Christ beside me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me.   ~Saint Patrick

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!

Over the years, I’ve participated in Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations through the consumption of my fair share of green beer.  However, should today really be a day for commemoration?  It seems, sometimes the facts are not completely uncovered, misunderstood, or are lacking all together.  Not that I’m a theological expert to discuss saints, but Saint Patrick’s Day is a neat inspiring story.  Saint Patrick was a priest from England who wanted to spread Christianity throughout Ireland.  At least that’s my condensed version.  In fact, he said that God spoke to him and told him what to do.  I’m sure there are many different stories presented in history books, but all in all, Saint Patrick wanted to make a difference with God’s best intention in mind.  With that being said, it sounds like a good enough reason to celebrate today.  What better reason for parades, green beer, and let’s not forget the McDonald’s shamrock shake, a favorite of mine, than the spreading of the word of God!  It may not be a day of luck, but it shows an example of opening your heart,  listening, and following your true purpose in life.

I’m glad Saint Patrick chose the path he did.  Traveling through my blog entries (European Travels Part 1 , 20th Annual Great Guinness Toast – Brilliant!, Traveling Habits) I have commented a time or two on my time spent in Ireland with my sister.  It’s an amazing destination, which I do encourage everyone to entertain the idea sometime in their lives.  Try to open your heart to your true destiny, who knows it might take you to Ireland.

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.  ~Saint Augustine

Me in Ireland.. I'm wearing a Guinness shirt and Heineken jacket.. total tourist 6/2005

You know I’ve talked about some of my travels and I know I’ve mentioned my love for traveling a time or two.  However, recently flying with my sister sparked a story that still makes me laugh out loud to this day.  This is one of the funniest stories of all times!  At least I found it hilarious.  Actually, there are two parts of this particular trip that brought tears to my eyes as I toppled over in complete and utter laughter.  Now bare with me, I may not do the story justice but I will do my best.

Take a minute to stroll back through time with me. Picture it, June of 2005, traveling through London, Paris and Berlin before making my way back to London to meet my sister.  At this point I had already been in Europe for about two and a half weeks.  I met Nicole in the Heathrow Airport and we both boarded a plane for Amsterdam, staying there a couple of days before flying to Ireland.  This is where the story takes place.

Castle we toured in the country side 6/2005

Reaching our new destination, the airport in Ireland, Nicole and I did the standard go through our travel documents to make sure all was in order, while waiting around for the luggage to slide down the conveyor belt.  As Nicole and I stood there, we saw this piece of luggage with a bright rainbow band wrapped around the center of the bag with what appeared to be shirts and underwear hanging out of it.  Looking like it was sent to a war zone before returning, the zipper finally gave in and threw up the white flag.  From the looks of the white with floral designs protruding from the seams, it circulated around and around on the metal carousel.  With every pass, I kept making comments like, “Wow that would suck!” and “I bet someone is not going to be happy with the handling of their luggage.” and “If my panties were flapping in the wind like that I would be devastated!”  At this point, I really believed the rainbow band was placed their by the owner of the bag, you know to identify it easier.  As my comments continued, and boy did they continue, I pulled my luggage to a safe position beside me.  Nicole was pretty quiet waiting for the arrival of her bags.  We both were anticipating the start of our four leaf clover journey, Ireland!  There were three things we were both excited to experience, going to see Trinity College, staying in a castle, and touring the Guinness brewery!  I was getting pretty antsy at this point and everyone knows sometimes I can’t contain my excitement and energy, plus I have been traveling for quite some time now and I was a little bit tired, and GITTY!

Nicole lounging in the VIP room of our hotel after the suite case fiasco. 6/2005

As I stood there watching everyone grab their bags, still examining the rainbow colored banded, sorry piece of luggage, circulate the room, I noticed the area had cleared out. It was at that minute Nicole and I just looked at each other with confusion.  We both had the look of “Where’s our bag?”  We didn’t even pay attention to the last piece of sad luggage left on the conveyor belt like an abandoned puppy.  Just then, Nicole walked over to the bag, still sporting the rainbow colored band, and read the tag.  Yep!  Nicole R. Piper!  What made the sight even more classic was Nicole’s typical response.  She huffed, rolled her eyes and got all red in the face from shear anger!

Ok I am aware that I am a bit of an instigator, especially with situations like these.  Plus keep in mind, I am a naturally a hyperactive person, who is now sleep deprived and on the verge of complete giddiness.  Then, the opposite of me would be Nicole, tired and frustrated with her underwear flapping in the wind.

Trinity College 6/2005

It’s taken Nicole years before she would really laugh at that story.  You see it all worked out.  She dragged her abused piece of luggage to the counter at the airport and they gave her a voucher for a free piece of luggage, of her choice, from this particular store.  I must say, her new travel companion was much nicer than her old one.  Ironically, really nothing got damaged or lost of Nicole’s cloths, but I did have a Heineken glass in there from the brewery that did not survive.  I was kinda made about that, but this story brought me more joy over the years than that glass would have ever brought me.

