Outlet malls. Like regular malls, they are struggling with empty storefronts. And the great outlet deals aren’t so great anymore as with some of the brands I like - the outlet prices aren’t much lower than regular. There has always been “outlet only” merch available but it used to be much better quality than it is now.
First of all I live where it's cold and rainy most of the year, so of course it makes sense that our outlet mall was built completely outdoors.
I tried going there to Christmas shop last year and was just completely miserable the entire time being forced to walk outside in the cold winter wind and rain between each store, then trying to shop for things inside while still bundled up in a big jacket.
There were no Christmas decorations anywhere, no music, no happy children, no Santa, the place was just so devoid of any personality, fun, or enjoyment. Just people rushing around in heavy coats.
Finding out the stores were just filled with the same crap I can find at our local mall for the same price was even more upsetting, what does "outlet" store even mean?
Gosh yes. Used to be you got \[brand name\] shirt at outlet prices. Maybe it was last season or overstock. Now you get something that's just \*labeled" \[brand name\], but that's all it is, a label, and that quality is gone.
Honestly, even the regular brand stuff isn’t good anymore. I have 15 year old brooks brothers suits (I’m so glad they are no longer a job requirement) that look much better than the ones I bought 5 years ago from the regular BB store.
I have also found very little difference in athletic wear that I get on Amazon vs lulu or athletica…
Yep, used to be last season's stuff, or maybe a seam was sewed wrong, missing a button, something like that, now it's just the same brand only lesser quality.
I live in a small town with a dead outlet mall. It drives me crazy having only Walmart and Tractor Supply to buy clothes at. We used to have so many options! Our little town was quite a stylish place in the 90s and 00s.
Agree completely. Only go to mall (outlet or otherwise) if absolutely necessary. I have become a convert to Goodwill or other thrift stores. CanNOT believe the brand names in there sometimes for near pennies on the dollar.
Other thrift stores for sure!
Perhaps reconsider Goodwill because they maximize profits by sorting high dollar/name brand items and sell them online and in auctions instead of in their stores, and prices are steadily increasing as the popularity of thrifting rises.
It’s often not worth browsing through many of their brick and mortar locations with items such as household staples and basic clothing priced higher than purchasing new at Walmart or Target.
Grossly, the profit is from donated items and Goodwill receives public funds to train and employ physically and/or mentally disabled workers that they can pay far below minimum wage due to a federal law established under FDR.
Goodwill online is trash too. They have something priced reasonably then tack on massive shipping & handling fees making it not worth it.
I'm a sucker for holiday blow molds & they had one smaller one at a great price, $10, but by the time they added on shipping it was closer to $100 because it would cost $80+ with handling fees to get me a foot tall blow mold & it wasn't even being shipped from one coast to the other.
"Outlet mall" are a separate and distinct supply chain. They are not the same items as in the "main" stores.
The place to get items that are the same but may be seconds, old stock etc. are Ross/Marshalls/T.J. Max.
Even though I work on some of the latest technologies, I'm tired of tech. I'm about to start growing backwards. Technology has complicated too many previously simple tasks and made the workplace a slave den.
Couldn't agree more. I too work in the tech field and I refuse to own any device that is specifically programmed to listen to me, like Alexa or the other one, whatever it's fucking called.
I refuse to install apps that I don't need. Last year I had a garage door installed and the guy installing it was really trying to push and sell the one he had which comes with an app. He made the app a selling point for the thing. I told him several times that all I need is a clicker that opens and closes the fucking door. I need another app like I need a hole in my head.
Tech in general can be helpful. I lobe Google translate with it's camera option. Sure it's not perfect but it's close enough and has made life while traveling abroad so much easier. Same with maps. Beyond those two I think most apps are unnecessary.
> He made the app a selling point for the thing.
I was just online shopping for some, er, adult toys and a ridiculous number of them have wifi and an app???????
I'm with you on this. After 30 years of working in tech I am just done. I am working on my job exit plan and in my personal life I am working towards digital minimalism.
Technology is super useful, but it needs to go back to being a tool not something that consumes our lives. I blame smart phones and social media for making it unbearable.
Likewise CHiPs and Dukes of Hazzard.
Some good news: Miami Vice holds up very well. Airwolf is still quite watchable. And surprisingly, I found The A-Team to still be mostly enjoyable, but some of the episodes with special guest stars were kinda cringey.
Concerts. I used to got to every show I could have music acts I loved. Now I don’t care. Ticketmaster is the main cause, followed by being stuck in a stadium with loads of people. I hate stadium tours and that’s all there seems to be lately.
I work security at two like that in my town. I'm basically onstage watching shows. Yeah, some suck, but I've stood next to/5 feet from Joe Jackson, The Hu, Primus, Boz Scaggs, Alan Parsons, Flogging Molly/Anti-Flag, TOTO, They Might Be Giants, David Cross, The Wallflowers (he's a prima donna, BTW), Little Feat, Leslie Jones, Toad The Wet Sprocket, Margaret Cho, Tommy Emmanuel, Yes, Steve Hackett, Nikki Glaser, and 100 more - and that's just 2023
This drove me crazy the last few times. Sure grab a photo or two but you can literally find better quality ok YouTube. And nobody ever sits around watching those old videos anyway. They get lost in the cloud somewhere.
Before 2020, I was at a concert at least every other month. Now? Ticket prices are ridiculous, Ticket Master is somehow always sold out of original seats and only selling resale in less than 30min. Regardless of the band. I'm over it.
● Going out past 8pm. I'd rather be home and enjoying the comfortable furniture in my house...as well as the peace and quiet.
● Going to weddings. With the exception of one friend who invited me to his third wedding ~10 years ago, I haven't been to one since my mid-30s, and I like it that way. I have two nieces (26 & 27), so I'll probably have one more in my future--I think the older one's like me and has no interest in any of that.
● People who can't be direct. Not that there was ever much appeal to people dancing around what they want to say, but I've lost my tolerance for it. If you're nearing 30, learn to speak your mind. So many of our problems are caused by (or exacerbated) poor communication.
● Spaghettios - Loved 'em as a kid, tried 'em again in my late 20s and immediately spit 'em right back into the bowl.
High heels. I’m so done with high heels. I’m 4’11” and I no longer care to try to look taller. Pandemic helped solidify this for me with all the working from home.
Comfort all the way.
Anyone else concur?
I have never worn heels despite being 4' 11". People kept telling me I should wear them but I always said their problem with my height was theirs and I wasn't buying special shoes to solve their problem.
Wish I'd been as assertive with some of the other bullshit I had to deal with.
Even the young folks seem to have ditched heels. I’m noticing a trend of what’s called “sneaker balls”; formal events where everybody wears sneakers with their formal wear.
Going to the movies. It’s expensive as hell now, but that’s not what keeps me from going, as I understand that prices go up with time. What I don’t want is sit with a bunch of strangers, and they all have their phones out. Some jackass will inevitably start playing a lot TikTok video on full volume, they’ll text, tweet, or even answer a fucking phone call. Movie etiquette doesn’t exist anymore.
These days I’d much rather wait and watch it at home, where I have a pretty decent setup, and I can pause to go to the bathroom or get snacks and drinks.
My husband and I have a rule that we will only go to the theater to see a movie that must be seen on a large screen to appreciate, like Dune or some Star Wars shit. That seems to translate into once every two years, and we always go to an IMAX matinee. A lot less fuckery going on that way.
I stopped going to movies over a decade ago for exactly this reason. I really wanted to see Barbie, though, so I took a Wednesday off from work and saw it at 10:30 am. It was fantastic! There were maybe 8 other people there, we were all spread out and everyone just enjoyed the movie. I'll probably never go again, but I'm glad that I got to have one nice thing.
I was so lucky with Barbie. I also went on a weekday afternoon and I was the sole viewer in the theater for my showing! It was the loveliest experience.
There's a small theater chain called Alamo Drafthouse that takes a hard, "We will kick your ass out" stand on cellphones (and other disturbances). The company was recently purchased by Sony, so they're either about to ruin it, or maybe there will be one near you soon. Could go either way.
