The earthquake thread got me to thinking about the Loma Prieta earthquake back in '89, which in turn (as it always seems to) got me to thinking about things that are stuck in my mind even though I’d rather they weren’t. In the case of the earthquake, I remember reading news reports of the freeway overpass going down in Oakland, and one report referred to rescue workers finding a brain. For some reason, that really bothered me (and things like that don’t normally bother me). From then on, the image of this brain just sitting there next to crushed cars has been etched in my mind.
Another example–in the mid-'90s, I used to listen to Howard Stern at work (I have no idea why now). He was discussing a news story, which I’d heard but not at the same level of detail elsewhere, where the husband of a newlywed couple fell overboard off a cruise ship and was eaten by a shark in front of his horrified wife. But it got worse–they caught the shark, which proceeded to disgorge half of the man’s torso onto the deck. I can’t remember if the woman was present at the time (I hope not!) but just the thought of what that poor woman must have endured (not to mention the man, but I feel sorrier for the wife) has remained with me ever since then. I would very much like to get rid of this image as well.
Anybody else? Do you have images or memories that you’d love to expunge? I’m not talking so much about personal or embarrassing memories, but rather things that were irrelevant to you but that disturbed you so much you can’t shake them.
My best friend’s husband once e-mailed me a photo w/no explanation. I opened it and it was a photo from a real crash scene of a motorcyclist who had been decapitated. His head was sitting on the road next to the headless body still on the bike. Thanks, man.
Several years ago while walking among the crowds in downtown Rio de Janeiro with my wife, we were waiting for a traffic signal to change so we could cross. There were street vendors and people everywhere. The traffic was noisy. The smell of diesel hung heavy in the air.
And then I looked down by the curb and saw a dying cat. It was a grey tabby and it had been struck by a car just moments before. I suppose what creeped me out the most was that its mouth was opening and closing very slowly as it died.
My wife didn’t see it, and when I mentioned it a few weeks ago she was thankful she hadn’t.
Anything by Bon Jovi. I don’t listen to them on purpose, but sometimes it’s just on and well his hooks are so damn catchy they stick with me for days. The worst thing is, it’ll just be the one line, not even a chunk of the song. I’ll just hear
“Shot through the heart and you’re to blame, you give love a bad name”
“Shot through the heart and you’re to blame, you give love a bad name”
“Shot through the heart and you’re to blame, you give love a bad name”
“Shot through the heart and you’re to blame, you give love a bad name”
“Shot through the heart and you’re to blame, you give love a bad name”
“Shot through the heart and you’re to blame, you give love a bad name”
“Shot through the heart and you’re to blame, you give love a bad name”
“Shot through the heart and you’re to blame, you give love a bad name”
“Shot through the heart and you’re to blame, you give love a bad name”
“Shot through the heart and you’re to blame, you give love a bad name”
For days and days and days and days and day and days
Now if anyone would like to cleanse their brain of that lyric, I’ll replace it with this one
“You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and their you have, the facts of life, the facts of life” lather rinse repeat.
On 9/11, newsclips of Palestinians cheering and celebrating the WTC attacks was shown repeatedly. (Here is a clip) I remember being so outraged by it that I would have launched retaliatory napalm strikes while they were still dancing in the streets if I had the power to do so.
Now, anytime there is news coverage from the Middle East, that is the first thing that comes to my mind -even if it the news is something positive. And because of those scenes, I really can’t feel any compassion for Palestinians and Muslims in general, no matter how much injustice they’ve been dealt by America, the west, or Israel.
I understand your anger and frustration, but you’re being a bit harsh, don’t you think? You’re encapsulating millions of people with your statement, many of whom condemn the acts of 9/11 as severely as we do.
Umm, I thought those clips had been pretty much shown to be not what they purported to be? (I.e., edited footage of people celebrating something else, made to look like there was a 9/11 connection).
I can’t look at the YouTube link from here, so if it’s a different clip to what I’m thinking of and is genuine, then ignore me.
A girl. She was from Panama and had the most perfect cafe au late skin. She was naked, sleeping with he face down in the pillow. The moonlight filtered through the louvered windows.
I think everybody has seen some disturbing images they’d rather forget, but if you’re spending a lot of time trying to get these things out of your head, or experiencing a lot of anxiety about it, consider seeing a psychiatrist. You may have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
The goatse guy. Saw him for the first and last time seven or eight years ago, and when people say there ain’t enough brain bleach in the world…that’s what they’re talking about.
