#galveston breaking news today

[thegalvestonnews]

Galveston TX Breaking News: A Comprehensive Update on the Island's Latest Developments

Galveston, TX, a picturesque island city known for its rich history and vibrant culture, continues to capture the attention of residents and visitors alike with its dynamic news landscape. From thrilling local stories to pivotal community updates, the island's breaking news is a focal point for many. In this article, we delve into some of the most recent events shaping Galveston's narrative, while also exploring the latest in Galveston real estate news.

Recent Events Capturing Galveston's Attention

Galveston’s local news scene has been buzzing with several noteworthy stories recently. Among them, a major development project has been making headlines. The Galveston City Council recently approved plans for a new waterfront park that promises to enhance recreational opportunities and boost local tourism. This project, valued at several million dollars, aims to transform the existing waterfront into a vibrant public space featuring walking trails, picnic areas, and a state-of-the-art playground. The initiative is expected to not only beautify the area but also drive economic growth by attracting more visitors to the island.

Additionally, there has been a significant breakthrough in local healthcare. A new medical facility specializing in advanced cardiology treatments is set to open its doors next month. This development is a major boost for Galveston, providing residents with access to top-tier medical services without the need to travel to neighboring cities. The new facility is expected to enhance the overall quality of healthcare on the island and address the growing demand for specialized medical care.

On a different note, recent changes in local regulations have sparked considerable debate among Galveston residents. The city has implemented stricter noise ordinances aimed at reducing disturbances in residential areas. This move has been met with mixed reactions, as some residents appreciate the effort to maintain a peaceful environment, while others feel it may impact the island’s vibrant nightlife and entertainment scene.

Economic and Real Estate Developments

As the island continues to evolve, the real estate market is also undergoing significant changes. The recent surge in real estate activity has been a topic of interest, with new developments and trends emerging in Galveston real estate news. One of the most notable trends is the increasing demand for vacation rental properties. With tourism on the rise, investors are flocking to Galveston to capitalize on the lucrative vacation rental market. This trend is driving up property values and leading to a surge in new construction projects aimed at meeting the growing demand.

Moreover, the luxury real estate sector in Galveston is experiencing a notable uptick. High-end properties with oceanfront views and modern amenities are becoming increasingly popular among affluent buyers. This shift is reflective of a broader trend in which more people are seeking exclusive and upscale living environments. The growth in this segment of the market is expected to continue, further driving investment and development in the island’s real estate sector.

In addition to these trends, there has been an increased focus on sustainable and eco-friendly building practices. Developers are increasingly incorporating green technologies and environmentally conscious designs into new projects. This shift aligns with the growing awareness of environmental issues and reflects a commitment to creating a more sustainable future for Galveston.

Community Impact and Engagement

The impact of these developments on the Galveston community is profound. The new waterfront park, for instance, is set to become a hub of community activity, offering a space where residents can gather, relax, and enjoy the natural beauty of the island. This project is anticipated to foster a stronger sense of community and enhance the overall quality of life for Galveston residents.

The opening of the new medical facility is another significant development, as it addresses a critical need within the community. Access to advanced healthcare services is essential for maintaining the well-being of residents, and this new facility is poised to make a substantial difference in the lives of many.

On the real estate front, the increasing demand for vacation rentals and luxury properties reflects the island’s growing appeal as a destination. While this growth brings economic benefits, it also presents challenges related to affordability and housing availability for local residents. Balancing the needs of both visitors and permanent residents will be a key consideration for future development efforts.

Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Galveston?

As Galveston continues to evolve, staying informed about the latest developments is crucial. The island’s dynamic news landscape provides valuable insights into the factors shaping the community, from major infrastructure projects to shifts in the real estate market. Residents and visitors alike can look forward to a range of exciting changes and opportunities in the coming months.

In summary, the latest Galveston TX breaking news highlights a period of significant transformation for the island. From the development of new public spaces to advancements in healthcare and shifts in the real estate market, these changes are poised to have a lasting impact on the community. As Galveston navigates this period of growth and development, staying connected to local news will be essential for understanding and engaging with the evolving landscape of this vibrant island city.

[fritextramole]

a hidden gem, my own goldmine

part 1 of a Vanessa Abrams playlist - best heard in order

tracklist and quotes under the cut

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised ~ Gil Scott-Heron

The revolution will not give your mouth sex appeal The revolution will not get rid of the nubs The revolution will not make you look five pounds thinner Because the revolution will not be televised, brother

Chain Gang ~ Sam Cooke

Can't you hear them singing I'm going home one of these days

The Rebel Girl ~ Hazel Dickens

There are blue blood queens and princesses Who have charms made of diamonds and pearl But the only and thoroughbred lady Is the Rebel Girl

The Mesopotamians ~ They Might Be Giants

In Mesopotamia (No one's ever seen us) The kingdom where we secretly reign (And no one's ever heard of our band) The land where we invisibly rule As the Mesopotamians

Myriad Harbour ~ The New Pornographers

(Ah, who cares, you always end up in the city) Stranded at Bleecker and Broadway Looking for something to do

Which Side Are You On? ~ Work O’ The Weavers

Which side are you on, boys? Which side are you on?

Thus Always To Tyrants ~ The Oh Hellos

Over hill, over dale, through the valley and vale Do not weep, do not wail, I am coming home to you Every tomb, every sea, spit the bones from your teeth Let the ransomed be free as the revel meets the day Let the valleys awake, let them rattle and shake

Twenty Five Miles ~ Edwin Starr

Now I'll be so glad to see my baby And hold her in my arms one more time, huh Now when I kiss her lips, I turn a back over flip And I forget about these feet of mine I got to keep on walking, hey

THE FRIEND SPACE ~ Ryan Woods

I really hope I don’t throw it away But you couldn’t imagine the way I feel And now I can’t see why You wouldn’t wanna be my baby I got all you need

Comin’ Down ~ Jackie Shane

What's wrong with me? I said it's a simple fact I don't believe you're ever comin' back

Even The Losers ~ Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Well, it was nearly summer we sat on your roof Yeah, we smoked cigarettes and we stared at the moon And I showed you stars you never could see Babe, it couldn't have been that easy to forget about me

Sylvias Mother ~ The Refreshments

Sylvia's mother says Sylvia's packin' She's gonna be leavin' today Sylvia's mother says Sylvia is marrying A fella down Galveston way

Hot & Heavy ~ Lucy Dacus

When I went away it was the only option Couldn't trust myself to proceed with caution The most that I could give to you is nothing at all The best that I could offer was to miss your calls

I Can’t Stand the Rain ~ Ann Peebles

I know you got some sweet memory But like the wind, ah, you ain't got nothing to say

Radio, Radio ~ Elvis Costello & The Attractions

They say you better listen to the voice of reason But they don't give you any choice 'cause they think that it's treason So you had better do as you are told You better listen to the radio I wanna bite the hand that feeds me

Stairway to Heaven ~ Led Zeppelin

There's a lady who's sure All that glitters is gold And she's buying a stairway to heaven When she gets there she knows If the stores are all closed With a word she can get what she came for

Solidarity Forever ~ Pete Seeger, The Song Swappers

We can break their haughty power, gain our freedom when we learn That the union makes us strong

American Idiot ~ Green Day

Welcome to a new kind of tension All across the alien nation Where everything isn't meant to be okay In television dreams of tomorrow

9 to 5 ~ Dolly Parton

There's a better life And you think about it, don't you? It's a rich man's game No matter what they call it And you spend your life Putting money in his wallet

Stop! In The Name Of Love ~ The Supremes

I watch you walk down the street Knowing your other love you'll meet But this time before you run to her Leaving me alone and hurt (Think it over) After I've been good to you

5AM ~ Amber Run

We run into a dark room And we spasm to the sounds Of a copy of Morrissey Or the blues of the Deep South

Val Kilmer ~ Bowling For Soup

So when you walk down that red carpet I hope you trip and fall I hope someone squirts you with a water gun A super soaker filled with pee

There’s A Ghost In My House ~ R. Dean Taylor

I can't hide (Ghost in my house) From the ghost of your love that's inside You're still such a part of me (Ghost in my house) Still so deep in the heart of me (Ghost in my house)

[iffoundreturntosea]

September 24, Day 267/268

Day 267 2015

Tea party!

#teaparty #niece #fun #smile #picoftheday #project365 #day267

Day 268 2016

Waiting (not so) patiently to wear my new sweater!

#goodbyesummer #goodbyeheat #fall #sweater #lines #september #blackandwhite #shadesofblackandwhite #picoftheday #project365 #day268

Day 267 2017

Nice day, great friend!

#friends #lake #cleburnelake #lakepat #water #outdoors #nature #glasses #reflection #blueskies #blackandwhite #color #colorsplash #september #picoftheday #project365 #day267

Day 267 2018

Longing

#pup #dog #dogsofinstagram #basenji #ball #longing #ball #tennisball #wannaplay #light #negativespace #september #picoftheday #project365 #day267

Day 267 2019

My little furry stress reliever 💙

#leo #kitty #cat #furbaby #catsofinstagram #love #smile #stressrelief #snuggles #synergy #nationalinnergizeday #september #september24 #2019 #nationalday #nationaldaycalendar #picoftheday #project365 #day267

Day 268 2020

Shattered

When people find out I have GAD (general anxiety disorder) and depression they are always surprised which in turn surprises me! Sometimes, it can feel like I wear a (cute, fuzzy) mask and maybe I do too well of a job hiding the real me. I’m not always together. Sometimes I’m just shattered and barely holding on and that is okay.

(PS I had fun creating this)

#shattered #glass #shardsofglass #sharpedges #moody #mood #shinealightonanxietyanddepression #stress #overwhelmed #mask #hidingbehindamask #hidingtherealme #frustrated #angry #anxiety #anxious #depressed #depression #gad #itsokaynottobeokay #september #september24 #2020 #picoftheday #project365 #day268

And this is my fav of the week! I was out in driveway breaking glass and having a gas while doing it. I can be in so much pain and I think the only thing that keeps me going some days is that I can laugh at the darkness.

Day 267 2021

"I don't paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality." Frida Kahlo

#texas #fall #sunset #colors #myreality #grass #silhouette #nature #outdoors #september #september24 #2021 #picoftheday #project365 #day267

Day 267 2022

Feeling a bit lonely today but at least I have the waves to comfort me

#galveston #fall #sunset #beach #colors #water #gulf #nature #beautiful #yummy #september #september24 #2022 #picoftheday #project365 #day267

Day 267 2023

Blue

#flowers #wilt #witness #tired #blue #september #september24 #2023 #picoftheday #project365 #day267

Day 268 2024

Squirrel Treefrog

#frog #dailytheme #squirreltreefrog #september #September24 #2024 #picoftheday #project365 #day268

[96thdayofrage]

As much of White America scrambled to not be the bad guy, the holiday commemorating the last vestiges of legalized slavery came right on time. At the height of protest season, here was an opportunity that seemed primed to absolve America of a piece of its slavery-addled past by embracing the true and final date of full emancipation. News stories gave remedial history lessons in advance of the June 19 celebration, and makeshift festivals sprung up despite having to make numerous pandemic concessions. And then there were the T-shirts.

A year later, not much has changed about the state of Black America. More people are aware of modern activist lingo, so we’re having the same old arguments with more up-to-date language, but the needle hasn’t moved much on any given condition. In fact, the backlash against more education on Black history has largely fallen into two categories for much of White America: doubling down on its erasure, or commodifying it. Magically, the lead-up to the 2021 edition of Juneteenth seems to have done both in equal measure.

The erasure of Juneteenth has been the campaign of choice until last year. You could live almost anywhere in Texas outside of Galveston (where the holiday was born, in 1865) and have never heard of it. Thanks to the spike in activism and White guilt last year, the ignorance platform took a big hit. But since this is America, commodification stepped in like a champ. Businesses have taken the opportunity that Juneteenth affords to present themselves as progressive on race issues, though most don’t just make it a proper day-off kind of holiday. Retail-minded entities have taken the commodification to heart and silk-screened the day onto cotton tops. All commodification isn’t about money, and so festivals all over the country in various states of organization are back on deck, fueled by people seeking to extinguish post-quarantine fatigue and kick off a proper Black-folks summer.

Depending on how and why one celebrates Juneteenth determines how far they lean into the observation over party aspect. For a holiday whose commemorations range from stoic reverence to being called the Black Fourth of July (complete with the requisite fireworks and cookout spreads), there’s a pretty wide spectrum of practice. Many Juneteenth celebrations are less about the end of slavery and more about what has happened to Black people, period, making such affairs just miniature Black History Months.