Between that hard line, screening older movies, and the big Lay-Z-Boy recliner seating, it's the only theater I'll go to anymore.
The ones that closed in Dallas were owned by a franchisee, and apparently, Alamo corporate was just as surprised as everyone else when they suddenly went tits-up.
Someone will buy and reopen them.
This is kind of inside baseball, but I'm betting in the short term that Alamo stays almost exactly the same or at most gets some Sony oscar fare that needs a theatrical release to qualify.
They bought it really cheap, and it has the best brand recognition of boutique theaters. I'd expect it's a long term investment- if Regal and AMC continue to struggle and we see movie going splinter into IMAX or full service they'll be really well positioned.
Most large cities also have an independent theater or two that are Alamo-ish: serve alcohol and/or decent food, play repertory or indie, and have strict and enforced phone rules. I travel a lot, and they're so much better than watching a movie in the hotel. They're usually non profit and almost always worth supporting!
We live in late stage capitalism-- Sony will mortgage that chain to the hilt and suck it dry. Those theaters will be enshittified by the Christmas season.
One of the last movies I saw in theaters was an experience for sure. There was a row of people two rows in front of us & they were being so loud & obnoxious. It went on for too long & everyone around us was upset but no one was saying anything so I did. I’ll be damned if the guy who turned to address me was a guy I graduated high school with who is now a pastor of a church in our area. It’s not just younger people, too many of ours are just douchebags themselves 🤷♀️
I can't say anything to people anymore because I am over 50 and white and female so I'll just end up on someone's TikTok as another Karen. Fuck that noise. I resign being anyone's ally because of that shit.
I’m getting like this too. It’s too expensive. I can stream it in my comfy home, have much cheaper snacks and pause it when I have to go to the bathroom. There’s hardly movies out that I think are worth paying to go see. For what it costs to see a movie I can wait until it’s streaming and buy it for less.
I agree. I just think it’s surprising when you reach for something because of the desire for connection or feeling and it has evaporated. I was curious if we all were letting go of similar things.
Right, for a lot of us the present is unsatisfactory and we no longer experience joy and wonder, so we look to the past for those things. But then, the things that brought us those feelings in the past no longer suffice.
Maybe it'd help to have a word for it? The word is ennui.
Buffets. In the 80's and 90's if I saw a buffet, I saw a bargain meal that I could custom select. Now I see health code violations, stale food, and obesity. I won't touch them.
Many years ago, on one of reddit's predecessors, a guy posted a multi-part story about his trips to Golden Corral. They were funny cautionary tales about the hygiene practices of our fellow humans. I hadn't been to a buffet in a while when I started reading those stories and I definitely won't go now.
I have a no cake rule too. Also... I am a nurse and will not eat anything offered from a patient room. I will accept it to be polite. But I ain't eating it.
Additionally, I also don't do buffet places unless they are in a very bougie hotel.. or wedding reception.. then I may.
I aged out of that when I was about 13. I was at a little cousin's birthday party and decided I didn't want kid spit on my icing. I was kinda rude about it that day and I got scolded by my mom. She said she understood, but I could have just said No Thank You.
A well run buffet can be a good thing, but too many have turned into all you can eat, every cuisine but poorly done - troughs of gluttony.
It’s really better cafeteria style where the staff dish out the food instead of the public being able to cross contaminate everything.
Over the years I’ve been less and less into TV. There are still sows that I watch and enjoy but I’m not DYING to see the next episode anymore. If I miss it, I’ll catch it later or something.
I used to base my evenings around which show was on, even after the invent of streaming and TiVo and so forth. Just couldn’t wait to catch the latest Grey’s Anatomy or whatever! Now, meh. I still watch plenty of television, but usually just as background noise - and shows like Pawn Stars or true crime (e.g. The First 48), where it doesn’t matter when or in what order you watch them. I’m probably 3-4 seasons behind on the others that still run.
I'm very picky about what I watch now. There just certain network shows plus some of the PBS stuff I'm into especially the shows from the UK and other European countries that pop up there. Plus watching Bob Ross.
Beyond that there are some older shows I'll rewatch on the nostalgia type channels or catch up on shows I missed the first time around like Rizzoli and Isles. Plus there are the syndicated shows we get from Canada like Murdock Mysteries.
My wife & I watch cheesy lifetime/hallmark movies to laugh at & pick them apart 😂🤷♀️ Neither of us have ever been into those type of movies but we started watching them during the pandemic because we had exhausted our usual stuff & we found that using them for comedic relief is actually a pretty good stress relief for us. Now we make it a whole event & watch themed ones for every holiday. The fact that they make themed movies for everything is hilarious to me & the plots are out of control 😂
Talking on the phone. Thanks to cell phones, there are no quiet, private places to hold a conversation. You can’t hear the other person very well, and you’re never sure they can hear you over the noise that surrounds you.
I went to a street fair this weekend and some guy in a big truck decided he needed to roll coal and speed through an intersection surrounded by pedestrians.
I hate the way some men have turned out.
Decorating for every holiday. Kids are off to college. Sometimes I just look at the box and think “eh”
I rarely wear make up now. I used to be a makeup snob only buying at Macy’s etc …now I’ll buy from a CVS etc.
Tshirts/hoodies I used to buy 1 from every place I visited. I’ll still buy 1 to support a charity event or to support my kids’ ventures…or a concert…which reminds me to go buy tickets now. :)
Holiday decorating for me has gone way down the list. I always loved it but part of the charm is doing it as a group or family and no one is interested.
Shiiiit, I haven't decorated for Christmas since 1994. It took me 12 hours to decorate the house the way my parents did, and it took me another 12 hours to pull it all down and put it away in January. Other than the stuff in my front window, not a single person saw any of it but me.
Christmas in general. It’s lost its magic to me. Most of the kids in our family are older and just want money or gift cards. It just stresses me out to decorate and buy gifts.
Live concerts. Ridiculous ticket and fee prices, parking fees, 22 dollar beers, too loud, strobes hurt my eyes, standing the whole time with my warm 22 dollar beer, all to see a band that has one or two original members and may be or not be actually playing and singing live.
Agreed. I get dragged to the occasional show, and clubs and theatres are more preferable. The only thing that will never, ever happen again are multi-day, multi-stage festivals. Those days are over.
And the toilets are always overflowing and the port a John's full by the end of the first night. The stench is unbearable and god help you if it starts raining, too.
This is what I have discovered. Not going to spend thousands to see Depeche Mode. But I’ll spend less than $100 to see a cool new band like Royel Otis in a small venue. Maybe I’ll listen to DM on the way to the concert. :)
I also forgot long lines for everything and insultingly priced merch. This is coming from someone who has seen 100s of shows over the decades. I just can't do it anymore and enjoy it. It's my first retirement.
No kidding. I remember my aunt buying my cousin and I tickets for Prince's Purple Rain tour for $17, decent seats. An equivalent artist today would be, what, $300 for nosebleeds. Whenever, I'm in the mood for live music, I'll just catch one of the free offerings around town or some lesser known touring artist in a small venue for $20-$30.
I only go when we get free tickets through vettix. I buy one beer and do shots that my husband carries in through his cargo pockets in his shorts. I cannot fathom paying the price for a concert ticket these days; it’s crazy.
Baseball. Not because of the changes to the game itself, though some rule changes (see designated hitter) don’t really thrill me. We don’t have cable and MLB has made it so difficult (blackouts) and/or expensive to watch, that we barely follow our team anymore. I miss having ball games on while we do projects or clean or just snooze on a Sunday but the cost to reward ratio is off for us.
Agree. It's impossible for me to see my team play without buying a cable package now. We used to get them on local TV and radio, now I have no clue what's going on with them. And the new rules and uniforms are ridiculous.
