saavedra77: Back to the byte mines ... (watermelon)
Anthony Diaz ([personal profile] saavedra77) wrote2006-07-05 11:28 am
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Independence Day

The radio alarm woke me yesterday with a July Fourth music mix I might have programmed, myself: "One Time, One Night (in America)" by Los Lobos; "Fourth of July" by X; "American Girl" by Tom Petty; plus a number of other obvious but pretty cool choices by the likes of the Blasters and Dylan. Consequently, I spent the day with lines like "She couldn't help thinkin' there was/ Somethin' a little bit more/ To life somewhere else" and "On the stairs I smoke a cigarette alone/Mexican kids were shootin' fireworks below" ringing in my ears.

The Tom Petty song made me think about the wanderlust that took me from the right to the left coast, a few years ago, and that, as much as I love Seattle, continues to tug at my sleeve. I couldn't help thinking of [livejournal.com profile] ryuusama, who's currently duplicating that cross-country itinerary: I remember wondering where she was spending the Fourth: Missoula? Couer d'Alene? Spokane? A few hours later, I was on the ferry with [livejournal.com profile] sarrabellum and [livejournal.com profile] sleepwhenimdead on our way to visit [livejournal.com profile] differedfrom and [livejournal.com profile] ladyavalon42 across the Sound, and [livejournal.com profile] sleepwhenimdead and I got to daydreaming about buying a boat and sailing off across the Pacific. (Never happen, in my case: I need a boat the size and stability of a ferry not to get seasick ...)

John Doe's nostalgic, mournful refrains came back to me later that night, while the Kitsap peninsula erupted into a cacophany of fireworks. In Seattle, I'm usually at a sufficient remove from the pyrotechnics to just appreciate the explosive display of color, and to resist the military metaphor--the latter not being generally what I most want to celebrate about my country. But when our friends' neighborhood over in the Kitsap suburbs started crackling with sounds like close-range small arms fire and mortar rounds a few hours before sunset, it was hard to resist the idea.

I had a great day: it was nice to get away from the City on the holiday, and spend time with [livejournal.com profile] differedfrom and [livejournal.com profile] ladyavalon42's family. Nice, once you got used to the explosions, right outside.

Coming back on the ferry right after sunset that night, I was impressed that Bremerton was simply boiling over with neighborhood fireworks--in absolutely every direction. And I could see the Seattle (Elliott Bay?) fireworks underlighting the clouds, over the darkened hump of Bainbridge Island--like lightning, actually. Rounding the island, we caught the finale of the Lake Union show bursting over the top of Queen Anne Hill--it was a beautiful way to end the evening--from a distance that took the mind away from matters martial.

[identity profile] greyaenigma.livejournal.com 2006-07-05 06:32 pm (UTC)(link)
I got to see Portland from a rooftop downtown where I had a view of everything in the city and outlying areas except for the official Portland fireworks, and man, I'm still amazed by how many go off on the 4th. (Not that I can't hear them from my house.

[identity profile] saavedra77.livejournal.com 2006-07-06 05:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, I find fireworks pleasing enough to the eye, but much less so to the ear ...

[identity profile] ladyavalon42.livejournal.com 2006-07-06 09:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Rock on! I have yet to see the Lake Union show. Now that I know what goes on in my neighborhood on the 4th, I have a hard time tearing myself away from my home fearing that it will burn down in my absence.

Thanks for coming, and getting lost on my neighborhood trails with me. :)

[identity profile] saavedra77.livejournal.com 2006-07-06 10:21 pm (UTC)(link)
My pleasure! Actually, I'd meant to write about the little jungle adventure we all took in the entry, but I had to post & run, so I just stuck with my soundtrack theme.

Really, though, our detour through the trail system was a great diversion--one of the most entertaining parts of the day. I think [livejournal.com profile] sleepwhenimdead really enjoyed playing Sir Richard Burton and hacking our path through the underbrush, too.

Also, your little princesa's enthusiasm was infectious.

[identity profile] ladyavalon42.livejournal.com 2006-07-06 10:36 pm (UTC)(link)
LOL! She's a ham. :)