I asked a friend of mine, Valerie Boyer, a crowned former Miss Juneteenth raised in Galveston, what she thought should happen at a Juneteenth celebration. “I believe that the Emancipation Proclamation should formally be read to begin Juneteenth,” she replied. As an event organizer, this made sense to me, but as someone who used to do workshops breaking down how Lincoln’s order didn’t actually free all of the slaves, I had reservations. She assured me there was a lot of spiritual meat and affirmation in an intentional reading of the document in a context that only Juneteenth can provide.

“When it gets to that ‘whereby henceforth both now shall be and forever remain free,’ folks get weepy. And some folks holler, and some folks just cry, and some folks just don’t know what to do with themselves,” she continued. “I argue that that was my first experience with what we would call today ‘ancestral generation.’ You’re just very clear that you are not there alone.” She also stated that there should be dancing, singing, and food, which means we might be related, and impressed the importance of moments of both joy and stillness throughout.

One of the reasons many of the problems in America persist is that most people don’t have a good grasp on the scale of America itself. When you can’t see the size of the problem, you can’t comprehend the ramifications of allowing that problem to fester. Rather than contend with the legacy of slavery, America has opted for poor navigation. The legend of Juneteenth suggests that America was so vast that news took years to get across it, which is a patently ridiculous notion. As my former Miss Juneteenth friend likes to say, Black folks have always had a rumor mill. News travels fast, whether you like it or not.

In 1860, the Pony Express started delivering mail between Missouri and California. In the year-plus that followed, you could send word between the two states in as little as 10 days. That was two years before the execution of the Emancipation Proclamation. Bottom line: It doesn’t take two years to send an executive order from one end of the country to the halfway mark. There was a lot of collusion at play that prevented word from getting to Galveston in 1865, a denial of change, and thus an erasure of justice.

That is the reality of Juneteenth that we come close to addressing but fall back on the freedom part when the conversation gets too real. The end of slavery could not make it halfway across America’s body for two years, not because the message was slow, but because the message was stopped. We do not have Juneteenth because America doesn’t know how to deliver mail. We have it because parts of America thought if they ground their heels into the dirt, they could stop change. What happened on January 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol isn’t a new strategy. It has a lot of precedent, and Juneteenth is evidence of it.

As of this writing, the Senate has passed a bill declaring Juneteenth a federal holiday. It still has to pass through the House before we can start singing the Schoolhouse Rock song about bills. But let’s be clear: There’s a reason why that measure is sailing through Congress and the anti-lynching and reparation bills are stalled out. The Juneteenth bill is the one White folks can (falsely) claim they got right with the least amount of historical baggage. Juneteenth ends slavery. The others just make White people look bad.

There’s a standing criticism from a segment of activist circles that questions the point of Juneteenth. In pointing out the many ways in which liberty still doesn’t fully apply to Black life, such critics suggest that we still aren’t free at all. While I wouldn’t make a strong case against such observations, I’ve never allowed myself to be so militant that I couldn’t recognize a win when I saw one. I may celebrate only for a day or a news cycle or a breath, but to never be able to hold up the resilience of your ancestors is to disrespect them. I may be a pessimist, but I am never dishonorable. We are free with an asterisk. Considering what we’ve come through, that’s worth at least a day off. Ultimately, I care less about what people do to Juneteenth so long as the people and places that know what it’s really about — and those who have bonded with the power and implications of that history — are celebrating it, and unapologetically so.

It’s impossible to keep anything pure in America, even our pains. Of course your job is going to blow it even if they try to celebrate it right. Of course White America will hold up its federalization as evidence that the country is less racist. And yes, someone is going to make a commemorative plate out of it. The selling of Juneteenth is a horse already out of the barn, because commerce is often the balm America uses to soothe its conscience. The question isn’t ever about what the wrong people do with our history and celebrations, but what the right people do with them.

[scared-aquarius]

signs as haunted places in Texas

(This post is part of a series where I assign haunted places from each state to the signs)

Aries: Highway 281, between Johnson City and Blanco TX- On August 24, 1885 in Blanco County, Al Lackey went on a murderous rampage, killing six of his family members including his mother, father, brother, daughter, niece and sister-in-law with a shotgun. After slaying these six, he went home and attempted to murder his wife and baby with a knife, however, the wife ran and after his attempt to chase her down failed, he cut his own throat. This did not kill him, however, and he wrapped his wound with a bandana. On horseback, he rode towards town, finding his neighbor who, unaware of the murders just committed, rode alongside him. He noticed the red bandana and thought it was simply red in color, not blood-soaked. During the ride, Lackey lunged at the man, cutting him several times but he, too, managed to escape. The sheriff eventually caught Lackey and after being tended to by physicians was brought to jail. On August 26, two days after his rampage, a mob of 50-60 people marched down to the jail and broke him out, demanding he pay for his crimes. They rode until they found a tree at a halfway-point between Blanco and Johnson City, which supposedly runs parallel to the current Highway 281, and hanged Lackey. The rope they used was thinner than rope normally used for hangings which prolonged the strangulation. The rope also dug deep into the laceration that was already present in his throat which caused him to bleed heavily onto his shirt. The sheriff found the body the next day and, with none of his surviving family members willing to claim him, he was buried in a pauper’s grave somewhere in Blanco. To this day, people report seeing a man with a red bandana and bearing Lackey’s physical description hitchhiking between Johnson City and Blanco, especially at late hours. Those who have stopped to help him claim he was holding a knife. Truckers and locals claim to not like driving down the road at night and they know not to pick up any hitchhikers on that stretch between Johnson City and Blanco. And now you do, too.

Taurus: Spaghetti Warehouse, Houston TX- Built around the turn of the 20th century, the building, originally called the Desel-Boettcher warehouse, started out housing fur pelts and then some years later it was owned by a pharmaceutical company. It was not until 1973 that it became the Spaghetti Warehouse. A former employee of the pharmacy involved in a freak accident as well as his wife are said to haunt the restaurant. The employee was said to be very busy one night and grabbed a stack of paperwork off his desk as he was rushing to get home. As he headed back to the elevator, he was not paying attention and walked into what he thought was the elevator but was actually an open elevator shaft. Having not returned home, his wife hurried to the warehouse looking for him only to find his body crumpled at the bottom of the elevator shaft. Traumatized and brokenhearted, she too tragically passed away only one year later. Today, their spirits are said to occupy the second floor of the warehouse. The restaurant is riddled with activity according to staff members, particularly during late-night hours, including full-bodied apparitions, bottles of wine inexplicably falling off shelves, disembodied voices calling employees’ names, guest’s hair being tugged on and shoulders being tapped. The wife is also said to rearrange furniture and make a mess of organized dishes and silverware. Guests have reported feeling ill or tingly as soon as reaching the second floor. Another spirit said to haunt the building is a former frequent guest. A man in his mid-fifties who was struck by a car outside the restaurant can sometimes be seen by employees, seated in the restaurant one moment and then gone the next.

Gemini: Miss Molly’s Hotel, Fort Worth TX- The building itself was built in 1910, serving as a hotel called The Palace Rooms for those who traveled by the new railroad. During Prohibition, it’s named changed to the Oasis and served as a speakeasy. By the 1940s, it was called The Gayette Hotel and acted as a bordello that mostly served cowboys and locals. This was a dark period for the building as many ill-spoken deeds and rumors of some of the prostitutes meeting unfortunate ends circulated. Eventually, under new management, the building stopped serving as a bordello and was split with the first floor serving as the Star Cafe and the second floor serving as a hotel- Miss Molly’s Hotel. Many of the ghosts who haunt the hotel are thought to be those who were present during its time as a bordello. Full-bodied apparitions have been seen, for example, that of a young girl around the age of nine has been seen in the former owner’s rooms. No one knows exactly who she is but she is believed to be a former tenant. One hotel guest claimed to wake up in the middle of the night with a pale blonde woman sitting at the edge of his bed. She is believed to be the ghost of a former working girl. There is also a tipping ghost who is said to leave coins in recently cleaned rooms. One cleaning lady even quit because she was frightened by this entity and did not want to risk having it attach itself to her. Throughout the hotel, unexplainable shadows and cold spots are frequently encountered. Strange smells are also present, with some being described as toilet water while others are described as smelling like women's perfume, perhaps from the hotel’s time as a bordello. Some of the hotel’s mischievous entities are also known to move guest’s belongings, play with their lights at night and make loud bangs in their room.

Cancer: Littlefield House, Austin TX- Located on the campus of the University of Texas, the Victorian-style home was built for Civil War veteran and businessman George Littlefield and his wife, Alice, in 1893. Throughout their life, they donated a lot of their money to the school and therefore became special figures for the college. It is said that for a long period of time, Alice had been locked in the attic to keep her safe from Union soldiers during the war. Because of this, Alice developed a severe mental illness and was constantly afraid she would be kidnapped or murdered. She was prone to nervous fits of hysteria, sometimes having to be restrained. Despite being told she should be admitted to a sanatorium, her husband instead kept her home and hired three nurses. After George’s death in 1920, Alice was devastated, but over time her mental state improved. She was able to become more social again and would host parties at the home but was rarely ever seen outside again. When Alice died in 1935, she left the house to the university where it is now used to hold classes on the first floor and house offices on the second. However, some believed that Alice never left and is trying to reclaim her home. Shortly after her death, full-bodied apparitions were seen throughout the house, colds spots were frequently felt and sounds of running, screams of fright and other eerie noises could be heard coming from the second floor and staircase nightly. Things are also said to be misplaced often as if Alice is trying to put her home back to the way it was before her death. Many students claim to hear her play the piano in her upstairs bedroom and her face can sometimes be seen peering out the window. While it may seem unsettling, many students refer to her as Aunt Alice and see her as a comforting and benevolent spirit.

Leo: Hotel Galvez, Galveston TX- The Galvez Hotel opened its doors in 1911 and is still in operation today. During WWII, however, the building was occupied by the US Coast Guard and no rooms were rented out to visitors. Over the years, many famous people had been guests there, including Jimmy Stewart, Howard Hughes, Frank Sinatra, and Franklin D. Roosevelt. In the mid-50s is when tragedy struck at the hotel. A woman in her mid-20s named Audra was planning on getting married to her fiancé, a mariner who sailed in and out of the Port of Galveston. She stayed in room 505 while she waited for his return back from sea. One day, after a terrible storm, his ship did not arrive when it was due in port. Audra heard that the ship had gone down and that there were no survivors. Stricken with grief, she hung herself. Not even a week had passed when her fiancé came back, having survived the sinking of the ship, only to find that she had taken her own life. Staff and guests alike have reported hearing Audra running up and down the hallways looking for her husband-to-be as well as hearing crying and doors slamming shut in the middle of the night. Strange smells and visions of orbs are also reported throughout the hotel. Staff have also reported seeing a young girl bouncing a ball in the lower level of the hotel and the housekeeping staff say that there is the ghost of a man who stands in the corner of the laundry room. There are also reports in the lobby and restaurant such as candles blowing out on their own and dishes moving and breaking. Heavy breathing and children’s laughter are said to be heard in some of the hotel bathrooms. After Hurricane Ike in 2008, some staff had to stay at the hotel while their homes were being repaired and many claimed to see a woman in an old maid’s uniform accompanied by a man walk through a guest room and disappear. 

Virgo: El Paso High School, El Paso TX- This high school has been in use since it’s opening in 1916. In 1922-23, its name was changed to Sam Houston High School at the bidding of a local chapter of the KKK but was quickly changed back after community outrage. During both World Wars, the basement of the school worked as an overflow morgue, taking in bodies of soldiers as well as Spanish Flu victims. Throughout the years, students and faculty exploring the basement have discovered classrooms from the early 20th century in seemingly untouched condition yet blocked off, with no reason given by the school administration for the hasty remodeling. There are also reports of slamming doors and “spectral pep rallies and games” occurring in the gym, only to discover the gym is empty upon further inspection. A teacher at the high school once reported seeing a girl in an old blue dress at the end of a hallway one night and instructed her to go home as it was late. He claims that when approaching her, she turned around, gave him a sorrowful look and then slowly vanished before his eyes. Another ghost girl is also said to be seen throughout the school, her identity being tied to that of a student from the 80s who slit her wrists and then jumped off a balcony which is now walled off along with the hallway and stairwell leading to it. Despite this, multiple people have claimed to still see a girl standing on that balcony. A famous class picture of the 1985 graduating class may capture this ghost girl as her face is considerably more blurry than the rest and no one can seem to identify her.

