Rolling Acres Mall

In November 2016 I went back to Ohio for the first time in about ten years. My brother and I spent some time roaming about the place we'd called home nearly 17 years prior and we made one stop there that was necessary: Rolling Acres Mall located in Akron, Ohio.

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Since we left in 2001, this mall has crumbled into a state of urban decay and disrepair. The mall started its decline in the mid-1990's and from then on anchor stores dropped from the mall like diseased limbs. No longer the buzzing retail center, the mall closed on October 31, 2008 after being open since 1975.

Throughout the 90's, my family spent so much time at Rolling Acres. It was the place to be on weekends, the parking lot was so crowded there was barely a spot left. I remember going there to pick out my new school clothes every year and going to get our pictures taken on Santa's lap every Christmas. It's where my brother thought Santa actually lived (which has become a 
family joke). 

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It was a beautiful mall complete with an amazing indoor fountain framed by light streaming in through the skylights. There were indoor plants and a glass elevator.

I remember roaming the halls with my Mom and brother just going to browse the stores, kill time and get out of the heat during Summer and arguing with my Mom I didn't need my coat to walk to to the door in Winter. (I never won.) 

My grandma would have me spend the night and then we'd do a 'girls day' and one time in particular she took me to the mall where I picked out a beautiful snowflake crystal pendant which I still have today. If we went anywhere during the 90's, it was usually this mall.

Rolling Acres Mall Santa Photo 1990, me age 4.

I'd heard and seen the pictures of the mall online for the last few years as it has since become a symbol of the post-consumerism apocalyptic wasteland.

It was the first episode titled "Ghost Mall" of a series on VICELAND called Abandoned. It was depressing to see the neglect and ruined state of a place we spent so much time. The mall has also been a subject for YouTube urban explorer, Dan Bell, and he did an interesting walkthrough of the mall you can see here. 

Besides my fond memories of this mall, it does have some darker moments in its history. A child was crushed to death by the elevator and two women were found murdered in the woods near the mall in 1986. The mall was also the spot where a victim of the Craigslist killer was buried in a shallow grave and a man was electrocuted while attempting to rob the mall of copper wire. I have heard there has been a body or two found hanging on trees in the woods by the mall as well.

Since our visit, the mall has been demolished and the land belongs to the city of Akron. As of this writing this morning, there are rumors that Amazon has plans to develop the land into a fulfillment center. As much as I feel like Amazon is taking over the world, it would be better economically for that area to develop the land into something usable.

I wasn't sure what to go with here so I went with sarcasm.

I'm glad we went when we did because, little did we know, we were seeing the mall in its last few moments. According to the Akron Beacon Journal, demolition officially began in October that year. We didn't see any signs of demolition as it was probably being deconstructed inside.

I guess I can start a list now of things from my past that have been demolished: 1) Elementary School 2) Favorite Mall. It's weird to think about those things no longer existing but that's what time does, it moves on. And even thought I left Ohio about 20 years ago, I expected things to be right where I left them but that's not what happens. The potholes in the road were right where I left them though, their roads are rough af.

So what ultimately caused this mall's demise? Crime, economic depression, the changing landscape of the retail space. This trend is not going away and I feel like in the next ten years we are going to see many more Rolling Acres Malls in America. 

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My Favorite Murder?

I'm not really one to delve into the whole podcast-thing but I've been listening to Sword & Scale on and off for the last year and I really liked it! 

But lately... I just haven't been feeling it. I've heard some things about the host of the show that makes me feel skeevy so I... might have to abandon it for a while. We'll see. I did like the show, it seemed well-researched and I loved the interviews and 911 calls (though it could feel a little gratuitous sometimes).

I've always loved all things true crime and have been gripped by murder for years. My husband, by default, turns on Forensic Files for me when he can't find anything else to watch. I've probably seen them all and usually by the first thirty seconds I'll go, "Oh yeah! This is the one where that guy stalked that girl and murdered her in her off-campus apartment and he was the handy man and creeped on her in the shower and yeah, I've seen this one." And then he'll roll his eyes and say, "You've seen them all!" 

I have so many true crime books that if anyone were to look at my bookshelves, they might begin to feel uneasy. I can't help it, that shit just fascinates me! I just have to explore the possible darkest, deepest evils of human nature. I have to know all the grisly details. It just makes me wonder why we are seemingly the only animals on Earth who murder for pleasure? We are definitely more complex than other animals and our motivations can be so much different but why, why, why?

