Happy St. Patrick’s day.
So some of you may have noticed that this post went up and there wasn’t much to it. Ya, that’s because a meeting that was supposed to be 1 hour-long turned into a 2.5 hour marathon. Seriously, what’s up with that? Honestly, meetings generally drive me insane1. They take up far too much time and very little is typically accomplished. Today was a bit of an exception though, so I guess I can’t complain too much. Anyway, long story long, the late running meeting meant that I was not able to get back to my desk to turn off the auto post since I had yet to compose what I wanted to write for St. Patrick’s day. GAH! Epic post fail. Correction. Epic St. Patrick’s day post fail. I apologize profusely.
Regardless, Happy St. Patrick’s day all y’all. I hope your day is filled with all thing green, all things pot-o-gold, all things leprechaun (except for those of you that might have a fear of leprechauns – you know who you are), all things Guinness, and all things Irish. Today is the day where old and young don green apparel, consume green beer, and if they aren’t lucky enough to be Irish, wish that they were.
Why do we do this? Honestly, I have no idea really. Mainly I think it’s an excuse to get together with friends to drink. It might also be a good way to ring in the coming season (don’t forget folks, Spring is just around the corner). Although, perhaps the true reason we celebrate is to appease the Leprechauns. We wouldn’t want them coming out of their dank dark caves to consume our brains, and make off with our lucky charms, now would we? Leprechauns do that, right? I might be misinformed.
Whatever the reason, it’s always fun to see people dressed up to celebrate this particular day-o-the-Irish. And today it seems the weather is cooperating as well. It’s a balmy 12C here; the sun is shining, the birds are singing. It’s almost magical. One might even say that it’s somehow the Luck of the Irish that has brought us this awesome day.
Anyway, in honour of today’s festivities, I offer you this parametric 4-leaf clover2. I hope it brings you the Luck of the Irish. But really, with a parametric equation defining a 4-leaf clover, I don’t see why you would even need the Luck of the Irish.
You might be asking yourself
How can you make this holy day of all-things-Irish about Math?
Well, the most obvious reason is because I’m a nerd. Did you really need to ask? The not so obvious reason, dear reader, is as follows: St. Patrick’s day falls approximately Pi days after Pi-Day. It’s almost like today is the Pi-boxing day of Pi-Day. AWESOME! Clearly the question should have been
How can you not bring math into it?
I will also celebrate today by heading to Toronto in my green garb, enjoying a tasty pint of Guinness, and then seeing Sarah McLachlan in concert. I’m pretty stoked. I’ve seen her once before, and she was EPIC. You are right to be jealous.
Anyway, I leave you with this shirt that I really want to get, although it isn’t completely applicable for my situation as I’m part Irish and Scottish. Clearly the statement would be misleading 🙂
1 Meetings make me lose my sexy.
2 For those interested, the parametric equation is
![\left[\begin{array}{c}r\\ \phi\end{array}\right]=\left[\begin{array}{c}2\sin{(2t)}\\t\end{array}\right], t=0\ldots 4\pi](https://s0.wp.com/latex.php?latex=%5Cleft%5B%5Cbegin%7Barray%7D%7Bc%7Dr%5C%5C+%5Cphi%5Cend%7Barray%7D%5Cright%5D%3D%5Cleft%5B%5Cbegin%7Barray%7D%7Bc%7D2%5Csin%7B%282t%29%7D%5C%5Ct%5Cend%7Barray%7D%5Cright%5D%2C+t%3D0%5Cldots+4%5Cpi&bg=ffffff&fg=6a6c6e&s=0&c=20201002)
consumedbywanderlust 
Try this on for fanny tickles:
Begorrah, meaning ‘by God’, is alternatively spelled begorra which is an anagram of bargoer. Which can be ignorantly interpreted as a heavenly calling for the consumption of alcohol.
Hilarious AND educational. Edularious.
Oh, I forgot to mention, I believe that this is also a heavenly calling for the consumption of alcohol. That, or it’s a St. Patrick’s day miracle. w00t!
A Guiness rainbow?! But what does this MEAN!?!
AAAAAAAAAAAAnd…drink enough Guinness and that single rainbow will turn into the fabled double rainbow.
I saw Sarah last night in concert (from the 7th row). It was pretty great! So, I’m not that jealous.