Mall Rat

an epiphany posting.....

Howdy All,

I am a mall rat. It was a realization made in those brief, yet seemingly endless moments just before falling asleep when one is free of thoughts of the day and consumed with the seedlings of dreams and nightmares. I remembered childhood, and through all the many experiences there was a constant among them all. It was a mall. My adulthood was incubated in the confines of the modern shopping center, known affectionately as "The Mall".

As my mind began regressing I saw flashes of so many childhood experiences. I remembered spending time with my father in his office of JCPenneys sharpening pencils and conducting other simple tasks in order to occupy my time and participate as only a child can. His office is where I most remember him. It was there that I would talk about school, or a new book or CD that I would buy. It was there that I was scolded for various childhood transgressions or, conversely, praised for the mundane achievements that make parents so proud.

I remember shopping for school clothes each year, and of roaming the isles throughout the store in search of nothing in particular. My playground was not a neighborhood park, or forest, but a sea of clothing racks that one could hide in for hours on end. My advisors and caregivers were the associates and managers of the store. It was to them that I could turn for advice or entertainment, and it was in their own children that I found friends. We were Penneys brats, and true mall rats. We would roam the mall court yard for hours during our summers. We knew security. We knew all the stores, and stands. Every inch was ours which we merely allowed others to enjoy. It was our mall. I remember watching people drop coins into the fountains. I would watch with amusement those who scanned the directories because I had long ago memorized it. It was at the mall that I experienced all my childhood mischief and mayhem.

It's influence has inundated my senses. It is the reason I have never felt uncomfortable shopping with friends. It is why I feel a strange comfort at the pungent smell of a beauty salon or a candle shop. It is why I have cravings for such restaurants as Chick-fil-A, The Great American Cookie Company, and Schlotzsky's, not because they are good, but because the were introduced to me in the mall. It is the reason I avoid the mall now. I do not like that I feel so comfortable around so many people. It is strange. It is the reason I do not like people to watch me eat, because I grew up with so many people watching me in the food court. The mall haunts me. One of the many landscapes that repeat themselves in my dreams is that of a large mall which encompasses many attributes of all those in which I grew up.

We all have memories of a childhood haven where so many of our memories find their home, but mine remains sunless and crowded. It is the source of many good memories, as well as those scary moments when children feel alone and lost. I am a mall rat.

-Pooh out.

Nine Eleven

Howdy All,

We are resting comfortably at a heightened threat level. As far as I am able to discern the situation, it simply means that we are to do everything we normally do, only with the addition of cumbersome PPE gear. Do not fret, though, because it is only precaution in the unlikely event of insurgent activity around this ominous anniversary date.

Unfortunately we are not able to celebrate this anniversary of 9/11 as others at home might, as a remembrance of American spirit. Instead, we are reminded here that the fight is not yet over. These boys and girls over here will keep fighting it, and civilians like myself will be there right behind them providing the little things that we can to make it easier on them.

I just read a report that Walmart is being protested over a new store opening up near Teotihuacan in Mexico. It is nice because it means that those people have the freedom, not only to benefit from the expanse of companies like Walmart, but to peaceably protest such developments. It is as a free society should be. I can't wait for the day when Walmarts will litter the desert expanse here in Iraq. I will cherish the day that Baghdad locals are either running down to their local discount superstore to buy diapers at 3am, or complaining about the traffic that a new Walmart has brought to their area. It will be music to the ears of everyone, especially if it has replaced the sound of small arms fire, or mortar attacks.

Until then, we will do our part. For that matter, your part is to ensure that we won't be cut off at the knees here by a new presidential administration led by John Kerry. Please remember that he said he would pursue the withdrawal of American forces here, however unlikely that may be, in his first year. I'm not telling you to blindly vote for Gee Dub, but make a concerted effort to educate yourself on the facts and issues. Vote for real American values, rather than the niceties of touchy, feely politics.

Okay, no more soap box on this occasion. I just want to wish everyone well, and many blessings of these days of remembrance and reflection. Take care of yourselves, and keep a prayer handy for those fighting over here.

-Pooh out.

Ennui Anyone?

Merriam-Webster defines it as "a feeling of weariness or dissatisfaction : BOREDOM"

Howdy All,

We have a serious case of ennui setting in around here. So much so that I really can't think of anything exciting to write about. I'm sure there is adventure and excitement to relay, but I cannot recall what that might be.

In lieu of my own adventures let us discuss the ever apparent bad dietary habits which have been given the spotlight with the recent surgery undergone by former President Clinton. Now, political affiliations aside, I would never wish upon a person the sort of serious procedure of a quadruple bypass. Simply put, it was his rather infamous fast food habits which had finally caught up with him. Unfortunately, his scenario is not unique to former presidents, but rather, he exemplifies the downfall of most of us in the general population.

I suppose I didn't fully appreciate the unhealthy aspects of our lifestyles until I found myself stuck in the middle of the desert with a menu selection that sucks, and nothing else to do for recreation other than exercise. President Clinton is a typical American who happens to live in the spotlight, and he is prone to the risks of poor health, excess weight, and sedentary living.

I hope that he recovers from his ordeal, and that he takes this opportunity, along with all the rest of us, to fix some of our vices, and change some of our habits. Let's remember that there are friends and loved ones who would love nothing more than to keep us around for a long time, and the least we can do is accommodate.

-Pooh out.