The Flashback Chronicles - Week of January 19, 2026

Welcome to The Flashback Chronicles!!

Welcome, History Enthusiasts!

Get ready to journey through history with The Flashback Chronicles! This edition is packed with thrilling stories, legendary adventures, and surprising fun facts because history is way too exciting to stay in the past! 🔍📖

Let’s dive in! Thank you for subscribing and I hope you enjoy this newsletter!

Legends & Laughter: The Story Behind the History 🎭

Leonardo da Vinci at the Mic: Artist, Inventor, and Dreamer

Hello there, imaginative young children! My name is Leonardo da Vinci, and I was curious about everything.

I was born on April 15, 1452, in a small village in Italy. From the time I was young, I loved to watch the world closely. I studied how birds flew, how water flowed, and how the human body moved. I carried notebooks everywhere, filling them with drawings, questions, and ideas. To me, the world was one giant puzzle waiting to be explored.

I did not have much formal schooling, but I learned in my own way by observing, experimenting, and asking “Why?” I believed that nature itself was the greatest teacher, and I paid very close attention to its lessons.

Many people know me today as an artist. I painted works like The Last Supper and Mona Lisa, but painting was only one part of who I was. I was also an inventor, engineer, scientist, and dreamer. I sketched flying machines long before airplanes existed, designed bridges and tools, and studied anatomy to understand how muscles and bones work together.

Sometimes my ideas were far ahead of my time. I imagined submarines, helicopters, and machines that could move on their own. The world was not yet ready to build many of them, but that never stopped me from imagining what might one day be possible.

I often worked slowly, carefully, and thoughtfully. I believed that true understanding takes patience. I made mistakes, started projects I did not finish, and changed my ideas when I learned something new. To me, learning was not about being perfect, rather it was about being curious.

I believed that art and science belong together. When you understand how something works, you can create it more beautifully. When you observe carefully, you discover connections others might miss.

So, let your curiosity guide you. Draw what you see. Ask questions without fear. Explore many interests, not just one. The world needs thinkers who imagine boldly and observe closely, just as I always did.

Max’s Museum Wonders 🔍

Max’s Museum Wonders: Back in Time at Blockbuster Video

✒️ Bedtime Story Adventure

The museum was a perfect quiet at night. Max wandered past glass cases filled with outdated technology, like phones with cords, giant TVs shaped like furniture, and stacks of thick black tapes that looked like they could survive a small earthquake.

Then he saw it. A bright blue plastic case with a bold yellow logo. BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO.

When Max opened the box, he felt a tug and then the feel of sliding down a tube. He blinked hard and then, he landed on a blue carpet that needed a good vacuum.

A scanner chirped. Someone groaned loudly. Shelves stretched high above him, packed with VHS tapes.

A teenager in a blue polo shirt stared at the counter like it had betrayed him. “Welcome to Blockbuster,” he said. “No, Top Gun is not back yet.”

A man slammed an empty case down. “But Maverick was RIGHT THERE yesterday!”

“Yes,” the teen said. “And now he’s flying somewhere else.”

The phone rang. The teen answered immediately. “Still out.” Pause.

Max grabbed a case. Beetlejuice. Empty.

Another. Dirty Dancing. Empty.

Another. Ghostbusters. So empty that it felt rude.

“Why don’t you just put the movies back when people return them?” Max asked.

The teen laughed once. “They don’t return them. They vanish.”

A woman marched over clutching The Princess Bride case. “My children have been quoting this movie for two weeks.”

A man shouted from Action. “I JUST WANT LETHAL WEAPON!”

The store vibrated as voices rose.

Suddenly, a hush fell. A woman emerged from the returns slot holding a VHS tape above her head. “I FOUND TOP GUN.”

The store froze. Then just a fury of yelling.

“NO WAY.”
“I CALLED IT.”
“I WAS IN LINE FIRST.”
“I HAVE A MEMBERSHIP CARD FROM 1986.”

The tape began to glow.

The shelves leaned inward. The Blockbuster logo pulsed like it was about to explode. The teen pointed at Max.

“Kid, if you don’t have an account, a late fee, or emotional baggage tied to Ghostbusters, you’re about to disappear.”

The glowing tape spun.

Max stood back in the museum. The Blockbuster case sat quietly in its display. Grandpa Leo appeared beside him, arms folded.

“Grandpa,” he said, “in 1988, getting a movie was a competitive sport.”

Grandpa Leo stared at the case. “It was at Blockbuster Video.

Tricky Time Trivia 🤔🕰️

What is the capital of the United States?
👉 Answer: Washington, D.C.

Candy Factoids 🍭🍫

🍫 What is the number one selling candy in the U.S.?
👉 Answer: M&Ms

🍭What year was the Hershey’s chocolate bar first introduced?
👉Answer: 1900

💎💎 Supporting Local Businesses 💎💎

💎A beautiful diamond for your engagement, for your anniversary, or for a special occasion - learn more at https://www.directdiamondcenter.com/.

💎Looking for a gorgeous hand-beaded necklace made with Japanese Miyuki Delica beads? Check out these beauties here.

That’s a Wrap. Until Next Time…

Thank you for subscribing and reading!

Remember that you are awesome and you're capable of amazing things. Don't give up on yourself or your dreams.

Have a good week!

The Flashback Chronicles

Please reach out to [email protected].