The newspaper and coffee start to my day began when I retired eleven years ago. The habit is firmly entrenched. This business of newspapers dropping like flies bothers me more than drops in the stock market. When one of the Denver papers bit the dust not too long ago, I was upset, even though I wasn’t a subscriber. That Denver paper had always been there, just in case. I want my morning paper with my coffee!
The presses for our local newspaper ran for the last time yesterday. The newspaper, they told us, will live on. Papers will be printed in Denver. The transition should be seamless.
So when I got up this morning, I expected my paper to be in the driveway, just like always. I looked out the window. No paper. Maybe, I thought, it was thrown over the fence, or into the bushes. I went outside and took a closer look. No paper.
I grabbed the phone and dialed the 877 number for my paper’s circulation department. “High volume of calls,” the automated voice told me. Hmm. Not good. “I can manage my subscription online,” she added. I wait for more. “…unexpected production problems,” she finally told me. “…one to two hours late.”
So here I am, having my coffee (and a whole wheat English muffin with crunchy peanut butter) while I write today’s blog. I’m feeling kind of cranky. It’s not the lack of news that’s a problem. I can switch on the television or my computer for that. It’s the feel of the paper as I turn the pages. It’s the way my eyes get itchy if I rub them with inky fingers. It’s the newspaper smell.
Newspapers, like books, are part of my life. I want my newspaper here on time so I can read it while I drink my morning coffee. It’s not too much to ask. Grumble, grumble.
Ah, but when you called the office, did the person answering speak intelligible English? Were they outsourced to Pakistan????
Oh, I love the smell of newspapers. I even love when the ink gets on my hands 🙂
Wonderful and candid post. Feeling a bit “cranky,” eh? LOL
Well what’re you gonna do when print news ceases to exist? My hometown daily rag has cut down to just 3 paper per week, and the Detroit Free Press and News has announced they are going completely to e-news – no more printed papers at all.
But it’s all about the routine, I understand totally – I got mine too.
I actually read online newspapers, so i will feel this cranky if the Internet is dead…
In Quest of Theta Magic
I’m not a newspaper person (or a radio or tv news person either) but I do like my routines and do not like when they get interrupted – the whole day gets off kilter then. Ah, creatures of habit. Hope you ended up getting your paper – 4pm and STILL no paper, sheesh!
NA Sharpe
http://nasharpe.blogspot.com
Galen, I think it’s those who swim in the other direction who make life most interesting. Your post gave me a good chuckle. And for what it’s worth, it’s now 4PM where I live and I still don’t have my paper.
Patricia
Hmmm. Well, I’m respectfully swimming the other direction. One of those everyone’s crazy but me kinda things.
Anyway, I never much missed the physical paper. To me it was the aforementioned ink stains, the picking it up out of the drive way partly soaked (Seattle), the accumulated clutter, the 95 percent of it I didn’t read, the dated nature of the news as technology overtook the print media, and the recycle hassle. Oh, and the cost for something I got for free through other venues.
Other than that, I’m a newspaper person, too.
Best Regards, Galen
You wrote: “It’s the newspaper smell.”
Smell can evoke powerful memories when we sniff certain odors–you associate the smell of the coffee and muffin along with the “newspaper smell” as an important part of your life and that’s very cool.
Jina
http://tinyurl.com/BerlinSexDiary
I also agree. My morning routine involves reading the newspaper and working the crossword -my whole day seems off when ‘life’ prevents that from happening.
Jane Kennedy Sutton
http://janekennedysutton.blogspot.com/
I can sort of relate – my morning routine is checking my emails and blogs….and if I can’t get on-line, or if I get interrupted, I get pretty crabby
Elle Parker
http://elleparkerbooks.blogspot.com/
I completely agree. I can’t start the day without that nightmare of folds and finger-staining ink. We are losing more and more newspapers every day due to the economy and the advent of free news floating about the Internet, but I like all that paper. Plus, I can hardly be expected to do the crossword puzzle online, can I?
Gayle
http://gaylecarline.blogspot.com