I read it in my Time magazine. There was a story about the decline of the popularity of the shopping malls. Something to do with online buying and the fact that younger folks aren't as social as they used to be. Apparently more fun to just look at your mobile device than actually 'hang out' with friends.

Then not long ago my sports friend Jerry P. from down the Radio Ranch hall asked me what was the very first news story I remembered when I was a kid. Well, that was easy.

When President Kennedy was assassinated. I remember it like it was yesterday.

His eyes got kind of big and Jerry, being the gentleman that he is, just said 'Hmmm...', smiled and went back to work.

So I went to do a little research (which entails bothering other co-workers who are busy with other things. Ya know, just kinda barge right in).

I asked co-worker Lily what was the very first ever news story she remembers as a kid. She thought for just a second and said...

'President Reagan being shot'. OK....well, that was about 18 years or so after JFK.

I meandered down the hall, the Boss asked what I was doing, I replied 'deep research'. He shook his head (again). I happened upon co-worker Seth and asked about the very first news story he remembered as a kid. Within a second and a half he said '9/11, I was in elementary school.' Uh, yeah...I wasn't.

OK, I figured that was enough research. I looked around the building and realized there was someone who would probably say Challenger, someone would say Lewinsky. And I certainly didn't need to hear Y2K as a first news memory.

So let's see...I read the first Mall was built in 1956, but apparently didn't really sweep the nation til the 1970's. Well, by the 1970's I was a bit past hanging out at the Mall. I grew up on rotary phones and studded snow tires. I can't tell you exactly where I was when I got my first flat-screen TV, but I can sure tell you exactly where I was when Dad brought home our first used color TV! I loved Red Owl and Piggly Wiggly, Woolworth's and yes, even Sambo's. And yes, I remember when gas was waaay under a buck (And under 50 cents if there was a gas war).

Pop was a dime and 5 baseball cards were a nickel, plus you got a nice piece of cardboard bubblegum.

So I stand proudly (if a little stooped) and admit to the world: I have never bought anything online, not one thing. I like to go into a store, say hi to the help and other customers and actually touch something before I buy it. I get magazines at home, I mean the paper kind (I love turning the pages). And while I love shopping the stores in town, there's really only one kind I can actually go in and spend 2, 3, 4 hours. The bookstore. I mean with honest-to-goodness covers and pages. And I know, I know. there's fewer and fewer of those.

I suppose there's fewer and fewer of me, too. But us 'ol Dinosaur's are still plodding around the planet. And hey, I'm keeping up. Or maybe better put, hanging on.

Heck, every now and then I like to play a game of Ms. Pacman. That's new and hip, right?


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