Swedish vs. Irish

Thank God for my mother, who tapes me random crap (in addition to Rescue Me and Flipping Out and the Housewives series) off of cable.

So I’m watching Top Chef Masters, which I’ve never seen before because I’m not fond of cooking. I do like to eat, though. Good thing I married a cook.

There’s a chef on there who is Swedish. He talks about how Swedes are always on time (I used to be on time before I married Aron), and others talk about how Swedes are guarded, even-keeled, not super-emotional. My dad’s side of the family is hugely Swedish. I’m not anything like these people are describing.

Then it hits me! BAM! I finally understand why I’m the quasi Black Sheep on my dad’s side. It’s because my mom’s side is Irish! Hello! Don’t I act WAY more like an Irish person? I’m WAY more Tommy Gavin in Rescue Me than a let’s-not-talk-about-it, let’s-sweep-it-under-the-rug Swede. I’m always annoyed about SOMETHING, and I want to talk about it, dammit. I want to hash it out until it’s a totally dead issue.

Then there’s the stereotype of the Irish who can’t figure out birth control (heard of Irish twins … born less than a year apart?). CLEARLY I can’t figure out birth control … (big joke since I use Natural Family Planning and know WAY more about my cycles than I care to).

The thing that confounds me is the drinking thing … I don’t care for alcohol, darnit. Is that a Swedish thing?