Why are people hard-wired to want to kill people? Why do some people have horrific childhoods and want to kill people? Why do some people have horrific childhoods and don't? Do they understand why they do it? Do they want to change? Do they care? 

And I don't always think about the murderer, I think about the victims too. I think about their families. I think about when they bought that striped shirt that was later used as evidence splattered in their blood. I think about how they felt driving home, not knowing someone was waiting for them in their closet. I think about what they ate that day without knowing it was going to be their last meal. I think about how their day at work went. I feel for them. 

That leads me to the newest podcast, which I always thought had a strange name (UNTIL TODAY), My Favorite Murder.

For the first time, I really felt a kinship with some fellow murder-fans! (I don't love murder, you know, whatever.) The hosts opened the first episode talking about which murder story fascinated them the most and then I realized... I have a favorite murder too. 

What makes a murder your favorite? I guess it's a combination of fucked up-ness, weirdness, craziness, grotesqueness, and complete and utter shock, disbelief and horror. Well, that's what it means to me at least. 

My favorite murder is the story of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka. They're Canadian, they're a couple, and they murdered together. That's a whole other level of fucked up, right? They started their career (?) by drugging, raping and murdering Karla's young teen sister. Their relationship was just completely sick and Karla was a willing participant in his desires and activities. She helped lure other victims and she liked doing it. 

And one of the most heinous details is that Karla struck a plea deal saying she was coerced into participating and was abused by her husband- and then they found the tapes of her gleefully helping Paul in his crimes. But after the deal it was too late. She's out now. She has kids and is a regular PTA mom. Just sick and twisted. 

So that's my favorite murder. It's twisted and crazy and weird. I've heard them called the Barbie and Ken murderers which just creeps me out because of how their blonde and innocent good looks hid such a devious and depraved nature. You just never know what's hiding beneath that winning smile, do you? 

Random Review: Danielle's Golden Face Mask

If I could stop just one person from purchasing this mask, my life would be absolutely complete. 


I found this at Kohl's today in the beauty section and was intrigued by the product. It's 24k gold and I obviously felt that I am worthy of such a luxurious experience. So, I bought it for $10 which I thought was a value because I would be able to use it many more times to reap the benefits of "cell renewal stimulation and anti-aging."


This evening after relaxing and watching TV I thought I would try my purchase. The gelatin texture felt cooling as I spread it over my unsuspecting skin. It felt refreshing and I poured myself a cup of coffee while waiting the 15-20 minutes for my ultimate rejuvenating experience. It took a while to dry but I was determined to wait to get the best results.  


I strongly suspect that John Travolta and Nicolas Cage, stars of the 1997 film, Face/Off, would strongly approve of this product. I feel like nothing short of the force of a jet engine would remove this mask from my epidermis. In the process of peeling it from my skin, I did not feel like my skin was renewed, well, not in the classic sense anyway. I feel like the only reason my facial cells will be motivated to renew would be because they have to replace all the skin on my face as I have now removed it. 


"Removes dead skin and dirt," the package ways. That's quite accurate though I would like to include, "Removes alive and dead skin, dirt, demonic possessions, curses, hopes and dreams, and hair." Yes, hair. I do not consider myself a hairy woman but with the force that this mask removed any shred of peach-fuzz, I might as well have been The Bearded Lady. 
My eyes watered involuntarily nearly halfway through and I had to give myself a pep talk to remove the rest. I remembered the words of Rocky Balboa, "Life's not about how hard of a hit you can give... it's about how many you can take, and still keep moving forward." I just had to get this mask of my face, I couldn't let it beat me! 


So now I sit in the afterglow of my successful mask removal, cheeks flushed red not in the thrill of victory but of the immense irritation my skin has suffered. 


Yeah, don't buy this thing.

One of Danielle's satisfied customers! Just look at how rejuvenated his skin looks!

I wonder.

Things I wonder about:

1.) When there is cat hair in my cat's water dish, do they care? I mean, they lick themselves so...?

2.) Why do people ignore me when I inquire about their items on Offer Up, do you want to sell this shit or not?

3.) Why do people wish "Happy Mother's Day" to people with pets? No, it's not in the same league at all.

4.) Who thought it was a good idea to cast Reba McIntire as Colonel Sanders?

5.) How did the Southern culture of guns and Jesus begin? Do you think Jesus would be a member of the NRA?

6.) Why do people buy milk and bread in bulk when there's a snow storm coming? Do they spend the next few days eating/drinking nothing else? 

The Grass Could Be Greener

Right now I'm feeling stuck in a rut. After years of working hard toward a goal, reaching it, and then moving on, I'm at a standstill. I'm looking for a new mountain to conquer, a new horizon to work toward and so far I'm still not sure which direction to take.

