Post III

My family has a lot of Irish Heritage - I’m the second generation here in America. My dad was the first generation here, with his parents originally from Ireland. My grandparents come over to the United States because of a very bad economy. As most people know, the Great Potato Famine in Ireland caused a huge burst if immigration to America in the late 1800s. Before that time, my Irish relatives lived in Ireland. The furthest family member that I am able to remember Great (x6) Grand Father - he was the king of Ireland in the 1400s.

The Irish-side of my family is currently spread out; however, they all came from New York. A lot of them still reside in New York, but there are some family members in Florida too. Ever since the Potato Famine, the McMahon family hasn’t really moved much at all from America to anywhere else.

Now we’ve all heard those stereotypical Irish based comments: “Ah, they’re all drinkers!” or the red head/pale white skin type. When I’m in a group of people and we’re talking about our heritage and origins and I say that I’m Irish, someone usually asks if my parents drink or have something to do with drinking. Now that pisses me off a lot of the time because, even though there were a lot of pubs in Ireland, that doesn’t mean that all Irish folk drink liquor. Albeit, my parents do own a Liquor and Wine store, but it’s very formal and business-like, unlike ABC Liquor or other mass chain liquor stores. Back to the point - my Irish parents don’t drink, and I’m sure there are lot of other Irish people that don’t drink too.

Still, I’m glad that I have such a strong Irish heritage and hope to pass this on to my children, and hopefully they’ll pass it on to their children.

Post II

I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1994.  Our family moved to Florida when I was 6 months old.  Ever since then, we have lived in Gainesville, never moving and rarely traveling outside of Florida.

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I never was a picky eater.  I didn't, and still don't, care about what appears on my plate - I eat it, and then move on.  I don't make a fuss of what I'm eating (unless there are green beans... holy cow).  It's like this little attitude I have that if you're given food, eat it.  My dad would always remind me about the tribes and communities in Africa that were starving all the time... I'm sure this helped shape who I am now.

Now, I am a very, I think, well rounded person.  We live not far from Gainesville, but far enough where we are able to have 5 acres of land.  I love nature and the animals that come with it - just sitting outside before the sun sets is a beautiful thing.  You hear the birds, the crickets, a few owls, the wind against the tall flimsy pine trees - all while a ginormous celestial body disappears behind Earth's horizon ever so quietly.  The atmosphere turns purple and pink and orange, highlighting the existing clouds in the blue sky.  I'm sure it's not hard to see why I love nature so much.

And then there's the city.  Gainesville is a relatively small city, but it's the only thing I have to compare with, let's say, New York City for example.  The lovely air polluted mess that encompasses you as you walk down the sidewalk, hearing all of the cars with radios screaming, mufflers, well... muffling, and horns honking - it is a very unforgettable image.

Nobody can forget those hobos standing on the side of the exit ramp of the interstate with their gleaming cardboard signs: "Need Food", "Will Clean For Money", "Housebroken" - those are only a few that I have seen.  I always wonder where they get their bags, bikes, markers... Those poor people need money to buy food!  But hey, it's not my decision; I'm just taking in the surroundings.

If I had to say what type of person I am, I would most definitely go with an "in-between-er".  I can have fun in the city, on the river, in a cave, on a mountain (oh wait, we're in Florida), and anywhere else that you decide to place me.  Because of my chill personality, the people in each different environment don't bother me either - except, of course, for the butt-holes that scream at you for no reason - which I think reinforces my open mind and heart.  Having an open outlook on life can lead to great opportunities, so why not get one now and be happy?  Or, you can get one later on in life when it's too late to experience the true fun and values of each environment.

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Being an "in-between-er" with an open mind is rather fun.  I meet many new friends with different tastes and views, but I don't look at each person differently.

We're all here together for the long run, so why not get along now.