{"id":48727,"date":"2025-04-28T17:44:35","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T22:44:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/?p=48727"},"modified":"2025-04-28T17:50:02","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T22:50:02","slug":"gloom-isnt-despair-sweet-melinda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/?p=48727","title":{"rendered":"Gloom Isn&#8217;t Despair: Sweet Melinda"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text has-media-on-the-right is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:auto 51%\"><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The business of the day:  <strong>WLBOTT <\/strong>is considering expanding our pantheon. We&#8217;re thinking of adding &#8220;Sweet Melinda, the Goddess of Gloom.&#8221; She is based loosely on the Bob Dylan song &#8220;Tom Thumb&#8217;s Blues.&#8221; A Goddess of Gloom.<\/p>\n<\/div><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"896\" height=\"1152\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pzl4DI00rfgZ64j29Nrr-0-24l4q.jpg?fit=580%2C746&amp;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48734 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pzl4DI00rfgZ64j29Nrr-0-24l4q.jpg 896w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pzl4DI00rfgZ64j29Nrr-0-24l4q-233x300.jpg 233w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pzl4DI00rfgZ64j29Nrr-0-24l4q-796x1024.jpg 796w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pzl4DI00rfgZ64j29Nrr-0-24l4q-768x987.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 896px) 100vw, 896px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:58% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ZFuCeA4fkYUEn39UG00o-0-yhscb.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48731 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ZFuCeA4fkYUEn39UG00o-0-yhscb.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ZFuCeA4fkYUEn39UG00o-0-yhscb-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Very much in the grand <strong>WLBOTT <\/strong>tradition of mixing melancholy, absurdity, and sly beauty. <strong>Sweet Melinda, Goddess of Gloom<\/strong> sounds like a perfect addition to the pantheon.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Especially because:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">Gloom <em>isn&#8217;t<\/em> despair \u2014 it&#8217;s more wistful, rainy, a little tragic, but still weirdly beautiful.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">The name &#8220;Sweet Melinda&#8221; gives her an almost ironic tenderness, like someone you can&#8217;t help but love even as the clouds gather.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\"><strong>Bob Dylan&#8217;s lyric<\/strong> \u2014 &#8220;she&#8217;s the goddess of gloom&#8221; \u2014 already paints her as a figure of mystery, sadness, and inevitability. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Maybe in the WLBOTT pantheon, <strong>Sweet Melinda<\/strong> would be in charge of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"\">Granting artistic inspiration through sadness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Scheduling days where \u201ceverything feels off for no reason.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"\">Helping unfinished letters, unfulfilled promises, and good intentions find their final resting places.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Almost IRL Melinda<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/iL5bkW2XS0xeOf0lDaUE-0-3hsuu.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48740\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/iL5bkW2XS0xeOf0lDaUE-0-3hsuu.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48740\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/iL5bkW2XS0xeOf0lDaUE-0-3hsuu.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/iL5bkW2XS0xeOf0lDaUE-0-3hsuu-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/YZR5iXqeH0w2VqGy5Ysi-0-b6xhx.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"896\" height=\"1152\" data-id=\"48741\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/YZR5iXqeH0w2VqGy5Ysi-0-b6xhx.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48741\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/YZR5iXqeH0w2VqGy5Ysi-0-b6xhx.jpg 896w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/YZR5iXqeH0w2VqGy5Ysi-0-b6xhx-233x300.jpg 233w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/YZR5iXqeH0w2VqGy5Ysi-0-b6xhx-796x1024.jpg 796w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/YZR5iXqeH0w2VqGy5Ysi-0-b6xhx-768x987.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 896px) 100vw, 896px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/7aatqtRhf4gl7CjYXQHP-0-ylrfz.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48743\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/7aatqtRhf4gl7CjYXQHP-0-ylrfz.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48743\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/7aatqtRhf4gl7CjYXQHP-0-ylrfz.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/7aatqtRhf4gl7CjYXQHP-0-ylrfz-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/XJTyk8lHQAaJ11vNUc8R-0-vyykd.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48738\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/XJTyk8lHQAaJ11vNUc8R-0-vyykd.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48738\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/XJTyk8lHQAaJ11vNUc8R-0-vyykd.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/XJTyk8lHQAaJ11vNUc8R-0-vyykd-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/KzINSZ1KecxkyiHQokq2-0-l4d6n.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"896\" height=\"1152\" data-id=\"48745\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/KzINSZ1KecxkyiHQokq2-0-l4d6n.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48745\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/KzINSZ1KecxkyiHQokq2-0-l4d6n.jpg 896w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/KzINSZ1KecxkyiHQokq2-0-l4d6n-233x300.jpg 233w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/KzINSZ1KecxkyiHQokq2-0-l4d6n-796x1024.jpg 796w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/KzINSZ1KecxkyiHQokq2-0-l4d6n-768x987.