St. Patrick’s Day is a fun day to be an Irish lass. No one embraces the Irish like Americans. In America, March 17 is the day of green and cheek. On St. Patty’s I wake up to a cup of Irish Crème coffee, shower with Irish Spring soap (which makes you smell like an Irish lass), and dress in all green (if you don’t wear green you get pinched). Later, I don my light-up shamrock bobble hairband and go to the local McDonald’s for a Shamrock Shake (or Hagen Daz’ for a Bailey’s Shake). For lunch I eat corned beef and cabbage (because this is considered an Irish dish), while watching the history channel documentary on St. Padrig or the Darby O’Gil movie. In the evening I meet my mates for green beer at the pub (or in my case, green diet soda) to sing olde Irish songs till the wee hours of the mornin’. This is also the time I try to remember how to sing the Irish national anthem in Irish, fail miserably, so it ends up sung in an Irish-American-English hybrid language my friends like to call, Irecan. Yes I am Irish and American hence I am an Irecan. The largest number of people of Irish descent live in the United States, about ten times more than in Ireland itself, I am not a lone Irecan, oh no.

During the St. Padrig’s day festivities Irecans sometimes exchange gifts. Usually I am the only Irish person anyone knows in Los Angeles, so I get lots of green things. Surprisingly this year I DID NOT receive 25 copies of Frank McCourt’s latest book. But I did receive a frog that sings “When Irish Eyes Are Smilin” when you press down on its lily pad. In the States everyone celebrates St. Patty’s so I also get gifts for my mates who are only part Irish (in America ¼ counts!). So for my half breed sister I got a shamrock tote bag, for my trusty assistant Ben9000, I got a key ring with a real four leaf clover, for the wizardrockumentary twins II got 2 shamrock plectrum necklaces, for my cousin I wrote a theme song for her tele show (although her show is not specifically about clover it is about plants, you can see her show here: http://windycitygreenscene.com) and for my doctor I got a ceramic leprechaun music box (ok…my doctor is Chinese but he REALLY loves St. Patrick’s Day so I made him an honorary Irecan). And for you the fans, my favouritest of all, Switchblade Kittens has re-imagined the classic Irecan song, “Danny Boy” and made “Danny Girl.” So click here and listen to our St. Padrig’s Day present to you.

The Chicago River dyed green for St. Patrick's Day

If you are an American over the age of 21, please sign this petition to make Saint Patrick's Day a national holiday. Go here: http://www.proposition317.com

So Happy St. Patty to all and to all a green beverage!

Lá Fhéile Pádraig, Whoot!!!

~taste the rainbow~