I have come to the conclusion that I have 3 choices: 

1) Continue on being a pharmacy tech, working hard toward gaining experience and seeing where I could go with this job (from retail to hospital?).

2) Start school again and work toward my Masters or PhD in Psychology to ultimately become a Psychologist (minuses- school debt + time). 

3) Work toward starting and opening a bakery again and figuring out where I would start my business (here or wait until the next duty station?).

Choices. I don't think I've ever been content to just go to work and come home and live my life around a manager's schedule. Actually, my schedule right now at work prohibits me from having any sort of life with my husband as he is off every weekend and I work every. single. weekend. I understand that I am the new person, the low-end of the totem pole but I think working about 3-4 months of weekends has reached peak ridiculousness. The weekend workload and night shift workload is not evenly distributed and I'm getting fed up. I've even already started to explore other avenues of work just because the grass could be greener and their schedule is most likely better too. 

I'm also taking a look at my day-to-day life and figuring out if I'm getting in all I want to get in. I have become lazy with my life. Staying home, doing nothing, wondering why I don't feel content in it when I could be going out in the world, organizing my life, reading, writing, creating and exercising. I focus too much on social media noise and not as much on the life in front of me. There is so much time I'm wasting and I want to try and change that. Time to get to work. 

Hold The Phone

Okay.

Okay, I just need to take a moment here out of my busy day to just genuinely react to something I came across on Pinterest.
  

                     

I will not link to these images where they originated because I will be talking absolute shit about them.

Shotgun shells and Christianity. Shotgun shells AND JESUS. WHAT THE WHAT? I have never before seen such two contradictory images in my life and it just highlights the sheer utter fucking obliviousness that is modern day USA red-white-and fucking blue Christianity that we see in this country. I'm not Christian but what I do know of Christianity is that real Christianity should not use these tools of death and pain to exemplify their savior unless He met his end at the end of a shotgun barrel. These things have NOTHING in common. This project is stupid and if you happen to like this project I will not apologize because clearly you have some things to work out in your head. Yes, clearly Jesus would have been a member of the NRA according to American, gun-toting Christians.

No.
Just no. Stop it.  

Random Review: Applebee's

It has been nearly five years since I have chosen to darken the door of an Applebee's. After living in a small town in which fine dining was limited to Applebee's or the fancier alternative, Olive Garden, I was sick of the restaurant. 

The final straw came four years ago when my husband and I decided to try Applebee's once since we'd moved and got a sampler appetizer that seemed like a safe choice. How could one possibly fuck up boneless wings, mozzarella sticks, and a quesadilla? Well, someone surely discovered a way because it came to our cold and soaked in grease that had time to collect while the appetizer sat waiting to be delivered to our table.

"Never again, Applebee's" became our mantra for the next few years. 

Fast forward to now and I've been aptly fooled by various Applebee's commercials promising delicious meals at great prices. I was duped by the commercial steak that sizzled seductively on a grill as seasonings fell onto it like tasty confetti. Like an old boyfriend I thought, maybe he's changed? Maybe it won't be grotesque, cold slop delivered to me on a greasy plate? What if they've rebranded and their food is actually edible now?... I won't know unless I give it another chance. 

We arrived at Applebee's almost reluctantly and we fought the urge to yell at some customers returning to their car, "HEY! Was your food good?!" We all had hope that maybe Applebee's had finally grown up. After all, they're still in business they have to be doing something right? 

The new interior design gave us some hope as we arrived at our table to glance over the new menu. After deciding on an appetizer that didn't include the stomach-churning idea of cheeseburger egg rolls (*HORK*), the wonton chicken tacos arrived at our table on a weathered metal serving tray. Okay, okay it's not old... they're going for a rustic look. 

The tacos were passable, a little too sweet for my taste but edible even though they were very crumbly due to being made from wonton wrapping. 

Russ ordered a brunch burger that looked promising and I stuck with a chicken fiesta salad. You can't fuck up salad, right?

My salad arrived with hardly any chicken and covered in so much dressing that the salad was more like a slaw. Terrible. I kept comparing the price to Red Robin which is a far superior salad for the same $10.99. Russ complained that his burger was so salty, his tongue was nearly hurting. Despite being such a burger lover, he didn't even finish it. 

With tip this meal came to $44 and it will be the last dollar amount I ever spend at one of the worst chain restaurants in the country. I would probably lick the floor of a Chili's before I would touch another Applebee's entree. 

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