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 896px) 100vw, 896px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/xvrbAeg2bYF26rcLUzvQ-0-l47x9.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"896\" height=\"1152\" data-id=\"48742\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/xvrbAeg2bYF26rcLUzvQ-0-l47x9.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48742\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/xvrbAeg2bYF26rcLUzvQ-0-l47x9.jpg 896w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/xvrbAeg2bYF26rcLUzvQ-0-l47x9-233x300.jpg 233w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/xvrbAeg2bYF26rcLUzvQ-0-l47x9-796x1024.jpg 796w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/xvrbAeg2bYF26rcLUzvQ-0-l47x9-768x987.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 896px) 100vw, 896px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/KGYarQcDVGNAWxdcHrvI-0-q0qa5.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"896\" height=\"1152\" data-id=\"48739\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/KGYarQcDVGNAWxdcHrvI-0-q0qa5.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48739\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/KGYarQcDVGNAWxdcHrvI-0-q0qa5.jpg 896w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/KGYarQcDVGNAWxdcHrvI-0-q0qa5-233x300.jpg 233w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/KGYarQcDVGNAWxdcHrvI-0-q0qa5-796x1024.jpg 796w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/KGYarQcDVGNAWxdcHrvI-0-q0qa5-768x987.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 896px) 100vw, 896px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/jxVEjQoXXtGpU4CC9brt-0-crldc.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48737\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/jxVEjQoXXtGpU4CC9brt-0-crldc.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48737\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/jxVEjQoXXtGpU4CC9brt-0-crldc.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/jxVEjQoXXtGpU4CC9brt-0-crldc-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/VNQjeGby0Ta5FocVLHas-0-pj7x6.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"896\" height=\"1152\" data-id=\"48744\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/VNQjeGby0Ta5FocVLHas-0-pj7x6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48744\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/VNQjeGby0Ta5FocVLHas-0-pj7x6.jpg 896w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/VNQjeGby0Ta5FocVLHas-0-pj7x6-233x300.jpg 233w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/VNQjeGby0Ta5FocVLHas-0-pj7x6-796x1024.jpg 796w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/VNQjeGby0Ta5FocVLHas-0-pj7x6-768x987.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 896px) 100vw, 896px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Pantheon Archetype<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/C2ZfJLiXu2tNtfQUoU1S-1-m0ya8.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48750\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/C2ZfJLiXu2tNtfQUoU1S-1-m0ya8.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48750\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/C2ZfJLiXu2tNtfQUoU1S-1-m0ya8.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/C2ZfJLiXu2tNtfQUoU1S-1-m0ya8-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/C2ZfJLiXu2tNtfQUoU1S-1-m0ya8-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/C2ZfJLiXu2tNtfQUoU1S-1-m0ya8-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/LlPhTlko7cENpy4jCEZ5-1-13z76.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48747\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/LlPhTlko7cENpy4jCEZ5-1-13z76.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48747\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/LlPhTlko7cENpy4jCEZ5-1-13z76.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/LlPhTlko7cENpy4jCEZ5-1-13z76-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/LlPhTlko7cENpy4jCEZ5-1-13z76-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/LlPhTlko7cENpy4jCEZ5-1-13z76-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/yVRPtdeKvAf3Vws4GpDl-1-xznt9.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48749\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/yVRPtdeKvAf3Vws4GpDl-1-xznt9.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48749\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/yVRPtdeKvAf3Vws4GpDl-1-xznt9.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/yVRPtdeKvAf3Vws4GpDl-1-xznt9-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/yVRPtdeKvAf3Vws4GpDl-1-xznt9-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/yVRPtdeKvAf3Vws4GpDl-1-xznt9-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/UBwsbDbOCiP0r2sw3uRs-1-ags3x.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48752\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/UBwsbDbOCiP0r2sw3uRs-1-ags3x.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48752\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/UBwsbDbOCiP0r2sw3uRs-1-ags3x.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/UBwsbDbOCiP0r2sw3uRs-1-ags3x-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/UBwsbDbOCiP0r2sw3uRs-1-ags3x-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/UBwsbDbOCiP0r2sw3uRs-1-ags3x-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/a9ZfGe5o7fwhpfVHFFwl-1-8d163.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48751\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/a9ZfGe5o7fwhpfVHFFwl-1-8d163.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48751\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/a9ZfGe5o7fwhpfVHFFwl-1-8d163.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/a9ZfGe5o7fwhpfVHFFwl-1-8d163-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/a9ZfGe5o7fwhpfVHFFwl-1-8d163-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/a9ZfGe5o7fwhpfVHFFwl-1-8d163-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/jzNhatVcg36npTP5IlHG-1-zy2h4.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48753\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/jzNhatVcg36npTP5IlHG-1-zy2h4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48753\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/jzNhatVcg36npTP5IlHG-1-zy2h4.