aint that america, the home of the free
So its Independence Day.
Since I was a kid I have loved this day. Town parade and picnic. Decorating my tricycle, scooter, and later bike for the parade. Winning a trophy basically every year because I kicked ass with streamers and ribbons. Dressing up in obnoxious red. white, and blue outfits. I was all about coordinating for the occasion. Cotton candy and sno-kones. Candy from the parade. Running around the Fireman's Park, seeing all my school buddies that I hadn't seen in almost a whole month since school let out for the summer. Riding the tilt-a-whirl. Playing ring toss with my grandparents' dollars. Full of too much sugar. Watching the town fireworks at the park, then walking home and doing our own fireworks at the bottom of the driveway, on our tiny dead-end street. It was awesome.
As I grew older, traditions changed. My town turned 150 and decided to bypass the Fourth of July parade and fireworks and instead focus on a sesquicentennial party, which gave birth to the annual "Richfield Days" in August, the last weekend before school resumed. Took from the excitement of seeing my school buddies, as I'd be seeing them a few days later at school, when I'd be rockin' my cool new threads.
Tonite I was reminiscing about past Independence Days. Some good times. The last time I hung out with my grandma before she was in the hospital was on the 4th. I spent one year in New York. that was the first Fourth after the 9/11 attacks. That was a weird day. Spent the day at the beach in Brooklyn, after a three-hour subway ride (lots of terror threats kept delaying and rerouting our trip) This year I worked and then went with Sarah and Adam to Cedarburg fireworks. I insisted we listen to John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen. Its only right to match the music to the mood and event. drank a can of pabst and ate too much cotton candy. Some things don't change.
At work today I talked with some coworkers about America's founding fathers. Wow. They were amazing. I wish we could bring them back today to fix the mess we've collectively made of their vision. I don't know if the USA is the best country in the world, but its pretty damn good. I have traveled a little bit, but haven't truly experienced life in any other country. But I do love the US. We have our share of problems, yeah, but no where is perfect. The basis for our nation is amazing and deserves respect and admiration. The founding fathers were so brilliant, I am amazed at how thourough they were, how they could plan out something that would hold strong over 200 years later, in a totally different world. Something that would serve as a model for other nations. To build a country on ideals that would continue to attract immigrants from all over the world, for years and years to come.
America isn't perfect. But its pretty great.
And I'm ready to take a break from it for awhile, as I embark on my next adventure in 34 hours. Thailand, here i come!
Since I was a kid I have loved this day. Town parade and picnic. Decorating my tricycle, scooter, and later bike for the parade. Winning a trophy basically every year because I kicked ass with streamers and ribbons. Dressing up in obnoxious red. white, and blue outfits. I was all about coordinating for the occasion. Cotton candy and sno-kones. Candy from the parade. Running around the Fireman's Park, seeing all my school buddies that I hadn't seen in almost a whole month since school let out for the summer. Riding the tilt-a-whirl. Playing ring toss with my grandparents' dollars. Full of too much sugar. Watching the town fireworks at the park, then walking home and doing our own fireworks at the bottom of the driveway, on our tiny dead-end street. It was awesome.
As I grew older, traditions changed. My town turned 150 and decided to bypass the Fourth of July parade and fireworks and instead focus on a sesquicentennial party, which gave birth to the annual "Richfield Days" in August, the last weekend before school resumed. Took from the excitement of seeing my school buddies, as I'd be seeing them a few days later at school, when I'd be rockin' my cool new threads.
Tonite I was reminiscing about past Independence Days. Some good times. The last time I hung out with my grandma before she was in the hospital was on the 4th. I spent one year in New York. that was the first Fourth after the 9/11 attacks. That was a weird day. Spent the day at the beach in Brooklyn, after a three-hour subway ride (lots of terror threats kept delaying and rerouting our trip) This year I worked and then went with Sarah and Adam to Cedarburg fireworks. I insisted we listen to John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen. Its only right to match the music to the mood and event. drank a can of pabst and ate too much cotton candy. Some things don't change.
At work today I talked with some coworkers about America's founding fathers. Wow. They were amazing. I wish we could bring them back today to fix the mess we've collectively made of their vision. I don't know if the USA is the best country in the world, but its pretty damn good. I have traveled a little bit, but haven't truly experienced life in any other country. But I do love the US. We have our share of problems, yeah, but no where is perfect. The basis for our nation is amazing and deserves respect and admiration. The founding fathers were so brilliant, I am amazed at how thourough they were, how they could plan out something that would hold strong over 200 years later, in a totally different world. Something that would serve as a model for other nations. To build a country on ideals that would continue to attract immigrants from all over the world, for years and years to come.
America isn't perfect. But its pretty great.
And I'm ready to take a break from it for awhile, as I embark on my next adventure in 34 hours. Thailand, here i come!
posted by j at 10:00 PM
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