I'm sure I'm the first of a hundred boring people to say so, but I don't think your poll applies to people like me because it seems to be aimed at ranking hard-to-give-up things and I wouldn't find most of those things hard to give up.
I've been a vegetarian for 20 years and I'm not bothered about coffee. I don't have an iPad, I don't eat anchovies, I'm only just overcoming a deep aversion to broccoli and I don't know what Starcraft 2 is (a computer game?). So the only thing that would be a sacrifice to give up would be the alcohol, and in the past I've gone months without drinking and not even noticed.
But if you asked me to give up tea, or chick-lit, or cheese... well, then I'd be struggling.
I sympathise, if only loosely. I don't buy or cook much meat (about twice a week, probably), I gave up coffee almost without meaning to after my PhD (although I still drink it now and then) and I don't drink a lot either, despite my partner being a publican. I would notice if I had to cut out any of the three for a significant amount of time, but would probably shrug over it rather than tearing my hair out.
Things I would find damn hard to give up: tea, bananas, bread, eggs.
One thing emerging from these comments is that going to tea from coffee is less like giving something up and more like satisfying that urge in a different way. I guess put that way, I've been very good at the latter and it only looks like the former. For me, tea is no substitute for coffee, so that really would be giving something up.
*shrug* You would think so, right? I mean, I've been a habitual coffee drinker since I was about 13, excepting long periods spent overseas where good coffee is not available (I'm looking at you, Bolivia). But the addiction/habit got quite ridiculous during bad writing-up years, when I would procrastinate all day, make a pot of espresso at 10pm with the intention of staying up late, drink it all and still be sound asleep by 2am with nothing written. So coffee has some bad associations for me. And once I had written the thesis (well, cough, written the version I handed in), I just reckoned that I would lay off the caffeine and be less tense and irritable.
Obviously, I still drink it now and then, if it's a very early start or I'm feeling particularly dull-witted, or I'm at a cafe with a friend. I still like the stuff. I just tend to have a cup of tea instead when I get up.
OK, so having really horrible associations about relying on it when you were writing up makes a lot of sense. I freeted about buying coffee that was good enough for your standards when you came to visit, cos I don't know anything about coffee. Now I feel silly.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2011-03-09 01:08 pm (UTC)I've been a vegetarian for 20 years and I'm not bothered about coffee. I don't have an iPad, I don't eat anchovies, I'm only just overcoming a deep aversion to broccoli and I don't know what Starcraft 2 is (a computer game?). So the only thing that would be a sacrifice to give up would be the alcohol, and in the past I've gone months without drinking and not even noticed.
But if you asked me to give up tea, or chick-lit, or cheese... well, then I'd be struggling.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 01:44 pm (UTC)Things I would find damn hard to give up: tea, bananas, bread, eggs.
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Date: 2011-03-09 01:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 02:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-03-09 03:47 pm (UTC)Obviously, I still drink it now and then, if it's a very early start or I'm feeling particularly dull-witted, or I'm at a cafe with a friend. I still like the stuff. I just tend to have a cup of tea instead when I get up.
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Date: 2011-03-09 06:16 pm (UTC)