#Debra Austin

[littletroubledgrrrl]

[baddawg94]

“WWF RAW ATTITUDE VOLUME 2” VHS (1998)

[alicefredrickson]

“this active space where a kind of magic happens… it’s not a scrapbook, it’s not a diary, it’s this place.”

"The journal is not so much a way of diarizing one’s life, but a portable studio, a place where you can hang out, with your imagination, your intuition, your inspiration." -Paulus Berensohn

[oceanusborealis]

That ’90s Show: Season 1 – TV Review

TL;DR – While it had a rough start, it found its feet and became something full of charm. ⭐⭐⭐ Rating: 3 out of 5. Disclosure – I paid for the Netflix service that viewed this series. That ’90s Show Review – The wheel of nostalgia always grinds on, and I think that was why I didn’t think much of when they announced that they would be doing a follow-up to That ‘70s Show set in the 1990s. This…

[thisismeracing]

HI! 🤍

Mick + (loving) Fan + fluff

I know you said just one Word but i was thinking about how would be if Mick Falls in love with a Fan 🥺

Fan | MS47

⸺ the one where it's her birthday and besides the paddock passes, she got a date. ✓ mentions of throwing up and anxiety, but nothing graphic or major.

⁕ one word, a thousand stories blurb night (closed) ⁕ my masterlist and my taglist

When Yn's best friend told her their friends came together to get her a birthday gift she had been waiting for her whole life, she did NOT expect it to be paddock passes. Vip and all.

It took her the whole trip to Austin; she was still in awe even then. Still trying to gather how loved she was, even though a little nagging voice would try to tell her otherwise. Her friends knew she loved Formula 1, knew she wanted to go to a race for a long time, and knew how this would be the best birthday she ever had.

That's how Yn found herself wrapped in her favorite coat, wearing her favorite pair of jeans and beat-up Converse, trying to keep her body from jumping excitedly like a little kid who's about to meet their famous Disney character.

In reality, she was just a young adult about to meet her favorite driver if the circumstances helped her.

"Tell everyone how you're feeling, Yn!" her friend, Debra, who volunteered to come to Texas with her, was recording everything to their friend group chat.

"I'm actually feeling sick, I- what if I throw up on Lewis' shoes??? Omg- and what if-" Her mind started to go places and Debra chuckled with the camera in her hands, holding Yn's shoulders with her free one.

"Yn, calm down! It's gonna be alright, you'll see," Debra reassured.

And off they went. They were able to meet Russell and Carmen who was a sweetheart with the pair of friends, they thought it was cute how nervous Yn was, so nervous she called George by Carmen and started rambling about how much she loved Mundt's Instagram account. Then it came Charles Leclerc and even Debra was a bit thrown off by how handsome and friendly he was. They met a bunch of other drivers and members of their crews, everyone but Yn's favorite duo: Lewis and Mick.

Luckily for her, Debra was on a mission, and she practically dragged Yn to the Mercedes garage before it was impossible to get a glimpse of anything. And as it happens, it only took twenty minutes after Lewis was spotted for the small garage to start gathering some people in its front. He was extremely attentive, wished Yn happy birthday, and went as far as to tell her he would try and get her a birthday podium to which she almost burst into happiness.

"Are you ok?" Debra asked right after the exchange with the eight-time world champion.

Yn nodded, but her friend saw the way her chest puffed in a deep breath, "I'm just- a bit anxious... too many people around now," Yn explained, pointing behind her back, "I'm gonna run to the bathroom real quick, wait for me in here. I'll be back in a sec."

Off she went, but instead of running to the restrooms, Yn made a beeline in the direction of the motorhome. Behind it to be more precise. Where no one was around, and all the noise seemed to lessen a bit.

She sat on the ground, back propped against the wall of the motorhome. The hum helped to calm her nerves. Yn took off her shoes, feeling the cold ground under her feet, and taking small breaths.

"This is real. It's really real, and I deserve this nice reality," she whispered to herself, thinking back about how lucky she was in that sea of fans.

"Huh- hi?"

"Ok, now that's not real, total creation of your anxious mind," she mumbled to herself, staring up and down the blond guy in front of her.

Mick snickered.

"What's with the shoes?" he asked, and Yn moved her hands to the ground now.

"I'm just trying to ground myself, to make my body believe what's happening is real. My fingers are pretty cold now, but for some reason, I still can't wrap my head around this minute right here.' She ranted nervously, and Mick removed his signature black Puma shoes, sitting right beside her.

He carefully bumped their shoulders, "It does feel nice, I have to give you that."

Yn nods, bracing her knees in front of her body and staring ahead.

"Were you anxious?"

"A bit. I don't know why, I'm usually good with too many people." She explains.

"I get exactly what you're saying."

"Is this really happening or am I hallucinating? Can you pinch me?"

Mick chuckled and pinched Yn's arm.

"Do things like this usually happen with VIP people?" Yn asks after a beat. She wanted to question Mick about a bunch of things outside racing, she wanted to know his favorite color for real, his favorite food, and something he liked to cook, and if he collected something from his travels, she wanted to hear something random about him that people probably did not bother to ask or didn't care enough to pay attention to, yet that was all she could manage: is it common? those interactions?

And his answer surprised her. Not only his spoken words but his roaming curious eyes, "nah, the passes usually just grant you a picture and a quick 'how are you' if you're lucky."

"What am I then? Since we're exchanging more than the small talk.."

Mick's pink lips curled in a smile, "I can think of a few things I wanted you to be." He glances down at her, eyes scanning her face, before adding, "My date to watch today's race, for example."

There was silence for a beat and then Yn's booming laughter embraced them, "Ain't no way Mick Schumacher is flirting with me. I really must be hallucinating. Oh- what if I threw up on Lewis shoes and passed out and now I'm dreaming to make myself feel better while Debra tries to wake me up?"

It was Schumacher's turn to laugh.

"You have a beautiful laugh," she pointed.

"You too," the blonde shot back.

This time when their eyes met neither of them tried to shy away, instead their lips curled in a smile. Something passed between that stare, and Mick and Yn knew with certainty that was the start of something new and beautiful.

― ⋆🪩 VOICEMAIL: HI, I AM BACK, I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKED IT <3 Make sure to reblog and leave me a comment, love y'all *mwah*

[mariacallous]

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas Supreme Court upheld the state’s ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youths Friday, rejecting pleas from parents that it violates their right to decide on and seek medical care for their children.

The 8-1 ruling from the all-Republican court leaves in place a law that has been in effect since Sept. 1, 2023. Texas is the largest of at least 25 states that have adopted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors.

The Texas law prevents transgender people under 18 from accessing hormone therapies, puberty blockers and transition surgeries, though surgical procedures are rarely performed on children. Children who had already started the medications had to taper off their use.

“We conclude the Legislature made a permissible, rational policy choice to limit the types of available medical procedures for children, particularly in light of the relative nascency of both gender dysphoria and its various modes of treatment and the Legislature’s express constitutional authority to regulate the practice of medicine,” Justice Rebeca Aizpuru Huddle wrote in the court’s decision.

The lawsuit that challenged the Texas law argued it devastates transgender teens who are unable to obtain critical treatment recommended by their physicians and parents. The Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law estimates about 29,800 people ages 13-17 in Texas identify as transgender.

The only justice dissenting with Friday’s ruling said the Texas Supreme Court was allowing the state to “legislate away fundamental parental rights.”

“The State’s categorical statutory prohibition prevents these parents, and many others, from developing individualized treatment plans for their children in consultation with their physicians, even the children for whom treatment could be lifesaving,” Justice Debra Lehrmann wrote in a dissenting opinion. “The law is not only cruel — it is unconstitutional.”

A lower court had ruled the law unconstitutional, but it was allowed to take effect while the state Supreme Court considered the case.

Texas’ Republican attorney general, Ken Paxton, vowed in a post on the social platform X after the ruling that his office “will use every tool at our disposal to ensure that doctors and medical institutions follow the law.”

