Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Watching the Saint Patrick's Day Parade alone is kind of depressing, I'll admit it. Mark and I were not planning on going down for it, and then we were, and then I chickened out. And so now I'm watching it on TV and Mark is reading in the other room pretending not to be annoyed at me. Now I'd like to go, but I know that if I do, I won't get a glimpse of anything but the backs of people's heads. The problem is that I don't really like crowds. I'm afraid I would just become frustrated and annoyed. Then again I might be amused and delighted! Who knows? Since I am apparently not going, apparently I will never know.

But at least you get a good view of the pageant on television. There are some wonderfully creative costumes and floats!

Speaking of pageants, Mark and I attended the The Alternative Miss Ireland pageant at The Olympia Theatre. What a fantastic show! We were in the "Upper Circle," which is a third story balcony so steep that it's disorienting when you first get up there. I was sure I wouldn't be able to see anything up there, but when the show started, I could see well enough. Here are some images and audio from the Irish Times of the event, whose proceeds went to charity. A recurring theme of the night (though I'm not certain how intentional it was) was Gay Marriage, which did make the both of us a little teary at bits.

Coming from a place where same-sex couples can marry, it was a little sad in that respect to return to life without such rights. (Not to mention illegal abortion, but that's a topic for another day.) But the feeling of hope on the stage and in the audience permeated the mood completely. And I do believe that it's coming within the next decade. I hope it does! I don't like being a have when there are have-nots, when it costs nothing to give.

Anyhoo... we moved on to PantiBar for a drink. The music was fun, but the place was PACKED. We were a couple of sardines in there. After we got our drinks, I was moving over to find a better place to stand, and I got positively SHOOED by this pushy drag queen. I couldn't be mad though. I mean, she had places to go and be fabulous, and I was holding her up with my little midget self getting in the way!

2 comments:

  1. Will I be the only one to fail to see the difference between being in a crowd watching a parade, and being in a crowd in a bar?

    Other than at the parade there is 90 million miles of open space above you?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh I'd never watch from in a bar. I don't enjoy bars enough as it is.

    ReplyDelete