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This year was different than last year in the tent. My pad has thinned out, and the ground wasn’t as forgiving. It rained a lot the first couple weeks, which was fun because it doesn’t rain much in Arizona. But that excess water gave life to an abnormal number of plants. Those plants dumped more pollen in the air than my allergies could handle. I had no filtered central heating system to ease my pain. I sneezed my way through miles of toilet paper. My eyes were itchy and watery every morning and through most of the day. But sacrifice is what Lent is all about. If I was comfortable outside, then it would’ve been a waste of my time.

Next year, I might take my tent with me when I travel on weekends. I’ve opted not to do this because I like to be an efficient traveler with the minimal baggage. Since I travel up north quite a bit, this will mean I have to pack a thick sleeping bag and some warm pajamas. But it could be adventurous to wake up under a blanket of snow.

I really enjoyed the change of scenery this year, but that’s about all I can extract for the experiment at this point in my life. I have so much work to do that I can’t even think straight. If nothing, sleeping in the tent simplified my life so that I could deal with all this stress.

Last night was bizarre because their was a posse of teenagers walked laps around the neighborhood loop in middle of the night. My tent was only a few feet from the sidewalk. Rowdy teenagers don’t intimidate me, but it’s a whole different story when I am laying on the ground in my underwear, separated by a thin cloth wall. When they came barking at each, scuffling their shoes along the sidewalk inches from my head—I didn’t know how to deal with the situation. I’ve just never encountered something like that before.

We went to sunrise Mass this morning. As cool as it is to start Easter Sunday that early, I can hardly make it through the whole Mass without falling asleep. Once we got home, the family charged through the house ready to start the adventures of the day. After sleeping in a tent for over forty nights, I could only imagine falling into a real bed. I slept for another five hours. I loved it!

Today is the happiest day of the year for Christians. After forty days of prayer and sacrifice, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. The older and more mature I get, the more Lent and Easter mean to me. It makes my devotion to God more deep and meaningful. It’s so beautiful to experience all this with my girlfriend. I love her so much.

I’m up early (six) because I have a big day at work. It’s all cool stuff, but still a lot of work. My tent is almost worn out. In the past year or so, it’s spent almost 100 days under the desert sun. The fabric has become thin and almost brittle.

I don’t know how dignified it is to talk about bodily functions, but I can’t resist: I love peeing outside. I know girls don’t like to talk about this, and rightfully so. But guys talk about it all the time. Given the choice between going inside or outside, most guys will do it in the woods. Some people have told me that males just like to mark their territory. There might be some truth to that, but my carnal senses can’t confirm whose claimed which territory. The world is my backyard!

The citrus trees are blooming, and the aroma is intoxicating. I wake up and inhale the glory. It’s quite a contrast to when I fart in my tent. It’s quite funny when you think about it.

Yesterday, I traveled for a total of seven hours: car, plane, bus, and on foot. By the time I got home at one in the morning, I was so physically and emotionally exhausted. It’s the worst feeling because your body is in survival mode, and it’s difficult to relax and fall asleep. I lied there wide-eyed, staring at the roof of the tent, ready for battle.