GHOST MALL

 

Early in 2000 I remember a tech whizz stating that in just 10 years shopping malls would be obsolete. Frankly, I couldn't imagine it! Malls are not just for shopping, but social gatherings.

I am not a person who likes crowds or noise, but malls were an exception! These were fun places with a carnival atmosphere filled with lots of interesting eye candy; plus restaurants & cafes in all price ranges plus a nifty food court.

A mall was a wonderful place to meet with friends for lunch and go shopping afterward. And there was a movie theatre with multiple screens too! Everything you could possibly want for a fun filled day or evening! Even going alone always lifted my spirits.

Recently I met a friend for lunch at the food court. I recall when just finding a good parking space was difficult, but now the parking lot had so few cars I had my choice. Most of the stores had moved or closed down altogether.

I was surprised to see the AMC Theatre open since movie times are no longer listed in the newspaper. But I'll bet all 24 screens aren't playing anymore.

Half the eateries in the food court were gone and our choices were limited, but there were plenty of unoccupied tables to choose from. The other people I saw there were either senior citizens or close to it. -- Those of us considered the walking dead by the young.

Well it took more than the predicted 10 years, but sadly I saw it happening even before the corona virus; however this seemed to add the final nail. Such a pity!

Just walking around and window shopping used to be such a delight! All that glorious merchandise and the variety of items spread out before you! Unlike online, you could see it up close and even touch it.

Some merchandise I can see purchasing online only. However others it just doesn't make sense, plus it's far more expensive! There's postage, handling, tax, and now a replacement charge (which used to be voluntary) along with a carrier surcharge which is new. After all these are added in, sometimes it costs as much or more as the item itself! If that's not an incentive to shop at a brick & mortar store I don't know what is!

Once upon a time a customer didn't even have to pay postage, plus most companies included a free gift just for choosing them. Nowadays that seems incredible to say the least! 

Clothing creates a particular problem. I want to try it on before I buy! Yes, I've purchased clothes online and often ended up sending it back! I grit my teeth at having to pay costly postage both ways! Often clothes are manufactured in other countries and are miss-sized.

Usually a medium fits me, but not always. When going by actual size, if an outfit appears baggy on the model I order a size smaller. If it's clingy I go with the next larger size. I've found this method works best.

The virus aside, these days I don't go out that much anymore so I don't require as many clothes or accessories. But I sure miss those wondrous mall visits. Always they felt like a special treat!

ALLIGATORS, PYTHONS, WILD HOGS, & HURRICANES OH MY!

 

That dreaded season is upon us once more! We've already had our first hurricane threat, also the earliest E hurricane ever, Elsa and this was around July 4. Thankfully it weakened into a tropical storm and stayed mostly off the other coast of Florida.

Had it not and had I actually found someone to board-up, I would have been forced to stay that way thru November! It's too damn expensive otherwise!  Anyone willing to take the job charges an obscene amount of money!   

According to forecasts we're in for another active season. Where's El Nino when you need him? Ugh! Forget El Nino, Bermuda High get back in shape! Last year it protected the Treasure Coast from all those hurricanes. The Bermuda High has shifted, changing shape leaving us vulnerable this year.

I read that dust storms off Africa would protect us until August; maybe it did since Elsa weakened.

Last November I saw the movie CRAWL about Floridians being eaten alive by alligators during a Cat 5 hurricane -- a movie a little too close to home for comfort.

However dissecting it, no actual Floridian would seriously buy into that film. -- The reality would be far worse!!!

For one thing, much of the movie takes place in a basement. There are no basements in Florida! And one that close to a large body of water would be permanently flooded.

Also there's a scene where the heroine (a champion swimmer) escapes an alligator by out swimming it. Upon hitting dry land she is safe. -- Not!  Alligators are just as fast on land as in the water!

And lastly, that was NO CAT 5 HURRICANE!!! It was barely a Cat 1, more like a tropical storm.  In a true Cat 5 trees, rooftops, boats, & other huge heavy objects would be landing all around them once they ventured outside. And the flesh on their faces & bodies would be flapping around like something out of a horror movie. Also their clothes would be shredded and ripped from their bodies, plus they would all be dead fast.