Libra: The White Sanitarium, Wichita Falls TX- Built in 1926, this sanitarium was made for those who were mentally insane. The founder, Frank S. White, wanted to create a place where instead of being locked in cells, the patients were free to roam and live a non-institutional lifestyle. He wanted it to be a home, not a prison. He only operated the sanitarium for about 5 years, though, as he himself had fallen ill. By the 1950s, the building was flooded and badly damaged so it was abandoned and sat vacant for another 50 years. It is believed that some patients never left, perhaps due to the now-banned medical practices on the mentally ill of the past which left patients permanently injured or worse. Those who have visited the site since it’s foreclosure have claimed to see glowing ends of cigarettes as well as full-bodied apparitions of patients in hospital gowns. There is also said to be a lady in white who roams the halls and looks out the windows of the abandoned building. Reports of children’s voices are heard and lights are said to sometimes be seen coming from the sanitarium even though there is no running electricity there. There is also a group of men who are known to be seen on the property playing a game of poker every now and then. Visitors have said they feel strange cold spots and feel a general “heaviness” in the air. People who claim to be skeptics have said their beliefs are shaken after visiting there as they cannot explain their experiences. Today, the building has been remodeled and transformed into apartment units.

Scorpio: The Jefferson Hotel, Jefferson TX- In 1851, the building was built originally as a warehouse to support the booming cotton industry. It is unclear whether the building became a hotel, with some speculating it was during the 1870s and others saying it was as late as 1900. As a hotel, it also served as a brothel as well as a speakeasy during the prohibition era under the name “The Crystal Palace”. The ghostly activity in the building is so frequent that the staff keeps a “book of the dead” at the front desk, with years of recorded activity and experiences within it and new encounters being written by guests to this day. There are at least five different known entities within the hotel’s walls. The first is a tall man wearing boots and a long coat who can frequently be seen by both staff and guests. The identity of the man is unknown. While he has never proven to be malevolent, guests find him incredibly unsettling as many times he can be seen sitting or standing in their rooms at night. The apparition is so solid and recurrent, some guests have claimed they had followed him down hallways thinking he was another guest only to turn a corner and see him vanish. The second known entity is a beautiful woman nicknamed Libby. Her exact identity is unknown, however, staff can agree that she is either the spirit of a woman named Elizabeth or Lydia. Both women were pregnant and stood up on their wedding day and subsequently both hung themselves from the hotel bed’s tall headboard. These suicides happened 50 years apart. Libby’s appearance is what points to either of these women being the spirit as she is said to wear a bridal gown and have golden blonde hair. She seems to appear in front of male guests traveling alone most frequently. While she doesn’t haunt a specific room, she seems to be attached to a bed which has moved to different rooms over the years, specifically room 12,14 and 19. Room 19 also houses another ghost, that of a teenage girl who was stabbed to death by a client during the hotel’s brothel years and left in the bathtub. She is said to appear in the mist when people are showering and writes messages, pleas for help and sometimes warmings, on the bathroom mirror. She is known as Judy as the name has been seen among her scribbles. The last two known entities are those of a young boy and girl around age 7 in 19th century period clothing who can frequently be seen chasing each other and can be heard laughing. They are thought to be casualties of the cotton warehouse. Despite their laborious lives and sad deaths, they are known to have fun by pulling pranks on guests by moving small items and turning lights on and off.

Sagittarius: USS Lexington, Corpus Christi TX- Nicknamed “The Blue Ghost”, the USS Lexington is an aircraft carrier built for the US Navy during WW2 in 1942. The ship got the nickname “The Blue Ghost” because of her tendency to reappear after reportedly being sunk, as well as her dark blue color for camouflage purposes. It was decommissioned in 1991 and is now docked, serving as a naval museum. Many spirits of soldiers are said to roam the decks of the ship. During WW2, a Japanese plane struck the ship near the engine room, killing many. Some employees of the museum claim to see figures frantically running as if trying to get to position to defend and maintain their ship. A security guard says that running footsteps can be heard frequently, especially in the early hours of the morning. Disembodied voices and screams are also heard and both staff and guests report being touched. A known ghost on the ship is a man in a sailor uniform who helps guests find their way back to the deck. Another who resides in the engine room is said to give lectures on how the turbines work before vanishing into thin air. Charles Reustle, a director at the museum who has worked on the ship for 26 years, is a skeptic but has had his own fair share of strange experiences. He claims that over a course of a few weeks, he kept losing his pen cap. After the sixth time, he turned his room over but still could not find it. The next morning, he found all six caps lined up on his desk. He believes a spirit may have been playing a prank on him. With the museum receiving hundreds of reports of supernatural activity a year, the executive director of the museum, Steve Banta, says that there are too many accounts that “there has to be something to it”.

Capricorn: Yorktown Memorial Hospital, Yorktown TX- This hospital opened its doors in 1951 and was run by the Felician Sisters, a group of nuns who kept the hospital open until 1986. The building was named in honor of those lost their lives in WWII. Under the care of the nuns, 500 patients died within the first 6 years the hospital was open. It reopened as a drug rehabilitation center but then closed again for good in 1992. Roughly 2000 people have died within the walls of the hospital and is known to be one of the most haunted hospitals in Texas. One employee by the name of Dr. Leon Norweirski was responsible for multiple deaths- he became known for his fatal mistakes during operations. In one patient’s case, he accidentally cut a patient’s throat while operating on his thyroid. This doctor’s mistakes may be a reason why the hospital is so active. There is a ghost of an eight-year-old girl named Stacy known to roam her old room on the first floor, basement hallways, and sometimes is seen in the library. Her favorite book to read during her life was “The Poky Little Puppy” which supposedly was given to her by none other than Dr. Leon Norweirski. She is known to be a playful spirit and supposedly will roll a ball if you ask her to. A few nuns seem to have stuck around as well, although some of them are known to be violent. Visitors have claimed to be scratched, choked, rushed at, and people with tattoos, piercings or other body modifications seem to be especially targeted. Another spirit is that of a man named Doug Richards. He was a heavy equipment mechanic who died there in 1973 and not much is known of his ghost but people say you know it’s him by his tall appearance and his white t-shirt and blue jeans outfit. During its time as a rehab center, a man who some call TJ came during late hours seeking help. When he rang the back-door bell, no one answered- whether the doorbell stopped working or the nurse on duty had fallen asleep, TJ didn’t get help fast enough and his body was found on the steps the next morning. His apparition can be seen today wandering the hall near the back door. Lastly, blood is still visible on the walls of the boiler room from a double murder that occurred after a stabbing due to a love triangle between a female employee, a co-worker and a patient. The hospital is also home to other less well-known entities and strange anomalies such as shadow people, full bodied-apparitions and top-notch EVPS. It is also said that disembodied voices and screams can be heard coming from the delivery ward.

Aquarius: Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington TX- After a trip to Disneyland in 1959, real estate developer Angus G. Wynne Jr. decided he wanted to build a rival theme park in his own state. Opening in 1961, the park was a huge success. By the 1970s, Six Flags Over Texas had expanded and added new rides and phased out old ones and by the 80s it was operating almost year-round. It had become one of the nation’s fastest-growing theme parks. However, despite its years of success, it still has its fair share of dark times and mishaps. On August 8, 1968, the park experienced its first ride-related death. Ride Operator John Raymond Nelson was only a high school senior when he accidentally lost his balance while unloading passengers on the El Sombrero. He fell into the pit beneath the ride and was rushed to Arlington Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead. In 1999, a 29-year-old woman drowned on a river rafting ride after her raft unexpectedly deflated and flipped. She was trapped underneath and drowned in 2-3 feet of water. A 64-year-old woman also drowned in 2011 after being found unresponsive in the lazy river. She was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead. Lastly, in 2013, a 52-year-old woman fell to her death while riding the New Texas Giant roller coaster after her seat restraint malfunctioned. Because of its history of death, it’s unsurprising that the park is known to be haunted. Ghost sightings have been reported all throughout the park as well as cold spots and sensations of being touched. While most paranormal activity is sporadic, there is one ghost known as Annie who is said to haunt a yellow house by the New Giant Texas roller coaster entrance as well as a candy store within the park. Believed to have passed in the early 1900s after drowning in nearby Johnson’s Creek, her spirit is said to be friendly and a bit mischievous. Lights in the yellow house are known to turn off and on with no one around, curtains open and close and doors slam shut unexpectedly. According to employees, doors also seem to not remain locked. She can also sometimes be seen by guests walking along the tracks in the Mine Train attraction.

Pisces: Frio River, Rio Frio TX- In the early 1900s, a woman named Maria Juanez was murdered by her brother-in-law, Gregorio, on the banks of the Frio River. Gregorio had fallen in love with her and after confessing this to her, she rejected him- she was already in love with a man named Anselmo. Often, Maria and Anselmo would meet down by the river bank at night. On one of these nights, while waiting for Anselmo, Gregorio decided to confront Maria to profess his love. After the rejection, he shot her with a pistol out of rage. Upon realizing what he had done, he hid underneath a large pile of hay in a barn until the next morning when he was found by angry townsfolk. Gregorio was tried for the murder of Maria Juanez and was found guilty, spending the rest of his life in prison. Maria had always dreamed of marrying Anselmo and having children of her own as she had loved caring for her sister’s children, however, that dream never became a reality. Instead, she was buried in a wedding dress along the Frio River, where some say she still roams to this day. She is said to be a very kind spirit, helping lost children, comforting them, or sitting at the edge of their bed at night to protect them. People who claim to have seen her say she is dressed in all white, being nicknamed “The White Lady”, and sometimes she is seen walking down the middle of the river in a mist or fog-like form. One man who cannot swim even claims that Maria saved him from falling into the river. He reported that as he fell back after slipping on a rock, he felt an unseen force push him back to an upright position.

New Jersey

Pennsylvania

Let me know what state I should research next...)

[jane-the-zombie]

Beached Zombie || Morgan & Jane

TIMING: Present! PARTIES: @mor-beck-more-problems + @jane-the-zombie SUMMARY: “i just want you guys know Meri has spent at least half of this jane chatzy going ‘mOrGANN’” - Kat. OR Jane finds an undead body on the beach. Discoveries were made.

Morgan didn’t sleep. The heavy, cotton-covered oblivion she was used to falling into when she reached her lowest lows no longer came for her at night, no matter how still she lay or how long she kept her eyes shut against the dark. There was only so long she could try to make her dead chest match Deirdre’s breathing, only so many times she could lay down at the bottom of the pool and reach for that memory in Karen’s backyard of being still in a way that was okay. And the grass, sometimes, was too prickly--or at least, Morgan remembered the grass being prickly too well to rest in it. And so she would walk elsewhere, at night to pass the time, or the hours during the day that had to be marked somehow. So sometimes, Morgan went out. Sometimes just to the streets around Deirdre’s neighborhood. Today, the beach. With her body plastered to the cooling sand as evening came, and the tide barely kissing her at all as it withdrew. She remembered how she’d been held here the last time she’d visited:  their first date to see the sunrise, and the stories she’d read aloud and the sand in her hair when they rolled to the ground kissing like they had just invented it. She remembered Galveston and the pungent smell of the salty sea, the brine on her skin. She’d fallen asleep like that so often, cradled and contentedly nowhere. If she was still enough for long enough, would she find her way back to that? Could something stick to her long enough to take her there, or somewhere else.

Morgan spotted a runner out of her dead, unblinking eye and thought about sighing as they came to a stop, looming over her. She waited, drooping inside with disappointment, and waited until their hand was hovering just over her body. “Boo!” She deadpanned.

Jane almost fell flat on her face when she saw the body during her evening run. She was too hungover for this. Days where she wasn’t working or practicing some “new extreme sport” were usually spent bar hopping and having fun that way. She was too old to bar hop - god she missed it when bartenders didn’t recognize all their customers. Really, she was missing not being in a small town. Portland was the farthest thing from the largest city in the world, but there were more things to do, at least. The only thing keeping her from trying to transfer again was the fact she just signed her lease and cases here were interesting. Jane almost felt a little bad lamenting her own situation while approaching a goddamn dead body. Clearly other people had it worse. Other people actually died when something happened to them. Jane cursed as she skidded to a stop near the body, quickly doing once over. Definitely dead, or close to it. Damn. She was going to be here all day processing the scene. Who dumped a fucking body on the beach? The woman didn't look like she had washed up. She had already sank to her knees, one hand reaching for her phone, the other going to check the pulse - “Boo.” Jane let out a noise somewhere between a shriek and a loud expletive, falling backward onto her ass. Her eyes narrowed. Her first thought went to public disturbance, but she wasn’t really in the mood to work in the first place. “What the hell is wrong with you?” Jane snapped. “Get up.”

Morgan stayed death still as the woman toppled. She was curious in some new, morbid way whether or not the woman would think she had imagined the whole thing. One of those ooo-woo coincidences/hallucinations/hypotheticals that just couldn’t be anything so stupid and sad as, woops this girl died but she’s still here and kinda broken. This bitter thought gave Morgan a new idea. She waited a few more moments, just in case doubt would set in, then she flopped up to a sit and reached out for the woman’s arm for an assist. As she staggered to her feet, pulling herself up, Morgan twisted as hard as she could until her shoulder came loose. It wasn’t hard. All she had to do was forget the shoulder was hers and forget the idea of hurt. There was a dull ache in the spot where the bones had come loose, she didn’t feel nothing, but if she were herself, if she were alive, she would have been screaming. “Oh, gee…” she deadpanned. “Ow.”

