I'm quite sober. Though I did take some cold medicine. I am, however, wearing my scally cap, if you want to go there.

I wish I were one of the storm troopers in the parade. When I was in college, I desperately wanted one of those costumes, until I learned they cost like three grand. My mother, however, once played Twinkie the Kid in the parade. And my father was Miss Piggy. (I may have those backward.)

Johnny Depp or Matt Damon as a better Whitey? Solid question. I'm going with Matt because he remains the only actor (for my money) to nail a Southie guy on screen. (I should also add Casey Affleck to that list, because we all grew up with that whiny kid who just wanted a double burger.)

I believe the Southie Rules people abandoned their door-to-door meatball sales, though I could be wrong. They live right on the parade route, and I stopped by there last year (while they were filming) and it appears they go big for the parade. Meatballs may be in order.

Drinking certainly happens on parade day, and the police do seem to turn a blind eye if you're behaving and being discreet. But there's a reason they've created all these "family zones" along the parade route.

The previews for Wicked Single looks pretty bad, in the sense that they've clearly taken a page from the "Jersey Shore" school of nonfiction (young, drunk, and obnoxious). What makes it dangerous is if it takes hold and the rest of the world begins to make assumptions about Boston based on the show, in the way the Jersey Shore has now become synonymous with a certain type.

The demographics of Southie is something I'm very interested in, and I'm actually working on a longer project that will attempt to paint a portrait of the South Boston community in 2013. A big part of that is what role the so-called "yuppies" are playing in building the community for the future. For a while, it was easy to point to them and say they were only in Southie for their post-college party years, then they would pack up and move to the suburbs the second they had a child (or, at the least, had their second child). But that is clearly changing. What was once "yuppies with puppies" is now becoming "yuppies with strollers." But what the long-term impact will be, and how many really are staying for the long-term, is up for debate. My father is actually the president of the local soccer league, and I can tell you that the kids are pretty evenly split native/newcomer for the younger age groups, but then thins out as they get older. So it remains to be seen. 41 percent of the population is between the ages of 20 and 34. Will that hold as they age within the community, or will it always be a transitional location for young professionals....

Since I've got a moment, some unsolicited advice on how best to enjoy the St. Patrick's Day parade.
1. Don't be that guy. Have fun. Just don't be that guy.
2. The parade is actually better than you think it is. There's some funny things in there. You might enjoy watching it.
3. Don't ruin it for the kids. There's plenty of time later in the the afternoon and evening to hog the spotlight.
4. Walk away. There are plenty of dude-looking-dudes out there looking for trouble. Don't give it to them. Walk away.
5. Don't pee in public. Ask a neighbor. You'd be surprised at their answer. And you might end up leaving with food and beverages.

Billy, how has the parade changed since your childhood?

Alright, people. I've got to run. It's been fun. If you need anything else, hit me up on twitter @billy_baker. If not, have fun at the parade and behave yourselves.