Long time … No write …
With all due respect to Robert Heinlein (from where this title came from) I felt like a stranger in a strange land during my visit last week to nearby shopping mall.
Ruminations follow
Last week I ended up going to a local shopping mall. How often do I go to any shopping mall. Maybe once or twice a year any more. Now I am not one of those that shops online or on TV, I'm lucky if I spend a few hundred a year any more, but I just have no need to go to the mall.
Now why did I go there? Well I had a ticket for a free movie at the attached theaters, and I had over an hour to burn, so walking I went. And as I looked around it seemed like 50% of the stores were clothes (mostly women's), 20% shoes, 10% department stores, and the rest some type of specialty store or personal service (massage anyone?). And everyone looked so excited to be there (little kids that wanted nothing to do with it being the exception). But for me it was just boring. There was just nothing I wanted and the stores mostly looked alike. At least the Disney Store was interesting, but only for maybe 10 minutes of browsing.
I dunno, have I just gotten to the age shopping has no appeal? Is it I have everything I want, and by not watching TV (and not even getting magazines now) I don't get mesmerized into wanting more and more? Is this just the new "thing" and it will pass?
I admit I feel happier this way, but walking in those crowds I just feel like I can't even understand what I am seeing any more. I guess I'll just stay in my bubble for now....
Stranger in a Strange Land
February 21st, 2019 at 12:24 am
February 21st, 2019 at 01:46 am 1550713597
Today? I'm just like you. I might enter a mall 2-3 times a year. For me it is party what you said about having everything I want. It's partly that when there is something I want, I'd rather order it on Amazon and have it delivered a day or two later and it's also cheaper that way. And it's also that at least around here, malls have gotten more and more upscale. They don't have many of the types of stores that I would shop in if I was looking to buy something. If I need a new t-shirt, for example, I'm going to Target or Walmart where I'll spend $5-7, not Hollister or some other designer store where a basic t-shirt might be $20-30.
I also generally eat healthier than I used to so the mall food court no longer holds great appeal as a place for lunch or dinner.
I do tend to notice that the mall crowd is usually teens to 20-somethings predominantly, so I realize at 54, I'm no longer the target demographic for the merchandise and marketing. Fine with me.
February 21st, 2019 at 08:51 am 1550739104
February 21st, 2019 at 12:15 pm 1550751304
February 21st, 2019 at 04:57 pm 1550768249
I used to love the mall when I was young, I went every chance I got. Looking back, it was the freedom I loved.
February 21st, 2019 at 07:43 pm 1550778213
February 24th, 2019 at 01:57 am 1550973420
I'll also go to the mall to buy outfits for work at Macy's or Chico's periodically--but at this point, it's been a couple of years since I went shopping for clothing in person and I'm tempted to try Stitch Fix this spring to spruce my wardrobe up a bit.
February 24th, 2019 at 02:22 am 1550974959
February 24th, 2019 at 08:16 pm 1551039419