Today New Haven celebrated St. Patrick’s Day. Everyone was under the impression that it would be closer to the actual holiday, but I think it conflicted with holy week next week (next Sunday is Palm Sunday, I believe). In any case, my sister, her on-and-off-again boyfriend and I braved the cold and windy weather to watch the parade.
It’s pretty much the biggest event that New Haven holds all year. I don’t think that many people come out for the 4th of July or for the lighting of the Christmas tree in the green. It’s a mixture of families, young and old people that like to drink, and, basically… freaks. Yes, all the freaks come out for the parade. Everyone is Irish today, so somehow that means it’s okay to be drunk and loud and start fights and/or be overly friendly. I’m not really sure what being Irish is all about — being that I am part Irish makes that hard to understand. I never really consider my ethnic background as part of who I am, because I feel far removed from it. I’m sure I have distant relatives still there or in Germany or in Russia, but I wouldn’t know who they were. In any case, it was witnessed completely sober this year. Being sober around hundreds of drunks is difficult, but humorous.
I decided to go sober for two reasons: last year when I went, I was NOT, so the entire experience was based on my drinking (which started at 10 a.m. with mimosas, continued with beer going to the parade — drinking on the street is welcomed — during the parade, and after that some random shots of Jameson, stopping at about 7 p.m. when I finally got something to eat and then went to bed shortly after. It was, also, the day before I was supposed to return to work after being out for six weeks for my operation. I don’t know how I woke up the next day completely refreshed and sober). The second reason is that I gave up liquor for Lent. A little background, I haven’t given up anything for Lent since I was really young and went to church every Sunday and went to Bible Study summer school. I’m not particularly religious now, I feel more of a spirituality that doesn’t rely on one book to give me answers, but has been influenced by a mixture of religions and thoughts. I felt I had to give something up, though. I denied myself something that I enjoyed (and still will for the 40 days) and denied myself on one of the biggest drinking holidays, which was, I have to admit pretty hard since I wanted to get wasted. Was it a sacrifice I made for God? You can say that. It was a test of willpower, too. I still have it, which is remarkable, since I thought I had very little left. I don’t know if it makes a difference or not with God whether I denied myself of a “vice” over this Lent, but it made a difference to me, somehow. It also made me read about Lent and the different way that people practice it now and back in the day. Interesting how traditions change and adapt to our modern needs. Sorry, about the religious stuff, btw, if you’re not into it. I happen to think it’s fascinating in a non-church-goer kind of way.
Back to the parade, we made up a list of things we would likely see at the parade: a shirtless drunk guy (check, AND bonus because he wasn’t wearing shoes either and somehow managed to stumble all over and be partially dragged about by pirate-looking dudes), Dr. Mel local weather guy (no go: we were in the bar at the time), Star-Wars characters (check, AND my crappy cellphone camera got pictures of “Boba Fett”), vomit (check, but it was a little kid and not a drunk person who did it), a fight (check and it happened right in back of us). I thought I would see my friend, since she’s in the Milford Fife & Drum, but no go. I did manage to see co-workers and some former co-workers and some old friends, so it was good day out. Actually, one of the more fun days I’ve had in a while. Lame. 
Otherwise, I came home later this afternoon alone — my sister continued drinking with her friends (and still is!) — and did some much needed organizing and cleaning and reading. Finally finished Sartre’s Essays in Existentialism. Took me a while, since I haven’t been in a reading mood lately. But now I’m back in the flow. I’m reading Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and listening to a lot of R.E.M. This week, The Walkmen play a free show at Toad’s Place, so I’m there. At the end of the month Caribou is playing at the Bowery Ballroom, so I’m thinking about spending that Friday evening in the NYC.
Oh and here’s Boba Fett:
