Fireworks

[eagle326]

Let me first state that I have nothing against 4th. of July celebrations.

Since 1970 I only cat nap through the night . It's just what I do and it's natural to me. No matter how I've tried ; a deep sleep is very unsettling to me and I just can't do it.
To me the world was and still is very unstable place to live all the while looking out for wife and others in my domain. Everyday going out with wife to shop ; eat or whatever is a mission to come home safe . Friends say most people are harmless and maybe so but I'm always looking out for those who aren't and trust only a minority of people.

Which brings me to fireworks. I'm glad people celebrate the 4th. especially if they understand it fully. I used to be able to prepare myself for the 1 night of celebration. When my kids were young We'd watch them from a distant location. Just couldn't bring myself to be up close. After the kids moved out my wife and I would stay home and ponder our freedoms for how ever long they may last.

But over the past few years the people living around us start fireworks July 3rd. until July 5th. And they go on for hours at a time. On these nights sleep is but a dream as the sounds just keep me alerted until they end. It's nothing to hear them up to and past midnight. It's not that I think they should stop but I fail to see the reason behind 3 nights of fireworks. It's their right to do so if they want and I'd never demand they stop.

The older I get the more it wears on these old bones and I do my best to rest when possible. As I stated I don't begrudge them their party it's just a bit of over kill in my book. If I looking at this wrong let me know.

Eagle

[bacpacker]

Eagle you have earned the right to look at this in any way you want. Sorry that this has such an effect on you. But I certainly understand.

[Illini Warrior]

fireworks stop AFTER the 4th and start only a few days prior? .... you're lucky .... we've had a guy test firing sticks of dynamite for a few months .... he was doing strings of explosions during the holiday .... we are talking rattling windows and setting off car alarms

the fireworks get even worse after the 4th usually .... the fireworks go on sale 50% off ....

[eagle326]

fireworks stop AFTER the 4th and start only a few days prior? .... you're lucky .... we've had a guy test firing sticks of dynamite for a few months .... he was doing strings of explosions during the holiday .... we are talking rattling windows and setting off car alarms

the fireworks get even worse after the 4th usually .... the fireworks go on sale 50% off ....

I don't think I'd handle that very well. Too much of the real noise for me. Never knew they sold them 50% off after the 4th.

[ElevenBravo]

When I was in uniform, there were multitudes of times I *HAD* to get some sleep, and often times worked a weird block of time, maybe I was RTO or CQ from 0000 to 0600... I found I can damn near sleep through mortor rounds with ear plugs in.

EB

[Stormfeather]

Cant sleep, catnap, or sleep weird hours?
Fireworks get to you?

Us military people call that PTSD.

Not making fun, just stating facts brother. I was really weirded out by fireworks after a combat deployment that was particularly nasty, and have been ever since. Since then, Ive faced the facts, dealt with it, and try to get on with the task of living my life for my family. Now I make a point of setting off all of the fireworks for our 4th, so I can deal with it myself. I cant say or tell you how to handle this, nor would I presume to know what all you went thru. Just telling you what works for me. Hope this helps brother!

[eagle326]

Cant sleep, catnap, or sleep weird hours?
Fireworks get to you?

Us military people call that PTSD.

Not making fun, just stating facts brother. I was really weirded out by fireworks after a combat deployment that was particularly nasty, and have been ever since. Since then, Ive faced the facts, dealt with it, and try to get on with the task of living my life for my family. Now I make a point of setting off all of the fireworks for our 4th, so I can deal with it myself. I cant say or tell you how to handle this, nor would I presume to know what all you went thru. Just telling you what works for me. Hope this helps brother!

Thanks Stormy. Yea P.T.S.D. is an animal of it's own. From 71 to 96 I was good to go in my mind. Wife and people always said you need to relax. Hell I thought I was. But the more I tried to relax the tighter the routine got. Then in 96 in the doctor's office during an exam he noticed me more uptight than usual and knowing I was in the Army asked if I'd been to Vietnam. It was then that it all came crashing down and I kind of lost my self control. He made me promise to stay in the room until he got back. He had gotten in touch with V.A. in Canton and made me an appointment. When he said P.T.S.D. I thought it was some kind of disease. He broke it down for me.

I did as he asked and the journey began. It was a long road with many arguments and revelations in the process. I took the things that worked for me and remained the same all the while learning how to relax enough to enjoy life by controlling my environment and those who I let around me. Talking with my brothers anytime of the day or night was a BIG factor. Knowing I wasn't alone and we all have each others 6 on our journey.

After pondering the fireworks question ; I guess in a way I'm still a little too rigid on the time frame of celebrating. In my thinking you set off fireworks on the 4th. in celebration of your other 364 days of freedom and get back to life the next day. But on the other hand if people want to light them up on the 3rd. ; 4th. ; 5th. I'll take it as they're really happy with the freedoms they have left.
Staying up later each night won't kill me it's just a instinct that won't leave even though I know it's only fireworks I also know their reason behind it.

So as per your response I may try to venture back and see next year's show in a visual line of sight and watch. I've learned many tricks to coexist with others over the years and never too old to learn some more.

Thanks very much for your view and I'll work on taking control of it as you have done.

Eagle

[Sniper-T]

Again... as a non-military sort looking in, I can only guess at your issues. but as a former civy blaster, and fireworks freak, I can certainly understand... especially since I have a bunch of mil. friends, whom I've held and 'talked down' during lesser events than fireworks.

My knowledge of what you went through, is based on my degree, with a history major... but my personal appreciation, comes from my life on the streets, in the gutters, and in the cardboard boxes under the bridges.

Dude... what doesn't kill you... makes you stronger. Take a deep breath, and tell yourself... "I fought for their rights to shoot off fire works"

Seriously! You did!

think of the boom as an accomplishment

[jamesneuen]

We live on base and they have restrictions on fireworks for that reason. Only on the fourth and only before 10.

[eagle326]

Again... as a non-military sort looking in, I can only guess at your issues. but as a former civy blaster, and fireworks freak, I can certainly understand... especially since I have a bunch of mil. friends, whom I've held and 'talked down' during lesser events than fireworks.

My knowledge of what you went through, is based on my degree, with a history major... but my personal appreciation, comes from my life on the streets, in the gutters, and in the cardboard boxes under the bridges.

Dude... what doesn't kill you... makes you stronger. Take a deep breath, and tell yourself... "I fought for their rights to shoot off fire works"

Seriously! You did!

think of the boom as an accomplishment

Good points Sniper thanks. I have a whole year to make plans and I'm going to mix you and Stormy's together.
See how close visually I can get and be comfortable.
Tell myself these are friendlies and maybe dispel some memories to a backroom in my old head enough to enjoy their joy for that day.
See if I can unwind some of the rigidness that comes to me then. If I'm going to be awake anyway maybe watching them enjoy the reason for it will help me readjust this as I have done other things.

Got a year to ponder and plan. So I should have plenty of time to make it work to a better degree than in the past. Would be really sweet to do as Stormy and be the one to fire off a few and have control over the booms as Stormy says. Maybe I'll find a way to work on that one prior to next year.
And as you said ; make the boom the accomplishment.

Thanks