A bomb threat and more serial killers
The title of this week’s post–A Bomb Threat and More Serial Killers–makes my week sound waaaaayyyyyy more exciting than it actually was. In fact, Long-Suffering Husband, Son, and I have all felt lousy all week, so we haven’t done much. Plus–and I know this will come as a huge shock–it’s seriously hot here in Arizona in July, so my goal has been to do as little as possible and avoid going outside. Part of that goal–the not going outside part–was thwarted big time earlier this week, unfortunately. I’ll get to that in a minute, but first: welcome to the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer! It’s also What’s on Your Bookshelf Challenge week, but like the huge dork I am, I thought it was happening last week, so you can find my post for that link party here.
More serial killers
All right, back to that tease of a title. I wrote last week about having read a bunch of books about serial killers last month. Well, now Long-Suffering Husband and I have discovered Mindhunter on Netflix and have spent many happy hours in the company of such charming individuals as the Co-Ed Killer and BTK. Mindhunter is a fictionalized version of the founding and early years of the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit. It’s dark, creepy, and utterly fascinating. My short story isn’t done, and my house is a mess, because I’ve spent every evening this week binge-watching this damn show.
The bomb threat
This part of the post title wasn’t a tease. On Tuesday afternoon, the fire alarm went off in my building at work. We’ve been having issues with the fire alarms this summer, so I figured it was another false alarm and strolled out to the courtyard–only to see a row of police cars with lights flashing.
If you’ve been paying attention at all to the news in the USA, you can guess the first thought that went through my mind. Mass shooter.
An officer rides up with a bullhorn and directs us off-campus. People are pouring out of buildings all around me and being herded into the surrounding neighborhood while the police cordon off the campus. About that time, we all get texts from the university’s emergency alert system telling us there’s been a bomb threat.
Y’all, I can’t begin to tell you how relieved I was to learn it was a bomb threat and not a shooter. How messed up is that? (And if you’re wondering why: most bomb threats are false. Shooters not so much.)
So we all head for whatever shade we can find, because it’s 3 o’clock in the afternoon and about 104F outside. A bunch of us end up under a huge eucalyptus tree, where we wait.
And wait.
And wait.
Finally, after nearly an hour, someone tells us bomb-sniffing dogs are searching the building and that we can get to the parking garage if we want to leave. I did. About 30 minutes later I get a text with the all-clear and an update that no bomb was found.
Because I believe in being grateful even when things suck, here’s my bomb threat gratitude list:
- There was no actual bomb.
- There was no mass shooter.
- It was “only” 104 outside. It’s Tucson in July. It could’ve been 112.
- Someone 50 or 60 years ago planted a eucalyptus tree on a street corner right by campus. I don’t want to think about how awful it would have been to have to stand in the sun for more than an hour.
- Bomb-sniffing dogs exist, along with their handlers and the other officers who managed the situation.
- I grabbed my purse before evacuating (even though we aren’t supposed to), so I had my wallet and keys.
So what did I do after all that excitement? Went home, finished working, then crawled into bed to watch Mindhunter to relax.
Memes! (with no serial killers or bomb threats)
No theme this week, just random ridiculousness I found in random ridiculous places.
Health and wellness
I’m pretty sure there were several days this week when my FitBit thought I was dead. Apparently eating junk food and watching Mindhunter doesn’t count as exercise.
Mmm… pancakes.
Truth.
GenX life
Me: Accompanying my father to his drunk driving trial at age 5 (instructions from my father: stand up when the judge walks in, sit down when everyone else does, and don’t make any noise). Home alone at age 6 (safety instructions from my parents: “If someone comes to the door, don’t open it.”) Canning tomatoes (while home alone) in a big ol’ pressure canner at age 12. Buying old car batteries for my dad’s scrap metal business from various shady characters at age 11 or 12. Placing bets on horse races with my dad’s (almost certainly mob-connected) bookie at age 13.
I’m not saying a dysfunctional childhood is a good thing, but it provides lots of fodder for fiction and dark humor.
Yet, after all that life experience, I still feel like this:
I’m now this old:
Or this old:
Yet also this immature:
And then there’s the GenX pop culture:
Weird Al is a national treasure, and “You Oughta Know” is my favorite angry breakup song.
OK, back to the memes:
And finally, as I endure another Tucson summer without any interesting travel planned:
Have a great week! May all your bomb threats and serial killers be for entertainment purposes only.
23 Comments
Lydia C. Lee
It’s very sad that straight after bomb threat you go to active shooter. I can’t imagine having to deal with that head space as normal. I’ve seen bomb sniffer dogs in action and even a little robot diffuse a suspected bomb in Paris (a plane load of Australians all stood watching because we were stupid and bombs were kind of a not real thing to us….the security kept asking me to explain it was a bomb to them and I said “Oh, we know. It’s exciting” and he just looked at me like I was insane….anyway, I was young and naive and lived to tell the tale so all good. #WeekendCoffeeShare
Janet Alcorn
I can see why it would be exciting to watch (from a safe distance).