Despite herself, Jane reached to help the woman up. “Honestly, I was about four seconds away from calling in a dead - What are you doing?!” Jane’s voice raised in half panic and exasperation as she let the woman go. “Are you insane?!” There was a time when Jane dislocated her shoulder at a rock climbing gym, and even in all her adrenaline filled bullshit, that still hurt like hell and she had a half a fit about it while getting loaded into the ambulance. “Are you - Are you not in any pain?” Her face twisted in confusion, staring at the woman like she had three heads. The deadpanned ow… Was she on something? Drugs? No, she showed no signs of that. Her eyes narrowed and she had half a mind to twist her arm back herself. “We need to put your arm back.” Unless she was driving yet another person to the emergency room.

“What do you think I am?” Morgan asked. She shook her arm free of the woman’s grap and looked at it dangling from its socket. She poked it until it swung like a pendulum at her side. Her muscles strained at being pushed in this way and the ache was so close to sharp it was almost pleasant. Morgan approximated how her shoulder ought to belong and pulled it back in place, tested her work with a stretch, and waggled her fingers in front of the woman as if to prove everything was fine now. “Guess that's the problem solved,” she said, a forced hollow cheer in her voice. “Do you need something to feel good about this, or are we done here?”

There was a sort of morbid curiosity in watching the woman work her shoulder. Jane almost winced sympathetically, but the words what do you think I am were lodged directly in her brain. “What do I think you are?” Jane repeated, raising an eyebrow. Memories of Jason showing her how his bones didn’t break and how things like chopping off a wrist or two didn’t hurt. Actually, she was fairly certain Jason never felt pain - not really, anyhow. She was hesitant to bring that up though, until her shoulder was properly - oh. Jane was going to offer to set it herself. “Are we done here?” Jane repeated, pinching the bridge of her nose. “No, we’re not done here. First of all, do you think it’s funny laying there pretending to be dead? Because it isn’t. And second… Can I check your pulse, please?”

“Who says I was pretending?” Morgan replied darkly. “And who are you supposed to be, exactly? I’m pretty sure I don’t owe anything to some woman off the street. I didn’t ask for your help with anything. You interrupted my nap.” She grimaced at the thought. If only she could nap. If she could take a break from everything for even just an hour, no haze, no hunger, no death blanket. She deflated, tired, in her own way, and ready to be home. Whatever she had wanted to find here, it wasn’t going to turn up today.  “And it was kind of funny,” she added sheepishly.

“What do you mean?” Jane said, quickly. Jason had insisted that he was dead even though she couldn’t really see how. He was a functioning human, and suddenly his diet made way more sense than it had during the time they had been together. “You were the one playing a bad joke, and I could very well -” What, arrest her? Public disturbance. Get a slap on the wrist and she’d be out by dinner time. That was an abuse of power and way too much fucking work though. And more importantly, Jane tilted her head slightly. “ - anyway. Are you dead, then? A zombie? Is that what you’re saying?”

“You’re avoiding my question, and I don’t think there’s anything against laying on the sand before dark,” Morgan said with a huff. She backed away from the woman, arms folded over her chest. “I’m--I’m a what now?” She laughed, shrill and nervous in a way that she really, really hoped sounded more incredulous. Ha-ha-ha-the-very-IDEA and l-o-l-that’s not REAL! “I’m sorry, what now? You--obviously watch way too many movies. Where would you even come up with something like that, huh?” It was a good thing, at least, that the dead didn’t sweat, because as she scrutinized the jogger, she couldn’t help but feel like she had pushed too hard to seem convincing now.

“Jane Wu. New in town. Police detective.” Jane said, folding her arms over her chest as she stared at Morgan as she started laughing that unconvincing laugh. The kind of laugh that screamed hahahaha I’m definitely not guilty!!! Don’t look at me!!! That kind of laugh. She was now more certain that she was right. That she just found someone else that wasn’t her shitty ex that was like this. Jane held up her hands, defensively. “Whoa, it’s alright, you can save the song and dance.” She reached up moving her hair to show the bite scar on her neck. “See? I’ve uh, met others like you. Clearly. That can do that thing with your arm. And I bet you have no pulse too. Am I correct?”

Oh, stars. A cop. Morgan grimaced and stepped further away again. This was the last person she needed looking into her life. Between the dead magic and living with Deirdre, and toppling into undeath thanks to her best friend, Morgan had plenty to hide. But that, as it turned out, was not her main concern. Jane moved back her hair and revealed a wide scar in the blurry shape of a mouth on her neck. Morgan’s facade fell and she slowly lifted the cuff on her wrist. Their scars weren’t the same, exactly, but there were mottled impressions of human-like teeth, the same hungry shape. “But you’re…” Acting pretty normal. Breathing. She grabbed Jane’s wrist and pressed down hard, searching for a pulse of her own. “A-are you breathing just for the fun of it or what? Are you--not dead yet? How do you know all this then?”

Jane curiously peered at Morgan’s wris. Sure enough, there was the bite mark scarred onto her skin. Jason’s had been on his leg. He never did tell her how he was turned or how he died. HE didn’t tell her a lot of things. Morgan snatched her wrist, pressing down hard on her wrist to find a pulse. “Ouch!” Jane hissed, trying to yank her hand back. “Hey, easy! Use my neck if you want to feel my pulse it’s easier. No, I’m not dead yet. The person that bit me didn’t mean too.” She said, backing up slightly. “He freaked out and told me about it. And showed me.” And then she dumped his ass for good, but that seemed a little too personal. “What’s your name? How long have you been… like this?”

Morgan let go and folded her arms again, guilty for real now. She hadn’t thought she was pressing hard enough to hurt, but there was a red mark on Jane’s skin where her thumb had been, and for all she knew it would be bruising up by the end of the day. “Didn’t--didn’t mean to? What do you mean he didn’t mean to? How do you ‘accidentally’ do this?” Even Remmy who ‘hadn’t meant to’ had still very much meant to. Teeth breaking skin was no joke on the effort-meter. “I’m...Morgan,” she said quietly. “Were you called onto the scene of that crash on Main Street? Some of the debris…” She touched her stomach, remembering the pain. “Someone was with me and they...did this.” She went stiff. Remmy wasn’t something she wanted to think about right now. “I’m sorry about your wrist. I don’t...feel right. I didn’t mean for it to hurt. I...couldn’t tell.”

Jane ran a hand down her face, shaking her head. “It’s - we were - he lost control, for a second, I guess. We were in a relationship.” Jane tried not to think about it, really, it was easier not too. Focusing on living forever and knowing that she could enjoy every ounce of the adrenaline without the fear of death was easier. She wanted that far more than she wanted to be bitter over some spilt relationship. She shook the thoughts off, listening to Morgan, and her heart sank. “No, I wasn’t called to that crash.” That awful crash on Main Street had turned Morgan into this at the last moment. Morgan wasn’t taking it well at all. Jane pressed her lips together in a thin line before waving it off her wrist. “Don’t worry about my wrist, I’ve certainly had worse. You… don’t sound happy. I’m sorry that… this happened to you. If it wasn’t what you wanted.”

“You mean during sex,” Morgan said, her face falling. She hadn’t even thought about that. She’d been too depressed and afraid of Deirdre realizing how different she was to worry about sex. But if Deirdre did somehow want her still or if she did dig up the rest of herself and come back, there was going to be sex. Sex where she might somehow bite her, hurt her with something worse than a bruise that healed in a matter of hours. “Oh-my-god, he bit you during sex, didn’t he. Had he not eaten? Were you doing--I don’t know, other biting type things? Or--” Morgan stopped herself before she got carried away and covered her face, mortified. This was probably not something Jane wanted to talk about. She could only imagine how frightening it must have been. But-- “No,” she said, lowering her hands to look at Jane with disgust. “No I am not happy. And what do you mean ‘if’? Did your boyfriend not explain everything to you? Who would want this? No one should want this!”

“He didn’t exactly explain that bit, it’s a bit of a story,” Jane said, rubbing the spot on her neck. She didn’t get a chance to tell Morgan that everything had been fine until there was blood everywhere, but that was a whole long story. Jane hadn’t even been that bothered, other than trying to stop the bleeding. She’d been laughing at him because he was freaking out. But Morgan’s face turned to disgust, and she realized that she had said the wrong thing to Morgan. Crap. She held her hands up slightly, taking a step back to give her enough space. “He explained everything. I made him. Explain it to me, I mean,” Jane said. She needed to be careful not to upset Morgan - after all, she just died. And she clearly hadn’t wanted to become a zombie to begin with, nor did she have the time to process it like she did. “I’ve accepted what’s going to happen to me when I inevitably die. I -” Jane lowered her hands, cutting herself off with a slight shrug. “I’m going to live forever.”

Morgan stepped away from Jane. She didn’t know if she was insulted or outraged or afraid for her. It was the most feeling she’d had since she died and she didn’t know what to do with it. “I hope you dumped his ass because that is not what this is,” she said. “What, you think this is Twilight for the Walking Dead? This isn’t about forever, Jane. This is death! Have you seen a dead body? That is what we are! I hurt you, Jane, because I can’t feel anything! My death is so thick around me, it’s like I’m being smothered by a goddamn comforter. I can’t even find half the person I used to be right now and I haven’t slept since a fucking rod went through my abdomen and impaled me on the ground. Can you seriously tell me you’ve thought about what it might take to miss something that awful? You don’t know anything. I hope you’re a lot older than me when you do.” She turned away and started up the shore.

Jane wasn’t sure if she should follow Morgan, she seemed fairly angry about the whole thing. Understandable, because this wasn’t what she wanted. She didn’t have the time to decide if that’s what she wanted. After a moment's hesitation, Jane followed up the shore. “I’m sorry,” she said. “That it happened to you.” That’s all there really was to say, though she was certain Morgan didn’t want to hear it. Most didn’t after something bad happened to them. “And you’re right to be angry. You should be. It’s just that I’ve - I’ve done my grieving over what’s to come. It’s been a while since this happened to me.” Hell, if living forever - being around to see how everything changed? That took sacrifice. And it was a sacrifice she was willing to make - well, it was a sacrifice she had no choice in making anymore. Why bother denying the inevitable? Jane patted her pockets for a second. “Hey, wait a second.” Jane asked, catching up. She found one of her cards, and held it out. “It’s my card. If you want to talk more about this... not on a beach after you’ve played a prank on me. Or anything else.”

Morgan stopped at Jane’s call and turned over her shoulder. She took the card and squeezed it between her fingers. She didn’t know if she wanted anything from her or if talking to someone who thought this was all somehow going to be okay would help her feel any better. But she could bring herself to turn the offer away. And-- “Okay, I know I just yelled, but what about the sex thing?” She mumbled, embarrassed at how callous the fixation sounded out loud. “Can we talk about that later too?”

She gave her card to a lot of people - particularly those she knew were going to need more help later. Victims of assault, robberies, etc… This was a little different, but Jane could at least recognize that someone was struggling. “It’s alright that you yelled,” Jane said, shrugging slightly as she stuffed her hands into her pockets. Her eyebrow furrowed slightly. Sex? She wanted to talk about sex? Like in general or to her specific incident. Dear lord. “I - Yes. Of course we can talk about the sex thing,” Jane said carefully. “Contact me any time, I always have my phone on me and I’ll always make time.” She paused for a moment, before adding.” And for the record, I did. Break up with him.”

[satans-helper]

thank you for tagging me @hallusionima 🌊🌊🌊 a nice little break today

rules: put your entire music library on shuffle and list the first 10 songs that come up. then tag others to do the same!

Well, this is my Spotify likes playlist;)

Habibi - Tamino

Galveston - Glen Campbell

All These Things That I've Done - The Killers

High Ball Stepper - Jack White

Parklife - Blur (ah yes, the perfect song for me wishing I was a teen in the 90s)

60 Miles An Hour - New Order

Cypress Grove - Clutch

Marlon Brando - Alex Cameron

Pop, Lock and Drop It - Huey (if you think this isn't a banger, you're wrong)

Hardened Heart - Tom Chaplin

I tag @elliestrawberries @dufflesmckagan @dangerous-lithium-animals @juvinadelgreko @woman-ina-dream @mountainofthesunn @tymeconsuming @therealswanqueen @satingrass-maidensfair @karrotkate if y'all want 🌲

[cooperhewitt]

“To banish Slav’ry’s Bonds from Freedom’s Plains”

On June 19, 1865, Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, with the news that the more than 250,000 enslaved black people in the state were free by executive decree. This day came to be known as “Juneteenth” by the newly freed people in Texas. In recognition of Juneteenth, we are sharing this post originally published on June 19, 2013.

