Would you like some?
That pick up line confused me for the longest time. Anyways, a belated Happy St. Patrick’s Day to everyone out there! Here’s a holiday with no religious obligations, just booze. Rock.
Also, my apologies for being so absent around here lately. I could give you some excuses about exploring Europe, drinking myself into a tizzy, or being attacked by farm animals, but none of those are exactly true, and excuses are silly anyways. Feel free to punish me. I’d enjoy it.
In the meantime, if you’re curious just what’s so great about the real world that it’s kept me from my bloggerly duties, I’ll you give a few hints: it involves beautiful scenery, Irish beer, and a swan eating an entire loaf of white bread. Also, noseless statues, crumbling ruins, and prehistoric butter. Check it out for yourself.
In more pertinent news, I’ve been thinking of adding a new section to Heroine Sheik, called “Get Oral,” and I’m looking for some feedback. “Get Oral” would be a page where you, the faithful reader, can post links to relevant articles/rants/games you’ve found online — things you’d like us to talk about, but haven’t found the appropriate time to mention. Sounds like a forum, I hear you say. But no, it’s not. Well, kind of.
So what do you think? Would that be helpful? Doesn’t everyone need a little oral in their lives?
Bonnie Ruberg is a sex, technology, and video games journalist who contributes regularly to publications like The Economist, Forbes, and The Village Voice. By day she's also a comparative literature PhD student at UC Berkeley, where she studies French, English, gender, sexuality, surrealism and perversion. You can reach her at [her first name and last name, all one big word] AT gmail DOT com.
March 19th, 2006 at 4:14 am
“Here's a holiday with no religious obligations, just booze. Rock.”
Um… the wearing of the green is a religious “obligation” as green is the color of the Irish Catholic (orange being the color of the Irish Protestants).
Never mind that St. Patrick didn’t so much rid Ireland of snakes, as the legend goes, but of pagans.
March 19th, 2006 at 5:16 pm
…or being attacked by farm animals,
I thought, for one alarmed second, that this was a sexual reference.
March 20th, 2006 at 4:08 am
Um"¦ the wearing of the green is a religious "obligation" as green is the color of the Irish Catholic (orange being the color of the Irish Protestants).
Yes, I understand there’s actually a religious thing going on — but, for all intents and purposes (even here in Ireland) it’s a social thing.
Also, as for the colors of the Irish flag, I’ve definitely heard a different story. White for purity, orange for strength… something along those lines. The explanation you gave especially confuses me given that the green, white, and orange flag is, I’m pretty sure, only for the Republic which, for obvious reasons, would have little desire to represent protestantism.
I thought, for one alarmed second, that this was a sexual reference.
Oh god, no. That’s too far, even for me, and that’s saying a lot.
March 20th, 2006 at 5:54 am
Yeah, I have this unfortunate habit of over-politicizing holidays based upon their traditional roots. I knew, as soon as I posted it, that I ought to have kept my trap shut!
But since I didn’t…
I’m pretty sure the Green stripe on the flag represents the Irish people (the majority of which are Catholic) and the Orange stripe represents those who supported William III (also called William of Orange), the protestant king who conquered King James in the late 1600′s. The white stripe represents the hope of peace. A peace which seems far more hopeful today than it did just 5 or 10 years ago.
Anyway, I’m glad you enjoyed the day. What I wouldn’t give to tip a pint in the UK. Enjoy the trip!
March 20th, 2006 at 12:26 pm
Count me as a vote for “Get Oral”–I think it’s a great idea.
March 20th, 2006 at 4:54 pm
Count me as a vote for "Get Oral""”I think it's a great idea.
Sweet!
Yeah, I have this unfortunate habit of over-politicizing holidays based upon their traditional roots.
Nope, I totally retract my statement on this one. I was out with some Irish friends tonight, and I asked about the explanation you gave, and they verified it. Score one for Corvus :-).