Sunday, March 18, 2007

Bloody Well, Who Stole The ShamRocks?

By now several people have christened toilets with green urine from all the Irish beer they drank, while others reading this are wondering if such is true; the answer-merely ask a Leprechaun when you find him beneath a rainbow protecting the pot of gold. Good Ol’ St. Patrick’s Day! If only every Holiday was akin! We would as cheerfully embrace African American History Month, drink many a brown beer, and christen toilets with ebony urine. Wear buttons and t-shirts that say, ‘Kiss me – I’m African-American’. Oh well, the ‘luck of Irish’. Yea, right! Surely it isn’t all about partying and beer, nah! This is a spectacular holiday filled with Irish symbols, folklore, blessings, songs, and food. And foremost; March 17 is in honor of a Saint. “In his sixteenth year, Patrick was carried off into captivity by Irish marauders and was sold as a slave… Admonished by an angel he after six years fled from his cruel master… his heart was set on devoting himself to the service of God… The fame of Patrick's marvelous power of miracles preceeded him” Catholic Encyclopedia“By the eighth century he had become the patron saint of Ireland… March 17, …is believed to be his death date” Wikipedia and is the is the feast day the Roman Catholic Church celebrate Saint Patrick. In fact, Pubs used to be closed on March 17.! “In 1780, General George Washington, who commanded soldiers of Irish descent in the Continental Army, allowed his troops a holiday on March 17. This event became known as The St. Patrick's Day Encampment of 1780. Today, Saint Patrick's Day is widely celebrated in America by Irish and non-Irish alike.” By drinking green beer and partying! Bloody well, who stole the shamrocks? I went to Wal-Mart to find one freakin’ shamrock, only to be overwhelmed by everything else Irish. Irish mugs, shots glasses, Irish sweatshirts and t-shirts… Okay, so the ‘Big Foot’ Chain Store Stompers of Ma and Pa Shops know how to market. Disappointedly, not finding a shamrock would have been bloody well, except Wally World has to always incorporate two holidays, as if they might miss some green. Only this time I think they went too far! St. Patrick’s Day and Easter! There adorned on the cold shelves were the delightful Easter products. Fluffy Easter Bunnies with their adorable floppy ears and cute noses. Charming Easter Baskets filled with yummy goodies! And Irish shot glasses… scattered amidst my Easter bliss! What could one expect when the Irish paraphernalia was only on the next isle! St. Patrick may not have indeed driven the snakes out of Ireland, but someone needs to drive them out of Wal-Mart! No shamrocks and now blaspheming Easter! May all their toilets be stained green beyond reconstruction! BTW: One more Irish folklore; rumor has it, on March 17 some could have been partying with the Smurfs and drinking blue beer! Let me know Readers if you find any truth to this:

“The original colour of St. Patrick's Day was not green, but blue. It wasn't until the 19th century that green became Ireland's national colour.”

Saturday, March 10, 2007

March Month Marching Marvels Part One

WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

“The public celebration of women's history in this country began in 1978 as "Women's History Week" in Sonoma County, California. The week including March 8, International Women's Day, was selected. In 1981, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Rep. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) co-sponsored a joint Congressional resolution proclaiming a national Women's History Week. In 1987, Congress expanded the celebration to a month, and March was declared Women's History Month.” infoplease

National Women's History Month 2007 Theme:

Generations of Women Moving History Forward, is an expansion of the theme of the Houston Conference, “We Are Here to Move History Forward.” This theme recognizes the wisdom and tenacity of the generations of women who have come before us and those who will follow. Recognition of the historic anniversaries of 2007 presents special opportunities to acknowledge and celebrate the courage, determination, and steadfastness needed to move history forward.” .” National Women’s History Project

Mar. 2, 1904: Dr. Seuss' Birthday

The Lost Dr. Seuss Book: I Love My Job


I love my job, I love the pay.
I love it more and more each day.
I love my boss; he/she is the best.
I love his boss and all the rest.
I love my office and its location.
I hate to have to go on vacation.
I love my furniture, drab and gray,
And the paper that piles up every day.
I love my chair in my padded cell.
There's nothing else I love so well.
I love to work among my peers.
I love their leers and jeers and sneers.
I love my computer and its software;
I hug it often though it don't care.
I love each program and every file,
I try to understand once in a while.
I'm happy to be here, I am, I am;
I'm the happiest slave of my Uncle Sam.
I love this work; I love these chores.
I love the meetings with deadly bores.
I love my job-I'll say it again.
I even love these friendly men,
These men who've come to visit today
In lovely white coats to take me away.


Mar. 3, 1931: The Star-Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key

At a time when our loved ones – Family, Friends, Co-Workers, Fellow Men and Women are away at War, May we remember and never forget this song:

The National Anthem of the United States of America

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?


On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!


And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!


Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!



March 11 DayLight Savings Time

Don’t Forget to Set The Clocks Ahead One Hour Tonight!

(part two of March Month Marching Marvels – next week – including green luck and the Easter Bunny! )

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