Today is Emancipation Day, a holiday on which we commemorate the abolition of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Major-General Gordon Granger—who had arrived in Galveston, Texas, the preceding day with 2,000 Union troops—announced the end of the Civil War and the emancipation of all enslaved people. On this day, a fitting object for contemplation is a sampler made in 1803 by Mary Emiston, a student at the African Free School in New York City. Mary ornamented her sampler with an inspirational verse calling for an end to slavery and oppression:

In Christ Jesus there is neither bond nor free that He came to let the oppressed / go free and to break every yoke All who fear god and work righteousness / of whatever na[t]ion color or clime shall be accepted of him May God re- / ward the Benefactors and forgive the enemies of Africa’s children. Many / daughters have done virtuously but may we remembering our peculiar oblige- / tions excel them all. / Blest be the grace which moved the feeling heart / To plead the cause of man and break his chains / Blest be the men who taught the heavenly art / To banish slav’ry’s bonds from freedoms plains / Let Afric[a]’s daughters feel the grateful ties / Which bind them to reward their Patrons care / By striving to obtain the noble prize / Of praise on earth and heav’n’s bright crown to wear

Although slavery was still very much a reality of life in New York when Mary worked her sampler, it was on the decline. The first of New York’s Gradual Emancipation Laws was passed in 1799, granting freedom to enslaved children who were born after July 4, 1799, but requiring them to work until adulthood for the people to whom their mothers were enslaved. The mission of the African Free School—founded in 1787 by the New York Manumission Society—was to educate African American children and prepare them for freedom. It began as a single room for about forty students, many of whom were children of enslaved people. By the time the African Free School was absorbed into the New York public school system in 1835, it had educated thousands of African American children in reading, writing, arithmetic, and geography. Boys were also taught astronomy, a necessary skill for seamen, and girls were trained in domestic skills such as sewing.

In 1791, the African Free School hired a female teacher to teach needlework to its female students. It was one of only a small number of institutions that taught African American girls decorative needlework, so samplers by African American schoolgirls are rare. The large majority of surviving examples were created in Baltimore schools run by the Oblate Sisters, an order of Roman Catholic women of African descent. Mary’s sampler is remarkable in that it precedes the other known works by over twenty-five years. Although no details about her parentage or history have yet come to light, Mary lives on through her noble message of hope and freedom.

Jennifer N. Johnson holds a degree from the Parsons/Cooper-Hewitt Master’s Program in the History of Decorative Arts and Design. While pursuing her studies, she completed a two-year fellowship researching the Cooper-Hewitt’s American sampler collection.

from Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum https://ift.tt/3di1IGw via IFTTT

[drnikolatesla]

Mr. Tesla Explains Why He Will Never Marry

Famous Scientist Felt Unworthy of Woman as She Used To Be, and Now He Can't Endure Her Trying to Outdo the Men

Galveston Daily News, Galveston, Texas, page 23. August 10, 1924.

"I had always thought of woman as possessing those delicate qualities of mind and soul that made her in these respects far superior to man. I had put her on a lofty pedestal, figuratively speaking, and ranked her in certain important attributes considerably higher than man. I worshiped at the feet of the creature I had raised to this height, and, like every true worshiper, I felt myself unworthy of the object of my worship.

"But all this was in the past. Now the soft-voiced gentle woman of my reverent worship has all but vanished. In her place has come the woman who thinks that her chief success in life lies in making herself as much as possible like man--in dress, voice and actions, in sports and achievements of every kind.

"Women are becoming stronger than men, both physically and mentally.

"The world has experienced many tragedies, but to my mind the greatest tragedy of all is the present economic condition wherein women strive against men, and in many cases actually succeed in usurping their places in the professions and in industry. This growing tendency of women to overshadow the masculine is a sign of a deteriorating civilization.

"Woman's determined competition with man in the business world is breaking down some of the best traditions--things which have proved the moving factors in the world's slow but substantial progress.

"Practically all the great achievements of man until now have been inspired by his love and devotion to woman. Man has aspired to great things because some woman believed in him, because he wished to command her admiration and respect. For these reasons he has fought for her and risked his life and his all for her time and time again.

"Perhaps the male in human society is useless. I am frank to admit that I don't know. If women are beginning to feel this way about it--and there is striking evidence at hand that they do--then we are entering upon the cruelest period of the world's history.

"Our civilization will sink to a state like that which is found among the bees, ants and other insects--a state wherein the male is ruthlessly killed off. In this matriarchal empire which will be established the female rules. As the female predominates, the males are at her mercy. The male is considered important only as a factor in the general scheme of the continuity of life.

"The tendency of women to push aside man, supplanting the old spirit of cooperation with him in all the affairs of life, is very disappointing to me.

"Woman's independence and her cleverness in obtaining what she wants in the business world is breaking down man's spirit of independence. The old fire he once experienced at being able to achieve something that would compel and hold a woman's devotion is turning to ashes.

"Women don't seem to want that sort of thing to-day. They appear to want to control and govern. They want man to look up to them, instead of their looking up to him."

"I am considering this question not merely from the standpoint of a man," he points out. "I am thinking of the woman's side of it.

"As we contemplate any change, we naturally take into consideration the results that may follow such an innovation. One of the results to my mind is quite a pathetic one. Woman, herself, is really the victim instead of, as she thinks, the victor. Contentment is absent from her life. She is ambitious, often far beyond her natural equipment, to attain the thing she wants. She too frequently forgets that all women cannot be prima donnas and motion picture stars.

"Woman's discontent makes the life of the present day still more overstressed. The high pitch given to existence by people who are restless and dissatisfied because they fail to achieve things wholly out of proportion to the health and talent with which Nature has endowed them is a bad thing for the world.

"It seems to me that women are not particularly happy in this newly found freedom, in this new competition which they are waging so persistently against men in business and the professions and even in sport. The question that naturally arises is, whether the women themselves are the gainers or the losers.

"Discontent makes for cranks and unnatural people. There seems to be an uncommon number of them about today. This is one of the reasons I remain apart from the crowds. The public, or semi-public, character is the target for all sorts of attacks and unpleasant communications.

"For example, I used to receive all sorts of strange notes, many of them letters from cranks threatening my life, because they had read about my experiments in manufacturing lightning bolts. They wrote that they believed I was using these lightning flashes to kill them!

"It seems to me that anything which adds to the great discontent which we observe on every side to-day must be a bad influence on our life. Women who keep themselves agitated by their tremendous ambition to beat man at his game are losing at the same time something that counts for more in the end, it seems to me, than the empty honors that success in business or one of the professions can ever give.

"The power of the true woman is so great that I believe if a beautiful woman--that is to say, one beautiful in spirit, in manner and in thought, in fact, beautiful in every respect, a sort of goddess--were to appear suddenly on earth, she could command the whole world. Her leadership, I believe, would be universally recognized.

"History has given us many examples of the wonderful influence exerted by unusual women. Among these have been the mothers of great men. But their influence lay not in their determination to outdo man, or even to compete with him.

"Perhaps because woman is a finer and more highly sensitized instrument she knows by instinct her power and understands that the extent of it lies in the high position she takes for herself. But the superior never descends to the level of the commonplace."

[thegalvestonnews]

Galveston Breaking News: Unveiling the Latest Revelations from The Galveston Mention

Galveston, a charming coastal city known for its historical richness and picturesque views, is no stranger to making headlines. However, today’s Galveston breaking news brings an array of updates that are nothing short of extraordinary. From unexpected events to significant developments, we delve into the freshest updates that are shaping the city’s narrative. As always, The Galveston Mention is here to ensure you’re up-to-date with all that’s unfolding in this vibrant locale.

1. A Surge in Historical Discoveries

In an astonishing turn of events, recent archaeological digs in the heart of Galveston have uncovered remnants of a shipwreck dating back to the 19th century. This discovery, part of an ongoing project funded by local historians and supported by the city, is one of the most significant in recent years. The artifacts recovered include ornate navigational tools and personal items, offering a rare glimpse into the life and times of Galveston's maritime past.

Experts from various fields are collaborating on analyzing these finds, hoping to piece together stories of old maritime voyages and their impacts on the city’s development. This revelation not only enhances our understanding of Galveston's historical tapestry but also attracts historians and tourists alike, keen to witness these relics first-hand.

2. Local Legislation Shakes Up Urban Development

In a pivotal moment for urban planning, the Galveston City Council has passed a new set of regulations that will reshape the city’s skyline and infrastructure. The recently approved legislation focuses on sustainable development and includes stringent guidelines aimed at preserving the city’s historical architecture while fostering modern growth.

This legislative shift has been met with both enthusiasm and skepticism. Proponents argue that the regulations will balance preservation with progress, encouraging eco-friendly buildings and green spaces. Conversely, some critics worry that these changes might stifle innovative projects or place undue burdens on developers. As the new policies take effect, The Galveston Mention will keep a close eye on their impact and ongoing debates.

3. Breakthroughs in Coastal Erosion Solutions

Galveston’s beautiful beaches have long been a point of pride, but coastal erosion has posed a persistent challenge. In today’s breaking news, we report a breakthrough in erosion control techniques that promises to significantly mitigate this issue. A collaborative effort between local scientists and engineers has led to the development of a new system designed to stabilize the shoreline and prevent further erosion.

This innovative approach employs a combination of natural materials and advanced technology to create a more resilient coastline. The initial results have been promising, and if successful on a larger scale, this could revolutionize coastal management not just for Galveston but for similar regions across the globe. The Galveston Mention will be tracking the progress of this initiative and its potential benefits for the community.

4. Major Public Health Initiative Launched

In response to rising health concerns, Galveston has embarked on a major public health initiative aimed at improving community wellness. This program, announced earlier today, includes a series of health workshops, free screenings, and enhanced access to medical resources. The initiative is particularly focused on addressing chronic conditions prevalent in the area and increasing preventive care.

Healthcare professionals and city officials have rallied to support this cause, recognizing the need for comprehensive health strategies in an evolving urban landscape. The Galveston Mention will provide ongoing coverage of this initiative, highlighting its successes and challenges as it progresses.

5. Vibrant Cultural Festival Announced

Amidst the serious news, there is a wave of excitement surrounding the announcement of a new cultural festival set to take place in Galveston later this year. This festival will celebrate the city’s diverse heritage with a series of events including music performances, art exhibitions, and culinary showcases.

Local artists, musicians, and chefs are gearing up to participate, eager to share their talents and contribute to the festival’s success. This event promises to be a significant boost for the local economy and a fantastic opportunity for residents and visitors alike to experience the rich cultural tapestry of Galveston. The Galveston Mention will be covering the festival in detail, providing insights into the various events and activities planned.

6. Innovative Public Transportation Expansion

Galveston’s public transportation system is about to get a major upgrade. The city has announced a new expansion plan that includes the introduction of electric buses and the extension of existing routes. This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance urban mobility while reducing the city’s carbon footprint.

The expansion is expected to improve connectivity between key areas of Galveston, making it easier for residents to commute and access important services. This development is likely to be a game-changer for the city’s transportation landscape, and The Galveston Mention will keep you informed about the rollout and effectiveness of these new measures.

7. Local Business Success Stories

Galveston’s economic scene is buzzing with activity, and several local businesses are making headlines with their recent successes. From new startups to established enterprises, the city’s business community is thriving, thanks in part to supportive local policies and an engaged consumer base.

Highlighting these success stories not only showcases the dynamic spirit of Galveston’s entrepreneurs but also serves as an inspiration for others looking to make their mark. The Galveston Mention is proud to spotlight these achievements and provide readers with a closer look at the people and companies driving the city’s economic growth.

Conclusion

Today’s Galveston breaking news is a testament to the city’s ongoing evolution and resilience. From historical discoveries and legislative changes to health initiatives and cultural celebrations, Galveston continues to impress with its vibrancy and dynamism. As always, The Galveston Mention is committed to bringing you the most comprehensive and up-to-date coverage of all the significant developments in this remarkable city. Stay tuned for more updates and in-depth reports on the news that matters most to Galveston and its residents.

[covid19updater]

COVID19 Updates: 03/20/2020

Italy: At least 14 Italian doctors have lost their lives in the battle against #COVID19 as of Thursday, local media reported. More than 2,600 Italian health workers have contracted the #coronavirus, accounting for 8.3% of the country's total.

Germany: BREAKING - Bavaria (Germany) imposes quasi **curfew** to contain the #COVID19 outbreak in the federal state. Effective tonight for two weeks. Police will enforce, high penalties for violation threatened. Other federal states in Germany will follow.

