I don't like fireworks. I'm not talking about the kind at, say, Stadium of Fire. I'm talking more about the kind that the kids at my neighbors' son's graduation party were firing off when I was right on the other side of the fence mowing my lawn.
This happened last Saturday. I was mowing my lawn, trying to go fast because the sun was about to go down. (I waited so long because it was too hot to do in the afternoon, and I was too lazy to do it in the morning.) The kids were having a giant graduation bash which consisted of a lot of music (they actually had pretty good taste in music), a lot of food, seeing how many people could fit into the swimming pool, a bonfire, and fireworks.
Now the fireworks were probably mostly harmless, but I still don't get it. Maybe it comes from growing up it a state where personal fireworks are pretty much illegal. Or maybe it was because I listened when my parents told me I shouldn't play with fire. I really don't understand why they are so popular; lots of people I know seem to be obsessed with them. Anyway, my point is I think they are unecessarily dangerous for the benefit (BOOM! "Oooh! Pretty Colors!") Am I just being a stick in the mud?
Friday, June 23, 2006
Fireworks
Posted by JonF at 2:37 PM
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5 comments:
Maybe you're just getting old.
Or, it's because of where you grew up. I actually grew up in a place where the only illegal fireworks were the firecrackers that were equivalent to an 1/8 stick of dynamite. And I'm happy to say that I never caught anything on fire more serious than my shoe. I still really enjoy fireworks. The 4th of July is a yearly dissapointment to me, I mean Stadium of Fire is nice an all, but I really miss being able to shoot of bottle rockets and roman candles.
Stick in the mud!!! Stick in the mud!!!
The coolest firework I ever purchased and subsequently exploded was an M2000, which is either a full stick of dynamite, or a half stick, I can't remember, but when I lit it off in a field, it left a very large crater. I had to buy it at an indian reservation.
Yes, I admit it, I was a very irresponsible youth when it came to fireworks. My friends and I would have roman candle wars in the presbyterian church parking lot. I probably wouldn't be stupid enough to do that now, but boy was that fun. Then the scientist in me would take over and I would take fireworks apart, and try and build bigger, better fireworks. That didn't always work. And by didn't always, I mean never.
But I agree, that the vast majority of the fireworks legally sold today have a very low benefit/risk ratio, and a waste of money. The only thing I would buy nowadays is the strobe light. Man those things are bright. We used to take them to the BIG scout camps- you know, the ones with hundreds of scouts. We would light those off in campgrounds in the middle of the night...
I am not a fan ... I remember one July 4th when our family bought firework "bees" and one took off in the wrong direction and whizzed past my ear before landing on the roof and almost catching the house on fire. And sparklers actually scare me to this day, though I try not to let that show too much. I'm much happier going to a good show. And I hate it when people light them off on "non fireworks" days. Yeah, I'm pretty much an eighty-year-old granny on this one. Sorry. But there's something about setting off an unpredictable exploding object that just doen't do it for me.
I like fire, on the other hand. I can sit and stare at a fire for hours ...
And I also liked building model rockets and launching them as a kid ... for what it's worth ...
Gosh, you guys should come to Wyoming, the heaven of fireworks illegal in civilized parts of the world. I'm with Jenny on the excitement of firworks...except for the little black snakes you light on a brick (I heard that scornful guffaw). I do really like the big firework displays, but the little hand ones are too noisey and too dangerous and yes I am typing this from my rocking chair. ;)
I guess I shouldn't have asked if I'm being a stick in the mud if I suspected that there were some of those people that are obsessed with fireworks here.
It looks like the the groups of obsessives vs. sticks in the mud are divided along gender lines except for ... (oh wait, dang it!)
Maybe I should backpedal a little and say that I don't mind people setting off fireworks as long as I can't hear them and it's not on my property. We live in a subdivision, so setting off bombs for graduation, not even a common celebration like July 4th, seems especially inconsiderate to all the people that aren't celebrating but have to hear it.
It's funny that Morgan suggested I'm getting old, because that's exactly what Katie said when I came in that night after mowing the lawn grumbling about the fireworks ("stupid kids mumble mumble loud fireworks mumble mumble sparks coming down over my yard mumble mumble keeping my baby awake mumble mumble bonfire smoke blowing into my house mumble mumble graduates? mumble mumble what do they teach kids these days mumble mumble ...") Maybe it's hanging out with all you guys that makes me old.
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