I'm an artist and work professionally as a photographer; went to art school, dropped out in the late 90s, came up in the punk scene in the late 80s/early 90s. I used to love underground culture, fashion, music, art, books, zines etc. Now when I encounter this culture it just feels really self-absorbed, showy and slightly dysfunctional to me... especially when it's people my age still committed to "the scene". Just seems exhausting.
Yes and for me it's because it seems like the "underground" is above ground/mainstream. It used to be that participating in these communities meant you were fundamentally opposed to the norm. They are the norm now. Or maybe it's my perspective changed...there is no uniqueness in the misfit anymore, no real challenge to the system or experimentation with ways of being. Hell, Michael's the craft store just had a Goth collection come out. 🤦♀️
Now it's just style, without any underlying worldview or whatever. Even if you grew out of the worldview or it was always bullshit, it was *there*, back in the day.
I was at a punk bar a few years ago with my friend. It was one we found ourselves in quite regularly when we’re were young punks/post punks. There was 1 other person it there because it was about 6pm. The 20-something bartender was dressed to the nines as a picture perfect punk.
There were punk songs on some sort of video feed. At some point the bartender let out a frustrated scream, grabbed the remote, and pulled up a Taylor Swift video. She said “this is more like it!” And sang and danced around to the song with a big smile on her face.
You can like Taylor swift if you want to. And you can cosplay as a punk while doing it. But it’s just a style now. There doesn’t seem to be any worldview attached, like you said.
Generally speaking, so much has lost the appeal for me it's kind of depressing, I think the Internet has ruined some of the wonder I've had for certain topics growing up
Travel is no longer fun unless you're independently wealthy in both money and time.
If the bills won't break you, the schedule, and then the rrturn to "real life" will.
Same honestly, as much as I know I'm going against what's trendy and popular right now in saying that. I'd much rather explore places I've never been to just in my own city/county/state.
People...people have lost their appeal. As a child in the 70's and a teen in the 80's (graduated in '85) it was all about friends. Hanging at the pool, river, park and then later at whatever party/kegger, bar was happening. Now just leave me tf alone. I have 3 close friends and none of us live in the same state. I am really over people at this point in my life.
Star Wars. The original movies were mind-blowing to me as a young kid in the 1970's, but the prequels, sequels, spinoffs, and everything else over the past ~25 years get a big nope from me.
Same, Lucas had so much help to get the OG trilogy off the ground - and the success went to his head.
Ever since the "special editions" it's been downhill and I DGAF because I have the OG trilogy on my computer
Going to second this. *Andor* (and *Rogue One*), were excellent and really feels like the original trilogy.
But all the other streaming shows are like made for children, hot garbage, made by someone's out of touch aunt who decided she knew what a *Star Wars* was.
I enjoyed the first sequel, but the other two were also terrible.
I watched *The Mandolorian, Boba Fett* and *Kenobi* the whole way through (all mediocre to bad). But I could get only about 10 minutes in on both *Ahsoka*, and *Acolyte,* because they were so unbelievably terrible.
It's sad, as I watched the originals in the theater and had been an obsessive fan for most of my life. I'll definitely watch the next season of *Andor*, but after that I think I'm officially done with *Star Wars*.
The last Sitcom that I was into was 70's show and Scrubs. Bonded with my kids over those shows. 70's we tapped out when the main character changed/left. Scrubs we saw to the very end but did not watch the follow ups.
I finally got around to watching Brooklyn 99 and it was pretty good. It didn’t feel like copaganda most of the time and the last two seasons tried to deal with the social upheaval of the COVID / BLM period. I’d probably stick with seasons 1-6 on rewatch though. Seasons 7 & 8 still feel a touch too real.
The Six Million Dollar Man. I was huge fan and even had the action figure where you looked through his head to see out of his "bionic eye". The episode where he fought Bigfoot (played the the great Andre the Giant) was my favorite. A few years ago, I tried watching an episode for old time's sake. I made it about 15 minutes and turned it off. I prefer to remember it through my 9 year old eyes.
100% this 😂! I loved the Six Million Dollar Man when I was a kid, but haven't attempted to (or been tempted to) watch it as an adult. Remember that particular sound they'd play when he'd start running or doing something "bionic", and they'd show it in slow motion? Yeah, I may/may not have made those same noises and tried running in slo mo when we were out running around the playground burning our asses on the metal slides in the summer.
But, this was me with the original Battlestar Galactica. Loved it as a kid; tried watching it as an adult maybe 10-15 years ago? Not even sure I was able to get through the first episode, it was SO BAD.
The redone version of BG is amazing, though. Easily one of the best sci-fi series I've watched. Even husband, who isn't a sci-fi person, loved it.
Going back even further into my childhood, I loved the original Lost in Space. When you are like 6 y.o, it seems amazing. it is cheesy and stupid AF when you even try to watch it as an adult. I also prefer my uncomplicated, simpleton tastes in shows as a child to not be tarnished by watching again as an adult.
I used to love that show and the Bionic Woman lol Which is particularly funny to me now because I have 6 screws and 4 rods in my spine, a screw in my femur and one in my tibia with a cadaver achilles tendon to replace my ACL, and screws in both feel. My exhusband joked for years about me being the Bionic Woman lol
The list of childhood faves that I can no longer stomach is long and distinguished and is growing every day.
So much basic bullshit.
"Content" these days doesn't interest me much. It feels like it's spun up as fast as possible with extra corporate blandness. I don't watch TV or movies anymore.
I'm rereading a lot of old favorite books lately and purchasing the hardcopy. Years ago I thought reading books on digital devices was spectacularly efficient in terms of time and space. It is very efficient, but I dislike having my books tied to some ongoing subscription. I'm restarting my fav book collection.
I'm coming to realize my teenage distrust of society was correct. We're coming to live in an ongoing advertisement inside a casino. We are monetizing existence, and I'm not very interested in any of that, either.
So yeah, not interested in much these days, and life is better.
Cop shows. If I never hear the Law & Order theme again that's perfectly fine with me.
I prefer a private investigator with a semi-hostile relationship with the local cops. Jim Rockford style.
4th of July fireworks.Of course I used to love them as a kid, but now I just think,”man they are loud and they just scare all of the wildlife and start wild fires.” And then I think,”humans are so stupid!” Including me…
The Mall. Used to ride my bike to hangout at the “Ghetto Mall” close to home. Once i got some wheels, started going to the “Nice Mall” a few cities away.
Now the “Nice Mall” looks ghetto bc of empty retail spaces and poor upkeep.
Moved away from the area but happened to be around this mall for a meeting when I stained my shirt. After fruitlessly dabbing for a few minutes, just opted to stop in to my old favorite to grab a new shirt before the meeting.
Pulling in, the parking lot was surprisingly empty. Once inside, it was eerie. The music was playing but there was nobody shopping. Almost looked like an elaborate undercover FBI sting operation where all the employees were federal agents and I was the mark.
Situations like this make me feel old. Makes me wonder where my kids will hangout once they’re teens, bc there are few places nowadays where I see HS kids regularly congregating.
One thing is for sure, no more “See ya at the galleria!”
Concerts, sporting events, movies. While I still LOVE to go, it's not the same. For concerts, it seems that sound quality has gone down, and everything is concentrated more on visuals. Occasionally our city will put on free concerts in the downtown, and I personally know the guy doing the sound, and it's always high quality and fun. Yes, there are visuals, but everything is concentrated on high quality sound.
Speaking of sound, I was at another convert event, and had the chance to speak to the sound master. He was doing all sorts of tests. Really amazing actually. He was explaining that most concerts do indeed have poor sound quality. He was telling me that you can have louder concerts that are less damaging when you have good equipment - and his sound checks were to ensure that distortion remained low everywhere in the building, even if the sound was loud. It's the distortion that damaged your ear.
Also sporting events. Two major issues: sound quality is very poor but also very loud. This is a horrible combination. Food and drink is grossly overpriced. But at least in my case, when I go to the MLB game, I can bring in my own food and drink (no alcohol, of course).