Brazil: BRAZIL PRESIDENT BOLSONARO SAYS JUNE LIKELY TO BE THE MOST CRITICAL MONTH FOR CORONAVIRUS

Germany: BREAKING - Several automotive suppliers in Bavaria are switching production to protective equipment, disinfectants, and respirator masks amid #COVID19. Production output is expected as high as several tens of thousands of masks per day by next week.

India: 'India must prepare for a tsunami of coronavirus cases' Dr Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics and Policy has warned that India could soon be dealing with a "tsunami" of coronavirus cases.

UK: An exhausted nurse has urged panic-buyers to think about other people after finding supermarket shelves empty.

India: Number of coronavirus positive cases in India rise to 223: Health Ministry

Italy: ITALY'S LOMBARDY REGIONAL HEAD SAYS GOVERNMENT HAS AGREED TO USE ARMY TO IMPOSE LOCKDOWN IN HIS REGION

Italy: ITALY'S LOMBARDY REGIONAL HEAD FONTANA SAYS LATEST DATA SHOWS NO SIGN OF SLOWDOWN OF CORONAVIRUS EPIDEMIC IN HIS REGION

UK: Coronavirus self-isolation needs to go on for 12 months, UK’s scientific advice says

Italy: Inside Italy’s hardest hit hospital. Link

Belgium: Belgium reports 462 new cases and 16 new coronavirus deaths, raising the country's total to 2,572 cases with 37 confirmed deaths.

Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh first responders won’t be notified of Coronavirus exposures. Link

RUMINT (UK): “The hospitals in London are overwhelmed.” “The public and media are not aware that today we no longer live in a city with a properly functioning western healthcare system.” Patients with suspected COVID-19 are being mixed with non-COVID-19 patients.

NYC: NBC News audio person dies from COVID19. Link

Morocco: Morocco government yesterday announced a state of emergency in the country to take effect at 17GMT today, locking down cities and restricting unnecessary movement to curb the spread of the #COVID19

Pakistan: Grim warning from doctors at PIMS Isb(Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences) about the looming #covid19 disaster. "Impose a curfew if you must. We simply do not have resources to deal with this. There are a total of 10 beds & 2 ventilators in the isolation ward. Nothing else has been provided."

Russia: #BREAKING: 54 new coronavirus cases discovered in Russia in past 24 hours bringing the total now up to 253 Total #coronavirus cases in Russia. March 20: 253. March 19: 199. March 18: 147. March 17: 114

NIH: The #coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, can be caught through breathing infected air or after touching contaminated objects, according to a new report by National Institutes of Health (NIH), CDC, UCLA, and Princeton University scientists.

US: The U.S. Government Is Preparing For An 18 Month Pandemic And "Critical Shortages" Link

RUMINT (Indiana):  Indianapolis en route control center (ZID) a front-line supervisor has caught the China Virus and ZID is in the process of going atc zero. The FAA is calling in people for overtime in surrounding facilities to cover ZID airspace. Expect delays across the center of USA.

NY: @NYGovCuomo #BREAKING: I will sign an Executive Order mandating that 100% of workforce must stay home, excluding essential services.This order excludes pharmacies, grocery stores, and others.

NY: 1,939 new cases overnight in New York City. 2,950 new cases in New York State overnight,

Canada: Canada to ramp up production of medical supplies, shut border to asylum seekers to fight COVID-19 and talks are underway with airlines for repatriation flights to bring Canadians home

UK: UK: Hospital ICU at a London hospital Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow at capacity. Cases being transferred to other hospitals. Declared 'Critical Incident' Source Sky News live (UPDATE: Link)

Germany: GERMANY: INFECTED: 18,588 (+3,268 cases since yesterday)

UK: Changing of the guard at royal palaces canceled until further notice. LINK

RUMINT (Texas): Just so people know the real truth. My county of over 50,000 just told me they only have 4 test kits...And all these people went to Galveston Mardi Gras and cruises

NYC: Manhattan lawyer abruptly dies from COVID19, 2 days after saying he felt much better. LINK

RUMINT (New Jersey): NEW JERSEY DRIVE-THROUGH CORONAVIRUS TEST SITE HAS 1,000 CARS WAITING

Spain: Coronavirus Update: Spain Overtakes Iran On Virus With 20k Confirmed Cases

Trump: "I'm probably more of a fan of that than maybe anybody," says @POTUS of chloroquine after Dr. Fauci cautions there's only anecdotal evidence that the malaria drug is effective in helping #COVID19 patients.

Georgia: #BREAKING NEWS: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Georgia is now 420, with 13 deaths.

US: *SCHUMER SAYS HOSPITALS WILL BE IN DEEP TROUBLE IN A FEW WEEKS

IItaly : 5986 new cases and 627 new deaths in Italy

Massachusetts: Massachusetts just had their first confirmed death from the Corona Virus.

NYC: 743 MORE cases in New York City since morning update That means 2,682 new cases in NYC since last night. 5,151 total & 29 deaths

Illinois: Governor to issue ‘shelter in place’ order. LINK

France: 12610 total cases in France. 450 dead. 1297 in serious condition. 50% in serious condition are less than 60 years old

RUMINT (China): Latest figures released by China Mobile show that they have lost 8.116 million users in Jan and Feb. Where are these users now? Switched to other carriers? Or, they couldn't carry their phone to the nether world?

New York: #UPDATE "We're all in quarantine now," said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, warning of fines and mandatory closures for anyone violating the order, as the total of deaths linked to the novel #coronavirus more than doubled in three days

Nigeria: Lagos hospitals now receiving patients suffering from Chloroquine poisoning just one day after President Trump announced that the US has approved the anti-malarial drug for use as a treatment against #COVID19.

California: 1,006 Positive #COVID19 Cases in CA: 24 Federal Repatriation Flight Cases; 982 Cases not related to those flights; 86 Travel Associated; 108 Person-to-person; 266 Community Acquired; 522 Under Investigation

RUMINT : I got in and out right before the grocery store got absolutely packed. People were pretty good about separating, except at checkout...lots of idiots pressed right up on each other. I picked a line where everyone was wearing gloves and standing a minimum of a cart length apart and keeping their mouths shut so their freaky germs didn't fly everywhere. Hit the liquor store, amazingly was empty, for a couple more things. Not going out again, that was twice in last week, but I could FEEL the corona in that store or coming shortly. It was the most fucked thing ever, and I could tell some others sensed it too.

Illinois: BREAKING: Sources tell me CPD officers will be posted in the following areas: hospitals, pharmacies, grocery stores, City Hall, libraries, hardware supply stores and designated retail stores after Governor Pritzker announces ‘shelter in place’ for Illinois residents. @cbschicago

Poland: VIRUS TRAGEDY Healthy new mum, 27, dies from coronavirus days after giving birth in Poland becoming one of world’s youngest victims

Michigan: Detroit police chief: 5 officers diagnosed with COVID-19, 152 quarantined

New Jersey: GovMurphy says New Jersey will enact stronger measures to prevent the spread of the virus: "I'm going to have a significant announcement probably tomorrow morning to make, a whole series of new steps that will take effect tomorrow night. We have no choice." #MTPDaily

[overlyspecificmcrmemes]

Thanks @oli-lord-of-onions for tagging me I’m gonna post this and then take a break for the New Years I’ll see y’all in like 48 hours

A. Age: 21

B. Birthplace: Lafayette, Louisiana

C. Current time: 2:02 pm

D. Drink you last had: Dr Pepper

E. Easiest person to talk to: my dad he’s my bro

F. Five fave songs?

1. Early sunsets over Monroeville by My Chemical Romance

2. Buried Myself Alive by The Used

3. Mr Brightside by The Killers

4. Going to Mars by Judah and the Lion

5. Tell That Mick He’s On My List Of Things To Do Today by Fall Out Boy

G. Grossest memory: cleaning out the drains at work it’s so gross omgg

H. Horror yes or horror no? Horror is a yes! But I prefer thrillers I don’t do jump scares so well

I. In love? No

J. Jealous of people: sometimes but it never lasts long because I really don’t have any real reason to be jealous

K. Kids of your own someday: I don’t think I’d ever want to be pregnant but I would love to adopt teenagers someday

L. love at first sight or should i walk by again: I think there is such a thing as love at first sight but not for me so you’ll have to walk by again...multiple times

M. Middle name: it’s complicated and I’m not positive on how it’s pronounced but it’s spelled “Dalyn”

N. Number of siblings: I have three brothers I am the only girl

O. One wish: to learn how to play bass without crying in frustration because I am not musically inclined

P. Person you called last: I despise phone calls so the last one I made was months ago and it was my best friend justin

R. Random fact about you: i make memes of local bands I’m friends with on twitter

S. Song you last sang: Mr brightside it was awe full and hilarious

T. Time you woke up: like 9:30ish?

U. Underwear color: red and black

V. Vacation destination: Galveston my family likes the beach and I don’t but it’ll make them happy and I have an excuse to sleep outside for hours so there

W. Worst habit: not sleeping enough?

Y. Your favorite food: shitty Chinese buffet or pho I like noodles

Z. Zodiac sign: Libra

Imma tag @deadfreddiethealien aaaaand @killingjarz

[reconciliationproject]

A CHILD’S INNER SCREAM        

August 11, 2018        

         “So, what’s my position now,” he asked, leaning half forward and half toward me.  We were sitting in two soft rocking chairs, facing the same direction, with a round oak table between.

“What do you mean what’s your position now?”, I asked, though I knew what he was asking.

His wife of forty-four years, my mother of almost thirty-eight years had been buried earlier this day.  The day-bed, where she had lain for most of the last year, was across from my chair.  The mattress was still stained and painful memories still attached.

It had been her wish to die, to stop trying.  A breast lost to cancer two years before and weight down to eighty pounds had left skin and bones to surround her declining spirit.  Dad told me she had made him promise no more hospitals.  He took care of her the last year, helped by women from a visiting nurses service.

The morning he found her lifeless and unresponsive, on the day-bed, he did some strange things.  The manager of the visiting nurses office told me he came by there, talking crazy, saying something about Pat, my mother, then left hurriedly.  Several other people told me they had seen him that morning, acting and talking strangely.

When the visiting nurse came to the house, she found Mom dead and called for an ambulance.  One of the paramedics called me and I talked with him briefly, then handed the phone to my wife, before I broke into tears.

I later talked with my dad, asked him how he was doing and told him I was on my way.  There were friends at the house and I felt better knowing he had company.

When I drove up to the house, the whole place seemed emptier than ever before.  An old white frame house, with pillars on the front porch, that my grandfather had built around 1920.  The house was surrounded by huge oak trees, magnolias, pear, peach and plums.  Dogwoods were set among the larger oaks and the remnants of a winter garden lay behind the trees, next to a small vineyard.

Normally I loved the sight but today it seemed lonely and sad.  It seemed as though all the living things knew the lady of the house, who loved them all, would not walk again among them. Nor would she walk and smile among us.  Reluctantly I parked the car.

Dad rose when I came in and we embraced, awkwardly, at first.  This was the first time I could ever remember hugging him.  The visiting nurse was standing up, at the end of the room, in the doorway between the den and kitchen, both long rectangular rooms.  Dad had a somewhat confused, vacant look and I helped him back into his chair.  He was no longer the six foot two and one half inches of his prime.  He now seemed closer to my 5′ 10 1/2″ inches and he looked like all of his seventy-six years.

I introduced myself to the nurse, who was not really a nurse but someone the visiting nurses sent to the house to clean, cook lunch and take care of home-bound patients’ hygienic needs.  She told me her name and recounted the story of finding my Mom dead and calling the ambulance.  Later, before she left, she told me there were some potatoes and onions in the pantry that were about to go bad and some meat and left-overs that needed to be cleared out of the refrigerator.  The way she spoke, I knew she was asking for them.  It was easy to tell she was poor and I told her to go ahead and take the things she was talking about.  Over the course of that day, and the next, she asked for more and more things–a real scavenger.  Her services ended.

Dad and I sat down and he told me which funeral company he had directed Mom’s body be sent.  I contacted the owner and discussed needs, dates, services, etc.  I was having a tough time with the subject so I told him I would be down later.

I asked Dad for names of people to act as pallbearers.  He could not think of any so I asked about people I had heard he and Mom speak about.  I did not know many people there, in the small town where he grew up and where they had moved after he retired.  I asked who the man was that took their cattle to auction, etc.  Finally I had some names and I started making phone calls, wishing at that moment that I had siblings who could help with what had to be done.  But I was an only child and it was up to me.  I called other people for names and came up needing two.

I went to the funeral home and sat down with the owner.  We discussed prices, quality of caskets, clothes, markers and services.  I would do fine, for a while, then have to control my suddenly appearing tears and emotions.  I finally left to go back home and see what clothes Mom had there, appropriate for her last public occasion.

