Pam and I just got back from Glenbrook Mall. I hadn't been there since last Christmas, and I probably won't return for another year. Not that I dislike shopping. I actually enjoy shopping. Pretty much. But it's just too crowded up there at Glenbrook. Crowds didn't used to bother me. But I'm getting old, and I'm convinced that crowd-aversion is one of the symptoms.

One of the booths in the middle of the walking area had little furry cats and dogs, curled up as cute as could be. And BREATHING. That's right. As they lay their fake-sleeping, you could see their lung area contracting gently, just like a sleeping cat or dog.

There are many signs of an overly-pampered, self-indulgent society with too much disposable income to dispose for the sake of Persons Who Have Everything. This is yet another such sign.

We were also looking for gifts for kids in our church's neighborhood, kids who may have very little and may plod through an uneventful Christmas. Someone at Anchor put together a list with a whole bunch of kids, along with things they would like for Christmas. Pam agreed to take one particular kid (who we don't know), and other church people are doing the same for similarly disadvantaged kids.

Glenbrook doesn't yield much for people with real needs. This is where the pampered go. And I'm glad I don't enjoy it anymore.