It's 5 p.m. on Friday, and I am apparently getting a very late start on my St. Patty's day partying. I won't even leave the house until nearly 7 most likely, making it even worse. Seems that half my friends and fellow tipplers started drinking around noon today, and the other half are staying home to avoid the blatant idiocy of the drunken masses. I talked to some of my friends who started really early - at the Keggs & Eggs show at Lodo's downtown this morning. Guess they had around 400 for the show, and about another 300 lined up outside the bar by the time the event wrapped up at noon today. When we talked it was 4 p.m. and many of the revelers had scooted over to the Celtic Tavern, which, judging by the levels of cell-phone background racket, was already a full blown rager. From what I'm told, most the crowd was already properly sauced at that hour, so now I'm re-thinking my plan for the evening. Rather than brave the crowds at Fado's for the Indulgers tonight, I might steer clear of Lodo altogether, and stay in the neighborhood. I'm thinking The Irish Rover (54 S. Broadway) might -- although it's highly unlikely -- be a mellow spot for a couple of beers, and maybe Lipgloss to end the night dancing at a totally non-St.-Patty's Day event.