People in this country, no matter what their financial status or situation, have money to blow up and burn every time 4th of July comes around. It never ceases to amaze and annoy the hell out of me at the same time. The blowing away of money pastime starts earlier and earlier each year. People blow money on all sorts of bullcrap, but at least if you are blowing money on Christmas presents, Easter bunny presents and candy, Valentine's Day candy you are getting something for your money even if it is spoiling the hell out of your kids, or making you and your loved ones a few pounds heavier. But with fireworks, what do you get for your money? A loud bang and a puff of smoke that is gone in a flash and for some reason makes people jump up and down with glee. I don't get it. Never have. No one would think to take $50 or more of cash and light fire to it, but this is actually exactly what they are doing.
Now, if people want to throw their money away, or burn it, or blow it up it's their business (however, ILLEGAL fireworks ARE our business, and the police seem powerless to do anything about it). Also, it's impossible to enjoy such activity, legal or not, without disturbing the hell out of everyone else around you. In addition to disturbing the humans around you, you are scaring the shit out of pets and other animals who cannot understand what is going on. My parents have to tranquilize their little dog off and on for the weeks before and after the 4th of July because she trembles so bad it seems like she will give herself a heart attack or simply die of fear.
Last night I had the doors and windows open. It was a beautiful night with millions of fireflies dancing around people's back yards. I was sitting on the deck watching. The sun was almost completely set and orange filled the low horizon. Then suddenly BOOOOOMMMMM! I almost jumped completely out of my skin. A neighbor a couple doors down set off a mini bomb that rattled windows and sent birds fluttering from the trees in panic. My little Bearded Dragon flattened out on the bottom of her tank and her skin turned really dark gray, which is what happens when she is terrified of something.
It is only June 30th, and the weekend, so today and tomorrow will probably be bad. Then Monday and Tuesday should be ok during the daytime since people have to work, but after work it will be bad. Then Wednesday, the 4th of July, when everyone is off from work, they will blow up all their hard-earned money...blow it up into smoke, and disturb the neighbors, cause a bunch of fires, blow off digits and limbs, maybe shoot an eye out or even blow themselves up while they are "having a blast". We will be hiding inside like we usually do, with all windows and doors shut, watching the Chicago fireworks on television which is the best seat you can have. I have nothing against organized fireworks, which are beautiful to watch.
Will it stop after the 4th? Of course not. People will continue to blow shit up till it all runs out, which gradually takes a couple more weeks or longer. (sigh)
8 comments:
I farking hate neighborhood fireworks. Especially in town. If you haven't invited the whole neighborhood over for the fun, it's just damn rude. And my cats hate the noise.
I do too. The othe day I thought somebody was shooting a gun. KABAM then nothing for like 10 minutes then KABAM, repeat 3x.
Seriously almost called the cops until I realized it was probably the neighborhood idiots just blowin' shit up for the fourth of july. They don't even know WHY they are celebrating. It's just the time of year to blow shit up.
ARGH!!!!!!!!
fiery ewok -good to "see" you again. :-D
Also annoying is having to pick up all the remnant crap out of the yard and pool and out of the bushes in the aftermath of everyone's "fun" time. No one cares how ignorant they are when they do this...make disturbing noise, and endanger property and safety of themselves, their loved ones and others, and then make a big mess for others to pick up afterwards.
We live right next to a park, the kiddy climbing gym is about 10 feet from our tall privacy fence.
People are constantly throwing trash over the fence. Pop cans, beer bottles (??? at the park???), candy wrappers (how do they get them lobbed over a 7 foot fence?), once time a melon rind.
ARGH!!! There is a garbage can equa distant in the opposite direction. But do they choose that? NOOOOOO!!!! They've got to lob it over the fence.
PLUS- there are 2 neighborhood girls (roughly 7 and 9ish) that think it is just a hoot to throw rocks over the fence at our house. Handfulls of little rocks or gigger rocks bouncing off our roof.
REALLY TICKS ME OFF!!!
Why are people so inconsiderate?
lol
Goin' all Fiery on ya. Sorry about that. ;-)
And yeah- I'm around! Pokin' my nose in. :-D
good grief, sorry about the typos, let's see...
once = one
gigger = bigger
I love your new glowy/sparkly star. It's really flashy and bright. Very attention grabbing!
It took me awhile to find an animated star that I liked, but finally found one while browsing through Yahoo images...and so I "borrowed" it from someone.
the neighbor hood brats have started lighting fireworks.
It's only 9:30pm I expect to hear them until about 1am
*groan*
fiery - it's going on here, too. We are fantasizing about having some kind of grenade launcher to shoot back at em...make a large crater in their backyard and see how they cheer about that boom! I am glad we have a/c because the air is full of sulfur smell. P....U!
My Beardie is almost black she is so scared. :-( And you can't sedate a lizard. I just covered her tank with a sheet and maybe she will feel safer that way.
It's odd, I've never felt this bad for a lizard before, but I really do. She must be so terrified and stuck in the little cage with no way to escape from it all. I keep trying to find a way to help sound-proof her cage somewhat, but really don't have any good ideas. Plus you have to be careful not to sufficate the little dear. :-)
My cats were miserable last night. For the last 2 days they have been flinching at the very least unexpected movement. I have a feeling it is because of the terror of those damnable fireworks. They don't understand them. There is no predicting them, and if the windows are open, there is no way of finding a room in the house to escape to.
I love the image of you sending off a mini-grenade to blow a crater in their yard. Somehow I think their enjoyment would not be as profound as your own. I am tempted in that direction myself. Would love to be in a bush and watch them piss themselves when a 5 foot crater shows up north of the shed. :-D
I am actually very glad you had this post. I thought I was being unpatriotic when I hated fireworks so damn bad. But you know what, most of the people shooting them off, just like fireworks. They aren't celebrating anything other than the permission to make loud noise and look at the pretty lights.
As for me and my cats, we hate the noise!
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