I would argue that season 1 was so well crafted because it follows in the footsteps of the original feature film. From the start it had a clear destination, with the real story being "how in the world did we get here?" Constraints make good art and all that.
I just wish there was a way for new fans to experience the related ARG and fan-forums in chronological order alongside a watch. A huge part of the experience of this show was all the stuff happening in the fandom, during the week in-between episodes.
You're not alone. My preference is shopping at places like that "off hours" if possible. Sunday morning (while a lot of people are in church) is a must-do for me.
I miss 24hr and late-night grocery stores. 10PM shopping used to be incredible.
I meticulously read labels on everything. I kind of have to since I can't just eat anything off the shelf - it's complicated.
But one thing I do is to be aware of how much room the cart/trolley/whatever is taking up. I much prefer to use a hand-basket or smaller cart if available. I'll also park the damn thing outside the aisle if there's room nearby, or next to my person parallel to the flow of traffic. Why gack up the whole lane?
At the same time, I also appreciate that a typical supermarket is an assault on the senses where even the neuro-normative struggle. It's not hard to find people that are clearly stuggling, doubling-back-and-forth through the whole market to complete their shopping list (just peek in the basket then consider where you are in the store). The frequency of this happening is kind of staggering.
This reminded me of something. I once tried a Chinese soup kit that was packed to the gills with funky ingredients: pickled vegetables, dank mushrooms, and fermented things beyond description. The smell was overpowering and, in the mouth, entirely unpleasant. It was like frat-house bong water served in an old shoe. The experience left me with one singular thought that refused to leave my mind in the same way the bizarre flavor simply refused to leave my nose and mouth.
It was so bad that all I could think was if I abused my palette with tobacco smoke for a lifetime, or even chewed on cigarettes round the clock for a year, it might approach something palatable.
The best video I saw on this put forward the idea that it's all for a smug sense of superiority and a sense of having "figured life out." It's a deliberately pocket-sized, shallow, and purely emotional stance. One just holds on tight, ignoring everything going on around the place, and let the good vibes flow. Meanwhile, all that powerlessness and vulnerability fades away into a cloud of "I'm right, I'm a hero."
As a bonus, the very same video suggests that humor (of all things) is a very good tool for piercing through:
I had a very lucky experience in that my troop was about as secular as it gets, meeting at a local public school without any external financial support at all. There was no church involved; the parents funded everything and provided transportation and were our chaperones. The only mention of "reverence" was in the Scout Oath, and there were never any group prayers or other such things.
We also didn't wear uniforms on outings, steering clear of any pro-military optics.
My point being: if you find yourself looking for a program that is more on the side of skill-building, outdoorsy stuff, and education, there are troops out there that may fit the bill.
As someone that went through this program, I can't stress enough that the takeaways here go far beyond marksmanship; the program makes sure of it. Because of merely attempting to get the Riflery merit badge I have a profound respect and safety awareness for guns, and all I used was a .22 bolt-action rimfire, which is about as basic as it gets. At the same time I'm aware that being halfway good at maintaining and using one are skills that must be cultivated and are not easy to do nor intutive. If I had to use a firearm now, I know that I'd have to use it at close range to be any good.
The buildings are the low density and all the space between. That's the problem.