{"id":5211,"date":"2022-07-22T09:33:38","date_gmt":"2022-07-22T16:33:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/janetalcorn.com\/staging\/1364\/?p=5211"},"modified":"2022-07-22T09:33:40","modified_gmt":"2022-07-22T16:33:40","slug":"a-bomb-threat-and-more-serial-killers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/janetalcorn.com\/staging\/1364\/2022\/07\/22\/a-bomb-threat-and-more-serial-killers\/","title":{"rendered":"A bomb threat and more serial killers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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<\/a>, hosted by Natalie the Explorer<\/a>! It’s also What’s on Your Bookshelf Challenge <\/a>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<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

More serial killers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bomb threat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And wait. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And wait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because I believe in being grateful even when things suck, here’s my bomb threat gratitude list:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • There was no actual bomb.<\/li>
  • There was no mass shooter.<\/li>
  • It was “only” 104 outside. It’s Tucson in July. It could’ve been 112.<\/li>
  • 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. <\/li>
  • Bomb-sniffing dogs exist, along with their handlers and the other officers who managed the situation. <\/li>
  • I grabbed my purse before evacuating (even though we aren’t supposed to), so I had my wallet and keys.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    So what did I do after all that excitement? Went home, finished working, then crawled into bed to watch Mindhunter to relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Memes! (with no serial killers or bomb threats)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    No theme this week, just random ridiculousness I found in random ridiculous places. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Health and wellness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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    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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Mmm… pancakes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    GenX life<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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    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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I’m not saying a dysfunctional childhood is a good thing, but it provides lots of fodder for fiction and dark humor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Yet, after all that life experience, I still feel like this: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    I’m now this old: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Or this old: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Yet also this immature: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    And then there’s the GenX pop culture: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Weird Al is a national treasure, and “You Oughta Know” is my favorite angry breakup song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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