many thoughts crossing into my mind at the moment.

in the news I've heard of a terrorist plot to bomb malls in Columbus, Ohio. I found this news a bit alarming being a former resident of the city and having frequented its malls many times. For those not acquainted here's a rundown based on personal experience.

Northland Mall: otherside of town from where I grew up. It no longer exists, is used to be the main mall in CoCo town when I was a kid but the surrounding neighborhood decayed and the mall went down the tube with it. I only remember being there once, to see the movie "Teachers" with Nick Nolte, Judd Hirsch and yours truly. I was an extra in the film and was actually congratulated by Aaron Russo, the executive producer for my performance in a scene. This scene ended up on the cutting room floor much to my dismay and my I was aghast when I realized this as I kept telling my friends before we entered the cinema, "I'm in the film, I'm in the film". Alas, I think I ended up on the album cover for the soundtrack, I'm that large red speck seen heading up the stairs of John F. Kennedy High School(olde Central High school in reality). This was my 15 minutes of almost fame.

Southland Mall: does it still exist, did it ever exist. The south side of Columbus once claimed this mall. It had about 7 stores and a movie theater. I remember it because I saw a James Bond movie there. One scene in the movie involved a woman playing a violin in a concert hall in Bratislava, Czechloslovakia, I forget the rest. I always think of the mall when I hear the Lynrd Skyrnd song that goes "singing sounds about the Southland..." I have some image of the band playing in front of the store with no one around just some stray trash twirling around aimlessly right outside the entryway. If you've seen the movie "American Beauty" you'll understand what I'm talking about.

here's a sight/cite you might find interesting:

Northland Mall Today

Dead Malls web site


Westland Mall: home sweet home, actually I spent more time at Great Western but that was a strip mall and not the enclosed, climatically controlled SuperMall. I went to Westland many times but I honestly cannot remember why, nor do I recall spending a lot of money there. No, I was not a mall rat and did not hang out there with other disaffected teens, there were other places to do that which were far more interesting. I would go to WaldenBooks, a record store whose name I have forgotten and going to a pretzel outlet called "Hot Sams".

City Center Mall: this was just built about 15 years ago right in downtown. Circle City Mall in Indianapolis was built to model this mall. I'm really not sure if the downtown Columbus Mall is still in good shape. Circle City was not built until after I went away to college but I did visit a few times. I wonder how things stand today.