Advocates criticized the ruling.

“It is impossible to overstate the devastating impact of this ruling on Texas transgender youth and the families that love and support them,” said Karen Loewy, senior counsel and director of Constitutional Law Practice at Lambda Legal, which was among the groups that sued the state on behalf of doctors and families.

“Our government shouldn’t deprive trans youth of the health care that they need to survive and thrive,” said Ash Hall, policy and advocacy strategist for LGBTQIA+ rights at ACLU of Texas. “Texas politicians’ obsession with attacking trans kids and their families is needlessly cruel.”

The law includes exemptions for children experiencing early puberty or who have “a medically verifiable genetic disorder of sex development.”

Such exemptions underscore the law’s discriminatory nature, said Dr. Jack Drescher, a psychiatry professor at Columbia University who edited the section about gender dysphoria in the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic manual. Gender dysphoria is the psychological distress experienced by those whose gender expression does not match their gender identity and is a required diagnosis before treatments can begin.

“They’re saying if you’re not a transgender child and you need these drugs, you can have them, but if you’re a transgender child who might benefit from these drugs, then sorry, you have to move to another state,” Drescher said.

The restrictions on health care are part of a larger backlash against transgender rights, touching on everything from bathroom access to participation in sports. Former President Donald Trump has vowed to pursue other measures that would restrict the rights of transgender people if he wins the November election, including a ban on gender-affirming care for minors at the federal level.

As more states move to enforce health care restrictions, families of transgender youths are increasingly forced to travel out of state for the care they need at clinics with growing waiting lists. At least 13 states have laws protecting care for transgender minors.

Most of the states that have passed restrictions face lawsuits, and the U.S. Supreme Court recently agreed to hear an appeal from the Biden administration attempting to block state bans on gender-affirming care. The case before the high court involves a Tennessee law that restricts puberty blockers and hormone therapy for transgender minors, similar to the Texas law.

Gender-affirming care for transgender youths is supported by major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychiatric Association and the Endocrine Society.

In a concurring opinion, one justice dismissed the position of the medical groups.

“The fact that expert witnesses or influential interest groups like the American Psychiatric Association disagree with the Legislature’s judgment is entirely irrelevant to the constitutional question,” Justice James Blacklock wrote. “The Texas Constitution authorizes the Legislature to regulate ‘practitioners of medicine.’”

Texas officials defended the law as necessary to protect children and noted a myriad of other restrictions for minors on tattoos, alcohol, tobacco and certain over-the-counter drugs.

Several doctors who treat transgender children testified in a lower court hearing that patients risk deteriorating mental health, which could possibly lead to suicide, if they are denied safe and effective treatment.

The ban was signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, the first governor to order the investigation of families of transgender minors who receive gender-affirming care.

[barbiebutgayer]

Celebrities who are supporting Isr*el-

#boycotthollywood 🇵🇸

Gal Gadot

Mayim Bialik

Madonna

Baby Israel, I mean, Ariel

Adam Sandler

Brett Gelman

Bob Odenkirk

Amy Schumer

Floyd Mayweather

Jerry Seinfeld

Jamie Lee Curtis

Chris Pine

Mark Hamill

Howie Mandel

George Lopez

Ryan Murphy

Noah Schnapp

Millie Bobby Brown

Justin Bieber

Hailey Bieber

Florence Pugh

Natalie Portman

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Jack Black

Jeremy Shada

Liev Schreiber

Selena Gomez

Kris Jenner

Kim Kardashian

Kylie Jenner

Scooter Braun

Micheal Rapaport

Montana Tucker

James Maslow

U2

Emily Austin

Gregg Sulkin

Barbra Streisand

Nathaniel Buzolic

Ronen Rubinstein

Isla Fisher

Yael Grobglas

Sofia Richie

Ashley Tisdale

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Nina Dobrev

Andy Cohen

Mindy Kaling

Blake Lively

Ryan Reynolds

Dwayne Johnson

Kathy Griffin

Debra Messing

Timothée Chalamet

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Tom Brady

Mark Zuckerberg

Alec Baldwin

Jordan Peele

LeBron James

Rosie O’Donald

Tyler Perry

Gwyneth Paltrow

Chris Rock

Bradley Cooper

Justin Timberlake

Jon Hamm

Judd Apatow

Julianna Margulies

Karlie Kloss

Katy Perry

Orlando Bloom

Olivia Wilde

Brooke Shields

Tiffany Haddish

Will Ferrell

James Corden

Courteney Cox

Diane Von Furstenberg

Ben Savage

Josh Peck

Ivanka Trump

Van Jones

Leonardo DiCaprio

Quentin Tarantino

Casey Neistat

Ethan Klein

Hila Klein

Moses Hacmon

Trisha Paytas

Drew Barrymore

Caroline D'Amore

and these are only some, there’s so many more people :(

[ourhistorytoo]

For Choosing Children: Launching the Lesbian Mom Boom (1985) Debra Chasnoff and Kim Klausner tell the story of 6 lesbian - headed families. In this interview, Rochelle Austin, describes being denied having her girlfriend in the room for support during her delivery.

Given the Black maternal and infant mortality rate discussion, it is notable that Rochelle had to be sedated several times and passed out. At what had to be one of the most frightening times in her life, she was denied basic human sympathy.

After this emergency, her social worker then asked who her girlfriend was. She had to explain in front of a board, hospital officials, and her social worker that her girlfriend was her lover. Her daughter was born prematurely and was in critical condition but this didn't stop nurses from mocking her and her girlfriend's desire to raise their child jointly.

What the nurses did would likely be considered "fine", by the same people who threaten violence for anything that might happen to their own families. Choosing Children: Launching the Lesbian Mom Boom (1985) can be found on Kanopy. I haven't found it streaming anywhere else.

Interestingly, there are a few articles on Newspapers.com about this video. One even features a picture of Rochelle and her son, Elhorin, who also appears in the film's trailer.

[wrestlinghistorywithkay]

Happy Heavenly Birthday to the late , great , ‘ King of Harts ’ , Owen Hart. Owen would have been 59 years old today.

Owen Hart is the youngest brother of Bret ‘ The Hitman ’ Hart and son of Stampede Wrestling Promoters , Stu and Helen Hart. (Stampede Wrestling was a promotion in Canada founded by Stu Hart , the Patriarch of the Hart family in 1948. The wrestling school for the promotion was known as The Dungeon. It has many graduates such as Bret Hart , Owen Hart, Chris Jericho , Davy Boy Smith , and the only female graduate, Natalya. ) Owen started his wrestling career in high school in 1983. He placed 4th in wrestling in college at the University of Calgary in 1984. He worked for Stampede wrestling and earned title of Rookie of The Year for Pro Wrestling Illustrated ( PWI ) Magazine in 1987. However, he left Stampede to be a member of the New Japan Pro Wrestling ( NJPW) roster in 1988.

Owen was signed to Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation ( WWF) in 1988 , with a superhero gimmick known as ‘ The Blue Blazer ’. Nevertheless , this gimmick would be the one to take his life eleven years later. He returned to Stampede and NJPW in 1989. Hart made his return to the WWF in 1991 , teaming alongside Brother In Law, Jim ‘ The Anvil ’ Neidhart ( father of current WWE Superstar, Natalya) and calling themselves , The New Foundation. Neidhart was teaming with Owen’s older brother , Bret, before Bret decided to try out a run as a Singles wrestler. Hart also teamed with Koko B Ware as High Energy. Owen followed in Bret’s footsteps as a Singles wrestler in 1993.