But everything aside, if you suspend belief, it was great entertainment. However a movie based on reality would have been even better!

The setting should have been an isolated rural home. As its being totally demolished by a Cat 5 the inhabitants survive by taking shelter under a staircase after the door to their safe room is blown away. The ones who didn't, later will be found miles away. Their naked, broken bodies dangling from tree tops.

The storm is over.

Emerging from beneath piles of rubble the survivors leave the remains of their home and discover flooded streets and yards swimming with poisonous snakes and hungry alligators swirling and circling closer. A few of these survivors are dragged under leaving only severed body parts floating in the bloody water. Those who escape finally reach high ground and encounter starving giant pythons lurking in wait plus wild boars with nasty tusks ready to strike. -- Yes we have all those in Florida and here in Vero Beach, too!

Just before the hurricane I received an email alerting me that feral hogs, including one with ugly tusks were running loose in the neighborhood. Boar hunters with dogs were called in. Our head of the HOA stated that neighbors with guns were also allowed to shoot them as long as he was invited to the barbecue.   

It's hard to believe once I actually loved this time of year.

GRRR, NEVER AGAIN!!!

 

Awhile back I was approached by a Facebook "friend" a man I'll call "D. Wurst" to collaborate on a children's book based on a poem he'd written, the main character a superhero I'll call "The Blandman."

Inexplicably The Blandman transformed into the guardian of children everywhere. This is all D.W. brought to the table. It was up to me to supply everything else! I got busy creating a story explaining the transformation, plus a villain, and other characters all with background stories, plus an outline.

However I made it clear to D.W. this was his baby and he was going to have to write his novel himself; I would help him every step of the way, chapter by chapter.

D.W. was actually a gifted wordsmith, whereas I'm more of a plot person. I thought as a team we'd be dynamic together! I've collaborated on books before. And of course there were creative conflicts but nothing we couldn't get past. 

Meanwhile I was editing my novel The House of Sin and Splendor. I told Wurst he could be working on the first chapter while I was doing this. I gave him tips along with advice.

Then I discovered he didn't want a collaborator, but a free ghostwriter!!! Now he was claiming he didn't feel qualified to write his own book, because previously he'd only written poetry & short stories. Good grief! It's only a small leap to go from writing a short story to a novel. He had the ability!!!

Besides everything else I'd done, I was now expected to write his entire book for him. Aside from the work and time involved, my vision is impaired. This was a tremendous favor to ask of a Facebook acquaintance! Plus he would be taking all the credit.

I told him nothing doing and presented him with two choices; either he paid me for the ghostwriting OR he relinquished all claim and let me proceed with it on my own. He angrily told me to forget it!

Already I had put in a lot of work and didn't want it to go to waste. Again, I reminded him that if he would write this novel himself, he'd continue to get free help and ideas from me.  -- He refused to even try!

I was sick at the thought of discarding this story that I'd put so much effort into. So I decided to eliminate his character The Blandman entirely and make it my novel by tweaking and twisting this tale turning it into an adult novel and take it darker places. --The Blandman character was too silly for an adult novel anyway.

When I revealed my plans to him, he behaved like a whacked-out jerk, blew up, got nasty, and called me a plagiarist! (I didn't know it was possible to plagiarize from one's self!) I was stunned. Geez, this lazy entitled asshat refused to write his own book, yet begrudged me the right to use everything I'd created!

Reasoning with him was impossible.

I don't want him stinking up my life over this, so I won't proceed.  This would-be book is going to languish in limbo forever. And that's a crying shame!

He beat me to the punch by unfriending me on Facebook. However we were still connected on messenger so I fired off a message informing him that I'd abandoned the idea.

Plus I warned him that he is forbidden from using my MY PLOT or CHARACTERS should he find a sucker to write his book for him. This is my intellectual property and he does NOT have my permission! And I will stink up his life big time if he does!!!

NEVER AGAIN will I agree to collaborate on a book with anyone! Not only will it prevent problems like this one, but any creative conflicts as well.