugar with flying colours so to speak. Haven't caved in to temptation, although I must confess whenever a cloud of fresh brewed coffee wafts through the house, I start fantasising about when my month of austerity ends.

Having got passed the initial intense withdrawal effects, it's now just a matter of not giving up on my initial resolution out of boredom or a premature sense of achievement.

The goal is still 1st February, although the closer it gets the slower time seems to move.

On the plus side, I'm finding it's much easier to get up in the morning. I sleep deeply and body and mind feel refreshed in the morning, now that it doesn't have to deal with the uppers and downers consumed the day(s) before. I'm also tired earlier in the day.

January is actually a grim month to be doing any kind of fasting. The winter cold, rain, snow and ice force us indoors most of the time, keeping these social props always within arms' reach and magnifying their attraction.

However, my experiment in abstinence pales beside that of Jagrup Brar who accepted the MLA Challenge, issued by Raise the Rates campaign to highlight poverty in BC.

The Surrey-Fleetwood MLA has been discovering what it's like to live on $610 a month - that includes boarding, food, transport, everything.

He was down to his last $15 a couple of days ago, when I heard him interviewed on CBC. Not sure if he'll make the month out.

$610 a month. That's austerity, for sure.