You are the main character…But there in the background, faint and out of focus, are the extras. The random passersby. Each living a life as vivid and complex as your own. They carry on invisibly around you, bearing the accumulated weight of their own ambitions, friends, routines, mistakes, worries, triumphs, and inherited craziness. – John Koenig from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows
I recognize how Gen-X it is of me to feel nostalgic upon the closing of a mall. Even this mall, which was past its prime the very first time I set foot in it a few years ago. But it harkens back to fond memories of a simpler youth. There was nothing better on the weekend than to ride bikes over to the Salisbury Mall, play free video games at Montgomery Ward, hit the bookstore, the arcade, the record store and Tony’s pizza all in one afternoon. Heck, I’d love to be able to do all of that in one place today.
But the Fox Run Mall in Newington, NH is on its last breath. I took a walk through it today out of morbid curiosity. The stores that remain (it might be at half capacity if you’re generous in counting what’s open) are moving out in January, for a planned demolition later this year. Walking the halls feels like you’re in something of a ghost town. Centralia, PA, in retail form. But for some reason they still plow the entire lot, including parking spaces that probably haven’t been used once in decades. Farewell Fox Run Mall, I wish I could have known you in better days.
We are creating a world where anyone, anywhere may express his or her beliefs, no matter how singular, without fear of being coerced into silence or conformity. – John Perry Barlow from A Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace
It’s a shame it didn’t ultimately work out that way.
Social media’s really great if you’re tired of sane conversations and you’re feeling too good about yourself. – Chris Hardwick
One of the biggest takeaways that I’ve had over the last seven years in the gen AI space is that urgency is creating toxicity. – Allie K. Miller
I’m well aware that the music I grew up qualifies as oldies now, and that rock is basically old people music. But I didn’t realize how bad it was until Collective Soul became part of a “look at how old and gross this feller is” commercial.
No, you may not send me notifications. Ever. About anything. I’ve got this.
Yours Truly,
Bryan
“I’ve got people in my family that are to the right of Attila the Hun. And when people tell me, like, ‘How can you platform that person on your show?’ I go, ‘I platform my uncle every fucking Thanksgiving.’ And by the way, I love him. He’s a three-dimensional human being who has qualities that I really admire — things about him. And we’ve lost that. We’ve lost the ability to love people because we litmus test at every point, in every single moment.” – Jon Stewart
I’m not a Dodgers fan at all, but I’m glad they won the World Series. I sincerely hope they win every World Series from here until the economic system in baseball more closely resembles the other major sports leagues. As a fan of a smaller market team, I’m sincerely losing interest in the whole thing. Yes, the Pirates are mismanaged. But so what?
In football, you can build a dynasty in Kansas City. In basketball, fans in San Antonio and Milwaukee have a lot to be excited about. In hockey, you can build a dynasty in Edmonton. In baseball, even if a small market team like Florida or Kansas City wins it all, they have to burn it all down because they can’t afford their players anymore. So go Dodgers! The more people drift away from the game, the better.
Why do you continue to assume that your duty as a citizen is to watch and read about horrible stuff constantly? – Ryan Holiday
