GO IRISH...literaly, for the day...

Before you go and get blitzed tonight in the good Irish spirit, you need to learn about the man whose name is on this fantastic day. St. Patrick of Ireland is one of the world's most popular saints. Apostle of Ireland, born at Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland, in the year 387; died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, 17 March, 461. Along with St. Nicholas and St. Valentine, the secular world shares our love of these saints. His memorial is celebrated on March 17 and this is also a day when everyone's Irish. He didn't chase the snakes out of Ireland and he may never have plucked a shamrock to teach the mystery of the Trinity. Yet St. Patrick well deserves to be honored by the people of Ireland—and by downtrodden and excluded people everywhere. There are many legends and stories of St. Patrick, but this is his story. Patrick was born around 385 in Scotland, probably Kilpatrick. His parents were Calpurnius and Conchessa, who were Romans living in Britain in charge of the colonies. As a boy of fourteen or so, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. Ireland at this time was a land of Druids and pagans. He learned the language and practices of the people who held him. During his captivity, he turned to God in prayer. He wrote, "The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was roused, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same." Patrick said of his ministry, "I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain." Patrick's captivity lasted until he was twenty, when he escaped after having a dream from God in which he was told to leave Ireland by going to the coast. There he found some sailors who took him back to Britain, where he reunited with his family. He had another dream in which the people of Ireland were calling out to him "We beg you, holy youth, to come and walk among us once more." He began his studies for the priesthood. He was ordained by St. Germanus, the Bishop of Auxerre, whom he had studied under for years. Later, Patrick was ordained a bishop, and was sent to take the Gospel to Ireland. He arrived in Ireland March 25, 433, at Slane. One legend says that he met a chieftain of one of the tribes, who tried to kill Patrick. Patrick converted Dichu (the chieftain) after he was unable to move his arm until he became friendly to Patrick. Patrick began preaching the Gospel throughout Ireland, converting many. He and his disciples preached and converted thousands and began building churches all over the country. Kings, their families, and entire kingdoms converted to Christianity when hearing Patrick's message. Patrick by now had many disciples, among them Beningnus, Auxilius, Iserninus, and Fiaac (all later canonized as well). Patrick preached and converted all of Ireland for 40 years. He worked many miracles and wrote of his love for God in Confessions. After years of living in poverty, traveling and enduring much suffering he died March 17, 461. He died at Saul, where he had built the first church. Patrick was a humble, pious, gentle man, whose love and total devotion to and trust in God should be a shining example to each of us. He feared nothing, not even death, so complete was his trust in God, and of the importance of his mission. So, remembering all this on the day we celebrate this storied and saintly man…LET'S GET PISSED!

It is fate, both glorious and profound, that two of my best friends have their birthdays on the day before and the day of St. Patty. Jon, who has become like my rock, the steady and immovable presence in my life that reminds me both of how lucky I am and how much I need to improve myself. If you know both of us, you might be scratching your head and asking yourself if it shouldn’t be the other way around, but lately, having a friend like Jon in my life has been a blessing. Anyway, the day of the celebration of his birth was yesterday and we had a little get together at his apartment to celebrate. Jon and I had both worked yesterday so we were easing into our groove slower than usual, but still much faster than the rest. It was a nice intimate gathering that involved beer, lots of beer post the impromptu beer run, some booze, drinking games, 80’s movies (Howard the Duck, The Karate Kid), and even a beer bong. You may ask how people in their mid-twenties still party like this to celebrate their birthdays. The answer to that is that true friends, true times, don’t have an age limit. In my case however, they do have a curfew/bedtime. I skipped out earlier than I would have liked to because I had to work this morning. That didn’t do a lick of good, though, because I still got up this morning with my alarm, turned it off, then called in to work and told them I’d be late and rolled over for just a few more precious minutes. The hangover wasn’t that bad, I can handle beer hangovers pretty damn good…years of practice. I will get a chance to make up for my early exit last night on Friday when Jon is supposedly throwing the official Jon-style party. Let’s just say that work on Saturday may be a little tougher than today, but I won’t be able to call in, so I’ll just have to hang. I endure all this for my best friend, which the kind of commitment that gets you the honor of being someone’s best man. Also, though this is not a revelation, I proved once again last night that I am better at drinking games when I am drunk. I can’t play quarters worth a blunt nickel till I’ve chugged my first one.

Also, today is the celebration of the birth of my friend Fernando. We’ve had many good times, many deep times, many hard times, and many just times through our friendship, but I wouldn’t want any other friend to be my co-best friend than him. I miss him to death now that be lives in Atlanta and we don’t get to celebrate his birthday anymore like we used to, but tonight I guarantee that one round will be in his honor. He’s my Mexican-Irishman. Born on the day when everyone is Irish, he is the greatest.

I don’t have much else to say. I’ve be going on and on about how great my friends are, which is a little weird, but what can I say. Birthdays are reminders of who is really important in your life. There is not much going on in my life right now. I’ve got the house to myself for one more night, which means that sitting around in my underwear as I am right now is both refreshing and not offensive. Work is a bitch, as usual. It’s spring break and I have no plans to go anywhere or do anything other than work and lay around and be worthless, along with the consumption of alcohol from time to time. I should be studying for the exam I have the first class back from the break, but I’m being a little lazy on that one. What do you expect from me, it’s spring m*****f***ing break and I just want to enjoy not having some class to go to a couple hours after work. I don’t have plans as of yet for St. Patrick’s Day but it is only 8PM, there is plenty of time to figure something out. As a matter of fact, I have to take this call…