Owen was in a storyline with Bret from 1993 to 1995 to see who was the better wrestler in the family. After Survivor Series 1993 , Owen changed his gear from colorful to Bret’s signature pink and black to be like him. He also decided to use the Sharpshooter, Bret’s finisher, to add to this new Heel gimmick. He added , ‘ King Of Harts ’ , to the gear after winning King of The Ring in 1994. His original nickname was ‘ The Rocket ’. The Hart Brothers had a match at Wrestlemania X the same year. They also had a Steel Cage match at Summerslam of the same year. In 1995 , he teamed with Yokozuna and was managed by Jim Cornette as well as Mr.Fuji to form ‘ Camp Cornette ’ , winning the WWF Tag Team Championships.

In 1996-1997 , Owen teamed with Bret , Brother in Laws, Davey Boy Smith ( The British Bulldog) , Jim ‘ The Anvil ’ Neidhart , and family friend , ‘ Loose Cannon ’ Brian Pillman ( father of WWE NXT wrestler , Lexis King ) , to reform the Hart Foundation. Owen defeated Rocky Maivia ( The Rock ) , to win his first Intercontinental Championship for the first time in 1997. He also was tag team champions with The British Bulldog the same year, thus , they lost the titles to Stone Cold Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels. After the Montreal Screwjob , Owen returned with a new gimmick , The Black Hart. This gimmick meant he wanted to get justice for Bret and his family against Vince McMahon and D-Generation X ( DX) , mainly Shawn Michaels. He joined the Nation of Domination the same year and ended his run with the faction in 1998.

Owen soon formed a tag team with best friend , Jeff Jarrett , in 1998. He decided to use the Blue Blazer gimmick to develop the storyline. He kept denying that he was the superhero and he claimed to be ‘ retired ’. Whole doing this , Hart and Jarrett defeated Ken Shamrock and The Big Bossman in 1999 to win the tag team championships. Their manager at the time was Debra McMichael , also known as Debra.

On May 23,1999 at the WWF Over The Edge Pay Per View in Kansas City, Missouri, would be the last time Owen Hart would ever be the Blue Blazer . While being lowered into the ring for a match against The Godfather for the Intercontinental Championship, he fell almost 80 feet into the ring. This was thought to be a part of his dramatic and funny entrance for the character. However, it was not. He landed on his chest on the top rope before being thrown into the ring. Owen James Hart passed away at the hospital from Internal Bleeding due to his injuries at the age of 34. He left behind his wife Martha, and two children , Oje and Athena , as well as his huge family. The tribute episode of Monday Night Raw for Owen aired May 24, 1999. This episode of the show was called RAW is Owen, with wrestlers giving their memories of him and Steve Austin coming down to the ring and saluting him by holding a beer to his photo. Jeff Jarrett defeated The Godfather and became the new Intercontinental Champion. Jarrett soon screamed his name after getting the belt.

On an episode of WCW Monday Nitro , Bret Hart wanted to face Chris Benoit as a tribute to his fallen brother in the same arena where Owen died. This happened October 5th , 1999, five months after Owen passed away.

Martha Hart is currently keeping her husband’s legacy alive with All Elite Wrestling. In 2021 , she alongside AEW President , Tony Khan, announced the Owen Hart Cup Tournament. Winners of this tournament include Adam Cole and Britt Baker. Owen is also a character in AEW Fight Forever.

My Final Thoughts:

Owen Hart was a once in a lifetime wrestler. If he didn’t pass away so young and tragically, he would have went on to be a world champion. Owen , thank you for everything. Even though I didn’t get to watch you live and I was an infant when you passed away, you still made an impact on me as a fan. I watch your matches on the internet and streaming services. You’re one of the coolest people. You will always be to me. Happy Heavenly Birthday , I and many others will always love and miss you. This post is my tribute to you. - Kay

* TW: Falling , Death *

[cowboymenace]

Speculating About Ric Flair

Now I doubt that Ric Flair or his people will find this write up but I'm gonna be using the word allegedly a lot because I will be speculating about what Ric Flair is really doing in AEW.

On October 25th, 2023 Ric Flair would be revealed as Tony Khan's gift to Sting as a part of Sting Retirement Story. Sting and Flair are one of the most iconic rivalries in Wrestling History, the two even wrestled on the very last Nitro. This should have been met with rejoicing, right? No. Many online fans voiced their displeasure with the signing of Flair citing the sexual assault that occurred on the infamous plane ride from hell. This incident became much more well known due to the Darkside of the Ring series covering the whole ordeal. There's also Teddy Long going on the record stating that Flair had said heinous slurs to him and has yet to apologize

What's even worse in my opinion is Tony Khan dunking on Vince McMahon's alleged history of sexual misconduct, and yet still bringing in Flair anyways. It makes it apparent that Tony does not care about the victims, and was scoring a cheap dig against his competitor.

Another layer to this, is the promotion of Flair's brand of energy drink. I will not be mentioning its name nor its image since that would be indirectly promoting it as well. Each week now, there's a portion of the entrance stage dedicated to promoting the drink. The commentary desk has three cans of different flavors on display. It feels so bleak and dare I say carny. This is a major strike against Tony Khan's credibility about a promoter.

On the November 29th episode of Dynamite, Ric Flair would cut a promo backstage. The promo went on and on, you just can't help but to feel some iota of sadness watching this shell of a man trying to recapture faded glory. Watch for yourself if you wish, just be warned it's bleak.

The reaction was brutal. So much so that now Flair is threatening to leave. Fellow veterans like Chris Jericho (who punched a female fan in 2008) and Stone Cold Steve Austin (who beat Debra, something he pleaded no contest to) voiced their support. Something something birds of a feather.

On Jericho's end, this is insane. He narrated each episode of Darkside of the Ring. He read out loud what Flair did. This makes him incredibly scummy, but I digress. Back to Flair

Flair has also stated that younger talents have not approached him for advice. This is adding to the criticism of the AEW lockerroom being full of young guys who do not take older veterans' advice, but Taz has dispelled that.

If anything, this tells us that no one wishes to interact with Flair. Why should they? They know about his history and how he seems to not have atone for it. Why is this man getting a paycheck in a company that is trying its hardest to remove toxicity from the lockerroom? I do not blame those avoiding him like the plague.

So this seems like a misreading of the room by Tony Khan, and a huge waste of time for Ric right? But what if this was the goal?

In 2009 Ric Flair was brought into ROH as an authority figure. Flair had just finished his retirement run in the WWE and was moving on. However, Flair would No-Show after being paid

Flair was paid 35K for the position and was going to get 10K per appearance. He took the money and left. ROH then responded by announcing a lawsuit.

Recently Ric Flair was on an episode of Kill Tony, a comedy show where a panel of veteran comedians and celebrities would judge one minute sets by amateurs. His appearance was odd. He was slurring his words and would not engage with the show. He would ramble on about donating time and he then went on to leave in the middle of the show. It was bizarre, could it have been he was not anticipating how mean the show is to participants. Or did he figure he got paid anyway and just dip? Now I am merely speculating, I am not sure if Tony paid him or this was a favor. I can imagine anything with Flair requires payments but again I'm just speculating.

Now this brings us to Flair in AEW. Is Flair looking for an exit after getting some money out of Tony Khan, who happily gave it to him? This is what I believe is Flair's current move. He has a history of not fulfilling his commitments, and he may just be doing it again, allegedly, parody, in minecraft. Satire.

If Flair does leave I hope that this is a lesson to Tony never meet your heroes, they may try to rip you off (Allegeldy!!!!)

[littletroubledgrrrl]

A party held for Rob Van Dam.

[aritamargarita]

ATTITUDE || 019

HELLO MY ATTITUDIANS (i thought that name was funny).

shout out to chapter 19. gotta be one of my favorite chapters,,it’s crazy how we made it to 19 already. this also has to be one of my favorite covers so far, the girlies look so nice here. please put your seatbelts on because this chapter is JUICY you thought last chapter was crazy? oh man. this chapter will also be split btw

now i can make this joke: 19 dollar fortnite card. who wants it? and yes. im giving it away.

VENGEANCE IS HERE. This is a very big night for you. It’s something you’ve been waiting for. Just to get your hands on Torrie and finish what she started.