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/jzNhatVcg36npTP5IlHG-1-zy2h4-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/jzNhatVcg36npTP5IlHG-1-zy2h4-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/jzNhatVcg36npTP5IlHG-1-zy2h4-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mEFLNTkozcpmz84UcaRv-1-38jmz.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48754\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mEFLNTkozcpmz84UcaRv-1-38jmz.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48754\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mEFLNTkozcpmz84UcaRv-1-38jmz.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mEFLNTkozcpmz84UcaRv-1-38jmz-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mEFLNTkozcpmz84UcaRv-1-38jmz-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mEFLNTkozcpmz84UcaRv-1-38jmz-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/LCYSWS3PEne6ZN6spfKV-1-gv4vj.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48748\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/LCYSWS3PEne6ZN6spfKV-1-gv4vj.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48748\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/LCYSWS3PEne6ZN6spfKV-1-gv4vj.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/LCYSWS3PEne6ZN6spfKV-1-gv4vj-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/LCYSWS3PEne6ZN6spfKV-1-gv4vj-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/LCYSWS3PEne6ZN6spfKV-1-gv4vj-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Real-World Melinda Sightings<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/MMgc54f7HnAcl7BzObpu-0-apv83.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48756\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/MMgc54f7HnAcl7BzObpu-0-apv83.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48756\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/MMgc54f7HnAcl7BzObpu-0-apv83.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/MMgc54f7HnAcl7BzObpu-0-apv83-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/EH0sYK9U4BONVLOrZgmc-0-yk6yz.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48760\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/EH0sYK9U4BONVLOrZgmc-0-yk6yz.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48760\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/EH0sYK9U4BONVLOrZgmc-0-yk6yz.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/EH0sYK9U4BONVLOrZgmc-0-yk6yz-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/266u226U0MWXPmPmku2u-0-qfp6r.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48757\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/266u226U0MWXPmPmku2u-0-qfp6r.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48757\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/266u226U0MWXPmPmku2u-0-qfp6r.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/266u226U0MWXPmPmku2u-0-qfp6r-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/p75ZxCy50MGESx0ZZQFx-0-3biw9.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48758\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/p75ZxCy50MGESx0ZZQFx-0-3biw9.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48758\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/p75ZxCy50MGESx0ZZQFx-0-3biw9.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/p75ZxCy50MGESx0ZZQFx-0-3biw9-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/yOCQT0eUNN5iWun3USpt-0-05rrf-1.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1344\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"48762\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/yOCQT0eUNN5iWun3USpt-0-05rrf-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48762\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/yOCQT0eUNN5iWun3USpt-0-05rrf-1.jpg 1344w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/yOCQT0eUNN5iWun3USpt-0-05rrf-1-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/yOCQT0eUNN5iWun3USpt-0-05rrf-1-1024x585.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/yOCQT0eUNN5iWun3USpt-0-05rrf-1-768x439.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/yOCQT0eUNN5iWun3USpt-0-05rrf-1-1200x686.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1344px) 100vw, 1344px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IfD6OLuqOPe2Hfr5fZS8-0-lia9m.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"896\" height=\"1152\" data-id=\"48759\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IfD6OLuqOPe2Hfr5fZS8-0-lia9m.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48759\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IfD6OLuqOPe2Hfr5fZS8-0-lia9m.jpg 896w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IfD6OLuqOPe2Hfr5fZS8-0-lia9m-233x300.jpg 233w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IfD6OLuqOPe2Hfr5fZS8-0-lia9m-796x1024.jpg 796w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IfD6OLuqOPe2Hfr5fZS8-0-lia9m-768x987.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 896px) 100vw, 896px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Real World Shrines<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The DMV<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/daKXgHNOhAlRq1ami0Wd-0-b08jw.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48770\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/daKXgHNOhAlRq1ami0Wd-0-b08jw.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48770\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/daKXgHNOhAlRq1ami0Wd-0-b08jw.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/daKXgHNOhAlRq1ami0Wd-0-b08jw-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/SOLxDrs6U6sjiPB4GUsm-0-4b0js.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48769\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/SOLxDrs6U6sjiPB4GUsm-0-4b0js.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48769\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/SOLxDrs6U6sjiPB4GUsm-0-4b0js.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/SOLxDrs6U6sjiPB4GUsm-0-4b0js-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-08_01_48-AM.