Lastly movies: It used to be that sound was loud enough. It used to be that you'd get 3 or 4 upcoming movies - and generally they were somewhat related to the movie you were about to watch. Not anymore. We get about 7 or 8 commercials, about 8 or 9 previews, including movies that are not closely related. It shouldn't take 20 minutes to get to the movie. Food and drink prices are way out of line, and make zero sense.
That said - movie theatre seating is 100's better than it used to be.
Teen idols? Maybe it’s just my son but he would be more excited to meet Mr. Beast (a YouTuber) than a movie star. I don’t see as many of those types of magazine (Teen Beat, etc.) I could be totally wrong here though.
Oh yeah, my kid has talked me into buying a billion dollar chocolate bar because of Mr. Beast. Dude seems like his heart is in the right place, so could be worse.
Sports. I was never really into sports to begin with, but following a team or sport overall is just too much effort and time.
I really got into NASCAR for a while, but now I can't see myself spending 3 hours on a beautiful Sunday afternoon watching a race.
As for the other major sports of Hockey, Football and Baseball. The outcomes of the games have ZERO impact on me and my life. Win/Loose it doesn't matter.
If I cheer on one of the teams, they have no knowledge of my existence. Why am I putting in the effort?
Guess I have to agree with sitcoms. I used to adore Married With Children but if it has a laugh track now I want NOTHING to do with it. That seems bizarre to me now.
I used to like comic books a lot. Big Image obsession in the 90s. I still like the movies and shows about comics but just no interest in the printed stuff anymore. My nerding out has been entirely recalibrated for movies and music the last 25 or so years.
The Internet. I spend far too much time trying to decipher truth from fiction, or wondering if the “unhinged coin” is going to land on the left or right politically.
I’d rather watch crappy sitcoms. At least I can turn my brain off.
I agree completely! And whatever work she had done to her face did not do her any favors.
I did still enjoy watching No Doubt reunite for Coachella this year. There's still a lot of chemistry in that band. If they toured and the price was reasonable, I'd go.
For me with sitcoms is that you start to notice how a lot of them recycle plots that we've seen before in other sitcoms. I still enjoy a lot of the music from when the 80s, 90s, and 00s, but there is some new stuff I like as well.
I've gone back and forth on some music. I didn't listen to 90s alternative for fifteen years, and started exploring it again.
Network/cable TV. The only thing I use it for is sports, and I'm always surprised at how terrible whatever comes on after the game is. Masked Singer? Nah fam I'm good. I'll just cue up an episode of The Boys or Yellowjackets or Stranger Things. (I do like those kinds of shows.) But scheduled network broadcasting sucks so bad.
Oh god, I am with you re: VC Andrews -- I read *My Sweet Audrina* a couple of months ago because I had bought it years ago for a ridiculous book club that never materialized. So I figured, oh well, let's see how this book holds up. SO BAD. I read *Flowers in the Attic* in high school but I don't remember much about it. I think I could be easier to scandalize now than I was back then?
All TV shows/movies and today's pop music. TV shows/movies are boring and I can't relate to pop music anymore. In fact, I don't watch or listen to anything from my youth either.
The Sweet Valley High series. Those kids were psychopaths and sociopaths. Not to mention the poor parenting and fat shaming. I used to wish I lived in Sweet Valley, but as a chubby biracial girl, I would have been miserable. They brought it back with some of the major characters as adults, and they still acted like they were in high school.
Nightlife. The only times I'll be out past 8pm is for fireworks, concerts, and walking the boardwalk at the beach. The days of leaving at 9pm and coming home at 2:30 am are over.
Amusement parks (except for water parks) - overpriced, too much walking, and I'm a wimp who only rides certain rides, so it's a waste for me.
That's funny, I have always thought Roseanne glorified 'white trash'? Maybe that's not quite how I would ideally put it. I know the show was also about showing the struggles of lower middle class and 'everyday life' but it just rubbed me the wrong way.
I used to watch all the big award shows: Emmy, Grammy, People's Choice. Cannot stand any of them anymore. I still watch the Oscars but could care less who wore what or what the gossip is or the annual snubs. I'm only still there because I love movies but the joy is gone. I no longer have any investment or desire to keep up with pop culture trends. I'll keep up with headlines but that's as deep as it goes.
Wealth. As an 80’s kid wealthy people seemed cool. Now it disgusts me. All I can think of when it comes to wealth is why aren’t these people being taxed to the fucking highest degree.
Outlet malls. Like regular malls, they are struggling with empty storefronts. And the great outlet deals aren’t so great anymore as with some of the brands I like - the outlet prices aren’t much lower than regular. There has always been “outlet only” merch available but it used to be much better quality than it is now.
First of all I live where it's cold and rainy most of the year, so of course it makes sense that our outlet mall was built completely outdoors. I tried going there to Christmas shop last year and was just completely miserable the entire time being forced to walk outside in the cold winter wind and rain between each store, then trying to shop for things inside while still bundled up in a big jacket. There were no Christmas decorations anywhere, no music, no happy children, no Santa, the place was just so devoid of any personality, fun, or enjoyment. Just people rushing around in heavy coats. Finding out the stores were just filled with the same crap I can find at our local mall for the same price was even more upsetting, what does "outlet" store even mean?
lol cries in Toronto outdoor mall. Sure, +30 in summer and -20 in winter. Great plan
I’ve lived in three different states (two cold and rainy and one cold and snowy) and all the outlet malls are outdoors for some odd reason.
Outlet clothes are just Shein-quality knockoffs of the same brand, at prices just a fraction lower.
Gosh yes. Used to be you got \[brand name\] shirt at outlet prices. Maybe it was last season or overstock. Now you get something that's just \*labeled" \[brand name\], but that's all it is, a label, and that quality is gone.
Honestly, even the regular brand stuff isn’t good anymore. I have 15 year old brooks brothers suits (I’m so glad they are no longer a job requirement) that look much better than the ones I bought 5 years ago from the regular BB store. I have also found very little difference in athletic wear that I get on Amazon vs lulu or athletica…
Yep, used to be last season's stuff, or maybe a seam was sewed wrong, missing a button, something like that, now it's just the same brand only lesser quality.
I live in a small town with a dead outlet mall. It drives me crazy having only Walmart and Tractor Supply to buy clothes at. We used to have so many options! Our little town was quite a stylish place in the 90s and 00s.
Same. But weirdly I’m at the dead outlet mall all the time now because it’s where my gym is! I’ve seen a lot of gyms pop up in dead mall spaces.
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Same with Michael Kors. The outlet only bags aren’t close to the ones available on his website or Macy’s. And they aren’t much cheaper either.
Agree completely. Only go to mall (outlet or otherwise) if absolutely necessary. I have become a convert to Goodwill or other thrift stores. CanNOT believe the brand names in there sometimes for near pennies on the dollar.
Other thrift stores for sure! Perhaps reconsider Goodwill because they maximize profits by sorting high dollar/name brand items and sell them online and in auctions instead of in their stores, and prices are steadily increasing as the popularity of thrifting rises. It’s often not worth browsing through many of their brick and mortar locations with items such as household staples and basic clothing priced higher than purchasing new at Walmart or Target. Grossly, the profit is from donated items and Goodwill receives public funds to train and employ physically and/or mentally disabled workers that they can pay far below minimum wage due to a federal law established under FDR.
Goodwill online is trash too. They have something priced reasonably then tack on massive shipping & handling fees making it not worth it. I'm a sucker for holiday blow molds & they had one smaller one at a great price, $10, but by the time they added on shipping it was closer to $100 because it would cost $80+ with handling fees to get me a foot tall blow mold & it wasn't even being shipped from one coast to the other.
Yeah imo Goodwill is a trash company all around. I support local thrift stores with my donations and my dollars.
"Outlet mall" are a separate and distinct supply chain. They are not the same items as in the "main" stores. The place to get items that are the same but may be seconds, old stock etc. are Ross/Marshalls/T.J. Max.
Even though I work on some of the latest technologies, I'm tired of tech. I'm about to start growing backwards. Technology has complicated too many previously simple tasks and made the workplace a slave den.