Dad was still sitting in his rocker, where I had left him, the room growing dark as the sun set behind the trees.  I told him about the arrangements I had made, so far, and started looking for mom’s clothes.  Dad was quiet and I asked him to try to come up with more names for pallbearers.  He couldn’t. He didn’t.  I was getting frustrated with him and could not find any appropriate clothes.  Part of me wanted to sit there like him but the other part knew things had to be done.  God, I was sad and Dad was no help!  I left to select a gown from the funeral home’s selection of appropriate apparel.

Dad’s lack of help was stressful.  I wanted to yell, scream and cry, to try and relieve the hurt, sadness and sudden unwanted responsibilities that had been placed  upon me.  I picked out the gown and casket then stopped by to meet the young minister.  I told him about Mom’s life and gave him a poem I had written for her, as a birthday present.  I held together and completed the arrangements.

We made it through the funeral and burial.  When the minister read my poem, it almost did me in.  Back at the house, there were friends, food and conversation.  Dad told a friend of mine that I was trying to get all of his money and control of his affairs.  The friend told me and old feelings returned.

Dad and I had had a love/hate relationship for most of my remembered life.  He and Mom had spent many weekends partying and drinking, when I was young.  All of their emotions bubbled to a drunken surface, many times, and erupted into violence.

I remember sitting in my bed, about seven years old, looking down a long hall, into the living room, and hearing the loud talk, screams and shouts.  I saw hitting, both her and him.  He was much larger than her but she fought back–it was in her nature.  Dad had been a heavyweight fighter during college.  She played tennis in college and grew up as a cowgirl in Eastern New Mexico, doing a man’s job on various ranches.

Sometimes, during the violence I was subjected to, there were yells for help.  sometimes I could see him pushing her across the small area of the living room I could see, while sitting in the middle of my bed.  I would sit there watching, wanting to scream but too afraid and holding that sound inside.  Eventually, when I was in the third grade, my stomach erupted, from all the terror I shoved down there.  I would wake up screaming in pain, holding my stomach.  The only place I could eventually fall asleep was lying crossways in Mom’s padded rocking chair.

Mom took me to local doctors, then, on referral, to a large Galveston hospital.  The doctors never found anything wrong and came up with a diagnosis of ‘migraine stomach’.  That diagnosis was otherwise termed, ‘we don’t know’.  Years later I diagnosed the cause myself.  Whenever I was around violence, of any kind, my stomach tied up in knots and I was able to relate the feelings together with the drunken violence I had witnessed and been subject to.

The drinking and fighting episodes continued to flare up every so often.  Some were witnessed by my friends and really embarrassed me.  As I grew older, about fifth grade, I started to run into the living room, or whatever room the sparks were coming from, to try and separate them.

I remember one such episode in the kitchen.  I ran between them screaming, “Stop it!”, tears covering my face and nerves wracked by fear and sadness.  My Dad looked at me and said, “What are we doing to our son?  What have we done?”, his words slurred, sloppy and wet.  He then made us all hold hands, in a circle, and drop to our knees while he said a drunken prayer and asked for God’s forgiveness, as tears rolled down all of our faces.  There were no lasting effects, though.  The drinking and violence continued.

During these years, the love/hate relationship developed between Dad and I.  Everything would be all right, until the drinking.  Sometimes things would turn out ok and sometimes not.  I got to the point where I hated to see them drink at all and I would turn off to them, acting hateful, staying distant and holding my twisting, painful stomach.

There were times when I would try and break up fights and , unable to do so, would run to neighbors’ houses.  The neighbors would never do anything to help, never wanting to interfere, afraid for themselves.  They would talk to me then I would have to walk back down the dark sidewalk to the house. I would return to our house, listen at each window and at the front door, to see if the violence was still going on and eventually would go back inside, only because I had no other choices.  I would tell Mom and Dad that I had told the neighbors, hoping that would, somehow, have some kind of positive effect.  It didn’t.  Sometimes there would be flashing lights from police cars, because of the yelling going on inside my house.  Police cars were never called to anyone else’s house on our block.

Eventually, after a severe period, Mom and Dad separated and Mom filed for divorce.  I was in Junior High and I put a loaded shotgun in my closet.  Dad suddenly moved back in one day and no one had told me that was going to happen.  I didn’t know they had reconciled.  I found him in my room one day holding the shotgun.  He looked at me and said, “I found this in your closet.  It’s loaded.  What was it doing there?”

I felt strange, uneasy.  It was so easy to hate this man when he was drinking, drunk, yelling at, pushing, cursing or hitting Mom or me.  Yet, when he was normal, I did not feel the same feelings toward him.  I was young and confused about love and hate.  I knew that I felt both and I only wanted the love feeling to stay.  But the hate was so powerful.  Besides, I had plenty of memories that supplied the answer to his question.

“I wasn’t going to let you hurt Mom anymore,” I said, looking him in he eyes then dropping my eyes toward my shuffling feet.  It was so hard to imagine shooting him, when he was not drunk, scary and dangerous but the memories provided the conviction.

My words and feelings struck him and he said, “Well, I’ll put it back in the storeroom”, as he walked out of my room with the gun, not looking at me.  His words were spoken softly and I got the feeling, somehow, that I had hurt him.

My parents did not drink and get drunk every day.  Their violence nearly always erupted on weekends, after parties and on holidays.  Sometimes there would be weeks, or even months, between episodes.  Sometimes there were only days.

My natural sympathy was for my Mom, smaller and weaker than him.  Sometimes she would sleep with me after their fighting.  The alcohol breath became familiar to me and I hated the smell.  Her cough was the only normal sound she made.  Everything else sounded drunken.  I went to sleep holding her hand.  How I loved the peace, the quiet, after the fighting.  Still, I held what had passed, what I had experienced, inside.

I was too young to understand that there were two sides to every argument.  Pent up anger and frustration were unknown to me then, at least intellectually.  As I grew older, and apart, I began to understand some of these things but was never able to relax around my parents when they drank.

My dad only really hit me once, on a Christmas night when I tried to break up one of their fights.  Dad had pushed Mom back on the bed in their room and was wrestling and slapping her.  I jumped on him and he slapped me, sending me backward landing against the door frame.  He and Mom were as stunned as I was.  I moved first and bolted out the front door, to the next door neighbor’s house.  Different city, different neighbors, same results.  Fifth grade.

I always dreaded Christmas alone with Mom and Dad.  As long as family was around, things would be all right.  But Christmas always involved drinking and drinking always brought up bitterness and resentment toward Dad.  Thank goodness we were not alone but a few Christmases.

The question, “So, what’s my position now,” came from a seventy-five year old man, guarded and suspicious, who had lost his wife who had been his strength for forty years.  “Your position is the  same as always, Dad.  I’m not here to take your money, or land, or your house.  You are still in control of that,” I tried to reassure him.  I felt myself becoming, more and more, the parent.

He leaned back, somewhat reassured, but not totally.  He had given me money many times in the past.  Some of it I spent foolishly.  I had not completed college in four straight years, had bounced around several jobs and done a few things he did not consider to be great life achievements, or advancements.

He had always been successful and always did his best, at whatever he did.  A first rate athlete, rough, tough and self-assured.  He had been handsome, big in stature and worked for one company for over thirty years.  He had also been in a single profession his whole adult life.  He always succeeded and could not understand the lace of success, or consistency in my life.

Our views were different in many ways but we had grown somewhat closer over the years.  There had, however, always been a barrier.  I wanted to hug him several times over the  years but could not, until Mom died.  Many times I wanted to tell him I loved him but could not speak the words.  Neither could he.

Dad eventually went into a nursing home a few months after Mom’s death.  His mind was fading.  When Mom left, his anchor, his strength and wisdom deserted him.  In the nursing home, he lived in the past.  Sometimes he knew me and my family and sometimes he did not.  He always knew that he knew me, he just was not always sure exactly who I was.  Sometimes he introduced me to his nurses as his brother, father, or his cousin.

There were times he would ask about Mom, or tell me I needed to see her, but he could not find her right then.  He forgot she had passed and his dream world reality was the only way he could continue to exist without her, I guess.

Mom and Dad had a sum of money in the bank and received payments on land they had sold.  Financially, Dad was all right.  I paid his bills, invested part of his money and used some of it to further a dream I had had for a long time.  I wanted to be a writer.  The money financed my first book and gave me a year to spend writing and thinking.  When the book was published, by me, I took a copy with me to visit Dad.  It so happened that it was one of his more lucid moments.

We talked about the weather, about whether or not anyone had been to see him and how the food was.  I told him what his two grandchildren were up to and how my wife was doing.  I told him I had written a book.  He looked at me without changing expressions and I wondered whether or not the words were penetrating all of the layers leading to understanding and comprehending.

My local newspaper had done a front page story about me and there was a photo of me holding my book.  I showed him the paper and the book.  He was interested in the newspaper article and he tried to reach for it so he could see it better.

Strokes had left him bent and crippled, with little arm or hand movement.  I got his glasses, put them on him and held the paper so he could read the article.  His concentration was good, for a while, but I could see it waiver.  I do not think he finished the article, but he stared at the picture.  I showed him the book and opened it to the dedication, one of which was to him and Mom.  I was not sure how much of this was getting inside of him.  I talked about the book, thanked him for making it possible for me to have done what I did, the way I did.

Shortly thereafter, it was time to go.  I got up, thanked him again and leaned over to kiss his forehead.  I started walking toward the end of his bed.  He said, “Gary”, and I turned and looked at him.  He had not called me by my name in months.  He said, “I love you”, and his big, long face broke up in tears and love.

I was stunned and my emotions were caving in.  Barriers that had been erected and strengthened for years, for decades, started crumbling.  I looked at him and said, “I love you, too”, through tears and a tight throat.  I walked back around to the side of his bed and leaned over and hugged the thin, frail body, my cheek on his.  He looked up at me and continued, “And I am so proud of you.”

It was almost more that I could stand.  For months I did not know whether or not he knew me, when I visited.  He could rarely remember my name.  But he knew!  Today he knew and he loved me and was proud of me.  I had wanted to hear and know those things for years.

Since he had become so dependent, I had grown so used to touching him, rubbing his shoulders and fixing his hair.  During his decline, I had diapered him, showered him, dressed him and cleaned him after his messes.  The child turned parent.  I had grown used to touching him but the emotional barriers were still there, even in his helplessness.  I stayed a little longer, filling myself with the moment.  He loved me, he was proud of me and I loved him.  All the words spoken face to face.

Through the years, I had grown to understand that my parents’ drinking, fighting, cursing, screams and violence had not been directed toward me, though I was the one who suffered the most.  Intellectually I understood.  But the tears, terror, screams and fears, held inside by the helplessness of a terrified young boy, sitting in his bed, looking down a long hall, watching his parents fight and scream, were beyond intellectual understanding.  The memories and experiences were fortified and buttressed by repetition and anger, hate, fear and sadness were shoved inside.  They were guarded and protected by masks of anger, humor and cockiness, protecting the tender feelings inside.  They were difficult feelings to release.

My dad started those walls crumbling and I am still working through them.  That may have been his last lucid act.  The last time I saw him, he introduced me to a nurse as his cousin Peanuts, whoever that is.

But I remember the good times, too, and there were many.  Maybe all of this is why Mom went first, so Dad and I could get together before he joined her.  There were things I wish I could have said to Mom before she died, but that will not be the same with Dad. We talked. He loves me and is proud of me.  And I love him.

Copyright 2018 by Gary Bass

[iwillruletheuniverse]

‘‘Hope the food trucks haven’t drove on to the next market’‘ - mum. ‘‘I’ll never forget when you went to Tomelilla Marknad and I sat that entire bus trip and thought how delicious it would be with langos, and so they had closed thirty minutes before’‘ - dad.

That was a conversation in the car going to a market today. I listened to ‘Imaginary’ by Evanescence, trying to loose myself in the song as so many times before. Loose myself to shut out what they said. ‘Candy clouds of lullaby’ - for how long was that song impossible to listen to because of that line`I couldn’t remember. Trying not to break down was very hard. I had not been at that market since the summer of 2019. It wasn’t the same place but it's named the same. I remember the t-shirt I found that day. A Linkin Park t-shirt and the struggle I had because of course I wanted it. I hid it between two others as I gave the seller them. The parents still doesn’t know.

I found another design on the market I was at today. It was among others, clearly visible. Meant for me? Perhaps it was. I went there and I began to look at the others. But of course mum saw because she was at another section. She said the band name with a pronunciation. She’s so fkn mean. I told her I didn’t want it because it’s not original. She bought that. And sure it is true. It’s not original. Do I have any originals? Yes one. One out of like six but I told her that was the reason and it kept her quiet.

