This year, for the first time in a long time, I’m staying home alone, and playing some Goose live streams for 4th of July, especially since the pets are not a fan of the fireworks. Our shy dog Sage, in particular, was already cowering in the laundry room despite giving some anti-anxiety regimen. Poor thing. I’ve been trying to give lots of love.

I have gotten increasingly very mixed feelings about the Holiday, mostly because it’s 2026. I enjoy a dedicated fireworks show as much as anyone, and the theoretical concept of celebrating the world’s original (very imperfect) democracy.

I’m just not feeling very patriotic right now, for obvious reasons to my regular readers of this blog. It feels like the most fervent enthusiasts of the holiday are the most hypocritical. I think there’s an old saying about being “all hat and no cattle.” On a day like today, it just feels like people are “all flag and no Constitution.”

Especially compared to Memorial Day or Veterans Day, where I feel very positively about honoring the contributions and sacrifices of the vast majority (but not all) who have served, since there are good and bad apples everywhere. I also honor any profession that requires sacrifice in service of the public good. This often includes cops, firefighters, schoolteachers, paramedics, ER docs, 911 dispatchers, and really a whole plethora of others who do good meaningful work.