Des Moines Bloggers celebrate the 4th of July
Posted on July 5, 2007 in It's Not JUST About Me by DM
Here’s how a few other area bloggers celebrated the July 4th holiday. :
Jim beat his own personal best in a 5k run! (Jim - why are personal headphones considered a liability?)
Jodi and family attended (and participated in!) the Urbandale Parade and went to watch fireworks.
Brent enjoyed seeing his kids participate in the Norwalk Parade.
Heather did the family thing too, but added a casino visit just for Mom in there (and a freebie for you scrapbooking fans!)
Updated: Looks like Josh went to Yankee Doodle Pops - or at least, listened in on the radio and found a great vantage point for fireworks!
Updated: Adam and family also attended July 4 festivities in Urbandale.
What did you do on the Fourth? If you blogged about it, send me a link!
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A JanetGreen.Net website
What a COOL blog! I am so glad you found me so I could find my way over here! Thanks!
Personal headphones have always been frowned upon in races because, in theory, it makes the user less responsive to what’s happening around them. Injuries sustained in the race could come back on the organizers, so that’s why races have you sign (or at least acknowledge when you sign up) a waiver stating that you’re doing this event of your own free will and injuries are your own fault and responsibility. By signing the waiver, one should be allowed to race however they feel most comfortable.
Now enter the USATF and their enforcement of the “No digital anything” rule, specifically in this year’s Grandma’s Marathon. The rule has always been there, but never formally enforced until now. It sparked a huge debate on whether iPod runners were dangerous, simply tourists, or had the right to be there. Some of the “elite” runners think that if you’re running with music, you’re not really an athlete. Tell that to me after my iPod and I have run for two hours in 95 degree heat.
I guess my biggest complain is that the thought that using headphones or iPods or whatever makes me “irresponsible”. And instead of educating those who may become less responsible when they wear headphones about turning down the volume, being more aware of your surroundings, yielding, etc, the USATF decided to take the cheap route out and just ban them. Fortunately, with Nike putting slots for sensors in all of their shoes, I have the feeling that it’ll be just a matter of time before we, the dangerously irresponsible iPod wearing athletic nerds, will outnumber the elite purists and the USATF decision will be overturned.
Great blog! So fun reading how everyone spent the 4th. Can’t wait to see your blogroll grow even more!
I took pictures of the 4th of July in Windsor Heights (by the Hy-Vee supermarket). Man was it hot!! Even most of the politicians and presidential candidates stayed away for that reason, I think. (On the other hand, an Elvis Presley impersonator appeared as did Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus . . . go figure.)
The parade had its fire trucks, Scouts, police officers, city officials, floats promoting schools, summer Bible schools and church programs, and local businesses. There were Shriners weaving choreographed figure-8s while blowing their clown horns as they normally do when the street is wide enough. And there was a little van from Schaal’s heating and cooling scooting up the parade route.
It was a fun time, but hot.
Heather and Jodi, thanks for stopping in! Be sure to send any of your Des Moines-area blogging friends my way so I can include them in the blogroll too!
Jim, ditto on my invite to Jodi and Heather, and - thank you for the thorough answer to my question! In fact, I can relate. First of all, I had a feeling it was the catch-all “liability/aware-of-your-surroundings” issue - I ride motorcycles, and there is an ongoing debate among bikers as to whether iPods and headphones make you less aware. (In my epxerience, it’s the drivers using cell phones who are “less aware.”) Also, with a kid in school, I can certainly testify that anything which is deemed potentially disruptive is immediately banned from school. At any rate, I sure enjoyed reading about your achievement and welcome your additional comments here on DMweblife anytime you wish.
Thanks, all, for visiting! ~ Janet
Joel - do you have a blog? It sounds like you get around to a lot of activities and I’d love to link back to you! If not, and you’d like to send me a few pictures of the Windsor Heights parade, feel free to do so at dmweblife (at) hotmail (dot) com, and I’ll find a way to post them! Thanks again for joining the conversation here! ~ Janet