South Side Irish Parade

Since I'm in the midst of the SLEEPLESSNESS crisis, I actually went to the Southside Irish Parade this year. Lived in this hood since 1991, and this is only the second time I've went. The weather was glorious - in the +60's. I'd been awake since 6 am - since the parade starts @ noon and I'm usually waking @ noon, I never go. But this year....

So - a third of a million obnoxious drunk people running through the neighbourhood. I love it and want to go again next year. I live 1.25m away from where the parade runs past 111th, and even that distance away people are trying to find parking places so they can walk that distance. It really is a kool thing for th neighbourhood - I just love the incredible energy electrifying everything around here. Plus, for once, people actually come here from all over - I'm really used to going to the North Side or the Loop or wherever to do things. It's fun to have the whole neighbourhood looking like it was after the Sox had won the Series in '05 and the people had taken over the streets. Since it was such nice weather, the whole day had Mt. Greenwood in a festive mood.

The Irish thing is whatever. Obv. I like being Irish, but in America there is a strange fascination w/ all things Irish. It really is treated like they are the golden race or something. Being of Irish descent myself (passported and all), I'm a little bit - no, a lot of bit - embarrassed by the attention paid to things Irish. Strange thing. But of course - if there is a little bit'o pretty to be gotten out of it, then of course I'll start talking the blarney. I'm not stupid. But still- strange thing. Often I run.

Oh, yes. The real attraction of the parade. The green sluts. Of the third of a million the parade - all dressed in green - half of them had to be women. That makes 170,000 women. Cut off the kids and the old ladies, that leaves say - 100,000. Cut out the hags and the nags and whatever else - that leaves us 50,000. So: 50,000 women, drunk many of them, dressed as slutty as possible in green. I really love it. I have to plan to go next year.