#macy's

I've decided to try to write more (maybe on here, maybe just journaling, maybe that book I still need to write).

At the mall today, I picked up my first laptop since collage. That one pooped out on me in 2015, so I've been long overdue. My husband wanted to check out the men's shoe section in Macy's before we left, so we journeyed into the unknown.

This Macy's used to be a Marshall Field's department store until its unfortunate closure in 2006. I have memories of going there as a child with my Mom and Grandma, exploring the never ending selection of clothes, jewelry, and makeup. Touching that soft piece of clothing or that expensive leather purse. The lower level had a wonderful fancy cafeteria that you could smell as soon as you walked into the store. We would ride the elevator down and I could hear the buzz of everyone and their mother getting food and settling down to eat before braving the crowded mall once again.

When I ride the elevator down today, I hear the buzz of the elevator, and smell the ghost of that posh cafeteria food. But no more. In its' place, an overcrowded Starbucks and an out of place Macy's gift shop remain. An overpriced chocolate shoppe booth to the left of the elevator caps off what I already knew. It's just not the same anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I respect a good building update, but this felt like an incredible downgrade and let down. I felt low going up that elevator.

Today, with my husband in that Macy's, I journeyed to the makeup department. I was intent on the idea of laying claim to an exclusive Clinique Black Honey nail polish and a MAC Chappell Roan lipstick. I walked up to the Clinique booth, just browsing, and heard a chipper voice pipe, "Can we help you with anything?" I looked up to see five pairs of eyes looking back at me with big smiles to match. "Just looking around for the Black Honey nail polish" I quip, eager to get their eyes off me. I am used to shopping being a solitary activity until I meet with a reluctant cashier. These ladies are nothing like that.

"Oh well, we only have that exclusively online, but if you were interested, we do have this Black Honey makeup kit and...."

She prattled off more information about the "exclusive kit" and even tried to persuade me to buy it after I told her I already had everything in the kit (although there was a humorous undertone to her persuasion). I walked away with nothing from that booth.

Then, I was walking by another booth with beautiful refillable lipstick cases. A woman with bright red lipstick and jet black hair came up and explained what it was and the price points. She then asked me what I was doing on August 22nd. Caught off guard, I told her we would not be in town. She said, "No problem! We are having a 15% off sale that day and you can even order online." I also walked away with nothing from that booth (given the $100+ price tag)

Finally, I made my way to the final object of my desire, the MAC Chappell Roan lipstick collab. The woman came up to me and asked if I needed help. We went back and forth, her trying to see which lipstick I was referring to and me trying to explain which kind I needed. They didn't ever receive the one I was looking for. I ended up showing her another lipstick I had in my bag since they didn't have it in the store, and she was so excited to see it. I walked away with nothing, one last time.

The department store is dying. I was not able to find anything in that store because they didn't have it in stock. I know I would have had more luck online, which is the thought process of most people nowadays.

Going into one of these stores often feels like a more expensive version of Ross or Home Goods with their overstuffed variety of goods. It makes me sad to see because I love the bones of what a department store stands for.

It is rare these days to find personalized service without a price tag attached. Businesses and workplaces are downsizing and turning to overworking their employees or simply replacing them with no one. I left Macy's today feeling nostalgic and a bit sad. Seeing all of those wonderful women at those makeup counters felt like something straight out of my childhood, and even before that. I see movies and shows where the woman in the 1950's goes to the makeup counter, and today felt a little like that.

It was bright and sunny once again this morning, but clouds eventually blew in and the breeze helped keep it cooler than had been forecast. After the overnight low of 66 degrees, the high today only made it to 84.

My blood sugar was down just a single point, to 142.

After Nancy and I finished our coffee and the usual online brain games, Nancy went out to tend the garden. I updated my Flickr account and checked on other social media.

When Nancy was done with the garden, I started making our protein drinks, with the usual blueberries, strawberries, and bananas.

Then we got dressed and drove over to Valley River Center to shop for clothes. I got two shirts at JCPenney, and Nancy bought two shirts and a pair of shorts at Macy’s.

Next, we stopped by Market of Choice on Coburg Road to get eggs, sandwich cheese, lemons, coffee and candied ginger. Then we made a quick visit to the AAA office on Hayden Bridge Road to update our address. The new annual membership cards had come in the mail yesterday, but it had been forwarded from the F Street address.

Back at home, we made a lunch of scrambled egg and cheese with bacon, then various toasts: two slices of garlic to go with the eggs, and one strawberry loaf slice and one plain slice to go with fruit spread.

I sent an update to my PCP about my experience thus far with Ozempic, then I joined Nancy for a nap. When I got up, I returned to reading the new McKenzie novel, eventually finishing it before the end of the day.

We started dinner prep early, so I could be ready to do the second podcast on the history book created by the recovery fellowship in Arizona. I chopped a couple of fresh zucchini from the garden and stuck them in the oven to cook. Nancy had started a fresh pot of rice, then she warmed up the last bit of chicken piccata and made more sauce for it.

The podcast was recorded on Zoom, and there were five participants discussing some of the technical aspects of the process, which the hosts hoped would be a handy reference for other groups who are working to put a history book of their own together.

When the podcast recording finished, Nancy and I streamed another episode of “Tatort: Münster.”

It looks like Thursday will see a lot of sunshine, with a few clouds during the morning hours. After the overnight low of 61 degrees, tomorrow’s high will likely be in the mid-80s once again.

The only thing on the calendar for tomorrow is my Thursday evening recovery meeting. Nancy and I might come up with some other ideas in the morning while we drink our coffee.

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On this day in 1833, the Slavery Abolition Act was passed in the British House of Commons, initiating the gradual abolition of slavery in most parts of the British Empire.

July 22, 1849, was the birth date of Emma Lazarus, an American author of poetry, prose, and translations, as well as an activist, who is especially remembered for her 1883 sonnet, “The New Colossus,” which was inspired by the Statue of Liberty. Lines from the sonnet are inscribed on a bronze plaque which was installed on the Statue’s pedestal in 1903.

As I realized I was The only one... In that "Macy's" Dressing Room with aaaahhhh a three way Mirror...

Macy's, Solano Mall, Fairfield, CA [1980s]

This mall has had a few different names over the years. Now it's called the Solano Town Center, but it used to be called the Westfield Solano, the Solano Mall, or just the Fairfield Mall because of the city it's located in. The Macy's is still there.

Macy's, Union Square, San Francisco, CA [1990s]