NEW YORK (WCBS 880)  -- I woke up Monday morning to the sun beaming in through my window and landing on a green sweater I had laid out the night before. That was when these Irish eyes started smiling. And they didnt stop there.

For a long time now, St. Patrick's Day has been one of my favorite days. I never found it over-commercialized, it never made me feel bad if I didnt have someone to share it with, and I never had to expect anything from it other than what it was; a day for me to awknowlege part of my heritage and to celebrate who I am for what I am; an Irish girl.

MORE: St. Patrick's Day Coverage

Perhaps it was the luck of the Irish, but I was the Desk Assistant chosen to help 880's reporter, Rich Lamb cover the parade on-site, in front of St. Patricks Cathedral this year. Rich has covered the parade for many years now and is pretty much the Master at all things Irish. He might as well have been the new governor sworn in that day with the way he was shaking hands and greeting old friends in our little media section in front of the Cathedral. Even Cardinal Eagan came over to talk with Rich and to lend a few soundbites.

Rich and I met up with the 1010 WINS posse to set up and get ready for the day. Launch time was 11:30 but we were ready by 10. With our hour to kill, we got to know each other and joked around sharing Spitzer quips and Lindsey Lohan jokes... anything to keep our minds off the bitter cold wind that seemed to seap through our jackets. However, I must admit, our feet went unaffected by the winter chill thanks to Rich's tip: standing on piles of newspaper and broken-up cardboard boxes.* "Insulation," Rich reminded us all, "is key."

So around noon, our ears were blown away by the sound of bagpipes and marching bands of New York's finest schools and associations. I went camera-happy snapping over 200 photos. Who knows if I'll ever get another chance to have a front-row seat to one of NYC's best parades of the year. And as the parade winded down, I listened to Rich file the last of his wraps. He mentioned finding a soldier on an 18-day leave from Iraq among the many green faces in the crowd. At the end of the interview, he asks the soldier if he could give him a hug. And I noticed, parades have a strange ability to bring people together requardless of their backgrounds. On March 17th, everyone was Irish. Whether they were Italians, Germans, Spaniards; whether they were soldiers or accountants or journalists; old and young; male and female, the crowd was filled with happy faces looking on to cheer on the marchers.

I helped Rich clear up our equipment and said goodbye to my new friends at 1010. My whole body ached from the long day but it was the good kind of aching. I managed to get in one good beer before giving in and going home. And as I layed down to go to bed, I couldnt help but sing to myself, my grandmother's favorite Irish tune: When Irish Eyes Are Smiling. I drifted off with the images of little Leprechaun jigging around my head...

And on that note, I shall leave you with an Irish saying on the nature of man.

The Irish: