Would You Like That Irish?

With St. Patrick's Day upon us, I'm thankful that this isn't a holiday that I have to be thankful for anything. I'm also glad that I'm not expected to find a date, buy a gift or create a costume. There's no expectation that I wave a flag, go to church (as far as I know despite the "St."), or prepare a side dish for a dinner. I won't have to make resolutions, send cards or flowers, or observe a moment of silence. The only real drawback is that I won't get a day off.

I realize now why Hoboken observes St. Patrick's Day several weeks early. It's because the party boys and nancy brews can have additional drink time in New York while still helping the many Jersey bars meet their yearly quotas. Drinking is everything on St. Patrick's Day, and I will do my fair share as well, but I hope that my nighttime walk back through Hoboken to sleep won't be impeded by drunken idiots filling the streets, looking for that, "High-Five, Dude!" after the NJ bars close on Saturday night.

I plan to pace myself for the day. I'll begin at brunch in Brooklyn for the belated birthday wafflefest of a friend. There will be mimosas. I'll probably return home for a mid-afternoon nap before heading out for the evening, but there will be no green beer for me and I won't stand in line at an Irish bar just to drink the same Guiness I can get anywhere. I'll probably just land at the usual places in Alphabet City.

To everyone on this holiday for the grumpy drunks in all of us, stay safe and Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig oraibh!

Correction: Saturday I will be at a Waffleganza, not a Wafflefest.