July 4th

Happy Independence Day! :)

Well, surprisingly enough, a geeky idea I had actually came to fruition. I wanted to go to the Family 4th of July at GasWorks Park and watch the fireworks. I suggested it to V et al and expected V to flake. Not only did he not flake, but we had a good time and a crowd of people. We were joined by his boyfriend Matthew, Matthew's roommate Sunny, Dana, and a couple of old friends of V & Dana's, John, Nicole, their son John and Nicole's brother. It helps that Vladdy actually knows people since I don't. We went to the store ahead of time and bought a bunch of food. Too much food, but that's okay. We had a nice picnic on the grass. The fireworks started at 10. This is my first time seeing the fireworks here in Seattle, and my first time seeing fireworks in 'the big city.' When I was growing up in Arizona, they were put on by the Lions Club in the football field of my old high school. I remember we would all squash together onto one of my dad's old army blankets. They had 'donated' a dollar for each of us to get in. We brought snacks, because god forbid we were ever allowed to buy the 'overpriced garbage' they served in the little food area. Oh the things you want so much when you're a child. I always wanted the crap food from the food trailers. As an adult, not so much. The fireworks growing up were cute... and we would have these little displays at field level (like the American flag in red, white & blue sparklers) and then some up in the sky. There were always a lot of firetrucks on hand because Arizona in July is dry as a bone and if any of the ash from the fireworks came down on the grassy fields next to the football field, it would burn fast. There were always some teeny tiny fires out in the fields that had to be put out quickly. The 'big city' fireworks were different than the fireworks of my childhood. Bigger. Able to do more things... smiley faces? Giant displays of color. Curtains of light. It was only 30 minutes but it seemed to go on much longer. I really enjoyed it. Afterward, we just sat and let the throngs of people leave around us. We separated from the others and V & I caught the bus home. We stopped in R Place but there was noone really to see. In Alaska, we didn't have fireworks on the 4th of July. There's no point. It isn't dark. Fireworks are on New Years Eve. Of course then it is so damn cold you don't want to be sitting out on the snow watching them. And of course we had the Aurora Borealis, which is oh so much cooler than fireworks ever could be. 3 AM stumbling down the hill from upper campus, drunk... the Aurora was magical those times. I think I went to the fireworks once when I lived in CA. I went to Channel Islands Harbor one July 4th with a coworker and her mom and we went out on a boat and watched them. It was very cool. Last year I was working at the casino and my car was in the shop so I was doing the 2 hr bus ride. I didn't get home until after 8:00 and by then I was just tired and didn't want to deal. I think I tried to see them out the window of my apartment but the stupid buildings around me are in the way. :) Next year... who knows...