I remember a necklace I wanted at a market once. It was years ago and probably the first like merch I ever found. A nekclace with red letters. And oh god did I wanted that necklace but I didn’t had the money for it so I asked mum and she screamed and I asked dad and he got upset but it ended with that I was given that necklace but also two more. Green Day and another band which I hate now. I donated that necklace to a second hand store in another life. I wore the two others while on my way to Walmart when I was in Galveston. I found that picture some days ago. I looked at how visible the LP necklace was. I looked at myself and I didn’t recongize her. Couldn’t understand it was me. A stranger on a file.

I’m transported back to a friday years ago, long before I found that necklace. When I played a LP CD. What dad said echoes at times. Everything echoes. One thing leads to another and I’m back to the day I read the news. I sit there paralyzed by my desk. Had I went to the kitchen first before I went to the living room well I know things had been different. Had I been with T and L now? Had they perhaps never died? Had we all attended a concert in a parallel universe? Do they now? Can they feel me as I feel them? What even is an afterlife and so on and so forth.

Who am I? - asked by me too soon five years ago. I still don’t know. Perhaps doomed to live forever through constant pain as a punishment for a crime in a previous life? For sure seems like it.

[reiedits1]

Movie & Quotes List for “A Tribute to 2018 Cinema”

If you haven’t watched my new 2018 Movie Mashup, watch here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jSSiqfkCZU&t=16s

MOVIE LIST

PART ONE – HORROR/ACTION

00:00:18 – Avengers: Infinity War

00:13:09 - Overlord

00:17:23 – “You kill and torture, and you call it mercy. The universe has judged you. You asked it for a prize, and it told you no. You failed.” – Quote from Avengers: Infinity War

00:18:09 – Mission Impossible: Fallout

00:20:00 – Widows

00:21:13 – Mandy

00:23:05 – Avengers: Infinity War

00:26:12 – Kin

00:28:24 – Hereditary (double shot)

00:32:19 – Creed II (double shot)

00:37:05 – Avengers: Infinity War (double shot)

00:41:13 – Halloween

00:43:05 – A Simple Favor

00:43:05 – “You don’t believe in the boogeyman? You should.” – Quote from Halloween

00:44:05 – Insidious: The Last Key (double shot)

00:46:15 – Suspiria

00:47:19 – A Quiet Place

00:48:08 – Bad Times at the El Royale

00:49:07 – Winchester

00:49:14 – “I have faced many evils in my life.” – Quote from Insidious: The Last Key

00:51:03 – Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (double shot)

00:53:09 – The Nun

00:55:21 – “He gets in your head, like a virus.” – Quote from Slenderman

00:55:22 – The Strangers Prey at Night

00:57:05 – American Animals

00:58:18 – Day of the Dead: Bloodline

01:00:04 – Day of the Dead: Bloodline/Slenderman

01:00:19 – First Reformed

01:01:07 – “Dread it, run from it. Destiny arrives all the same.” – Quote from Avengers: Infinity War

01:02:08 – Mary Queen of Scots

01:03: 07 – Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

01:05:01 – First Man

01:06:21 – Fifty Shades Freed (double shot)

01:08:15 – “She wants to get inside of me, I can feel her.” – Quote from Suspiria

1:08:17 – Suspiria

01:10:06 – The Endless

01:11:05 – Red Sparrow (double shot)

01:13:10 – Upgrade (double shot)

01:15:03 – “What did you see?” “I saw a nun.” – Quotes from The Nun

01:15:04 – The Nun (triple shot)

01:19:18 – Halloween (triple shot)

01:29:02 – Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (double shot)

01:30:14 – Maze Runner: The Death Cure (double shot)

01:32:06 – Mile 22 (triple shot)

01:33:07 – Red Sparrow (double shot)

01:33:13 – “God bless white America.” – Quote from BlacKkKlansman

01:34:10 – BlacKkKlansman

01:35:09 – Ready Player One (double shot)

01:36:09 – “Tonight, we will see the good and evil in everyone.” – Quote from The First Purge

01:36:15 – Are We Not Cats

01:37:09 – Bad Times at the El Royale (double shot)

01:39:01 – BlacKkKlansman (double shot)

01:40:16 – Sicario: Day of the Soldado

01:41:24 – 12 Strong

01:42:21 – Maze Runner: The Death Cure (triple shot)

01:44:14 – “You’re all a bunch of scabs!” – Quote from Bisbee 17

01:44:20 – Bisbee 17

01:46:01 – The First Purge

01:46:18 – The Hate U Give (double shot)

01:48:08 – Searching

01:49:04 – “There cannot be peace, without first a great suffering.” – Quote from Mission Impossible: Fallout

01:49:07 – Sheijkh Jackson

01:50:14 – Skyscraper

01:51:18 – Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse

01:52:20 – Avengers: Infinity War

01:54:15 – “Do you believe in ghosts, Doctor Price?” “I do not believe in anything I cannot see or study” – Quotes from Winchester

01:54:23 – Winchester

01:55:19 – A Quiet Place

01:57:07 – Revenge

01:57:20 – 12 Strong

01:58:14 – Black Panther

01:59:05 – Winchester

02:00:17 – Bumblebee (double shot)

02:01:15 – Galveston

02:02:12 – Incredibles 2

02:03:09 – Mortal Engines

02:04:01 – “You’ve never met a monster you couldn’t love.” – Quote from Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

02:04:01 – Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

02:05:04 – Operation Finale

02:06:06 – Pacific Rim: Uprising

02:07:07 – Mission Impossible: Fallout (triple shot)

02:08:16 – Hereditary (double shot)

02:09:03 – Annihilation

PART TWO – EMOTION

02:14:17 – A Quiet Place (double shot)

02:18:17 – At Eternity’s Gate (double shot)

02:20:16 – “Are we gonna be okay here?” – Quote from Leave No Trace

02:21:05 – Beautiful Boy

02:23:01 – Boy Erased

02:25:06 – Isle of Dogs

02:27:06 – First Man (triple shot)

02:32:20 – Love, Simon

02:32:22 – “These last few years, more and more, it’s almost like I can feel you holding your breath. I need you to hear this – you are still you.” Quote from Love, Simon

02:34:03 – Leave No Trace (double shot)

02:36:13 – If Beale Street Could Talk

02:38:19 – Skate Kitchen (double shot)

02:41:04 – Sicilian Ghost Story (double shot)

02:46:12 – Red Sparrow

02:51:09 – Eighth Grade

02:52:17 – Mary Poppins Returns

02:54:01 – A Star is Born (double shot)

02:55:19 – The Hate U Give (double shot)

2:57:03 – “Thank you for whatever you do. To bring joy and hope, light and love, to our world today.” Quote from Won’t You Be My Neighbor

02:57:10 – The Happy Prince

02:58:08 – The 15:17 to Paris

02:59:22 – Searching

03:01:06 – Peppermint

03:02:15 – Kin

03:03:17 – Bohemian Rhapsody

03:04:16 – Every Day

03:05:11 – Eighth Grade

03:06:08 – Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle

03:07:09 – Creed II (double shot)

03:08:24 – Aquaman

03:09:20 – Peter Rabbit

03:10:21 – Galveston (double shot)

03:10:18 – “The life I once had, was taken away from me – but I’m still here. I have hope, I have my friends, and I’ll be okay.” Quote from Welcome to Marwen

03:12:09 – Love, Simon (double shot)

03:13:18 – The Favourite

03:14:12 – Skate Kitchen

03:15:08 – Welcome to Marwen

03:15:21 – Christopher Robin

03:16:24 – Crazy Rich Asians (double shot)

03:18:10 – Early Man (double shot)

03:20:06 – Bohemian Rhapsody (double shot)

03:22:11 – Welcome to Marwen

03:24:00 – Crazy Rich Asians

03:25:01 – Avengers: Infinity War

03:26:11 – “You get to decide, what kind of king you are going to be.” Quote from Black Panther

03:27:00 – Black Panther

03:28:00 – The Cleanse

03:29:02 – Hereditary (double shot)

03:31:05 – Minding the Gap

03:32:09 – Sorry to Bother You

03:33:05 – Support the Girls

03:34:05 – The Old Man and the Gun

03:36:09 – The Sisters Brothers (double shot)

03:38:08 – Thoroughbreds

03:39:15 – Tully

03:40:13 – Unsane

03:41:09 – Vice

03:42:02 – White Boy Rich

03:42:20 – “Remember, love is what brought you here. And if you trusted love this far, don’t panic now, trust it all the way.” Quote from If Beale Street Could Talk

03:43:04 – Widows

03:44:09 – If Beale Street Could Talk

03:45:07 – Boy Erased (double shot)

03:46:22 – We The Animals

03:48:07 – The Girl in the Spiders Web

03:49:14 – The First Purge

03:50:12 – Status Update

03:51:14 – Solo: A Star Wars Story

03:52:17 – Sherlock Gnomes (double shot)

03:54:17 – Ready Player One

03:55:13 – Love, Simon (double shot)

03:56:21 – Cold War

03:56:12 – Hotel Artemis

03:59:16 – Leave No Trace

04:00:14 – Mid90s

04:02:07 – Operation Finale

04:04:07 – Pandas

04:04:18 – Pope Francis: A Man of this World

04:06:01 – We The Animals

04:07:18 – Smallfoot

PART THREE – UPBEAT

04:17:16 – Aquaman

04:20:03 – Black Panther

04:21:11 – Every Day

04:23:06 – Bohemian Rhapsody

04:24:23 – Eighth Grade (double shot)

04:27:16 – Leave No Trace (double shot)

04:29:16 – Mid90s

04:30:16 – Skate Kitchen

04:32:08 – Status Update

04:33:22 – Searching

04:34:09 – Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse

04:37:16 – American Animals

04:38:06 – Blockers

04:38:18 – Crazy Rich Asians

04:39:11 – Eighth Grade

04:40:01 – Fifty Shades Freed

04:40:24 – Acts of Violence

04:41:13 – Ralph Breaks the Internet

04:42:06 – Luis and the Aliens

04:42:24 – Kin

04:43:18 – Tag

04:44:08 – Teen Titans Go! to the Movies  

04:44:23 – Death Wish

04:45:13 – Vice (double shot)

04:56:13 – 12 Strong (double shot)

04:47:16 – Black Panther (triple shot)

04:49:02 – Unfriended: Dark Web

04:49:20 – Under the Tree

04:50:11 – Upgrade

04:51:00 – Under the Silver Lake

04:51:07 – Avengers: Infinity War

04:52:06 – Holmes and Watson

04:53:15 – Ant-Man and the Wasp (triple shot)

04:54:02 – “I wish I could fight bad guys like you!” Quote from Ant-Man and the Wasp

04:55:15 – Aquaman

04:56:11 – Incredibles 2

04:57:11 – Black Panther

04:58:16 – “I seem to mess it up almost every time.” Quote from Ant-Man and the Wasp

04:59:01 - Ant-Man and the Wasp

05:00:10 – Tomb Raider (double shot)

05:02:11 - Ant-Man and the Wasp (double shot)

05:02:10 – “Maybe you just need someone watching your back, like a partner.” Quote from Ant-Man and the Wasp

05:04:18 – The Spy Who Dumped Me

05:05:20 – The Grinch

05:06:22 – Avengers: Infinity War (triple shot)

05:09:19 – Rampage

05:11:00 – Solo: A Star Wars Story

05:12:02 – Black Panther (double shot)

05:13:05 – Bumblebee

05:14:00 – Mortal Engines

05:15:01 – Aquaman

05:16:05 – Ready Player One

05:17:17 – A Wrinkle in Time

05:18:23 – Mary Poppins Returns (double shot)

05:20:23 – Deadpool 2

05:20:17 – Goosebumps 2

05:22:18 – Mission Impossible: Fallout (double shot)

05:23:24 – Annihilation (double shot)

05:25:08 – Game Night (ten shots)

05:25:08 – “Stop!” “Wait, wait! I have kids at home!” “Not with an ass like that you don’t.” “Oh, well, thank you.” – Quotes from Game Night

05:34:21 – “Yes! … Oh no, he died!” Quote from Game Night

05:38:18 – Hunter Killer (double shot)

05:39:19 – Johnny English Strikes Again (double shot)

05:40:20 – The Darkest Minds

05:41:21 – The Equalizer 2

05:42:08 – The Hurricane Heist

04:43:02 – The Nutcracker and the Four Realms

05:43:15 – The House with a Clock in its Walls

05:44:12 – The Meg

05:44:25 – Aquaman

05:45:23 – The Predator

05:47:00 – Robin Hood

05:48:03 – Solo: A Star Wars Story

05:49:00 – Oceans 8

05:49:20 – Second Act

05:50:07 – BlacKkKlansman

05:51:21 – Happy Time Murders (double shot)

05:52:17 – Bohemian Rhapsody