Probably not what you’d think . . .

      Most of us have a hobby. Something we turn to and enjoy in our idle time. Knitting has long been a favorite, oddly for both men and women, and other favorites run from skiing, bicycling, walking, painting, ham radio, a new language, and on and on, but not in a million years will you guess what’s rated as today’s most popular one.

I shook my head in disbelief, but when I took a moment to think it over, I decided it’s my hobby, too. Just never thought of it that way.

And the favorite one? For men, women, old, young, rich or poor???? Hold your breath, for it’s Shopping. Yeah, that’s how we spend most of our spare time. and if asked we’d all reply, “Oh, we’re just looking.”.

I agree, we’re just looking, but it’s at shopping centers where we ‘look’ and Shopping is the right name, for it’s seldom we fail to find something we didn’t know we needed, but did.

Don’t scoff and say you never go near a Mall, for that’s  okay, because lots of us don’t do our ‘shopping’ in malls. There are those who ‘shop’ for houses, and it doesn’t matter if they already own one, two or three homes, they spend time looking at houses. Old one, new ones. condos, apartments or duplexes. If they’re on sale, they go and look.  They like houses, that’s all.

Then there’s dozens of hobbies built around ‘wheels’. Motorcycles have long been a hobby for many, but bicycles have now passed them, and close by are racing cars, 4-wheelers, trucks, and then there’s the collectors of antique autos. This is a big one, requiring both space, and money. But just the same, there are lots of lookers, as well as the buyers.

It was the all-purpose shopping centers, where all manner of stuff can be found, and at all hours of the day, week or night, that put the crown on the hobby of shopping.

They’re handy. and have clothes, with many good labels available, as well as hardware, plumbing, car accessories, painting, home repairs, works of art, beauty aids, stationery. You name it, it’s there.

This is where teens go and prowl for it’s where their contemporaries hang out. and there’s always a handy spot to enjoy a soda, ice cream or such while the talk goes on, and friendships made. Retirees flock to the malls for their daily walk, and then spend an hour or two over talk and drinks. Yeah, that’s a great hobby, too.

I don’t know what a former generation did with their spare time, but it wasn’t what we do with ours. And also, can do under one roof, and with one swipe of a Charge Card, handle what it took our parents going to five or six different stores to accomplish. 

Shopping centers changed our lives and hobbies. We casually meet old friends, catch up on the news of what others are doing, and the counters are an ever-changing showcase of what we can do with or in our own homes, wardrobe, hair care, and on and on..

Sound familiar? You’re darn right it’s familiar, but who would have guessed it to be Americas favorite hobby? It long ago nosed out TV, reading, visiting, or any of those former hobbies.   Imagine. And to top off the list, I’m one of them, and betcha you are , too.

ethelbrad@comcast.net