This is the last newspaper that will fall on my doorstep - and it remains unopened. Pass the hankie. Actually, I thought the absence of this morning's paper would be more traumatic than it turned out to be. Mostly the trauma involves guilt over being a part of taking away jobs. I started my employment career as delivering newspapers and all three of my kids started the same way. Like me, I'm sure they have mixed feelings about the work. But, it's another tradition that is slowly fading away and I don't love being part of its demise.
I found this online and I spent a pleasantly large half-hour browsing through the pages. One of the interesting observations that I made was that I actually didn't skip around as much as I would have with the print copy. Because I have to be intentional about the page I'm going to read, I found that I spent more time and read each article to the end. Frequently, in print, I read about half-way through and decide I've had enough. Or something more interesting catches my eye.
Online, there are a lot of distractions - like ads -but because I'm so used to ignoring them while I'm circling around in cyberspace each day, it was easier to focus on what I was reading. I thought I would miss some features that I always read: comics, letters to the editor, obituaries. But, it's all available...either on the paper's page or elsewhere. In fact, the comics just got more interesting because I can access the syndication pages and read a whole bunch that I don't find in the daily newspaper. Not that I did, of course, No, I selected about six that I really like and let the rest go.
This wasn't a New Year's resolution at all but it sort of feels like one. Weird, huh?
If it makes you feel better, just think of the positive impact on the environment.
ReplyDeleteI'm considering the same thing when my subscription runs out. The prices have sky-rocketed and the paper gets thinner and thinner each week.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to try out the online versions at least. If you're not happy, you can always go back to the paper version.
ReplyDeleteEach week, I throw out (well, recycle) masses of newspapers, and think there has to be a better way. That's just weekend papers, we do online weekdays!
I get what you're saying about jobs, but then new jobs will emerge that we couldn't have ever imagined.
My main problem with online is timing- as in, to limit my time on the computer. One site leads to another, all very interesting, and before you know it, hours have passed by!
I remember how hard I thought it would be to give up my morning paper. Now I read so many more. Our local paper is online so I keep up on the local things through that, but I was surprised by the other things I had time for in the morning. It is just hard getting to that point. Good job.
ReplyDeleteI am just back from sick leave and catching up. Sad about the paper. That was our son's first job, he was 13. I still can't bring myself to do it. I love the feel, and the smell. And the big print and pictures. I love your Sunday wonders, especially the felt limbs of that tree!
ReplyDeleteGood for you! Save more trees.
ReplyDeleteI still take the paper... mostly because it makes me sad that they are disappearing. But, I keep thinking the day is coming that I need to cut myself off.
ReplyDeleteBTW in your "G" post, the cattle in the top photo are Belted Galloway, good double G! ;) blessings ~ Tanna
I can't remember the last time I held a newspaper in my hands. I miss it sometimes, and occasionally, I pop for the real deal at a news stand, but usually I just surf the news.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. We stopped our subscription a couple of years ago. But I put it in terms of saving trees instead of taking away jobs. Still, I prefer holding the printed word over staring into a computer screen.
ReplyDeleteI was finally able to make the honey cookies- everyone LOVED them! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I hate the thought of putting people out of work too but the electronic age is indeed upon us! I got electronic versions of my textbooks for the coming semester - the savings is remarkable.
ReplyDelete