The camera pans up on Doctor Smiley, who’s going through some of his notes.

“I know this night is very important to you. I’m glad you came. Debra gave me a call, she’s concerned you’ve been…..on a downward spiral.”

Once the camera switches towards you, the crowd cheers.

You’re not sure what he means. You’ve never felt better. “Well, I feel fine. There’s nothing wrong, from what I know of.”

Doctor Smiley simply nods, then writes something down. It’s silent for a moment, but he looks up towards you. “Plaid?”

“What about it?”

“New, isn’t it?” He questions. “If my memory serves correctly, that seems a little off from your normal attire.” It’s not much, but the jacket you’re wearing is telling him a lot. “Well, to be more modern, it’s just not your style.”

It makes a small smile grow on your face, the thought of Raven clouding your mind. You cross your legs. “A little recommendation from a friend, that’s all. Don’t you think I look nice?”

You’re reticent. He should’ve known. He also pencils this down, not answering your other question. “Right. I’m sure. Speaking of friends…how do you feel about Torrie Wilson? It’s to my understanding you two aren’t seeing eye to eye.”

What a wonderful question.

“When I think about Torrie, all I have are negative feelings.” You say. “I feeel…like I want to give her comeuppance.”

“…Would you say you want vengeance?”

“Yeah.” You nod. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

BACKSTAGE // 6:56 PM

Earlier that night, you and Torrie were going back and forth in the training center, rehearsing the match for the night. You two had a decent amount of spots, not too over the top. All you two wanted to do was to showcase your strength and hers.

Outside of a kayfabe standpoint, having a match with her made you thrilled. It reminded you of the ones you had in WCW from time to time.

It’s shaping up to be a good night. Even the other matches had you excited.

SCOTTY 2 HOTTY & ALBERT VS. CHRISTIAN AND TEST

EDGE VS. WILLIAM REGAL (INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP)

[NAME] VS. TORRIE WILSON

JEFF HARDY VS. MATT HARDY

DUDLEY BOYZ VS. KANE AND BIG SHOW (TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS)

THE UNDERTAKER VS. ROB VAN DAM (HARDCORE CHAMPIONSHIP)

TRISH STRATUS VS. JACQUELINE (WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP)

CHRIS JERICHO VS. THE ROCK VS. STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN VS. KURT ANGLE

You plan to interfere with Matt and Jeff’s match after your own. Whether it be attacking Lita or purposely messing both men up, you’re there to cause trouble.

Truth be told, you’re going to try and fuck with everyone tonight and if anyone tries to fuck with your match, they’ve got a world full of pain coming back, tenfold.

But your match…..you’d finally show the WWF universe how happy you were. How happy that Raven finally took you under his wing, he made you his and you felt like you were apart of him.

You’ll tell the world as much as soon as you get into that ring.

Before that, Lita needed to be dealt with. You need to show her who she’s dealing with.

You want to get inside her head and most importantly, you want to worm your way inside the mind of Matt and Jeff. Those Hardy Boyz. Everyone loves them. You’d hear everyone scream for them as loud as they could whenever they’d show up.

Everyone loves Team Extreme!

You don’t.

You hate Team Extreme.

It’s clear to you that you have one brother wrapped around your finger already. The other wasn’t too easy to sway.

So before you know it, you find yourself rummaging through her suitcase like a madman. Cargo pants, crop tops…something that’ll make you look like Lita. Would fishnets top it all off?

For a moment, you considered buying a red wig so you could even mock her flaming hair. Is there enough time?

…Yes, yes there is. There’s always enough time. You’ll find a way to make it work after your match.

While you originally considered coming out to Edge’s match, you knew that wound was still fresh and you were still thinking of plans for him. It wouldn’t be fun if you did interference every match, honestly. You wanted to mix things up.

Actually, wait. It would make it even more interesting if it was fresh, wouldn’t it? Bah, you’ll think it over on the ride to the nearest costume or beauty store.

Either way, you needed to go and go quick, especially if you want your little scheme to work.

Wait! Maybe you’ll go out first. That way, no one would expect you coming out dressed as Lita later.

Yeah, that’s exactly what you’ll do! You already had something nice on, so why not just show up in all your glory? You may even help Edge win.

You just hope he’d be grateful, else, you’d have to teach him a few new things. You figure it’s good enough to make a guest appearance with the clothes you have on.

“Oooh, hey, [Name]!” Stacy’s voice comes from the door. She stands there for a moment before walking over to you with a smile. She looks nice tonight. “I’m glad you’re here. I just wanted to wish you luck tonight.”

You still feel pretty suspicious, but she’s not going out of her way to attack you or anything.

“You know, I’ve been looking for you!” She says, taking a seat on the small bench. She then focuses on zipping up one of her shoes. “Me and you have no problems! I just want you to rip her head off, okay?”

It’s nice of her to come and give you some sort of pep talk, despite how violent it sounded.

“Right. Yeah, I’ll do that.” You say, rubbing your temples.

“By the way, you look really tired, [Name]. Are you okay?” She asks. “Well, actually, how have you been? I haven’t been able to catch you backstage.”

It’s true, she hasn’t. Quite frankly you didn’t trust her at first, but she made her status clear the last time you saw her.

“I’ve been okay. I feel like myself.” It was a little true. Stacy probably doesn’t know about the Raven and Jeff situation, so you’re happy Lita kept her mouth shut, even if she didn’t know the whole thing in its entirety.

You take that back. You’re pretty sure Jeff told her…

“Alright…” Stacy gives you a smile and thankfully doesn’t press further. “When’s the next time we’re going shopping?”

“I dunno,” You shrug. “The next time I can actually see the Dutchess backstage?”

“Oh, you!” She bats her hand at you, then stands up from her spot. “I think we’re both really busy. I’m sure we’ll get around to it. There are so many things I see that remind me of you, I’m itching to dress you up!”

Of course. Her and Torrie always had a habit of putting you through rings of hell, dressing you up in what they think would fit you….

Stacy gives you a wink and you roll your eyes. She lightly hits your shoulder. “Don’t be like that. Hey, I’ll talk to you later, okay? I’m sure Bubba and D’von are looking for me. I just wanted to stop by.”

“I don’t mean to hold you back. I’ll see you later then.”

“You’re fine!” She reassured. With that bright smile of hers, she’s just about to leave the room before you call out to her.

“Wait! Do you happen to have a spare robe..?”

BACKSTAGE // 7:04 PM

This may have been the worst decision in your life, and shit, you’ve made some pretty bad decisions before.

Stacy was more than happy to loan you one of her robes. You were too afraid to question why she carried it around in her suitcase. You guess she’s ready for anything, even an impromptu swimsuit contest or something.

She didn’t know what you were up to and you’d rather keep it that way.

Your next mission is to find Chris Jericho. You had already changed into your ‘gift’ and put on a robe right over it. You’re a little ashamed to be doing this, especially with the cameras now on you, but Hunter asked for you to get it done.

You’re sure it’ll be worth it in the long run. Everything will be okay, even if you feel like you’re going to scream. Thanks to the advice from some producers, you find Jericho refilling a cup of water.

Alright, time to get your game face on.

You take a deep breath and strut on over to him. “Hey there.” You hope you don’t sound too forced, you really hate talking to him.

“Ugh, it’s you again.” He doesn’t seem happy to see you. “The hell do you want this time?” If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he was about to toss that cup of water on you.

“Don’t worry. I’m not here to fight or anything..” This time, you force a smile. “I actually just wanted to talk to you alone.”

“What’s there to talk about? If you think I’m dropping out of the title match, you can kick rocks.”

You try not to let his words get to you. It takes everything in your power not to reply with a snarky remark.

“Well, for starters, I don’t want to fight with you anymore. I want to make amends.” He doesn’t seem swayed, so you do your best to turn up the charm. “You know….I’ve always really, really liked you. I just didn’t know what to say.”

