Last year the 4th of July fell, inconveniently on a Wednesday, with a work day following. I recall it was very hot, over 100 degrees and we couldn't travel as we normally do to visit my parents in Wisconsin. So I chose to stay in, skip the the local fireworks displays (not a big fan of them anyway), and just rented a movie. I am re-posting the blog that I wrote last year on the 4th of July. Somehow it mysteriously vanished from the Whine Press archives and the reason still remains a mystery.
Anyway, this year is shaping up to be much more of what a holiday should feel like: long (4 day) weekend, comfortable temperatures (today is in the 60's!), the ability to travel to Wisconsin and back with extra days to spare! And the potential to take in multiple fireworks displays on the 4th and 5th. Doesn't that almost make up for my complete lack of spirit last year? I'm still not a big fan of fireworks, but hey, given all the time off with my family, a string of days to eat and drink indulgently, and hopefully, more tolerable temperatures... I think I can endure the popular ritual...
Last Year's Post:
I’m not a big fan of fireworks. There, I finally proclaimed it. A statement like that, I fear, makes me feel almost anti-American. It could be as blasphemous as saying I don’t see what the big deal is about the Star Wars franchise (incidentally, another true statement), or that I will be perfectly content to never have been to Disney World or Vegas and have absolutely no intention of doing so. I missed the fireworks this year and feel no sense of regret for it. It’s not like I have anything against the annual tradition, and I have had my share of viewing several shows during my lifetime, but at this point I feel as though I can take it or leave it (gasp!). But really, if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen ‘em all, right? (GASP!!).
I’m writing this post late afternoon on the 4th
of July, 2012 - so I actually have more opportunity to seek out a nearby fireworks
display, if I so choose. I think I will
pass this year. For starters, it is a
record 100 degrees outside and add the dew point of 70 percent makes the actual
feel-like temp somewhere between 110 and 115.
Why would anybody want to subject themselves to that? I’d rather sit in the cool confines of my
home with a glass of wine, while attempting to justify my non-patriotism to my
family. This can easily be accomplished
with the lure of the recent DVD release of 21 Jump Street, which I just happened
to pick up earlier today from the Blockbuster Express kiosk down the
street. Oh I suppose if I could view a
fireworks display from my front porch, backyard, or even a short walk away I
might take 20 minutes and a cool drink and take it in. But the idea of driving to a destination, vie
for a space, wait for the pyro-technicians, until they are good-and-ready, fight
off mosquitoes and endure mass exodus traffic is more than I want to bear on work night. This is yet another reason
for my apathy—tomorrow is a work day, with this year’s 4th being on
a Wednesday.
Or perhaps I’m just making excuses and I really do harbor
some anti-American sentiments that I have a difficulty admitting to myself. After all, I’m also not a big fan of
baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, marching bands or parades for that matter…
