A recent trend among nearly all the men I know is to travel across the border into a neighboring state to purchase illegal fireworks. (Why this is allowed is beyond me...) Anyhoo, most of these intelligent, together men turn into grunting, giddy school boys at the prospect of blowing up things. (Me man, me like big bang)
My husband waxes nostalgic when talking about his childhood on the lake sticking firecrackers into the mouths of dead fish, tin cans, the water, whatever, and watching them blow up. A few years ago we attending a 4th of July party that disintegrated into a roman candle war among the men in the back yard as the women and children ran for cover inside the house. Again, these are smart men (usually) and no, we never attended that particular party again.
On top of the craziness these fireworks induce, they are EXPENSIVE! I've seen guys complain about the price of a beer in a restaurant then go blow $500 on boxes of explosives with crazy names and be proud as punch.
So, what is it with guys and fire? Do you partake in the illegal fireworks game of sneaking over the border? I have very few male readers (raise your hand ConstantComplainer) so it's up to us to figure this one out. I just gotta know, because I'd rather drive on downtown and see a nice, safe fireworks display put on by trained professionals then spend that $500 on...um...10 pairs of shoes, 5 massages, 16 pedicures, 100 gin and tonics, 10 nights of babysitting, 2 nights in a nice hotel...what would YOU do with the $500?
Whew I am with ya on this one!! My hubby took my boys to buy them last Sat before the good ones were gone!!
ReplyDeleteThen sone #3 had a breakdown cause I wouldn't let him shoot one off last night!
$500.....weekend away....from fireworks!!
We have neighbors that used to set off some fireworks every year - and then one time, something went awry and it shot back at their house (where I assume their kids were probably standing) and one came into our backyard a little too close to our large awning which covers our back patio. They haven't shot any since - thank goodness! Fortunately, my man has no interest in buying fireworks and neither do our kids!
ReplyDeleteNo brainer for me ... used to live in the desert ... even the machismos had to bite the bullet - the desert is NOT the place for a fireworks accident ... me? $500? let me count the things ... though art supplies hit very, very high on that list.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if us girls could ever fully understand! ;)
ReplyDeleteAhh.. the fire conundrum. Yeah, that is exactly my husband and his buddies. They go chase each other around with Bottle Rockets, blow things up, light huge bonfires. Yep, we do the illegal firework thing. It's my husband's thrill in life, fire. So I figure why not?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jennifer, though. It is something that we will never ever understand. And more importantly, I don't think we WANT to....
So for now my friends and I will go inside and cook and keep the kids busy while our husbands go act like adolescents out back. :D
I would spend it exactly like you! Sounds perfect to me!
ReplyDeleteI don't understand the fireworks thing...when I was nine, two boys thought it would be fun to throw firecrackers at *people*, and threw one at me, blinding me in one eye. My kids won't be playing with any, ever.
ReplyDeleteA good friend's husband spends over $1000 a year buying fireworks, and he makes about $40k a year...seems wasteful for one day of dangerous fun to me.
(sorry to be a downer...but my bad experience has really soured me on them)
I don't get it either..I got the kids $3 worth of snaps and hubby got $100 worth of spark shooters. Hey, the REAL fireworks at the park are FREE!!
ReplyDeletePersonally, I would get a bigger "thrill" out of burning a $500 bill if I had that much money to waste.
ReplyDeleteI put gambling and fireworks in the same boat. It would be more beneficial to take that money and just throw it up in a crowd of people - make your own fireworks AND help others :)
I am so sorry to be commenting on this so late. I was out of town when you posted it.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I am a dude and I love your blog, Jennifer. I look forward to reading it every day and although I can't always offer comments on some of your decorative or jewelry posts, I still enjoy reading them.
OK, now on to the man/fireworks discussion...
To all the ladies out there, there are two things that all men love.
First is watching groin shots on television. It never gets old and any series of groin shots on "America's Funniest Home Videos" makes me laugh like a giddy school boy.
Second is fireworks. They are worth every penny. I could shoot them off all day long. And it's even more fun to buy them and know it's illegal to set them off.