He raises an eyebrow, but the smirk growing on his lips tell you that you’ve got him fooled. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” You nod. “Why should we fight anymore? Tonight, if you show up to my hotel room, I’ll make up for what was lost.” Almost on cue, you show him what you’re wearing under the robe and close it quickly.

God, you’re cringing so bad inside. One day you’ll look back on this segment and cry.

You give him one last smile and walk away down the hall.

The plan is in action. You’re sure Hunter will be happy you’ve done your due diligence. You’ve gotta throw some of your clothes back on now to make it for Edge’s match!

You’re so sure that he’s waiting on you. You just know him so well.

VENGEANCE // 7:15 PM

And you seem to be just in time. With the match just in its beginning, you nearly tripped on some cords as you made your way toward gorilla position.

They need to clean it up. What if you tripped and busted your head open? You wish you could submit a complaint somewhere. But then again, Mr. McMahon would probably pop a blood vessel trying to figure out who the hell did it.

The moment you step out onto stage, the crowd starts to cheer. This stage was huge. For a moment you stand up at the top, just watching the two lock up.

‘What’s [Name] doing out here?!’ JR asks.

‘Hey! Tell her to come over here!’ Jerry tries to get your attention to no avail.

JR can only shake his head. ‘I don’t think she wants to even be within 4 feet of you, King.’

The both of them really were going at it in this lockup, with Edge getting the best of Regal by shoving him into the corner. You want a closer look, so you come down the ramp.

It is only when the referee forces him off of Regal, was when you were noticed. He runs a hand through his hair, moving most of it from his face. He must’ve thought he was dreaming.

You open your arms. This was no dream. This was reality! He comes over to the ropes, staring down at you quizzically.

“I know you missed me!” You exclaim.

Edge is just about to respond but Regal comes over and smashes his forearm into his back. That was definitely your fault, but you shrug it off.

Regal was starting to take over, grabbing Edge by the hair and lifting him up. Yet again, they lock up, an aggressive show of strength from the both of them.

While they’re doing that, you skip on over to the side of the apron towards the announcer tables.

You can see Edge’s Intercontinental Championship sitting nearby, so you go ahead and grab it.

It’s a really pretty title. As are most of the WWF titles. Once you pick it up, you run your fingers along a continent, and the crowd looks at you curiously.

It’s not like you were gunning for it yet..though you wouldn’t mind if they put you in the running. Everyone seemed to like what you’re doing though.

‘You said she wouldn’t come within 4 feet of me, JR,’ King starts to say. ‘But I think you’re just jealous!’

‘She’s a nice young lady, I’ll give her that, but she’s got some sense.’ He responds.

‘If she’s got some sense, why’s she got her hands on the Intercontinental title?! Doesn’t she know it’s nearly impossible for a women to even hold it?’

‘I think you’re forgetting about someone…’

You’re too busy admiring the title to even pay attention to them and the match. Running a finger over one of the continents, it makes you notice how beautiful it was.

Then again, it seems to be a common theme with WWF titles. Whoever created the design needs some sort of raise. But not if it’s Mr. McMahon, of course.

You’re so focused on the title that you don’t even notice a baffled Edge making his way towards you.

“The hell are you doing?” He asks, lightly shaking your shoulder.

“I came to see you!” You say, a smile on your face. “Didn’t you miss me?!”

“..What?!“ You weren’t sure if he couldn’t hear you or couldn’t believe what you said. You figure it’s the former when he continues talking. “I don’t want you out here! Put the title down and go backsta—!”

Taking advantage of the situation, Regal had slid out of the ring and came over to shove Edge right into you. The both of you fall over, with Edge landing right on top of you.

It didn’t help you held the title in your hands. That fall completely knocked the wind out of you.

“That’s no way to treat a lady, now is it, you pillock?!” Regal taunts, grabbing Edge off of you and throwing him into the announcer table.

You groan in pain as you try making your way onto your knees. Now you’re angry! You finally get up to your feet and dust yourself off. You gently set the title belt onto the apron, before running over and jumping onto Regal’s back.

You can see the flashes of many cameras, but you’re too busy trying to claw his eyes out. You try to pry his hands away from his face, but he’s just not budging. You resort to try and choking him out to no avail.

‘[Name]’s jumping on the back of William Regal! What’s she doing?!’

‘Is she insane?! What’s wrong with her?!’

Edge watches this in awe. What the hell was wrong with you? He wants to pull you off and knock (figuratively, of course) some sense into you, but it seems like you’re helping him out in the long run.

You jump off of Regal’s back and allow Edge to come forward with a clothesline. That’ll teach him! They’ll probably be fighting on the outside for quite a bit.

Man, Edge knocking into you really hurt. You may have made it worse for yourself by jumping on Regal. You’re a bit sore and out of breath, leaning on the apron for leverage. It takes you a minute to recover, but when you do, you notice that Regal sends Edge flying into the ring post that’s behind you.

You quickly get the hell out of the way. That could’ve been worse…

“Watch where you’re going!!” You yell, trying to back away from the scene. And for good measure, you stick your tongue out at Regal.

Of course, he doesn’t notice, fiddling nearby the ring’s fabric skirt and shoving something into his trunks. What did he just get out of there?!

You don’t exactly want to stick your hand down there and find out…

That collision definitely left Edge out cold. Regal grabs him by the hair and throws him into the ring, a little too close by the ropes.

Once he tries to pin him, you grab his leg and set it on the rope. Thankfully, the referee didn’t see you put it there. Just in the nick of time too…

Regal gets off, glaring at you. You just smile in response. He could’ve won there..but no! You didn’t let that happen!

He tries to powerbomb Edge this time, just a little bit further from the ropes so there’s no accident like that again, and then pins him. Fortunately, Edge kicks out at two. This is really bad..

You’re not even sure if Edge can get up. The referee comes over and tries to check on him, so Regal turns away and fishes into his trunks for what he took earlier.

You can see it as clear as day! Those were brass knuckles. If he hits Edge with that, it’s night night for him! You don’t want that to happen, so you jump up onto the ring apron to catch Regal’s attention. You need to do it long enough so Edge can recover.

“Hey!” You yell. He’s a little bit of ways from you, so it’s hard to grab him…

He turns over to you curiously, then tries to ‘shoo’ you away. But then he just stops. Regal turns to look at you and crosses his arms. “Actually, I’m glad you’re up here, young lady, I’ve got a bone to pick with you!”

Now you’ve got him! You’re interested, too. What ever could it be?!

You don’t even get to ask ‘what is it?’ before he continues to speak. “You have quite the attitude problem! You don’t jump on a gentleman’s back! There are other ways to resolve your anger!”

It makes you remember that he too, was involved in Doctor Smiley’s session. Maybe you should heed his advice….?

Yeah, right! “The only way to resolve my anger is violence!” You say, jumping off of the apron. Regal waves his hand at you and turns around to be met with…A SPEAR!

Edge finally is able to get Regal down long enough to secure the win. The crowd cheers wildly as you grab his title and hold it up to him.

He takes it and you're outta there almost immediately, circling around the ring and heading up the stage ramp.

And yet again, Edge can only look at you in awe. You’re crazy, you have to be. But he can’t help but to admire you for coming to his aid.

While you blow a kiss from the ramp, he makes the motion to catch it. He’s a little starstruck.

Perhaps you haven’t burnt all your bridges after all.

VENGEANCE // 7:34 PM

You don't even have time to feel tired tonight. With your match being right before Jeff & Matt's, you feel like you're going to be on your feet all night. Perhaps you'll get a break before the Undisputed Championship match..

You’ve already changed into your ring gear, so now you’re waiting for Raven. Normally, you’d feel calm when it comes to matches, but with him being there, it just made you all the more antsy.

“You’re shaking.”