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48771\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-08_01_48-AM.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48771\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-08_01_48-AM.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-08_01_48-AM-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-08_01_48-AM-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-08_01_48-AM-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Laundromat \/ 3 a.m.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-6 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Apr-28-2025-07_47_46-AM.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1536\" data-id=\"48777\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Apr-28-2025-07_47_46-AM.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48777\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Apr-28-2025-07_47_46-AM.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Apr-28-2025-07_47_46-AM-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Apr-28-2025-07_47_46-AM-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Apr-28-2025-07_47_46-AM-768x1152.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Apr-28-2025-07_48_21-AM.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48776\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Apr-28-2025-07_48_21-AM.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48776\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Apr-28-2025-07_48_21-AM.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Apr-28-2025-07_48_21-AM-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Apr-28-2025-07_48_21-AM-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Apr-28-2025-07_48_21-AM-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/RJR75KhG1hWjXonwCsvI-0-ztgan.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1344\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"48773\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/RJR75KhG1hWjXonwCsvI-0-ztgan.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48773\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/RJR75KhG1hWjXonwCsvI-0-ztgan.jpg 1344w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/RJR75KhG1hWjXonwCsvI-0-ztgan-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/RJR75KhG1hWjXonwCsvI-0-ztgan-1024x585.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/RJR75KhG1hWjXonwCsvI-0-ztgan-768x439.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/RJR75KhG1hWjXonwCsvI-0-ztgan-1200x686.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1344px) 100vw, 1344px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Waiting&#8230;. waiting&#8230;.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-7 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-07_57_15-AM.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48782\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-07_57_15-AM.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48782\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-07_57_15-AM.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-07_57_15-AM-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-07_57_15-AM-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-07_57_15-AM-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-07_54_48-AM.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48781\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-07_54_48-AM.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48781\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-07_54_48-AM.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-07_54_48-AM-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-07_54_48-AM-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-07_54_48-AM-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mQ3B99UMuFa5j8Od4z5r-0-mezib.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" data-id=\"48780\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mQ3B99UMuFa5j8Od4z5r-0-mezib.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48780\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mQ3B99UMuFa5j8Od4z5r-0-mezib.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mQ3B99UMuFa5j8Od4z5r-0-mezib-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/mQ3B99UMuFa5j8Od4z5r-0-mezib-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-8 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/6ZTj741L7c88rUxcdBHh-0-rm3aj.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48766\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/6ZTj741L7c88rUxcdBHh-0-rm3aj.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48766\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/6ZTj741L7c88rUxcdBHh-0-rm3aj.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/6ZTj741L7c88rUxcdBHh-0-rm3aj-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-08_15_16-AM.png\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"48767\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-08_15_16-AM.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48767\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-08_15_16-AM.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-08_15_16-AM-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-08_15_16-AM-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ChatGPT-Image-Apr-28-2025-08_15_16-AM-768x768.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/JOgFsssFP0gQhjJUMaz1-1-v6pwa.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1408\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"48765\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/JOgFsssFP0gQhjJUMaz1-1-v6pwa.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48765\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/JOgFsssFP0gQhjJUMaz1-1-v6pwa.jpg 1408w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/JOgFsssFP0gQhjJUMaz1-1-v6pwa-300x164.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/JOgFsssFP0gQhjJUMaz1-1-v6pwa-1024x559.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/JOgFsssFP0gQhjJUMaz1-1-v6pwa-768x419.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/JOgFsssFP0gQhjJUMaz1-1-v6pwa-1200x655.