So I'm back on an airplane, eating animal crackers I bought at the airport. This is fast becoming a new routine. When did they start selling them at Hudson News? I LOVE animal crackers. Just feeling that soft white string of a handle between my fingers warms me up inside. The only thing that's really changed, is nowadays there are like 40 different animals in there. Half of them are unrecognizable. You have to be an anthropologist to figure them out. The first 3 I pulled today seemed to be an ox of some kind with a serious rib problem. What could have happened? Did he get into scuffle at the Nabisco plant with the koala I just swallowed? There used to be just lions, tigers, gorillas, bears and rhinoceros. The basics. Now we've got 3 different monkeys, a sheep and an ox.

Everything changes. That's a cliched simple truth of life. And thank God it does. But what is it about a red box with circus animals on it, a waxy protective pouch inside and a string handle that makes me feel like everything is in its right place and going to be ok? That's a powerful cookie. Or a good childhood memory. There's just not enough of them. Either one.

How did these crackers get in the airport? I wish I was in that marketing meeting....they're talking about what junk foods to put in these stores and someone mentions the Barnum cookies. They all look at each other and go, "BRILLIANT!!!" It's definitely new. I would remember this. I fly a lot and haven't seen them until recently.

The orange juice cart just came by. It's like preschool in the sky. I've got my OJ and cookies. Nap time to follow at 0900. Fortunately for me, noticeably absent from today's class is the crippling fear and lack of social skills that plagued my first preschool experience. Being an adult has its perks.

They did a pretty cool cover story about some of the stuff we've been doing in Florida for the Gulf Coast Times...
http://www.gulfcoasttimes.net/

The 4th of July. An American classic. I like holidays. I was trained to like holidays. I didn't have to go to school. I got the day off. My friends all wanted to hang out. Holidays bum some people out. I think they're great. I don't like to get overly upset about the raping of each of their meaning. It's true. The meaning is pretty much gone. It's about fireworks and bbq's for most people now. But if it's just an excuse for people to relax and be together, I think there's still something good about that.

I took the day off, but couldn't bring myself to accept any of the invitations to the bbq's, etc. Lovely invites from beautiful minds, but I just didn't have it in me. Guess I'm tired from the album mixing and felt like keeping the day to myself. Sometimes that's the best thing we can do. I took a holiday from the holiday. Wound up going to see Hancock. I love movies alone. Today I thought I'd be the only one in there by myself, but I was wrong. I walked in 5 minutes before the movie started...it's the 4th, mind you....huge movie...and there's like 25 people in there, half sitting alone. I suddenly realized I wasn't alone at all. I had found my people. My brethren for the day! I love my life.

I'm also one of the fortunate souls to be living in a place where they light the city fireworks from our backyard. They literally pull the barge up in the water next to my building and light'em off. People come from all over. We get rained on by the ashes and our necks get sore from looking straight up. I'm still trying to get ash out of my left eye.

I usually like to name each of the fireworks as they're being shot off. "The Dangling Sperm", "Poppies From Mars", or "Shannonball".....but being that I was unaccompanied, and had no obligation to have a conversation, or even share my oohs and aaahhs, I decided to enhance the experience with my favorite Michael Nyman selections from the Gattaca soundtrack. If you ever find yourself with the opportunity to listen to that album during a fireworks show, I highly recommend it. And if you can time it to be listening to "The Arrival" during the finale, it just might bring a tear to your eye.

And if you live in London and think this holiday is ridiculous, I agree. It's totally ridiculous. I would suggest lighting some fireworks for no particular reason, however, and listen to that album. It'll still be spectacular. Guaranteed. Hope you had a great one.

Happy Holidays!