The Thing About Fireworks That Nobody Talks About
Has nothing to do with safety or ideal viewing spots.
Sending this to you on the day before July 4th ~ Independence Day in the U.S. Also known as the day dogs everywhere burrow themselves under beds to escape the noise.
But in reality, July 4 isn’t the only day this week that poor Fido will be MIA as it sure seems like wherever you go this weekend, someone, somewhere is letting off fireworks.
This nonstop pyro fest wasn’t always the norm.
When I was a girl 👵🏻, fireworks were a one night event - always on the 4th - and they were a big deal. Such a big deal that when I think back, I swear the process of going to the fireworks, watching them, and returning home, took hours.
And I lived in a town of 7000, so it’s not like we had a long way to travel or heavy traffic to deal with.
Fireworks viewing was truly a thing. You had to pack up the car with blankets, get to the viewing area (the hill overlooking our hometown football field), find a spot, douse yourself with some 70’s style mosquito spray (great for you, and even better for the environment), and then wait.
The crazy thing is, in the 70s, the show itself didn’t actually last that long. And today, shows still don’t last all that long in most parts of the country.
In fact, the folks at Premier Pyrotechnics (who of course would know best) reported that the average small town fireworks display lasts between 10 and 20 minutes. Other sources I checked suggested 20 - 30, but most came in less than 20.
When I first read the stats, they seemed wrong.
Less than 20 minutes? That’s it?
As a kid, the fireworks seemed to last hours. Hours.
And because the aliens can always read my mind, the next link I clicked reported, “While the average display only lasts between 10 and 20 minutes, they seem much longer.”
Exactly!
But they aren’t.
Fireworks, in all of their dazzle and wonder, don’t last long at all.
In fact, the second we notice their beauty, they’re already on the outs.
Beautiful, yes. But also kind of sad.
And… wouldn’t you know it, the short shelf life of fireworks… is What I’d Rather Be Talking About this week.
What nobody’s telling you when you drop a few hundred bucks on fireworks
or head to your local fireworks show
is that…
fireworks are a lot like life.
Fireworks can be beautiful. Larger than life.
Colorful.
They can take your breath away.
Fireworks can come one after the other, making you wonder when they’ll stop.
Or, they can fool us with a pause, making us think they’re over
and then surprise us with a BOOM that shakes us to our core.
Some fireworks look like they’re going to be brilliant and quickly fizzle out.
However.
Whether fireworks are works of art or duds… they have one thing in common.
Fireworks come and go.
They’re fleeting.
Just like the moments of life that make us ooh and aah.
The trick is to give them our full attention while they’re happening so they last as long as possible.
Here’s to amazing 🎆 and even better moments ♥️…
this weekend & all summer long.
But before you get out your blankets and mosquito spray for the big event, I’ve got a lineup of wellness, travel, home, and sale links for your weekend and summer.
The cleaning hack that requires safety goggles but keeps you cool.
Considering getting rid of all coffee mugs and using this one exclusively.
Craving simplicity, and this piece, All is Simple and All is Well, was perfection.
I know most of these organizing tips. But knowing and doing are two different things.
One of these “happiest cities” was also on the list of best place for seniors to retire, according to Forbes.
A commercial within a newsletter?
Guilty. 😎
After all, I’m a freelance writer, and begging for work is what we do.
Plus, turning ordinary moments into commercials is how this newsletter started.
(Long story short, it turns out that asking my way too serious very focused colleagues to pause during a middle school team meeting for an impromptu anti-inflammatory beverage commercial wasn’t the *best* idea. But hey, it made me realize I needed a platform to share my wellness discoveries.)
But let me cut to the chase.
If you dread writing like I dread math (plague-level dread), I can help.
Even if you love writing, but just simply have no time to do it, I can help.
MY SERVICES 🧑💻
Newsletters ~ if you’re a regular reader you know that I love writing weekly newsletters. So much so that I’ve added client newsletter creation to my list of services. Which might be helpful if you’re tired of saying, “I should really start a newsletter” each time you open your email and realize that everyone’s doing it. Even if you have an existing newsletter and just want to give it a more personal touch, let’s chat. Newsletters are my ♥️ language. I can help you with ideation, creation, or ongoing writing and support .
Blog posts ~ Do you put your company blog posts off until the very last minute, akin to saving your 7th grade science project for the Sunday night before it’s due? Stop procrastinating (and torturing yourself), and hand the extra load over to me just like you pawned your volcano model on your poor mom at 10:00 p.m. just after she’d changed into her pjs.
Website refreshes ~ If a visit to your website makes you cringe (or worse, fall asleep), I can freshen it up a bit with a little copy update. (Kind of like a makeover at the Clinique counter, minus the free makeup bag.) Or, if you’re like, “It’s all crap!” (Harsh, yes, but we’ve all been there.) We can start from scratch. No sweat. Poof. 🪄 We’ll talk about the story you’d like to tell, and I’ll bring that story to life.
Coaching & Editing~ As a former teacher, I live for this. (I’ve got a drawer full of red pens begging me to love them again.) If you’re looking for someone to give you feedback on your ideas (I promise to be nice), bring new ideas to the table, or take a red pen to existing copy… let’s go to school. 🙋🏼♀️
If any of this struck a cord with you, send me an email or set up a virtual coffee talk.
And now, let’s return to our regularly scheduled newsletter programming. 📺
Just when you thought it was going to be a no spend month, I had to go and tell you about these 4th of July sales. Sorry not sorry. They’re fabulous.
More deals here, plus don’t forget Prime Days are right around the corner. (And if you can’t wait, check out the early Prime sales.)
Tons of wellness deals to be found on Prime Day too. Plus, check out these random finds that you might not be able to pass up from Shea Whitney.
Simple, classic wardrobe solutions? Yes, please. I’ll take all the clothes on this site.
I’m looking to revamp my skincare and taking recs. Help, porfa. In search of serums like this one, and also just looking for a skincare system using clean products. Please share any secrets.
Your invitation to be spontaneous and pick a trip, any trip. Last minute deals are always fun, and sometimes the trips that pop up out of nowhere are the best.
Feel like you’re in Europe without leaving home by