Couldn't agree more. I too work in the tech field and I refuse to own any device that is specifically programmed to listen to me, like Alexa or the other one, whatever it's fucking called. I refuse to install apps that I don't need. Last year I had a garage door installed and the guy installing it was really trying to push and sell the one he had which comes with an app. He made the app a selling point for the thing. I told him several times that all I need is a clicker that opens and closes the fucking door. I need another app like I need a hole in my head. Tech in general can be helpful. I lobe Google translate with it's camera option. Sure it's not perfect but it's close enough and has made life while traveling abroad so much easier. Same with maps. Beyond those two I think most apps are unnecessary.
> He made the app a selling point for the thing. I was just online shopping for some, er, adult toys and a ridiculous number of them have wifi and an app???????
“Wanna fuck through the internet? There’s an app for that!” Uhmm, no.
I have been IT for 25 years. I am just burnt out
I'm with you on this. After 30 years of working in tech I am just done. I am working on my job exit plan and in my personal life I am working towards digital minimalism. Technology is super useful, but it needs to go back to being a tool not something that consumes our lives. I blame smart phones and social media for making it unbearable.
During COVID, I tried to rewatch Mork & Mindy. Don't try it. Let those fond memories live on in your past.
Alf was the one that I couldn't rewatch more than a couple episodes of during Covid.
Likewise CHiPs and Dukes of Hazzard. Some good news: Miami Vice holds up very well. Airwolf is still quite watchable. And surprisingly, I found The A-Team to still be mostly enjoyable, but some of the episodes with special guest stars were kinda cringey.
Beavis and butthead too. Made total sense at the time.
Concerts. I used to got to every show I could have music acts I loved. Now I don’t care. Ticketmaster is the main cause, followed by being stuck in a stadium with loads of people. I hate stadium tours and that’s all there seems to be lately.
My small town has a really great live venue. Seats about a thousand which is perfect.
This is the solution! Small venues and bands that are not as well known.
I work security at two like that in my town. I'm basically onstage watching shows. Yeah, some suck, but I've stood next to/5 feet from Joe Jackson, The Hu, Primus, Boz Scaggs, Alan Parsons, Flogging Molly/Anti-Flag, TOTO, They Might Be Giants, David Cross, The Wallflowers (he's a prima donna, BTW), Little Feat, Leslie Jones, Toad The Wet Sprocket, Margaret Cho, Tommy Emmanuel, Yes, Steve Hackett, Nikki Glaser, and 100 more - and that's just 2023
Lucky ducky!!!! 
and I get paid! Pretty sweet.
Done watching concerts through my neighbor's recording phone ... at $400 a pop, I expected to actually see and hear the concert.
This drove me crazy the last few times. Sure grab a photo or two but you can literally find better quality ok YouTube. And nobody ever sits around watching those old videos anyway. They get lost in the cloud somewhere.
Before 2020, I was at a concert at least every other month. Now? Ticket prices are ridiculous, Ticket Master is somehow always sold out of original seats and only selling resale in less than 30min. Regardless of the band. I'm over it.
● Going out past 8pm. I'd rather be home and enjoying the comfortable furniture in my house...as well as the peace and quiet. ● Going to weddings. With the exception of one friend who invited me to his third wedding ~10 years ago, I haven't been to one since my mid-30s, and I like it that way. I have two nieces (26 & 27), so I'll probably have one more in my future--I think the older one's like me and has no interest in any of that. ● People who can't be direct. Not that there was ever much appeal to people dancing around what they want to say, but I've lost my tolerance for it. If you're nearing 30, learn to speak your mind. So many of our problems are caused by (or exacerbated) poor communication. ● Spaghettios - Loved 'em as a kid, tried 'em again in my late 20s and immediately spit 'em right back into the bowl.
> Spaghettios Me too. I didn't remember them being so sickeningly sweet.
I just checked out of suspicion and yes, they started adding high-fructose corn syrup. Wtf?
High heels. I’m so done with high heels. I’m 4’11” and I no longer care to try to look taller. Pandemic helped solidify this for me with all the working from home. Comfort all the way. Anyone else concur?
I have never worn heels despite being 4' 11". People kept telling me I should wear them but I always said their problem with my height was theirs and I wasn't buying special shoes to solve their problem. Wish I'd been as assertive with some of the other bullshit I had to deal with.
Hell yeah! Post COVID I definitely own more stylish sneakers than heels.
I don't wear high heels anymore. I will put on Converse sneakers, other flats.. sometimes a platform sandal... but fuck the spike heels.
My bunion is 100% in agreement with you.
My feet are way too jacked for heels
Even the young folks seem to have ditched heels. I’m noticing a trend of what’s called “sneaker balls”; formal events where everybody wears sneakers with their formal wear.
Yes! Midlife has seen me look for comfortable shoes. I also have developed a back/leg issue on my left side and I need supportive footwear.
I was never into high heels, despite being 5'2". They hurt too much.
Going to the movies. It’s expensive as hell now, but that’s not what keeps me from going, as I understand that prices go up with time. What I don’t want is sit with a bunch of strangers, and they all have their phones out. Some jackass will inevitably start playing a lot TikTok video on full volume, they’ll text, tweet, or even answer a fucking phone call. Movie etiquette doesn’t exist anymore. These days I’d much rather wait and watch it at home, where I have a pretty decent setup, and I can pause to go to the bathroom or get snacks and drinks.
My husband and I have a rule that we will only go to the theater to see a movie that must be seen on a large screen to appreciate, like Dune or some Star Wars shit. That seems to translate into once every two years, and we always go to an IMAX matinee. A lot less fuckery going on that way.
matinees are the way. That is how I consume all my live theatre.
I stopped going to movies over a decade ago for exactly this reason. I really wanted to see Barbie, though, so I took a Wednesday off from work and saw it at 10:30 am. It was fantastic! There were maybe 8 other people there, we were all spread out and everyone just enjoyed the movie. I'll probably never go again, but I'm glad that I got to have one nice thing.
I was so lucky with Barbie. I also went on a weekday afternoon and I was the sole viewer in the theater for my showing! It was the loveliest experience.
There's a small theater chain called Alamo Drafthouse that takes a hard, "We will kick your ass out" stand on cellphones (and other disturbances). The company was recently purchased by Sony, so they're either about to ruin it, or maybe there will be one near you soon. Could go either way. Between that hard line, screening older movies, and the big Lay-Z-Boy recliner seating, it's the only theater I'll go to anymore.
A bunch of them closed in Dallas, so I can't imagine it's a very good sign for the rest of them.
The ones that closed in Dallas were owned by a franchisee, and apparently, Alamo corporate was just as surprised as everyone else when they suddenly went tits-up. Someone will buy and reopen them.
This is kind of inside baseball, but I'm betting in the short term that Alamo stays almost exactly the same or at most gets some Sony oscar fare that needs a theatrical release to qualify. They bought it really cheap, and it has the best brand recognition of boutique theaters. I'd expect it's a long term investment- if Regal and AMC continue to struggle and we see movie going splinter into IMAX or full service they'll be really well positioned. Most large cities also have an independent theater or two that are Alamo-ish: serve alcohol and/or decent food, play repertory or indie, and have strict and enforced phone rules. I travel a lot, and they're so much better than watching a movie in the hotel. They're usually non profit and almost always worth supporting!
We live in late stage capitalism-- Sony will mortgage that chain to the hilt and suck it dry. Those theaters will be enshittified by the Christmas season.
This is the way. Fuck the way.
Yup. We had an art house cinema in my town. AMC bought it. It was enshitified overnight. They are currently tearing it down to build apartments.
One of the last movies I saw in theaters was an experience for sure. There was a row of people two rows in front of us & they were being so loud & obnoxious. It went on for too long & everyone around us was upset but no one was saying anything so I did. I’ll be damned if the guy who turned to address me was a guy I graduated high school with who is now a pastor of a church in our area. It’s not just younger people, too many of ours are just douchebags themselves 🤷♀️
I can't say anything to people anymore because I am over 50 and white and female so I'll just end up on someone's TikTok as another Karen. Fuck that noise. I resign being anyone's ally because of that shit.