Your head immediately turns to Raven, who had walked up to you with his hands in his pockets. It took everything in you not to run and jump on him. “I’m just a little nervous.” You reply, crossing your arms.

He doesn’t say anything at first. “You’ll be fine, babe. Don’t worry about it.” The smirk that starts to play on his face tells half a story.

You’re almost thrown for a loop when he uses a pet name. You’re sure he was just testing it out, but it feels like you have butterflies in your stomach.

“By the way, I’ve been thinking.” He continues. “You and I were in WCW, yet you’ve never spared me a glance. Why?”

You think about it for a minute. Creative in WCW never really let you stray too far from what you’re doing, despite it being a little messy. “I don’t know. The writers over there didn’t even know what they’re doing. Look at the bright side though, I’m here with you now!”

You outstretch your arms. He stares at you for a moment. You almost think he won’t hug you, yet he comes over and wraps his arms around you.

“…I want you to prove your loyalty to me.” He says.

You tilt your head. “How?” Anything he asked, you’re willing to do.

Raven detaches from you and sets his hands in your shoulders. “There’s certain people you must get rid of. They pose a threat to not only myself, but our….” He trails off. You get what he means.

You don’t want anyone to get in the way of your relationship with Raven. Not now, not ever.

“The first person is Jeff Hardy. Once a contender for the Hardcore title…..turned nuisance to the WWF. Even worse, a nuisance for us, [Name].”

You just nod your head with a smile. Whatever he says, goes. Was Jeff really the problem?

Before he can continue on, someone from production comes over to you two. “You’re on, [Name]. Get out there.” Now you can hear your muffled music echoing over the arena.

Both of you were a little startled, but put your game faces on and head through that curtain. The adrenaline is running through your veins all over again once you’re met with the crowd.

The bell rings three times and Lillian is in the ring, ready to announce. “Ladies and Gentleman, this is a match set for one fall. Making her way to the ring, accompanied by Raven, [Name]!!”

You two walk out to stand on stage. Before you continue to walk down the ramp, Raven holds out his hand. You look at him in bewilderment, but it turns into a smile as you entwine your fingers with his. You’re thrilled he even let you hold it.

‘That Jezebel’s holding Raven’s hand!’ JR exclaims. ‘She seems to be just about anywhere lately. What’s going on in that head of hers?!’

‘I told ya JR, that mental hospital will be opening as soon as we kind find those scattered loose screws of hers!’ King says. ‘And let’s put Raven in there too! Ha!’

The both of you make it to the ring. You opt to take the steps as Raven climbs onto the apron and opens the ropes for you.

You feel elated. It’s a small gesture, but it means a lot to you nonetheless. Once you get in, you walk over and motion for a mic to speak.

Raven shuffles over to sit in the corner in the meanwhile.

“…All I have to say is one thing. The day I’ve walked into the WWF, everyone wanted to know about me..but I feel like everyone liked the thought of me.” You pause for a minute, trying to gather your words. “No one saw through me like Raven did. I can feel his pain and he can feel mine.”

You throw your mic to the side (giving it a tiny kick so it can reach the edge). Torrie’s music starts to play and you walk over to Raven’s corner to sit right in between his legs.

He’s actually pretty warm. It’s also a pretty comfortable spot. You turn your head over to the front as Torrie begins to make her way to the ring.

“Making her way to the ring from, Torrie Wilson!”

You have to admit, what she’s wearing is kind of cute. The color pink really suits her. Of course, you’d never say that out loud. You’re just ready to wrestle her.

Raven nudges you slightly, and with a whispered “good luck”, he moves away and gets out of the ring to spectate.

You stand up from your spot. Things are finally starting to heat up. The crowd is a little bit anxious.

On one hand, they hope you don’t punish Torrie too much. Then on the other hand, they hope you can get your revenge. If they’re lucky enough, maybe they’ll get some clothing shed!

Not! You don’t want any wardrobe malfunctions or any ripping of clothes tonight. This is supposed to be a serious match.

The bell rung again and you two walk around in circles. You two weren’t friends right now. You were sworn enemies, nothing less, nothing more. Torrie put herself in this spot, so you were going to make sure she regret it.

It hurts you more than anything to have to fight an old friend, but in order to get your message through her thick skull, you didn’t have a choice.

You don’t want to disappoint Raven. In fact, you just wanted to impress him. Show him you could do this. That you live up to whatever hype there is.

When Torrie tackled you down almost effortlessly, that was when you knew your head needed to be in the game. There definitely was animosity behind her hits, but rest assured there will be animosity behind yours too.

…You’re gonna be honest. Torrie is as green as grass. She always has been. Nothing wrong with that, it just makes it a little harder to carry her through the match. She wasn’t alone though, Stacy (although you technically haven’t wrestled her directly) seemed pretty green too.

You can’t help but to laugh. One time, Lita referred to those two as ‘the blondies’, notoriously known for being quite new and not knowing what’s going on.

She trashed them so bad that night, then told you that you’re the only one that could really wrestle. It was sweet, but you felt kinda bad she wasn’t fond of Torrie and Stacy.

You roll over her and start hitting her back, getting your quick just desserts.

Getting off, you stare at her as she sets her hand on the ropes in an effort to recover. Torrie takes a good look at you, her eyes narrowing once she sees you laughing.

Before she could fully get up, you come over to grab a fistful of blonde hair before slamming her right back to the mat. You’re not quite done with her yet. This is only the first stage of pain you’ll put her through tonight!

You saw a wrestler do this move a very long time ago, but you can’t remember their name for some reason. You put one foot on each side of her head and step on her hair, then lift her arms up.

The referee starts to yell at you to “let go” and to “watch the hair”.

You eventually let up, Torrie writhing around on the mat in pain. You come over and lift her face up. “C’mon, Torrie!“ You scream, slapping her for good measure. “That all you got?! Get up!”

You decide to force her to stand up, grabbing her and lifting her from the ground. She’s able to shove her forearm into your stomach, causing you to keel over.

Torrie really did get up. She grabs your hair and slams you down to the mat. It’s her turn to be in charge and she’s going to try and lay down the law.

She squishes your face closer to the canvas and uses your hair to roughly scrub it across. “You’re horrible!” She screamed. “Do you see what I have to do to you!? This is your fault!”

Torrie finally lets go of you so you can breathe for a second. The referee is chewing her out for this move, so she starts to argue with him. You slowly recover off of the ground, and since you don’t think you have enough time to get up, you use your foot in order to kick her in the shin.

She crashes down immediately, holding onto her shin.

While she’s down, you turn your head towards the front, Raven’s watching intently. Once you start to fully stand up, you can see him duck down for some reason.

But it wasn’t his fault. He was completely blindsided by someone with multi-colored hair. This person knocks him to the ground and starts laying into him with punches.

Oh no. No, no, no…

This can’t be happening.

‘Jeff Hardy has just attacked Raven!’ JR exclaimed. ‘What is going on here?!’

You don’t even know what to do. You grip the ropes, just about to abandon the match, but before you know it, Torrie’s had taken advantage. She rolls you up and then….one, two, three. You kicked out far too late.

No fucking way.

Did that really just happen?! Torrie can’t believe that happened either. Before she starts to celebrate her victory, you immediately tackle her to the ground to try and choke her out.

The referee has to pull you off of her, but you couldn’t care less. You’ll handle her right after you try and break up the fight THAT WAS STILL HAPPENING AT THE OUTSIDE OF THE RING.

You slide out of the ring in and run over towards them, doing your best to pull off the assailant to no avail.

“STOP IT! Stop!” You scream. You’re doing your best to get in between them….to no avail. Raven’s able to get up off the floor and starts punching Jeff back. They’re squabbling and you’re panicking.

This isn’t supposed to happen. Why did Jeff do that?! He didn’t even give poor Raven a chance to fight! At least he’s getting his hits in now..

Some referees have to come from the back and attempt to pull the men away from each other.

