Faith, Begorrah, and Anniversaries

What I’m reading upstairs: The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O’Connor
What’s on the iPod: Shipping Up to Boston by Dropkick Murphys

Quick Note: If you’re trying to sign up for the Webinar, we’ve moved the sign-up page because the ISP is heinous. Here’s the new link. If you have any more issues, please email me or Devon.

Five years. Five. Can you believe it? In 2006, on this very day, I decided to do that online journaling thing, that blog thing, which sounded more like something coughed onto a sidewalk. And what was my first post? Weirdly, I didn’t know until I looked yesterday. It was about the worst sin writers can commit – devaluing themselves. Even then I was bitching about it. Jeez, have I beaten that drum a long time or what?

I don’t want to read through all my posts, but if I did, I’d see my own progression as a writer. I’d see the things I used to think were great ideas that eventually I realized were kind of dumb. I’d see the mistakes I’d made – and learned from, thankfully – and I’d see the growing pains of a writer inching her way into a full-blown career.

Moreover, I’d see you doing the same. That’s the beauty of this blog’s history folder. We were together from the inception of a few careers, through the same struggles, through the successes, and always with the same theme – we genuinely like and respect each other, and we held each other up when it was most needed. Thank you.

Today I’m occupying a barstool at Molly Maguires, where I intend to have the damn time of my life with best friends I’ve yet to meet. I’ll also be raising a glass to my dear great-uncle Raymond Gallagher, whose 95 years on this rock ended this past Sunday. He was one of two of my late grandmother’s remaining siblings. As my cousin Eileen said, with Ray’s typical Irish wit and humor he’s giving Saint Peter a run for his money.

So let the official celebration and unofficial wake begin. I won’t see you today (unless you stop by Molly’s), so I’ll leave you with some Irish humor:

——

Gallagher opened the morning newspaper and was dumbfounded to read in the obituary column that he had died. He quickly phoned his best friend Finney. “Did you see the paper?” asked Gallagher. “They say I died!!”
“Yes, I saw it!” replied Finney. “Where are you callin’ from?”

——

Irish man walks out of a bar.
No really, it could happen!

——
Paddy Murphy arrived at Boston’s Logan airport and wandered about the terminal with tears streaming down his cheeks. An Texan asked him if he was homesick.

‘No, ‘replied the Irishman.’ It’s worse, I have I’ve lost all me luggage.’

‘That’s terrible, how did that happen?’
‘The cork fell out of me bottle.’ Said Paddy.

——

Here’s to our husbands and boyfriends: May they never meet. 🙂

——

And a blessing for you all:

May your home be filled with laughter
May your pockets be filled with gold
And may you have all the happiness
Your Irish heart can hold.

See you tomorrow. 🙂