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1408px) 100vw, 1408px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<figcaption class=\"blocks-gallery-caption wp-element-caption\">Where Gloom <em>IS<\/em> Despare<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Appropriations, Blasphemies, and Trading Cards<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-9 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/druid1_mr2.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"1131\" data-id=\"48784\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/druid1_mr2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48784\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/druid1_mr2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/druid1_mr2-212x300.jpg 212w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/druid1_mr2-724x1024.jpg 724w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/druid1_mr2-768x1086.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">References<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&#8217;d always been fascinating by the word play and imagery in Bob Dylan&#8217;s song <em>Just Like Tom Thumb&#8217;s Blues<\/em>. It turns out that the story behind it is much more literal and pedestrian than the lyrics might suggest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">Sweet Melinda \/ The peasants call her the goddess of gloom<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The song describes an Easter road trip that Dylan took to Juarez, Mexico. It was recorded on August 2nd, 1965, and describes the dark side of the border city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-10 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1344\" height=\"768\" data-id=\"48786\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/hX3G6v9TJDpwgvgGkAQW-0-bxed0.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48786\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/hX3G6v9TJDpwgvgGkAQW-0-bxed0.jpg 1344w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/hX3G6v9TJDpwgvgGkAQW-0-bxed0-300x171.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/hX3G6v9TJDpwgvgGkAQW-0-bxed0-1024x585.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/hX3G6v9TJDpwgvgGkAQW-0-bxed0-768x439.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/hX3G6v9TJDpwgvgGkAQW-0-bxed0-1200x686.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1344px) 100vw, 1344px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A border city is where things are desired and available, the same things that are desired and unavailable on the other side of an invisible line a few miles away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One reviewer called the song &#8220;the limits of the hedonistic lifestyle.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ciudad Ju\u00e1rez<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ju\u00e1rez is <strong><em>not <\/em><\/strong>on the WLBOTT World Tour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2008, General Moreno and the Third Infantry Company took over the fight against the cartels in town. They were removed in 2009, with the general and 29 of his associates now in custody and awaiting trial for charges of murder and civil rights violations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As of 2019, Ju\u00e1rez&#8217;s murder rate placed #2 of the highest reported in the world, at 104 murders per 100,000 inhabitants. An August 2008 GQ article described a dispirited and disorderly atmosphere that permeated the city, caused by multiple factors including drug violence, government corruption and poverty.<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ciudad_Ju%C3%A1rez\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wikipedia<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-2 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-11 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0060.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"865\" height=\"753\" data-id=\"48789\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0060.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48789\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0060.jpg 865w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0060-300x261.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0060-768x669.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0061.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"940\" height=\"763\" data-id=\"48791\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0061.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48791\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0061.jpg 940w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0061-300x244.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0061-768x623.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250428_0064.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1455\" height=\"665\" data-id=\"48790\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250428_0064.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48790\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250428_0064.jpg 1455w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250428_0064-300x137.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250428_0064-1024x468.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250428_0064-768x351.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250428_0064-1200x548.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1455px) 100vw, 1455px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prepare to Perspire<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-12 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0063.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"945\" height=\"574\" data-id=\"48793\" src=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0063.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-48793\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0063.jpg 945w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0063-300x182.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/irl_250427_0063-768x466.