When I was a kid, I always looked forward to July 4th because of the fireworks. You could have called me a pyromaniac. 

I liked using smoke bombs, but the problem is they didn’t last for very long. We also lit black pellets that turned into “snakes” and made permanent black marks on the sidewalk. We had jumping jacks that looked like regular firecrackers but when you lit them they zoomed off in all directions. Most people would use glass Coke bottles to light off bottle rockets. Not us. We lit them while they were still in our hands and then threw them into the air. We also had Roman candle wars in which we used trash can tops as shields as we shot flaming balls at each other. We also liked to light off M80’s, and small red firecrackers that looked like miniature sticks of dynamite that would even go off underwater.

My brother used to buy fireworks in bulk, and he would save some for the next year. That’s when I discovered that the older the fireworks were, the faster the fuses went. 

It is a miracle that none of my friends or family suffered any serious injuries from all the fireworks. Nowadays, most of the good fireworks are illegal. Grocery stores have what I call “baby” fireworks, but they aren’t like the good stuff from years ago. I suppose it’s all for the better.

I watched the broadway show Hamilton yesterday, which premiered on Disney+. Even though I’m not a fan of musicals, I did enjoy the artistry that goes into a production like that. 

For those in the US, happy July 4th! Stay safe.