fireworks!

We really enjoyed tonight’s fireworks display here in Independence, Missouri, my father and I. It was a fine job by the local authorities, especially on the ground displays.

I later determined it was the first time since 2001 that I’ve been in the United States on the 4th of July. That year I saw the surprisingly adept display in tiny Marengo, Iowa. But in fact, I think that fireworks technology has evolved to the point that even small towns can have pretty good shows now. I seem to remember fireworks as having been a bit more rudimentary in my youth. Has someone applied quantum mechanics to fireworks construction or something? Give that scientist a Nobel!

Amsterdam has incredible fireworks shows for New Year’s, all around the city, and I did see that at the turn of 2007/08 when I was living there. But tonight was the first time on the 4th of July in a decade.

Incidentally, fireworks shows belong to the category of “things I felt pressure to like as a kid, but which bored me then and interest me much more now.” Nature shows on television are another such case.