Jamie's Hero and Villain of the Week #26

As you might have noticed, today is not Friday.  It is, in fact, Tuesday, and last week passed without an issue of Hero and Villain of the Week.  I got up at 4 am on Friday morning, went to work, came home, then got in the minivan and drove through the night to Florida with the family to see my grandparents.  So I've been a little bit busy.  Thankfully, my grandparents had wi-fi installed since my last visit, so I have time to catch up on my blog now.

Hero of (Last) Week:  Firework Spectaculars 

Although my dog despises them, I adore fireworks.  I love the colors and the sparkle and loud bangs and the oohing and aahhing of the crowd.  In general, I much prefer watching local fireworks displays to televised broadcasts.  The lights are brighter, the boom is louder, and there is a delightful smell of sulfur in the air.  Of course, there is the occasional unfortunate mishap when the fireworks are shot into the crowd instead of the air (I'm talking about you, Apple Blossom Festival), but it's a delightful experience in general.  However, this year the threat of thunderstorms and severe allergies kept me inside during the festivities. I had to console myself with the Firework Spectacular specials on TV, and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed them.  First of all, the silly/drunk people in the crowd are highly entertaining while making me glad that I don't have to be near them.  Plus there is a fantastic mix of pop music and patriotic standards which cause me to ask all kinds of soul-searching questions.  Why do all major networks feel the need to play Katy Perry's "Firework" even though it has nothing to do with America?  Why do all Katy Perry Songs get stuck in my head for weeks?  How did Katy Perry go from a contemporary Christian artist to someone who has been described as having "the desperation of a much older burlesque singer?"  Why do we celebrate our country by singing a song about a man with a silly name (Yankee Doodle Dandy?  For serious?  What was his mother thinking?) who is "handy" with all the girls?  All in all, a very thought-provoking and enjoyable holiday thanks to these flashy network specials.

Villain of (Last) Week: Somnoliving 
Yes, somnoliving is a word that I made up.  Got an issue with that?  Take it up with William Shakespeare!  Anyway, "somnolive" means to drive while incredibly drowsy or asleep.  As you can see, somnoliving can be very hazardous to one's health!  Unfortunately, I sometimes find myself participating in this rather unpleasant pastime.  On my nice long drive between Stephens City and Leesburg, there are ample opportunities to drift off to sleep and consequently off the road.  I'm not opposed to sleeping or driving on principle, but the combination can result in damage person and/or property.  Since I feel guilty for ages if I hit a squirrel with my car, you can imagine how bad I would feel if I hurt something bigger!  Plus, I can't really afford to fix my car if something were to happen to it.  Therefore, I stand firmly, and somewhat hypocritically, against somnoliving.

That's all for this edition.  Better late than never, I suppose.  I'll be back before you know it with another round of heros and villains, and hopefully some zany Florida antics too!