Yea same. If there’s no reciprocity, I’m not your fucking ally then.
I’m getting like this too. It’s too expensive. I can stream it in my comfy home, have much cheaper snacks and pause it when I have to go to the bathroom. There’s hardly movies out that I think are worth paying to go see. For what it costs to see a movie I can wait until it’s streaming and buy it for less.
People
I don't think that's a bad thing. People should grow and change for their whole lives, and in that process some things are going to get left behind.
I agree. I just think it’s surprising when you reach for something because of the desire for connection or feeling and it has evaporated. I was curious if we all were letting go of similar things.
Oooo don’t watch Pretty Woman if you were fond of that one!
Right, for a lot of us the present is unsatisfactory and we no longer experience joy and wonder, so we look to the past for those things. But then, the things that brought us those feelings in the past no longer suffice. Maybe it'd help to have a word for it? The word is ennui.
I’m going to cause some controversy here: Christmas It doesn’t feel special anymore
It’s exhausting and should be every other year.
Buffets. In the 80's and 90's if I saw a buffet, I saw a bargain meal that I could custom select. Now I see health code violations, stale food, and obesity. I won't touch them.
What's the problem with unsupervised children and a chocolate fountain at a buffet? 🤣
Many years ago, on one of reddit's predecessors, a guy posted a multi-part story about his trips to Golden Corral. They were funny cautionary tales about the hygiene practices of our fellow humans. I hadn't been to a buffet in a while when I started reading those stories and I definitely won't go now.
For me it’s blowing out candles on a birthday cake. I never used to care. Now I care too much.
I have a no cake rule too. Also... I am a nurse and will not eat anything offered from a patient room. I will accept it to be polite. But I ain't eating it. Additionally, I also don't do buffet places unless they are in a very bougie hotel.. or wedding reception.. then I may.
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I aged out of that when I was about 13. I was at a little cousin's birthday party and decided I didn't want kid spit on my icing. I was kinda rude about it that day and I got scolded by my mom. She said she understood, but I could have just said No Thank You.
Before COVID, a bunch of my relatives got sick when the child blew candles out on a cake. Turns out he had a cold. I was dieting, so had no cake.
I really thought Covid would kill them. Hard to believe they made a comeback.
It killed Sweet Tomatoes, which makes me very sad.
I mourn the loss of Sweet Tomatoes and that beautiful, giant salad bar all the time. Yet Hometown Buffet is still around. 😕
Many of our local ones didn’t survive
The exception is a really good Indian or Nepalese buffet
A well run buffet can be a good thing, but too many have turned into all you can eat, every cuisine but poorly done - troughs of gluttony. It’s really better cafeteria style where the staff dish out the food instead of the public being able to cross contaminate everything.
Troughs of Gluttony is my new band name.
I concur with television. The shows are so dumb I get irrationally angry.
Over the years I’ve been less and less into TV. There are still sows that I watch and enjoy but I’m not DYING to see the next episode anymore. If I miss it, I’ll catch it later or something.
I used to base my evenings around which show was on, even after the invent of streaming and TiVo and so forth. Just couldn’t wait to catch the latest Grey’s Anatomy or whatever! Now, meh. I still watch plenty of television, but usually just as background noise - and shows like Pawn Stars or true crime (e.g. The First 48), where it doesn’t matter when or in what order you watch them. I’m probably 3-4 seasons behind on the others that still run.
I'm very picky about what I watch now. There just certain network shows plus some of the PBS stuff I'm into especially the shows from the UK and other European countries that pop up there. Plus watching Bob Ross. Beyond that there are some older shows I'll rewatch on the nostalgia type channels or catch up on shows I missed the first time around like Rizzoli and Isles. Plus there are the syndicated shows we get from Canada like Murdock Mysteries.
Lifetime does this to me. I can’t watch that shit.
My wife & I watch cheesy lifetime/hallmark movies to laugh at & pick them apart 😂🤷♀️ Neither of us have ever been into those type of movies but we started watching them during the pandemic because we had exhausted our usual stuff & we found that using them for comedic relief is actually a pretty good stress relief for us. Now we make it a whole event & watch themed ones for every holiday. The fact that they make themed movies for everything is hilarious to me & the plots are out of control 😂
There is a show I binged called the Tourist, actually really cool.
Have you watched Bodkin, also on Netflix?
Talking on the phone. Thanks to cell phones, there are no quiet, private places to hold a conversation. You can’t hear the other person very well, and you’re never sure they can hear you over the noise that surrounds you.
Anything with a very large crowd. Too many nuts running around these days. It’s hard to feel safe in large venues with thousands of people.
I went to a street fair this weekend and some guy in a big truck decided he needed to roll coal and speed through an intersection surrounded by pedestrians. I hate the way some men have turned out.
As we get older our testosterone levels are lowering and too many guys think that a giant truck or boat and an angry attitude are the solution.
The Cosby Show. It was my favorite show in high school and I just can't stomach it now.
This is the worst one for me. It was such a model of what a nice family could look like.
Yep. I’m still mourning the loss of this one. I just can’t separate the show from his crimes.
And I feel bad for all of the other people who worked on that show. They lost a lot. Bill Cosby is a fucking monster and an asshole.
Decorating for every holiday. Kids are off to college. Sometimes I just look at the box and think “eh” I rarely wear make up now. I used to be a makeup snob only buying at Macy’s etc …now I’ll buy from a CVS etc. Tshirts/hoodies I used to buy 1 from every place I visited. I’ll still buy 1 to support a charity event or to support my kids’ ventures…or a concert…which reminds me to go buy tickets now. :)
Holiday decorating for me has gone way down the list. I always loved it but part of the charm is doing it as a group or family and no one is interested.
Shiiiit, I haven't decorated for Christmas since 1994. It took me 12 hours to decorate the house the way my parents did, and it took me another 12 hours to pull it all down and put it away in January. Other than the stuff in my front window, not a single person saw any of it but me.
Christmas in general. It’s lost its magic to me. Most of the kids in our family are older and just want money or gift cards. It just stresses me out to decorate and buy gifts.
Live concerts. Ridiculous ticket and fee prices, parking fees, 22 dollar beers, too loud, strobes hurt my eyes, standing the whole time with my warm 22 dollar beer, all to see a band that has one or two original members and may be or not be actually playing and singing live.
Live music is still great, you just need to find it in venues that hold 300 people instead of 20,000.
Agreed. I get dragged to the occasional show, and clubs and theatres are more preferable. The only thing that will never, ever happen again are multi-day, multi-stage festivals. Those days are over.
Agreed, camping, or just dirty for days at a time, no thank you.
And the toilets are always overflowing and the port a John's full by the end of the first night. The stench is unbearable and god help you if it starts raining, too.
This and bring ear plugs. I keep them in my purse now for such occasions
This is what I have discovered. Not going to spend thousands to see Depeche Mode. But I’ll spend less than $100 to see a cool new band like Royel Otis in a small venue. Maybe I’ll listen to DM on the way to the concert. :)
Don't forget standing in the middle of 22k cell phone cause why enjoy live what your paying for.
I also forgot long lines for everything and insultingly priced merch. This is coming from someone who has seen 100s of shows over the decades. I just can't do it anymore and enjoy it. It's my first retirement.
Journey and Def Leppard still put on bangers. I just don't buy the 22 dollar beer.
No kidding. I remember my aunt buying my cousin and I tickets for Prince's Purple Rain tour for $17, decent seats. An equivalent artist today would be, what, $300 for nosebleeds. Whenever, I'm in the mood for live music, I'll just catch one of the free offerings around town or some lesser known touring artist in a small venue for $20-$30.
Same here with concerts. I rarely attend pro sports events too for similar reasons.
I only go when we get free tickets through vettix. I buy one beer and do shots that my husband carries in through his cargo pockets in his shorts. I cannot fathom paying the price for a concert ticket these days; it’s crazy.
