My Slice of Life Today

Today I am linking up with Michelle for BTL's blogging challenge. She is following the tradition of the Two Writing Teachers who are taking a writing break for July. Tuesday is SOL day (Slice of Life). A glimpse of my life, mundane, or not mundane, just a slice.

Yesterday was the day we talked about our "Shelfie List." Essentially our reading bucket list, which I already expounded on some on my Summer Bucket List post.

Yesterday was the day that we celebrate our freedoms in this still great country of ours with traditions that don't always make sense, but we (well, me) are compelled to follow them. I skip the part where I drink too much, since I have already drank my fair share and yours too at some earlier time in my life. Now I sip lemonade or Coca-cola (without any whiskey or rum in it). And we eat too much and laugh and blow things up. And wear patriotic clothes manufactured in another country, most often China,  and set off fireworks made in China. *sigh*

I've always been a little bit of a pyro, and a bit of a daredevil. Following in the old man's footsteps. The thrill of the chase. My dad, the daredevil. We still call him "Ricky Racecar Driver" because no one can keep up with him on the highway when we go on vacation. The demolition derby driver, chairman, organizer. The race car builder, pit crew, sometimes driver. The guy who hunts on motorcycle and 4 wheeler. That guy.

I was always a daredevil as a kid. And by kid I mean well into adulthood. Mostly because I didn't care if I lived or died. And I loved the adrenaline rush. I have always on some level been an addict. You know, what doesn't kill you...

Demolition derby cars, race cars, motorcycles, roller coasters.

But somewhere along the way anxiety, responsibility and fear started to creep in and steal the sweet release that comes from that adrenaline rush. The inner voices. Sometimes they whisper~ "You have a family now...." "You might get hurt, who will be the responsible one?" "THEY are watching, don't blow it now." Sometimes they scream, "You will get hurt!" "You are gonna die!" Or the biggie, "Your kids will get hurt!"

So... my dad, he's getting up there a little in years. Which means that the lighting of the canons has been passed on to me. And my heart was pounding and blood was rushing and I was feeling the fear. But I'm still a pyro and an adrenaline junkie. Could I say no? No, I was unable to. I just quashed that fear and ran like a dog back to my chair and watched those beautiful explosives over our heads. And listened to my cheering niece say to me, "That was a good one aunt Carrie! Just like a rainbow!"