Nicole's suite case

To add to Nicole’s demise as we got to our castle, we were greeted with a no room at the inn response.  The castle was holding a wedding and all the rooms were taken, even though we made our plans far in advance.  They were very nice and put us up in there more modern hotel near by, gave us taxi vouchers and even gave us access to their VIP cocktail room.  The funny thing was, we didn’t care about those things, we really wanted to stay in a castle!

So now, in present times, the site of Nicole’s suitcase with a self placed pink band wrapped about it brings tears to my eyes and floods me with the memories of Ireland.  We had a great time!  She said she keeps that band on there just in case her zipper breaks again.  Guess Nicole learned a lesson, about seven years ago that she takes seriously to this day.  In another post I will tell you how my suite case ended up in Japan, but that’s whole other story.

I can’t wait to start traveling abroad with Kyle.  I bet I will have even more funny moments and better stories, since Nicole and Kyle are so similar. Can’t wait!!

Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.  ~Benjamin Franklin

Ahh yes, today is another Guinness toast!  Where the bars are packed, at least those that serve Guinness on tap, and everyone raises a pint and toasts to Arthur Guinness.  This toast takes place annually on the third Friday in February.  To my understanding this worldwide phenomenon was started in a bar in Pittsburgh, Pa., my own backyard.  Did you know they actually take a head count of those that toasted?  Yep it’s a celebration that increases and records the number of participated toasts and every year.  It’s really something to experience.  Over the years I’ve seen many contests with respect to the Guinness toast.  One contest that always stood out to me, was an entry to submit a piece describing your perfect pint of Guinness.  One lucky winner was chosen and won a pub in Ireland for a year.  I never participated, although my intent was to do so, but by the time I would get around to it, the deadline had since passed.

 Admittedly, I also attended the Guinness toasts because of the branded items given away. I loved being the select recipient of a Guinness t-shirt, hat or poster.  To this day I still wear my prize t-shirts, mostly to work out in, but they are worn in pride. In 2005, my sister and I stopped in Ireland through our travels of northern part of Europe.  Visiting the Guinness brewery and St. James Gate was at the top of my list, aside from Trinity College.  We had a blast going on a tour of the brewery and eating dinner within the facility.  My dinner was all made with Guinness, naturally, even down to the chocolate cake.  Delicious!  The experience was complete with my free pint of Guinness, in my Guinness glass, while sitting at the Guinness bar, surrounded by Guinness enthusiasts.  Not to mention my stop at the Guinness store to purchase my Guinness slippers, glasses, pitcher, deck of cards, and yes I even my very own Guinness panties.  What can I say?  I am a walking billboard for all things Guinness.  That was one of my favorite memories of Europe.

Being an art and marketing major, and an advertising executive, I really appreciate the Guinness marketing efforts.  The old Guinness ads and campaigns executed over the years, specifically during the 1930’s with their famous Toucan really appeal to me.  The illustrations and It’s A Lovely Day For a Guinness and My Goodness My Guinness signs not only exemplifies friendly and refreshing, but it speaks history to me.  One level of the Guinness brewery is dedicate to the retro advertising efforts, hung on the walls like a museum.  It’s so much fun to walk down the isles of a family legacy.  Very iconic.  Actually, 2009 marked the 250th celebration of Arthur Guinness.

Not to long ago, my good friend Markelle gave me a book called, In Search for God and Guinness.  A really lovely book that sited many positive efforts exhibited from the Guinness family toward Ireland and around the world.  I’m sure the Guinness family, like many families have had their fair share of individuals and situations that they are not proud of, but all in all, that family consisted of true and honest humanitarians.  It’s really a remarkable story.  I know there are other books on the subject and I’ve read briefly over the family history, but this book really shined the light on the family.  One day I will go off on my own dissertation on the book and the Guinness family but not today.

Did you also know that the Guinness family, the same family who started with Arthur Guinness, is the same family who started the Guinness Book of World Records?  The one in the same.  That is one of those books Kyle has always had an infatuation with, not that I blame him. Some of the recorded feats and information are mind blowing!

You know, being a Guinness fan and loving all things Guinness, I never missed a Guinness toast, that is until a few years ago.  I’m even a member!  Putting myself through college by way of waiting on tables and bartending, I either worked the celebration or participated in the event.  In my younger days, I would not have missed the toast for anything, but now things are different.  For the most part my blog is all things Kyle, except for the random run in with a mouse or the war between Pudd’in and dad.  Even though I write about it, sometimes I forget, but Kyle has really changed me.  For the better, without a doubt.  Today, instead of getting ready to go out and enjoy others who share my love for Guinness, I would rather hang out with my little man.  Times have changed, and they do keep changing as he grows up.  Who knows one day, I’ll probably be back at the Guinness toast enjoying my favorite drink with my favorite little man.

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 Cheers!

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