The rowdy crowd is looking on, cheering at the sight. One of the referees have to tell you to back away so you don’t get hit, so you do.

Aaaand you’re bleeding.

Oops, you may be mistaken. You’re pretty sure one of them is bleeding, but you can’t tell who. With the referees crowding around them, it’s hard to discern who it was. All you can see is some blood smeared on your arm and hand.

You simply walk away and reach under the ring to yank out a kendo stick. Torrie’s still sputtering in the ring, and with most of the referee’s attention on settling the two men, you come back into the ring for a little bit extra.

You absolutely fucking hated how this finished! This was growing increasingly stressful, so you had to deploy the cure.

Violence!

For now, you toss the kendo stick to the side. You get down and pull Torrie’s arm right under your leg, getting into position for a Yes Lock. But it’s not any old submission.

You take the kendo stick and pull it under her neck. She flails under you, so you try and lighten the hold just a little bit so she wouldn’t be too hurt later. You try to be nice, sometimes.

There’s so much going on inside and outside of the ring, no one even knows where to focus.

One of the referee’s finally notice what you’re doing. “Hey! HEY!!!” He yells, coming back in. He forces you to release your hold on Torrie and she continues to cough, trying to gasp for more air.

….You definitely lied. You’re not excited for tonight at all.

You’re not in a good mood anymore.

Y’ALL KNOW I HAD TO FLIP THA SCRIPTT. we originally were gonna win but i said NAHHH. jeff just fucked everything up. this is important heehee.

i need a goddamn cigarette after this. hope you guys saw a slight golden reference, golden!reader does the hair mare /pull thing lol it’s like HER MOVE

regarding jeff and raven. THIS IS INTENSE. THIS IS REALLY INTENSE. ALL IM THINKIN ABT RIGHT NOW IS A 12 POUND BAG OF SEAFOOD BOIL. SPICY. who ready for the matt vs jeff & undisputed championship match thooo??????

[2024roadtrip]

Final itinerary revision

Mining Trip

8/9– (8 a.m.) – pick up pick up              load up 8/10-8/13– drive to Terry, MT (29 hours) 8/14-8/17 hunt agates with Tom 8/18-8/21 explore other collecting sites in Montana (*research*) 8/22 – visit Mary and Kelly 8/23 – Spokane Bar 8/24 – Phillipsburg 8/24-8/25 drive to Sunstone mine 8/26-9/8 work at Sunstone mine 9/9 – Call to Enterprise to renew rental 9/9 – Austin 9/10-9/11 – Blue Chalcedony 9/12-9/13  Reno art museum, show? 9/14 – drive to central California 9/15 – visit with Daja and Buddy 9/16 – Lodi, CA pick up Thunderheads      return to Sunstone mine 9/17-9/29 Sunstone mining 9/30 - head back east generally toward Howard City, MI (30 hours) 10/2 KC WWI museum Susan and Larry 10/3 – pick up BSA engine from Ed 10/4 – head  home 10/6 - arrive Summerville 10/7 open 10/8 return truck 10/9 – Debra Hip Surgery

[texasobserver]

“The Texas Observer’s 2023 Must-Read Lone Star Books” by Senior Editor Lise Olsen, with help from Susan Post of Austin's Bookwoman:

Despite a disturbing rise in book bans, Texas is, against all odds, becoming more and more of a literary hub with authors winning accolades, indie bookstores popping up from Galveston Island to El Paso, and ban-busting librarians and other book-lovers throwing festivals. So as you ponder gifts this holiday season or consider what to read by the fire or by the pool (who can say in December?), pick some Lone Star lit. 

Here’s a list of #MustRead 2023 books by Texans or about Texas compiled by the Observer staff with help from Susan Post of Austin’s independent Bookwoman. (Several talented Texans also made best book lists in Slate magazine, The New Yorker, and NPR’s Books We Love.)

NONFICTION

We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America by Dallas journalist Roxanna Asgarian (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) is a dramatic takedown of the Texas foster care and family court system. It’s both a compelling narrative and an investigative tour de force.

The People’s Hospital: Hope and Peril in American Medicine (Simon & Schuster) by Ricardo Nuila, a Houston physician and author, is an eye-opening and surprisingly optimistic read. Nuila delves deeply into what’s wrong with modern medicine by painting rich portraits of the patients he’s treated (and befriended) while working at Harris County’s Ben Taub Hospital, which offers free or low-cost—yet high-quality—care against all odds. Each of them had been forced into impossible positions and suffered additional trauma from obstacles and gaps in insurance, corporate medicine, and Big Pharma.

Waco: David Koresh, the Branch Davidians and a Legacy of Rage (Simon & Schuster) by Fort Worth journalist Jeff Guinn is one of two books that mark the 30th anniversary of the standoff between the Branch Davidians and federal agents that ended with 86 deaths. (The other is Waco Rising by Kevin Cook.) Both authors recount how the 1993 tragedy shaped other extremist leaders in America—and still influences separatist movements today.

Quantum Criminals: Ramblers, Wild Gamblers and Other Sole Survivors from the Songs of Steely Dan (University of Texas Press) by Alex Pappademas and Joan LeMay has been described as the quintessential Steely Dan book. As part of the project, LeMay, a native Houstonian, created 109 whimsical portraits of characters that sprang from the musicians’ lyrics and legends. In a review, fellow artist Melissa Messer wrote: “Looking at Joan’s oeuvre makes me feel tipsy, or like I’ve drunk Wonka’s Fizzy Lifting Drink and I’m swimming through the air after her, searching for the same vision.”

Memoir

Black Cameleon: Memory, Womanhood and Myth(Macmillan) by Debra D.E.E.P. Mouton, the former Houston poet Laureate, shares lyrical memories of her own life mixed with ample asides on Black culture and family lore. Her storylines sink deeply into a dream world, and yet readers emerge without forgetting her deeper messages.

Leg: The Story of a Limb and a Boy Who Grew from It (Abrams Books) by Greg Marshall of Austin has been described as “a hilarious and poignant memoir grappling with family, disability, and coming of age in two closets—as a gay man and as a man living with cerebral palsy.” NPR’s Scott Simon, who interviewed Marshall, described the memoir as “intimate, and I mean that in all ways—insightful and often laugh-out-loud funny.”

Up Home: One Girl’s Journey (Penguin Random House) by Ruth J. Simmonsis a powerful memoir from the Grapeland native who became the president of Brown University and thus, the first Black president of an Ivy League institution. Simmons begins by sharing stories about her parents, who were sharecroppers, and about her life as one of 12 children growing up in a tiny Texas town during the Jim Crow era. For her, the classroom became “a place of brilliant light unlike any our homes afforded.” (Simmons’s other academic credentials include being the former president of Smith College; president of Prairie View A&M University, Texas’s oldest HBCU; and the former vice provost of Princeton.)

Novels and Short Stories

An Autobiography of Skin(Penguin Random House) by Lakiesha Carr weaves together three powerful narratives all featuring Black women from Texas. Carr, a journalist originally from East Texas, plumbs the depths of each character’s struggles, sharing tales of gambling, lost love, abuse, and the power of women to overcome. 

Holler, Child (Penguin Random House), a new short story collection from Latoya Watkins, was long-listed for the National Book Award. Her eleven tales press “at the bruises of guilt, love, and circumstance,” as the cover description promises, and introduce West Texas-inspired characters irrevocably shaped by place.

The Nursery (Pantheon Books) by Szilvia Molnar—a surprisingly honest, anatomically accurate (and unsettling) novel about new motherhood—begins: “I used to be a translator and now I am a milk bar.” It’s a riveting and original debut by Molnar, who is originally from Budapest, was raised in Sweden, and now lives in Austin.

Two legendary Austin writers weighed in with new novels on our tall stack of Texas goodreads: The Madstone (Little, Brown and Company) by Elizabeth Crook, the 2023 Texas Writer Award winner, and Mr. Texas, a fictional send-up of Texas politics by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Lawrence Wright. 

