Hana-bi

I've read that hana-bi is the Japanese word/phrase for fireworks, though apparently, the literal translation is fire-flower, which evokes both beauty and danger.

Fireworks are most closely associated with the fourth of July, which is Independence Day in the United States. I don't feel a particular need to go see them, but they have served as a kind of temporal touchstone in my life. There were several times that I was at the A.V. Williams Building, staring in the stairwells out through the windows to catch a glimpse of the College Park fireworks. Usually, I was trying to get some work done on the holiday.

Today I was at work again, trying to get a few things done for some other folks depending on my stuff, and stared out at the distance, the fireworks a mere flower in the night landscape, fiery entrails, squirming in sperm-like glee upwards, before exploding, then fading back to Earth. I'm sure this wasn't the DC fireworks--we're a bit too north for that, but they seemed to have spent enough money on it.

A few summers ago, I was in Seattle, near the water, where my cousin, his then-girlfriend, and my uncle and aunt, sat watching fireworks. It was crowded, I recall. We struggled to find a place to sit, and had to wait til it got dark. I remember we went to someone's house, a friend of my cousin, who was out of town, and he was looking after the place, in exchange for using the place from time to time. He grilled some tuna, which, I suppose, is the cool thing to do.

I've been in DC twice for fireworks. It's crowded to go, so I don't generally like going to see them there, though it's nice to say you've done it. Of course, it's a reminder of how time passes. As you get older, the years go by faster. Remember when you were a kid, and a year was forever? You couldn't imagine that you'd spend four years in high school. Then, four more go by like that in college. Then, ten years, then twenty.

Even though the fireworks last maybe half an hour, I get mildly nostalgic. You'd think they'd have fireworks for New Year's except it's usually darn cold outside. So, the summer is as good as anytime.

Wimbledon usually happens during the fourth. I watched Maria Sharapova get woman-handled by Venus Williams. Once upon a time, women didn't really grunt as they struck the ball. Not exactly lady-like, you know. But Seles had her two beat grunt. Venus occasionally does it too.

But Maria Sharapova--she's the queen of loud noises. She's replaced Anna Kournikova as the dream-babe of sportscasters and sports males who don't watch tennis much, but like ultra short skirts, and blond Russian women. And Sharapova wins too! But I'm sure the thoughts wander away from the courts, as they hear Sharapova yelp, making some men weak in the knees for an athletic, moody Russian girl. Sharapova's in charge, and she's liking it!

She generates fireworks of a different sort for her fans, who may not quite know that she even plays tennis.

And so, July 4 eventually becomes July 5, and the heat that eventually comes back reminds you once again, that it's summer.