The Fourth of July is pretty much my favorite holiday.

In my earlier years, it signified all the good things in America to me. And in those days, that list was kinda limited to summer things like playing baseball, riding bikes, going to the beach and playing guns in the woods. Simpler times. I have amazing summer memories of Central Lake’s 4th of July Celebrations. Waking up to the big day was like a Christmas morning. The day started with a parade downtown, and firecrackers, and hoards of people and moved down to the pavilion by the water where there games and food and some shitbrick band playing Chicago songs or something. Oh, and the fireworks at night, and how lucky we were to have this crazy fucker called Richard Davis running the show. They were brilliant.

Nowadays, the Fourth of July simply signifies the concept of “Freedom,” and the amazing opportunities we have in this country. With the right amount of hard work and guts, you can be anything you want. You can drive from coast to coast, say what you want for the most part and go about yer business as a free person. That’s pretty amazing when you think about it, and, respect it.

What a fascinating, sad and puzzling time to be an American. We live in a modern time where lies can be sold as truths, and, we eat it up. I wrestle with this time. I’m not down with our current “President” or his cronies. They smell. You can smell the disease in them every time they open their mouths. They aren’t the kind of America I want to live in, and, in time, like all things unjust and flat out fucked, this country will rid itself of it. In time. I just hope the damage he’s done is something we’ll be able to recover from.

I love America, and I love being an American.

It’s good to be free. I just try to think about that each day I have.

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One of my fondest memories of all goddamn time was standing in front of that old bell, just completely in awe, and moved. Is it just me, or are we unbelievably lucky to live here?

Let Freedom ring: The Liberty Bell Museum.

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Some Wikipedia action on that 1976 Bicentennial.

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Just plain awesome: Cape Canaveral, back in the day.

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Kinda weird: George Washington’s teeth. Click “next” a couple times and puke in yer mouth.