Poetry

Bookwoman’s Susan Post, who contributed titles to our list, also recommends filling your holiday shelves with poetry by and about Texans:

Dream Apartment (Copper Canyon Press) by Lisa Olstein; 

Low (Gray Wolf Press) by Nick Flynn; 

Freedom House by KB Brookins (published by Dallas’ Deep Vellum Bookstore & Publishing Co.) 

Essays

Pastures of the Empty Page: Fellow Writers on the Life and Legacy of Larry McMurtry (University of Texas Press) edited by George Getchow, contains essays from a who’s who list of Texas writers about Larry McMurtry’s influence on Texas culture and their lives. It includes an array of reflections on history and the writing process as well as anecdotes about McMurtry’s off-beat and innovative life. 

To Name the Bigger Lie (Simon & Schuster) by Sarah Viren, an ex-Texan who now teaches creative writing at Arizona State University, (excerpted in Lithub) includes reflections on Viren’s experiences (and misadventures) as an “out” academic and writer in states like Florida, Texas, and Arizona. As she dryly notes, “Critiques of the personal essay, and by extension memoir, are often gendered—not to mention classist and racist and homophobic.” 

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[muldoonlives]

"I did it all by myself..."

Owen Hart. Was he my favorite wrestler as a kid? No. Did I like him? Yes. I'm not one of the many who claim he was always my favorite. Maybe it's true with some, but I feel it's usually said because fans feel guilty for not acknowledging him when he was here. I wonder if they believe showing him more support would have gained him a bigger push. A push that would have prevented Owen from being placed back in The Blue Blazer gimmick. Of course, we know now it wouldn't have mattered. Shawn Michaels didn't want Owen in the spotlight so Vince McMahon granted his wish. Stone Cold Steve Austin didn't want to work with him again. There was no other choice but mid-card status. Besides, Owen Hart himself didn't care about being a main eventer because it would cut down on time to go back home to his family.

In a previous post, I spoke on being a fan of Davey Boy Smith, but none of the kids I knew cared anything about him. Same went for Owen. The only time he was mentioned was a couple of days after "Over the Edge". Very few of my classmates had their parents order pay-per-views. None were ordered for me, and I had to settle on VHS rentals from Blockbuster and Movie Gallery. The next episode of Raw was the way we learned about the accident.

In the months prior to his death, my main focus was Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and Chyna. I didn't have much interest in Owen's companionship with Jeff Jarrett like I did when he had Davey Boy Smith by his side. I liked Jeff Jarrett's in-ring abilities but didn't care much for his character. Debra wasn't that attractive to me, and her teasing Owen and Jeff's opponents with her "puppies" was annoying. The last thing involving Owen that sparked my interest was his feud with Ken Shamrock.

Owen Hart's passing was the first "celebrity" death that upset me. This man I watched perform week after week died in front of thousands of people. How could a stunt which I saw executed hundreds of times in not only wrestling but movies and other tv shows be so poorly handled? It was strange. I started to rent more VHS tapes featuring Owen. Searched his name on the internet when I visited my sister's apartment. It didn't take long reading about the real Owen to realize what a good-natured person he was.

Owen Hart isn't overrated when fans say he was an excellent wrestler who still deserves praise. However, Owen is overrated when it comes to saying he was better than Bret. As far as mat skills, Owen did outshine his big brother, especially matches prior to working for the WWF. Plus, his move set was more exciting. I'd rather see a missile dropkick than a figure four around a ring post. The enziguri needed to be his finisher instead of the sharpshooter though. The simple act of dropping it from his arsenal might have made Owen stand out more to fans and move him even further out of Bret's shadow.

Now I'm going to seem like I'm contradicting myself because of my previous post concerning Davey Boy Smith. I said Bret, Owen, and Davey weren't "characters". They didn't portray wrestlers who seemed like they could only exist on television, but they still had their on-screen personas. Bret had Owen beat by a long shot when it came to his character. Bret brought realism to being a tough guy. Owen came across as a loudmouthed punk. He was funny as a heel, but his babyface Blackhart gimmick wasn't that great. It was awesome to see Owen earning victories without sneaking in low blows or outside interference coming to his aid, but his interview segments were stale. He was overdramatic and yelled like he did as a heel. His natural voice was deep and raspy, but anyone who has heard Owen yelling knows he sounded nasally and cartoonish. Speaking and acting calmly like Bret did would have made things more convincing instead of unintentionally funny. Owen's threats about making life Hell for DX and constant talk of breaking Triple H's legs made him look pathetic as they manhandled and cheated him out of victories. The Hitman didn't make threats. He just went out to the ring, did his thing, and whatever happened happened.

Owen lost to Bret when it came to work ethic. Owen had good intentions putting on purposely bad matches for his co-workers to make them laugh, but I'm sure it confused and irritated them to some degree as well as the audience. Bret was serious about his work and always put forth one hundred percent. I know we all fuck up, but let's not forget the injury Stone Cold Steve Austin endured because of Owen. I'll get it over with. Owen not apologizing to Stone Cold was a shitty decision. There's one thing to remember. We all have times in our lives when we intentionally or unintentionally do something horrible to someone, and our embarassment and guilt hinders us from reaching out. I don't think any of us have always apologized. I know I haven't. And yes, I know Stone Cold caused the same injury five years before, but that's not the point. Bret truly was a professional.

I liked Owen Hart while Bret is my favorite wrestler. If I were a wrestler, I would want to carry myself the way Bret did. He might be my favorite wrestler, but I don't watch his matches non-stop. If I want to watch an old match, it usually includes Owen. He's just fun to see in action. Every move he made was performed with such ease.

"How do I want them to remember me? Well, I don’t want to become one of those watered-down guys, who just walked and talked in the ring. I want them to remember me as a guy who was diverse in his talents, could fight anybody and have a good match, whether it was Undertaker, or Vader. These big giant guys, I remember thinking, how can I have a good match with them, and coming back and saying, wow, those people were really entertained. They really thought that I had a chance to beat Vader or beat the Undertaker. And that’s going against the odds, when you’re 5’10”, 220 pounds fighting a guy that’s 6’7″, 320 pounds, or Vader that’s 6’4″, 400 pounds. How am I going to go up there and convince these people that I’ve actually got a chance of winning? When you go out there and even beat them, people believe it, that’s unbelievable, you know. It’s kind of an art to going out and performing. I’d like fans to remember me as a guy who would go out and entertain them, give them quality matches, and not just the same old garbage every week."

Owen Hart succeeded.

[90s00wcwwwf]

From London, England it’s Capital Carnage. Ken Shamrock defends the Intercontinental Title against Steve Blackman. L.O.D. 2000 battle The Headbangers. The Rock defends the WWE Championship against X-Pac. Triple H takes on Jeff Jarrett. The New Age Outlaws defend Tag Team Championship D-Lo Brown and Mark Henry and more.

Dark Match

Mosh vs. Droz

Singles Match

Al Snow vs. Gangrel

Tag Team Match

The Head Bangers (Mosh & Thrasher) vs. LOD 2000 (Animal & Droz)

Singles Match

Val Venis vs. Goldust

Singles Match

Tiger Ali Singh vs. Edge

Tag Team Match

Jacqueline & Marc Mero vs. Christian & Sable

WWF Intercontinental Title Match

Ken Shamrock (w/The Big Bossman) (c) vs. Steve Blackman

Singles Match

Triple H (w/Chyna) vs. Jeff Jarrett (w/Debra)

WWF World Tag Team Title Match

The New Age Outlaws (Billy Gunn & The Road Dogg) (c) vs. The Nation (D-Lo Brown & Mark Henry)

WWF World Heavyweight Title Match

The Rock (c) vs. X-Pac (w/Chyna & Triple H)

Fatal Four Way Match (Special Referee: Gerald Brisco)

Mankind vs. Kane vs. Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer)

Full stream-