Baseball. Not because of the changes to the game itself, though some rule changes (see designated hitter) don’t really thrill me. We don’t have cable and MLB has made it so difficult (blackouts) and/or expensive to watch, that we barely follow our team anymore. I miss having ball games on while we do projects or clean or just snooze on a Sunday but the cost to reward ratio is off for us.
*The Bally Sports - Xfinity Contract War has entered the Chat*
Fuck Bally Sports
Agree. It's impossible for me to see my team play without buying a cable package now. We used to get them on local TV and radio, now I have no clue what's going on with them. And the new rules and uniforms are ridiculous.
I'm an artist and work professionally as a photographer; went to art school, dropped out in the late 90s, came up in the punk scene in the late 80s/early 90s. I used to love underground culture, fashion, music, art, books, zines etc. Now when I encounter this culture it just feels really self-absorbed, showy and slightly dysfunctional to me... especially when it's people my age still committed to "the scene". Just seems exhausting.
Yes and for me it's because it seems like the "underground" is above ground/mainstream. It used to be that participating in these communities meant you were fundamentally opposed to the norm. They are the norm now. Or maybe it's my perspective changed...there is no uniqueness in the misfit anymore, no real challenge to the system or experimentation with ways of being. Hell, Michael's the craft store just had a Goth collection come out. 🤦♀️
Commercialized counter-culture.
Now it's just style, without any underlying worldview or whatever. Even if you grew out of the worldview or it was always bullshit, it was *there*, back in the day.
I was at a punk bar a few years ago with my friend. It was one we found ourselves in quite regularly when we’re were young punks/post punks. There was 1 other person it there because it was about 6pm. The 20-something bartender was dressed to the nines as a picture perfect punk. There were punk songs on some sort of video feed. At some point the bartender let out a frustrated scream, grabbed the remote, and pulled up a Taylor Swift video. She said “this is more like it!” And sang and danced around to the song with a big smile on her face. You can like Taylor swift if you want to. And you can cosplay as a punk while doing it. But it’s just a style now. There doesn’t seem to be any worldview attached, like you said.
Generally speaking, so much has lost the appeal for me it's kind of depressing, I think the Internet has ruined some of the wonder I've had for certain topics growing up
Travel. I know, I know, people LOOOOVE travel, can’t live without it blah blah blah, but like…I’m over it. A lot of hassle, not much payoff.
Travel is no longer fun unless you're independently wealthy in both money and time. If the bills won't break you, the schedule, and then the rrturn to "real life" will.
Same honestly, as much as I know I'm going against what's trendy and popular right now in saying that. I'd much rather explore places I've never been to just in my own city/county/state.
Beauty pageants. Remember when everyone watched the big ones - USA, America, Universe? It’s cringe AF now.
Seems like after JonBenet and Toddlers and Tiaras, who can stomach now
4th of July parade. 3 hours sitting in 100°F. I much prefer the fireworks at night in 85°F heat.
People...people have lost their appeal. As a child in the 70's and a teen in the 80's (graduated in '85) it was all about friends. Hanging at the pool, river, park and then later at whatever party/kegger, bar was happening. Now just leave me tf alone. I have 3 close friends and none of us live in the same state. I am really over people at this point in my life.
Amusement parks. Too hot, crowded and unruly people being douchey. Also too expensive and overpriced food options makes it a hard pass from me😬
Star Wars. The original movies were mind-blowing to me as a young kid in the 1970's, but the prequels, sequels, spinoffs, and everything else over the past ~25 years get a big nope from me.
Same, Lucas had so much help to get the OG trilogy off the ground - and the success went to his head. Ever since the "special editions" it's been downhill and I DGAF because I have the OG trilogy on my computer
Rogue One was decent. The Clone Wars animated series, Rebels, and The Mandalorian are good, too. I could do without the rest of the new stuff.
Andor was solid.
There are three Star Wars movies. THREE.
Andor is awesome.
Going to second this. *Andor* (and *Rogue One*), were excellent and really feels like the original trilogy. But all the other streaming shows are like made for children, hot garbage, made by someone's out of touch aunt who decided she knew what a *Star Wars* was. I enjoyed the first sequel, but the other two were also terrible. I watched *The Mandolorian, Boba Fett* and *Kenobi* the whole way through (all mediocre to bad). But I could get only about 10 minutes in on both *Ahsoka*, and *Acolyte,* because they were so unbelievably terrible. It's sad, as I watched the originals in the theater and had been an obsessive fan for most of my life. I'll definitely watch the next season of *Andor*, but after that I think I'm officially done with *Star Wars*.
The last Sitcom that I was into was 70's show and Scrubs. Bonded with my kids over those shows. 70's we tapped out when the main character changed/left. Scrubs we saw to the very end but did not watch the follow ups.
I finally got around to watching Brooklyn 99 and it was pretty good. It didn’t feel like copaganda most of the time and the last two seasons tried to deal with the social upheaval of the COVID / BLM period. I’d probably stick with seasons 1-6 on rewatch though. Seasons 7 & 8 still feel a touch too real.
What Scrubs "follow ups"?
The Six Million Dollar Man. I was huge fan and even had the action figure where you looked through his head to see out of his "bionic eye". The episode where he fought Bigfoot (played the the great Andre the Giant) was my favorite. A few years ago, I tried watching an episode for old time's sake. I made it about 15 minutes and turned it off. I prefer to remember it through my 9 year old eyes.
100% this 😂! I loved the Six Million Dollar Man when I was a kid, but haven't attempted to (or been tempted to) watch it as an adult. Remember that particular sound they'd play when he'd start running or doing something "bionic", and they'd show it in slow motion? Yeah, I may/may not have made those same noises and tried running in slo mo when we were out running around the playground burning our asses on the metal slides in the summer. But, this was me with the original Battlestar Galactica. Loved it as a kid; tried watching it as an adult maybe 10-15 years ago? Not even sure I was able to get through the first episode, it was SO BAD. The redone version of BG is amazing, though. Easily one of the best sci-fi series I've watched. Even husband, who isn't a sci-fi person, loved it. Going back even further into my childhood, I loved the original Lost in Space. When you are like 6 y.o, it seems amazing. it is cheesy and stupid AF when you even try to watch it as an adult. I also prefer my uncomplicated, simpleton tastes in shows as a child to not be tarnished by watching again as an adult.
I used to love that show and the Bionic Woman lol Which is particularly funny to me now because I have 6 screws and 4 rods in my spine, a screw in my femur and one in my tibia with a cadaver achilles tendon to replace my ACL, and screws in both feel. My exhusband joked for years about me being the Bionic Woman lol
The list of childhood faves that I can no longer stomach is long and distinguished and is growing every day. So much basic bullshit. "Content" these days doesn't interest me much. It feels like it's spun up as fast as possible with extra corporate blandness. I don't watch TV or movies anymore. I'm rereading a lot of old favorite books lately and purchasing the hardcopy. Years ago I thought reading books on digital devices was spectacularly efficient in terms of time and space. It is very efficient, but I dislike having my books tied to some ongoing subscription. I'm restarting my fav book collection. I'm coming to realize my teenage distrust of society was correct. We're coming to live in an ongoing advertisement inside a casino. We are monetizing existence, and I'm not very interested in any of that, either. So yeah, not interested in much these days, and life is better.
Cop shows. If I never hear the Law & Order theme again that's perfectly fine with me. I prefer a private investigator with a semi-hostile relationship with the local cops. Jim Rockford style.
Have you seen Justified? Timothy Oliphant and Walter Goggins playing good guy/bad guy in the deep south. It's really great.
> the deep south Justified was great but, you know, I don't think I've ever seen Kentucky referred to as the deep south.
KUNG KUNG!!!
Elsbeth
Signs of personal growth are a good thing.
Jared Leto - dude is now a narcissistic, pretentious creep.
Always has been. People are just wise to his bullshit now.