I hate that we have to think about mass shootings. Someone shot up an elementary school in California in the late 80s just a few months after I did field work there. I don’t dwell on the risk, but I can’t help but think about it, and it sucks.
Natalie
Thank you for your weekend coffee share and funny memes. I’m glad that no bomb was found. Stay cool.
Janet Alcorn
Thanks!
Bobbiem91
And here I am upset that I missed the shooting in Ash Fork. We heard the shots, but didn’t know what was happening. It a a dispute between two different groups. No one hurt but shots were fired. There is a reason for no guns if you’re drinking.
Janet Alcorn
I might get upset about missing an earthquake, but I’m never, ever upset about missing a shooting. And yes, definitely no guns while drinking. Remember the NAU shooting back in 2015 or so? Would totally not have happened if those guys hadn’t been drinking.
Debbie
Always enjoy your #weekendcoffeeshare posts Janet! And your others too, the memes always give me a smile, I don’t know where you find them!
Janet Alcorn
I’m in a couple of meme groups on Facebook that keep me supplied with good material.
Writing Sparkle
My husband and I watch Mindhunter a while back. It was only 1 season then. We enjoyed it. Is there more then 1 season now?
Bomb threat, mass shooter…there are no words.
Janet Alcorn
There are 2 seasons now, and it looks like there may not be more. We just started season 2 a couple of days ago. I’m not a big TV person, but that show has me hooked.
And yeah, I hate the level of background anxiety we live with b/c of the violence in our world. I’m a generally calm, optimistic person, but I can’t ignore the fear entirely.
Writing Sparkle
Okay, I am going to check that out. We just finished watch Lost and need something else in the evening after the kids go to bed. Thanks Janet.
I just think of home as the safe place that I look forward to returning to after a day out and about in our crumbling world. I’m hopeful that things will swing towards a more peaceful way…
trent
I understand your bomb scare grateful list 100%. And even in our “cool” weather, shade is a very good thing when having to stand around outside!
So, some random person did a pun on a song and Alanis Morissette stop int to do a new pun, which brought Weird Al in? Wow, I am sure that made that random persons week!
Thinking of weeks, I hope you have a good week next week, perhaps a little cooler and fewer things like bomb scares going on.
Janet Alcorn
Yeah, I bet the person with the Alanis meme is still bragging. If it were me, I’d never shut up about it. Hope you have a great week too!
csuhpat1
That is so crazy. Wow.
Hopefully it gets a little cooler for you.
I am a Gen Xer who had a crazy childhood. A lot of stuff I grew up knowing would not be cool now (Like knowing how to freebase cocaine at 8 for example).
Hope you have a wonderful week.
Janet Alcorn
Crazy childhoods make for great stories! Hope you have a wonderful week too.
Deborah Drucker
The memes are funny. Not fun to have bomb threats, crazy. Good it turned out ok.
Janet Alcorn
Thanks!
rawsonjl
So glad the bomb threat was false! Yikes. I’m sort of the opposite… so far this July I’ve read 12 books and have spent zero time on social media and have zero idea what’s happening on the news. LOL. I find I’m much happier living in my own little fantasy world.. when something real big and news worthy does hit I usually hear about it anyway.
Janet Alcorn
That’s smart. I’m doing a bit better at staying away from the news. I read a lot this weekend and mostly avoided social media. It was lovely.
leannelc
Hi Janet – nothing beats a bomb scare for ruining your afternoon. We had an idiot walk in the door at work and hit the alarm button and walk back out. The whole building had to be evacuated (protocol) and we all stood around in the carpark for half an hour knowing there was no emergency…..but following the rules until we were allowed back in. Crazy times indeed. Glad you didn’t have a shooter.
Janet Alcorn
Ugh. Why do people do these things?
Gary A Wilson
Ah – the old, I forgot to start my [some liberal arts] paper and decided that a bomb threat was my only option and so . . .
Our class got a one day extension as a result of my good will.
The only question that remains is why anyone thought it was a good idea to build a university in Tucson and why they don’t make AC repair a required elective as a life critical skill if you live there?
Hey I just wrote and posted a story you might like. I unpack a criminal effort just to see if I could do one in less than 1500 words.
I’ve quite a way to go to be ready to play in your markets but it was fun.
https://garyawilsonstories.wordpress.com/a-window-with-a-dramatic-view-n2w-220725/
Fun stuff those memes – but now I’m left wanting some chips. . .
Janet Alcorn
Can’t blame the liberal arts folks for this one – the College of Nursing was the target. I haven’t heard anything more about it, so I’m guessing they haven’t arrested anyone.
I liked the story! Nothing like a good twist ending involving defenstration.