Get Out The Beads: It's Mardi Gras!

      Oh Mardi Gras, how I love this holiday. For those of you who took Spanish, Latin, or anything other than French in high school, Mardi Gras translated to English means "Fat Tuesday". This is a holiday to celebrate the day before Ash Wednesday. That day Catholics around the world dread to no end, seeing that Ash Wednesday is the day that they must give up an item/habit/etc. that they will miss not having/using until Easter. I'm not sure exactly the point of this religious exercise, but oh well. Since what most Catholics end up giving up are things like sugar or junk food, Fat Tuesday is a day to shove as much of what you'll be giving up down your throat before you have to give it up for--in this year's case--well over a month.
      I am pretty much as opposite of religious as you can get, I grew up in a religiously neutral family, and I have decided for myself that I am agnostic. If you don't know what agnostic means: I interpret it as a religion of being unsure. There may be a god and a heaven. Maybe not. No human can possibly know. My religious motto is: "I dunno" with a casual shrug. One of the perks: not having to give anything up for Lent, but still getting to party on Mardi Gras.
      I have loved Mardi Gras ever since my sixth grade French teacher explained that it's basically a day of craziness if you're in places of specific French culture. These places include--of course--France, parts of Canada, (my sister informed me that Italy practices Mardi Gras as well, but called Carnivale), and the big one: New Orleans. On my bucket list is to be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras at least once. I've seen videos in French class, I've heard all about it: it's craziness! Huge parades, everyone screaming or eating, some doing both at the same time. Purple, gold, and green are everywhere you look. Masks and beads. Women will flash a parade float if they want the classic Mardi Gras beads thrown down to them.
       Most may see this holiday as a religious holiday ready to ring in yet another religious holiday. But if you look up some videos of what Mardi Gras really consists of down in New Orleans...I'm not sure there's much holy activity going on. So what it is to me is really just a time to appreciate being alive and how wonderful it is to have a time to let loose and be crazy. When I'm older I am going to New Orleans during Mardi Gras, getting a mask, and eating beignets to my heart's content.