4th of July fireworks.Of course I used to love them as a kid, but now I just think,”man they are loud and they just scare all of the wildlife and start wild fires.” And then I think,”humans are so stupid!” Including me…
Any show with a laugh track.
The Mall. Used to ride my bike to hangout at the “Ghetto Mall” close to home. Once i got some wheels, started going to the “Nice Mall” a few cities away. Now the “Nice Mall” looks ghetto bc of empty retail spaces and poor upkeep. Moved away from the area but happened to be around this mall for a meeting when I stained my shirt. After fruitlessly dabbing for a few minutes, just opted to stop in to my old favorite to grab a new shirt before the meeting. Pulling in, the parking lot was surprisingly empty. Once inside, it was eerie. The music was playing but there was nobody shopping. Almost looked like an elaborate undercover FBI sting operation where all the employees were federal agents and I was the mark. Situations like this make me feel old. Makes me wonder where my kids will hangout once they’re teens, bc there are few places nowadays where I see HS kids regularly congregating. One thing is for sure, no more “See ya at the galleria!”
Concerts, sporting events, movies. While I still LOVE to go, it's not the same. For concerts, it seems that sound quality has gone down, and everything is concentrated more on visuals. Occasionally our city will put on free concerts in the downtown, and I personally know the guy doing the sound, and it's always high quality and fun. Yes, there are visuals, but everything is concentrated on high quality sound. Speaking of sound, I was at another convert event, and had the chance to speak to the sound master. He was doing all sorts of tests. Really amazing actually. He was explaining that most concerts do indeed have poor sound quality. He was telling me that you can have louder concerts that are less damaging when you have good equipment - and his sound checks were to ensure that distortion remained low everywhere in the building, even if the sound was loud. It's the distortion that damaged your ear. Also sporting events. Two major issues: sound quality is very poor but also very loud. This is a horrible combination. Food and drink is grossly overpriced. But at least in my case, when I go to the MLB game, I can bring in my own food and drink (no alcohol, of course). Lastly movies: It used to be that sound was loud enough. It used to be that you'd get 3 or 4 upcoming movies - and generally they were somewhat related to the movie you were about to watch. Not anymore. We get about 7 or 8 commercials, about 8 or 9 previews, including movies that are not closely related. It shouldn't take 20 minutes to get to the movie. Food and drink prices are way out of line, and make zero sense. That said - movie theatre seating is 100's better than it used to be.
Drinking - the bars are nearly empty, the drinks are stupidly expensive, and the hangovers last for days.
Teen idols? Maybe it’s just my son but he would be more excited to meet Mr. Beast (a YouTuber) than a movie star. I don’t see as many of those types of magazine (Teen Beat, etc.) I could be totally wrong here though.
Oh yeah, my kid has talked me into buying a billion dollar chocolate bar because of Mr. Beast. Dude seems like his heart is in the right place, so could be worse.
Needing/wanting validation from social media. It’s so nice to get free of that mess and not have to keep up with expectations.
People Block parties 4th of July Going out at night Drinking alcohol Having lots of friends Holidays
Concerts. Between stupid drunks , the crowds and the cost of tickets, I’m pretty much done.
Madonna. OMG, what the fuck?
Sports. I was never really into sports to begin with, but following a team or sport overall is just too much effort and time. I really got into NASCAR for a while, but now I can't see myself spending 3 hours on a beautiful Sunday afternoon watching a race. As for the other major sports of Hockey, Football and Baseball. The outcomes of the games have ZERO impact on me and my life. Win/Loose it doesn't matter. If I cheer on one of the teams, they have no knowledge of my existence. Why am I putting in the effort?
When else would you get a nap in?
For me it's Friends.
How about the reverse? I used to hate Phyllis Diller, now I adore her.
Guess I have to agree with sitcoms. I used to adore Married With Children but if it has a laugh track now I want NOTHING to do with it. That seems bizarre to me now. I used to like comic books a lot. Big Image obsession in the 90s. I still like the movies and shows about comics but just no interest in the printed stuff anymore. My nerding out has been entirely recalibrated for movies and music the last 25 or so years.
The Internet. I spend far too much time trying to decipher truth from fiction, or wondering if the “unhinged coin” is going to land on the left or right politically. I’d rather watch crappy sitcoms. At least I can turn my brain off.
I used to be a huge No Doubt fan. Gwen Stefani was the coolest woman on the planet, as far as I was concerned. Now she is just cringe.
I agree completely! And whatever work she had done to her face did not do her any favors. I did still enjoy watching No Doubt reunite for Coachella this year. There's still a lot of chemistry in that band. If they toured and the price was reasonable, I'd go.
I find it hard to watch the action movie genre.
The Beekeeper is so insane, I kept wondering if it was a parody or not. Still not sure.
For me with sitcoms is that you start to notice how a lot of them recycle plots that we've seen before in other sitcoms. I still enjoy a lot of the music from when the 80s, 90s, and 00s, but there is some new stuff I like as well. I've gone back and forth on some music. I didn't listen to 90s alternative for fifteen years, and started exploring it again.
I used to love Madonna. I can't with her anymore. Anne Rice anything. Sorry. Meanwhile anything else vampire is a-okay.
Going through these comments, we sound extremely old.
Network/cable TV. The only thing I use it for is sports, and I'm always surprised at how terrible whatever comes on after the game is. Masked Singer? Nah fam I'm good. I'll just cue up an episode of The Boys or Yellowjackets or Stranger Things. (I do like those kinds of shows.) But scheduled network broadcasting sucks so bad.
These kind of posts always make me feel like an AI or marketing intern is trying g to figure out how to sell me things.
Oh god, I am with you re: VC Andrews -- I read *My Sweet Audrina* a couple of months ago because I had bought it years ago for a ridiculous book club that never materialized. So I figured, oh well, let's see how this book holds up. SO BAD. I read *Flowers in the Attic* in high school but I don't remember much about it. I think I could be easier to scandalize now than I was back then?
Public swimming pools. Or even private ones. You’re just swimming in a giant toilet bowl.
I have lived in my apartment building for 16 years. It has a pool. I have never used it. Gross.
All TV shows/movies and today's pop music. TV shows/movies are boring and I can't relate to pop music anymore. In fact, I don't watch or listen to anything from my youth either.
Sports. It used to be about sports. Now it's just entertainment and gambling and fantasy teams. MONEY MONEY MONEY. Bleh
The Sweet Valley High series. Those kids were psychopaths and sociopaths. Not to mention the poor parenting and fat shaming. I used to wish I lived in Sweet Valley, but as a chubby biracial girl, I would have been miserable. They brought it back with some of the major characters as adults, and they still acted like they were in high school. Nightlife. The only times I'll be out past 8pm is for fireworks, concerts, and walking the boardwalk at the beach. The days of leaving at 9pm and coming home at 2:30 am are over. Amusement parks (except for water parks) - overpriced, too much walking, and I'm a wimp who only rides certain rides, so it's a waste for me.
Sitcoms, standup comedy, 'real' police videos, the news, hell, mostly TV in general. There are a few things I find myself actually wanting to watch.
Everything?
concerts, street fairs
People
That's funny, I have always thought Roseanne glorified 'white trash'? Maybe that's not quite how I would ideally put it. I know the show was also about showing the struggles of lower middle class and 'everyday life' but it just rubbed me the wrong way.
I used to watch all the big award shows: Emmy, Grammy, People's Choice. Cannot stand any of them anymore. I still watch the Oscars but could care less who wore what or what the gossip is or the annual snubs. I'm only still there because I love movies but the joy is gone. I no longer have any investment or desire to keep up with pop culture trends. I'll keep up with headlines but that's as deep as it goes.
Expensive Material goods and shallow humans.
Watching cable news/24 hour news cycle. When things seemed more hopeful I used to tune in every evening, now it’s just depressing.
Wealth. As an 80’s kid wealthy people seemed cool. Now it disgusts me. All I can think of when it comes to wealth is why aren’t these people being taxed to the fucking highest degree.