When in the course of human events...

[darkemeralds]

I've never been patriotic enough that I wanted to celebrate the anniversary of this nation's founding with a bunch of gunpowder-based noise devices. Besides, I grew up in Hawaii, where the American tradition of mindless waste meets the Chinese tradition of fireworks in such an excess of sound and smoke that "never" would be way too soon to experience it again.

For some reason, the neighbors with fireworks--and there were more of them this year than last--seem to think that an orgasmic explosion of booms, bangs, sparks, pops, whistles, and flashes is best held off till midnight, as if this were New Year's Eve. It's about 1:00 now, and they've shot their wad at last. It's mostly all over except the street-cleaning.

Which, by the way, none of them will undertake. Tomorrow, the street will be heavily littered with firecracker leftovers. Will I go out there with my broom and sweep up after them? Hell no. That's what their moms are for--or so they seem to think.

Monsoon seems to be recovering from the bewildered quivers. Now he's playing, but he spent most of the evening either sitting on my feet, or cowering in the basement stairs.

All of this is a long way of saying that I hate this holiday, and I'm glad it's over, and the rockets' red glare can go fuck itself.

Comments

[kispexi2.livejournal.com]

Poor Monsoon. Fireworks are hard on animals. When he was young my dog never used to bother about them - would even go outside with all the racket and flashes - but as he gets older, he get more nervous.

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

He seems pretty resilient. I think I anthropomorphize animals and assume they're mentally bewildered by phenomena they can't understand--when in fact they're probably just reacting to noises and having their CNS taxed a bit. A little play, a little food, a little rest, and they do seem to shake it off.

Monsoon came and sat on my lap while I read Chapter 20a of Trauma Medicine. He must've sensed how happy I was about it, because he purred and purred.

[kispexi2.livejournal.com]

I expect it was the warmth. *g*

[sffan.livejournal.com]

*cuddles Monsoon* Poor thing.

So, I'm thinking that the idjits letting those things off so late are kids that don't have to actually do anything today?

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

They sounded pretty grown up to me. But young. Young enough that getting their asses to work today after all that probably wouldn't pose that much of a hardship. Me, I took the day off on principle.

[vchrusch.livejournal.com]

This reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend of cajoje last year at the Stampede. We started snarking on the fireworks show at the Grandstand and dubbed ourselves FWoP (Fireworks Without Pity).

[emeraldsedai.livejournal.com]

FWoP! I love it. Sadly, there wasn't even any snark or humor in me by the time last night's neighborhood extravaganza was done. But recapping a professional display would be fun!