Would God Approve?

The most ironic part of my 4th enjoyment (or nonenjoyment) was watching and listening to a Christian rock band sing songs like 'Free Ride'. The 'Free Ride' lyrics may sound innocent but it's the message behind the lyrics that those who didn't experience the 70's drug phase don't understand. Let's put it this way, the term "Promiseland" in these lyrics is not in reference to Heaven. It's in reference to being high or hallucinating.

Then, much to my dismay, they started singing 'Jesus is Just Alright' made famous by a band who named themselves a slang term for marijuana, thus creating the Doobie Brothers. I wondered if these people in those bands realized what kind of music they were singing. I probably would have been a little more forgiving had they sounded any good but they butchered these songs and I was horrified to hear some of my favorite songs from some of my favorite bands being sung by people with no talent. We call these people, No-Talent-Ass-Clowns.

On top of horrible music, the fireworks show stunk. We could see the neighboring city's fireworks show which started fifteen minutes before ours and was still going twenty minutes after ours was over. Our fireworks show was no more then fifteen minutes, if that. We parked almost a mile away to hear shitty music and watch a lame fireworks show. What a disappointment.

Before all that excitement (NOT!) we were over at my friend's house where we had dinner and watched the Giants lose to the Rockies. Her neighbor had some fireworks so we watched those for a while. They just don't make them like they use to. They are all relatively the same; the same color, the same loud "piccolo pete" whistle, some crackling but nothing spectacular.


Fireworks use to be crazy! I remember the sparklers; writing your name as a tracer and they lasted forever, sometimes so long that I passed them on to someone else. The sparklers they make today last no more than 15 seconds. I use to love the bottle rockets, those were cool. The flowers were cool too, the way they would spin, change colors and had that "whizz" sound. I also use to like the black snakes. Those were the little black pellets that you put on the ground and watch it expand into black rolls. They were weird but fun to look at. And of course, you can't forget the Jumping Jacks. Fireworks would not be complete without those little firecrackers that made one hell of a noise when set off.

Those were the days when we had fun with fireworks but thanks to irresponsible people who created fires by lighting fireworks near dry grass, they ruined it for the rest of us who were responsible fireworks users. There always has to be those jerks who ruin it for everyone else.

I hope you had a better fourth than I did. I did learn one lesson this year - Go to the next city and watch their fireworks show.