The Flashback Chronicles - Week of July 7, 2025

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 🎭

Jane Goodall at the Mic: The Scientist Who Spoke Chimpanzee

Hello, young animal lovers!

I’m Jane Goodall. I am a scientist, explorer, animal lover, and lifelong friend of chimpanzees. I’ve spent my life in the forests of Africa, not just studying animals but truly listening to them. Surprisingly, they have a lot to say.

I was born in 1934 in London, England. When I was a little girl, I was fascinated by animals. I played with earthworms, watched chickens lay eggs for hours, and carried around a toy chimpanzee named Jubilee. People thought I’d grow out of it. I didn’t.

When I was 23, I followed a dream and traveled to Tanzania with nothing but a notebook, a pair of binoculars, a few clothes, and a whole lot of curiosity. I had no university degree, just the passion to learn more about animals. I found a mentor, Dr. Louis Leakey, who believed in me. He sent me to the Gombe Forest to study wild chimpanzees in a way no one ever had before, by being patient, kind, and quiet.

At first, the chimps ran from me. I kept coming back, day after day, week after week, until they let me into their world and what I saw changed everything.

I discovered that chimps use tools like stripping leaves off twigs to fish for termites just like early humans. I saw them hug, play, laugh, fight, and grieve. They weren’t so different from us, and we weren’t so different from them.

At the time, people said, “You’re not a real scientist. You didn’t even go to college.” But I didn’t care. My observations spoke for themselves. I later earned a PhD and became the world’s leading expert on chimpanzees. My work didn’t stop in the forest.

I became a voice for animals, for nature, and for young people. I started the Roots & Shoots program to inspire kids to make a difference, whether it's helping people, animals, or the environment. Every small act matters.

If you love animals, or feel connected to the earth, or just want to help the world a little each day, follow that feeling. Be gentle. Be curious. Be brave enough to sit still and truly observe everything around you.

Remember, what you do makes a difference. The question is what kind of difference do you want to make?

Max’s Museum Wonders 🔍

Max’s Museum Wonders: Rolodex into the 1980s

✒️ Bedtime Story Adventure

Max sat at the oak desk in his grandfather’s museum office, surrounded by an old typewriter and model cars. Today was homework day, specifically, a math worksheet about fractions, which Max believed had been designed by wizards to confuse children forever.

With a sigh, he set down his pencil and opened the desk drawer, hoping to find something more exciting. Maybe even a secret stash of candy or gum. Inside, buried under paperclips and pens, was a strange spinning device with yellowed cards sticking out of it.

“A Rolodex?” Max muttered, remembering his grandfather once calling it a prehistoric contact list.

He gave it a curious spin. Whirrr-click!

It stopped on a card labeled “CINDY CHARLESTON – PARTY QUEEN” written in bubblegum-pink ink.

Before Max could blink, the room shimmered around him. His homework vanished. The desk morphed into a glass coffee table covered in magazines with neon workout gear on the covers. There was Vogue and Cosmopolitan magazines that hadn’t even been opened. Max found himself sitting on shag blue carpet in the middle of a plush den decorated with golden wallpaper and lamps.

“Marshall!” a woman’s voice sang out. “Have you seen the balloon guy’s number? I swear I had him under ‘B’ for balloon or ‘F’ for fabulous in the Rolodex.”

Max turned to see a glamorous woman in a hot pink jumpsuit, wearing hoop earrings the size of donuts. Her blonde curly hair was teased to great heights. She flipped through a Rolodex with turbo-speed.

“Um, hello?” Max said cautiously.

The woman stopped flipping. “Oh! Are you one of Kenny’s classmates? I knew I invited someone named Max. Or maybe it was Maddox? Anyway, welcome! You’re just in time to help plan the birthday bash of the year!”

Max blinked. “Wait—what year is it?”

“Why, it’s 1983, sugar! Kenny’s turning seven, and we are going full on playground meets Disney World. My little Kenny deserves a huge birthday bash.”

Before Max could process, she handed him a glitter pen. “Here, write down some names. I’ve got Madonna, Michael Jackson, and maybe the guy from Karate Kid on the list, but just in case their agents don’t call back, we need some backup friends. Real friends.”

Max laughed at the woman and looked at the Rolodex. It was filled with names like DJ Laser Beam Larry, Confetti Cathy, Pizza Guy Paul, Donna from Donutland, Sandy (lady with the six-carat ring), and Donna (lady who only wears red lipstick and red heels).

“This is amazing,” Max whispered.

He spent the next hour helping Party Queen Cindy decide on music for the dance off and test out a moonwalk rental in the driveway. Max even got to sample five different types of birthday cake, including one shaped like a Rubik’s Cube and a strawberry-flavored one decorated like Strawberry Shortcake.

Then as the cassette in the boombox finished playing “Walk Like an Egyptian,” Max felt the Rolodex somehow became electric, flipping through cards faster and faster.

“Oh no, Max! We didn’t even get to the piñata voting or what party favors I need to buy!” Cindy called out. “Please don’t leave me with all this to do.”

Whoosh! Max landed back in the museum office, sitting at the desk once more. His pencil was still next to his worksheet with fractions still unanswered.

He smiled and picked up the pencil. “Okay, fractions,” he said, “you don’t scare me. I just survived a 1980s birthday planning meeting.”

Just then, his grandfather peeked in. “You okay in here, Max?”

“Yep!” Max grinned. “Just flipping through history.”

Tricky Time Trivia 🤔🕰️

What year was Queen Elizabeth II crowned as queen of England?

👉 Answer: 1953

Candy Factoids 🍭🍫

🍫 From what movie did Reese’s Pieces gain fame?

👉 Answer: E.T.

🍭What candy has been around since 1845 and is still popular today?

👉 Answer: Twizzlers

💎💎 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 beautiful hand-beaded necklace made with Japanese Miyuki Delica beads? Check out StrungByTerri on Etsy for more.

Opinion Poll

Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down? :)

Your voice matters! Let me know your thoughts and ideas at [email protected].

That’s a Wrap. Until Next Time…

Thank You for Joining Us

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