I have ancestors who as near as I can figure through genealogical records have come from Scotland and Ireland – and before that – can be traced back to either Judah or Manasseh, Asher and Gad.  I mean, everyone has had to come from four different men and their wives that came out of that flood alive. Eight. New beginnings.

Anyway, the middle of the month of March holds a great attraction for me. March madness, St. Patrick’s Day, the official start of spring, a birthday, Irish-American Heritage Month, among many others.

Today is actually National I Want You To Be Happy Day. So if you’re stressed, “don’t worry, be happy.” You now have a reason to celebrate the season.

In the coming weeks, however we will hit the motherload of all eclipses. First of all, March 16 is NATIONAL EVERYTHING YOU DO IS RIGHT DAY. And when you’re right, you’re right. March 17 is NATIONAL CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE DAY. March 18 is NATIONAL SLOPPY JOE DAY because there isn’t any corned beef left from the previous day. Second, it’s leading up to a weekend with excuses to party during the week. Third, both Sloppy Joe Day and the NCAA Div. 1 Men’s Basketball Tournament occur at the same time. More people take these days off as NATIONAL FAKE AN ILLNESS DUE TO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT DAY. Muffled cough. Yeah, I have a tickle in my throat today and probably will be progressing into bronchitis by the 18^th.

Come Monday, my voice will be gone, I will have had a serious lack of sleep and it all lends itself well to the whole sickness façade.

About a billion people will be hovering with slumped shoulders over their NCAA bracket sheets that are already covered with nacho cheese, adult beverage stains and crumpled over and over again, so that by Sunday night, second and third copies will have to be reprinted.

By Saturday night, one week after you have received an extra hour of daylight each day, the weekend is in full swing, and there really should be a “I think you need a designated driver day.” Can’t all-caps it as it has yet to make national status.

So, living now in southeastern Wyoming or “Cowboy Land” as I’ve heard it referred to by those living outside of the state, how is it celebrated here? I found out with a little research that the holiday is HUGE among the Irish cowboys.

Since we all like to follow suit as dictated by the motherland, I assume the joints shall be rockin’ with the upcoming holiday. Especially Kelley’s Bar in Guernsey which sports the national symbol of Ireland.

I can remember St. Patty’s days of yore and all the different places I’ve encountered the holiday. Scotland becomes very festive even though they don’t particularly care for the Irish a lot. But, Ireland does have a holiday named for an Irish Apostle who was born in Scotland. Aye. Patrick.

Chicago. A distant memory where the entire city goes green and my favorite place to celebrate. They dye the Chicago River green, the fish become green for a few days, the beer is green, the clovers are out in force and at many Karaoke bars, the only song that you can pick to sing is “Oh Danny Boy.” At first, it’s pretty redundant until the green beer kicks in and then, with a plate of corn beef and cabbage, you find the song becoming more sentimental as the night goes on and your “hash” is salted by tears.

They say that drinking on New Year’s Eve is amateur night compared to the drinking that occurs on St. Patty’s month in Chicago. Yeah, I’m pretty sure they don’t have a day, but the whole month to celebrate.

Fun facts about St. Patty’s Day

• It’s St. Patrick’s Day and not St. Patty’s Day according to the SPD legalists.
• The Irish national symbol is the shamrock and not the four-leaf clover.
• Green beer and shamrocks are more common in Chicago, Boston and New York than in Dublin.
• It’s a celebration of Christianity coming to Ireland.
• Patrick used a shamrock to teach the trinity to the unchurched and represented new birth as when spring came to the emerald Isle.
• The first St. Patrick’s Day parade was held in Boston in 1737.
• Lucky Charms is not the official cereal of the day nor did it originate in Ireland, nor does it taste better with beer rather than milk.
• Corn beef and cabbage is an American classic made famous in early Jewish delis of New York

So, whatever your passion this weekend, whether it be basketball, beer, beef or beautiful weather, I would like to remind you that St. Patrick’s Day is usually notorious for a guest appearance by Mother Nature who brings Jack Frost and a freezing pant-load of snow. Be careful out there, and best of the luck o’ the Irish – which means, a positive look at a bad situation.

From experience? My bracket starts out well and then it leans on the stick and sends me into a nosedive, which is why I always call my bracket, luck o’ the Irish and smile politely as the 103^rd person is singing “Oh Danny Boy,” at Fado’s Irish Pub. In Chicago. 

This year I will be doing a traditional Irish lunch in Guernsey at Services for Seniors and will be performing an afternoon luncheon concert for the seniors!  Oh to be sure, tis goin’ to be a pleasure to sing “Oh Danny Boy.”