Remembering JFK and Actually Going Christmas Shopping

Today is November 22, 2024, the anniversary of the day JFK was assassinated in 1963. I was at school. It was such a shock. Yes, it was 61 years ago today. I don't remember that much about it other than that everybody was in shock, but they didn't send us home from school or anything. I suppose if it had happened today, they would send us all home or set up counseling sessions all over the campus (I went to the new campus-style Topeka West High School, not the beautiful old Topeka High School built in 1931). But today I didn't hear any mention of it on the radio on the news on my clock radio, or as I was driving to or from work in my car or on the way to Barnes and Noble to shop for Christmas presents for my relatives in New Jersey or on the way home from Barnes and Noble. I'm pretty sure also that in the 1960s, anniversaries of things were paid attention to much more than they are today. I don't necessarily want to get into contrasting the way things were then with the way things are now (kind of like that "Reminiscence" magazine where old folks go on about their younger days), but there are notable differences that we can observe at times like this. I am not sure I want to delve into that at this hour. I have to do laundry in the morning. I don't want to wake up so late in the mid-morning that everybody in the apartment complex will be doing their laundry. I spent quite a bit of time in Barnes and Noble today picking out gifts for everybody in my family, what's left of it, and found gifts for everybody in New Jersey. They have a beautiful store right now, especially, for Christmas. I was really impressed. The store looks absolutely wonderful. I told the lady in the children's department how beautiful it looked. It was almost like the good old days. I hope they bring back shopping in stores again. I am going to do my part to make that happen. I am not all about shopping online. It's fun and it's great to be able to find stuff online, etc. but it really does not take the place of actually going shopping in person. It just doesn't. All over the store is beauty and style and color and the sound of beautiful music and I really got a great feeling about this being the holiday season, and it's been a long time since I experienced that. Since 2020 or so businesses have been shutting down like crazy, the streets are all full of Amazon trucks and it just is not the same. I am so glad I went to Barnes and Noble today. I found a couple of books for my great niece and my great nephew, and ordered a couple I didn't find, and some special gifts for my brother and his family in New Jersey. I also got some "reading socks" for myself. I guess they can be for my birthday, which is Monday. I got my grand-nephew, age 4, a copy of Swimmy by Leo Lionni. His parents or grandparents will probably have to read it to him, but it is so good and the kindergartners I know have always loved the video of it. The book is beautiful and I have my own personal copy because I love it. I also found something I have not seen for years but remember from my childhood: coloring books that you just dip a brush in water and the color is in the pages and it's like magic. Maybe both of the kids, the 4 year-old and the 7 year-old can enjoy that. I have discovered Horrible Harry and the Magic Treehouse books working as a literacy tutor. I appreciate the fact that the Magic Treehouse books have a recommended age on the back of them (7-10). I wish more books had that. They organize the books in a way that helps you figure out what age the children should be to read them, but most books don't seem to have the age or grade level on them, and I'm not sure why. I am also glad there are people trying to bring back the West Ridge Mall. I didn't go there today, but I am glad I got to go to Dillard's a few weeks ago. There are lots of very expensive things there, but I am glad it is there to look at. It was all beautiful for the holidays as well. I hope people will think about actually going shopping this year instead of ordering everything online. It really is a wonderful thing to be out where people are. I really think we need to be around people like we used to, instead of so often on our phones or on our computers and home alone. I was thinking about that as I was going out to my car after being at Barnes and Noble for about an hour or more. It was so wonderful in there, but before I went in and experienced that I was looking at all the businesses on Wanamaker and thinking about the only thing to do that requires you to go out is to a restaurant, and that's probably why there are so many restaurants, but now that I've been actually Christmas shopping, I see that there is still such a thing as "going shopping," and I hope this will not end up being a complete thing of the past. Anyone with me?