Happy St. Patrick's Day, Everyone!

In a bit of a surreal, Washingtonian moment today I watched the Presidential helicopter zoom in over my head and head for the White House yard a couple blocks away. Today was the St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown D.C. Thankfully, it stopped sprinkling just in time to save the ticker-tape. I seated myself in front of the Washington Monument to get a good view and watched a throng of Irish stepdancers and bagpipe-playing firemen. I am convinced that Americans have more Irish pride than the Irish- with the exception of maybe during soccer season. It seems that the melting pot of America feels an intrinsic need to celebrate their heritage with more veracity than the actual home country. I observed it yesterday as I shielded myself with my computer to avoid being trampled by the green, drunken mass that entered the train at Metro Center. The inebriated do not fare well with the stop and go motion of a metro. Listening to them argue about what stop they are currently approaching is somewhat amusing. Watching them attempt to help their friends up who have fallen on their faces is even better. I’m almost certain I was the only sober person on the yellow line yesterday evening. Although, I have to say that after spending eight and a half hours working on a paper in Panera I was not exactly of sound mind either.