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 945px) 100vw, 945px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<pre class=\"wp-block-verse\"><strong>Just Like Tom Thumb\u2019s Blues<\/strong><br>Written by: Bob Dylan<br><br>When you\u2019re lost in the rain in Juarez<br>And it\u2019s Eastertime too<br>And your gravity fails<br>And negativity don\u2019t pull you through<br>Don\u2019t put on any airs<br>When you\u2019re down on Rue Morgue Avenue<br>They got some hungry women there<br>And they really make a mess outta you<br><br>Now if you see Saint Annie<br>Please tell her thanks a lot<br>I cannot move<br>My fingers are all in a knot<br>I don\u2019t have the strength<br>To get up and take another shot<br>And my best friend, my doctor<br>Won\u2019t even say what it is I\u2019ve got<br><br><strong>Sweet Melinda<\/strong><br>The peasants call her the goddess of gloom<br>She speaks good English<br>And she invites you up into her room<br>And you\u2019re so kind<br>And careful not to go to her too soon<br>And she takes your voice<br>And leaves you howling at the moon<br><br>Up on Housing Project Hill<br>It\u2019s either fortune or fame<br>You must pick up one or the other<br>Though neither of them are to be what they claim<br>If you\u2019re lookin\u2019 to get silly<br>You better go back to from where you came<br>Because the cops don\u2019t need you<br>And man they expect the same<br><br>Now all the authorities<br>They just stand around and boast<br>How they blackmailed the sergeant-at-arms<br>Into leaving his post<br>And picking up Angel who<br>Just arrived here from the coast<br>Who looked so fine at first<br>But left looking just like a ghost<br><br>I started out on burgundy<br>But soon hit the harder stuff<br>Everybody said they\u2019d stand behind me<br>When the game got rough<br>But the joke was on me<br>There was nobody even there to call my bluff<br>I\u2019m going back to New York City<br>I do believe I\u2019ve had enough<\/pre>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Guardian&#8217;s List<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let it be known that ranking Bob Dylan\u2019s 50 best songs is not a relaxing diversion to pass one\u2019s lockdown time. It\u2019s a supremely frustrating exercise that can only end with you looking agog at the songs you have left out, your face crumpling&#8230;. As for <strong>No 1<\/strong>, sometimes you have to bow to the inevitable. In its author\u2019s own words, <em>Like a Rolling Stone<\/em> changed it all: six minutes of <strong>\u201csteady hatred\u201d<\/strong>, its chorus melody loosely based on Ritchie Valens\u2019 <em>La Bamba<\/em>, its musicians \u2013 as writer Greil Marcus has pointed out \u2013 just clinging on to the song by their fingernails, it was a boundary-breaking single that permanently altered the face of music. Entire books have been written about it, unravelling meanings from its dense lyrics, but Marcus\u2019s point is key: along with the sheer venom of Dylan\u2019s delivery, it\u2019s the sense that the journey into uncharted territory is permanently on the brink of collapse that makes it so eternally thrilling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">1. Like a Rolling Stone (1965)<br>2. Visions of Johanna (1966)<br>3. Idiot Wind (1975)<br>4. Subterranean Homesick Blues (1965)<br>5. Desolation Row (1965)<br>6. Blind Willie McTell (1983)<br>7. Positively Fourth Street (1965)<br>8. Not Dark Yet (1997)<br>9. Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands (1966)<br>10. It Ain\u2019t Me Babe (1964)<br>11. Girl From the North Country (1963)<br>12. Tangled Up in Blue (1975)<br>13. The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (1964)<br>14. Things Have Changed (1997)<br>15. It\u2019s Alright Ma (I\u2019m Only Bleeding) (1965)<br>16. One of Us Must Know (Sooner Or Later) (1966)<br>17. Ballad of a Thin Man (1965)<br>18. Mr Tambourine Man (1965)<br>19. The Groom\u2019s Still Waiting at the Altar (1981)<br>20. A Hard Rain\u2019s A Gonna Fall (1963)<br>21. I Threw It All Away (1969)<br>22. Chimes of Freedom (1964)<br>23. I Shall Be Released (1967)<br>24. Hurricane (1976)<br>25. Simple Twist of Fate (1975)<br>26. I Want You (1966)<br>27. Most of the Time (1989)<br>28. All Along the Watchtower (1967)<br>29. Don\u2019t Think Twice It\u2019s Alright (1963)<br>30. High Water (For Charlie Patton) (2001)<br>31. Isis (1976)<br>32. It\u2019s All Over Now Baby Blue (1965)<br>33. Murder Most Foul (2020)<br>34. Brownsville Girl (1986)<br>35. Slow Train (1979)<br>36. Knockin\u2019 on Heaven\u2019s Door (1973)<br>37. If Not For You (1970)<br>38. Love Minus Zero\/No Limit (1965)<br>39. The Times They Are A-Changin\u2019 (1964)<br>40. Jokerman (1983)<br>41. Forever Young (1974)<br>42. One Too Many Mornings (1964)<br>43. Ain\u2019t Talkin\u2019 (2006)<br>44. Blowin\u2019 in the Wind (1963)<br>45. Went to See the Gypsy (1970)<br>46. Make You Feel My Love (1997)<br>47. My Back Pages (1964)<br>48. Pay in Blood (2012)<br>49. This Wheel\u2019s on Fire (1967)<br>50. Changing of the Guards (1978)<\/p>\n<cite><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/music\/2020\/apr\/09\/bob-dylans-50-greatest-songs-ranked\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Guardian<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The business of the day: WLBOTT is considering expanding our pantheon. We&#8217;re thinking of adding &#8220;Sweet Melinda, the Goddess of Gloom.&#8221; She is based loosely on the Bob Dylan song &#8220;Tom Thumb&#8217;s Blues.&#8221; A Goddess of Gloom. Very much in the grand WLBOTT tradition of mixing melancholy, absurdity, and sly beauty. Sweet Melinda, Goddess of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[15,23,106],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48727","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-existential-angst","category-mexico","category-pantheon"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48727","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=48727"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48727\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":48802,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/48727\/revisions\/48802"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=48727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=48727"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=48727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}