ramble thoughts
Jan. 17th, 2026 05:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kossaifeel weird about this almost sense of jealousy for kids who actually get to experience mall culture , hang out with friends in all of these " trendy " stores , whether buy or just look around and goof off . like , kossai do not care about specific brand loyalty , and do not think that shop is great hobby in grand scheme of things .
but still ... grow up in poverty while everyone else get to show off , brag , or just tell stories of weird things that happen in these places . every time that did go out to shop was either at thrift stores or like , supercentre type stores that carry little bit of everything but cater to nothing in specific .
branded clothes stores have appearances , charm , and huge range of goods to suit audience of choice , while places young kossai shop at just kind of … have clothes . those branded stores feel like foreign world that kossai did not get to see , in comparison - another in list of things that feel like completely unrealistic TV tropes , but know actually real .
and even once gain enough relative stability to be able to branch out ... those kind of stores fade out , no longer exist on same scale , if even able to find to start with since that depend highly on location - supercentres and especially digital shops reign supreme . feel weird about miss huge part of what people consider to be " kid/teen culture " , while also lack means to replicate and play pretend .
like ... miss out on things like sleepovers too due to utter lack of friends , but at least that is something which anyone can organise at any age , independent of what exist externally . much of same advice that magazines and websites pass around in decades past can still be applied , can still find friends to goof off with even as adult - might even welcome chance to be nostalgic and silly - really just need to find room for circumstances . easier said than done , but still theoretically achievable . not so much with physical store experiences when those places all shut down .
but still ... grow up in poverty while everyone else get to show off , brag , or just tell stories of weird things that happen in these places . every time that did go out to shop was either at thrift stores or like , supercentre type stores that carry little bit of everything but cater to nothing in specific .
branded clothes stores have appearances , charm , and huge range of goods to suit audience of choice , while places young kossai shop at just kind of … have clothes . those branded stores feel like foreign world that kossai did not get to see , in comparison - another in list of things that feel like completely unrealistic TV tropes , but know actually real .
and even once gain enough relative stability to be able to branch out ... those kind of stores fade out , no longer exist on same scale , if even able to find to start with since that depend highly on location - supercentres and especially digital shops reign supreme . feel weird about miss huge part of what people consider to be " kid/teen culture " , while also lack means to replicate and play pretend .
like ... miss out on things like sleepovers too due to utter lack of friends , but at least that is something which anyone can organise at any age , independent of what exist externally . much of same advice that magazines and websites pass around in decades past can still be applied , can still find friends to goof off with even as adult - might even welcome chance to be nostalgic and silly - really just need to find room for circumstances . easier said than done , but still theoretically achievable . not so much with physical store experiences when those places all shut down .
Thoughts
Date: Jan. 18th, 2026 03:08 am (UTC)I did get to experience mall culture, and enjoyed it. But I never cared for the "trendy" stores. I was hitting the bookstore, Sears for the garden section, the eatery, and whatever quirky bohemian or decor shop there was. Happily the popular kids did gravitate to the trendy shops, which kept them out of my fur.
There are still some malls, though nowhere near as many. The closest one is nearly a ghost town, but Rural King bought it and is trying to revive it. Another has come back greatly -- it has a community art gallery, and the barber shop is also a gallery of African-American art.
There are a lot of things that I loved, that just aren't around anymore.
Re: Thoughts
Date: Jan. 19th, 2026 05:12 am (UTC)think people who have no pain or disability sometimes take for granted that physical presence and selection is really special thing , and only realise miss out when gone ...
Re: Thoughts
Date: Jan. 19th, 2026 06:01 am (UTC)Understandable.
>> really enjoy library though !<<
Libraries can be awesome.
>> think people who have no pain or disability sometimes take for granted that physical presence and selection is really special thing , and only realise miss out when gone ...<<
This matches my observation.
My body is somewhat functional, within certain limitations. In reasonable weather, I can walk around a street fair and see most or even all of it. But on a hot day, for instance, I may melt in 5 minutes, which really sucks. Most people have no patience with this, and I am usually the limiting factor.
One time I intended to go out for supper with a friend while we were at an event. I suggested a restaurant that was maybe a couple blocks away and walkable for me. She pointed out it was too far for her to walk. I said, "Okay, where do you want to eat?" She picked the hotel restaurant, and we had a good time.
A lot of times, life is about finding the good times wherever you can in that moment.