I like to read newspapers, which is a good thing seeing how I’ve worked for one for a few decades now, and I don’t mean just this one. Although of course I read this one and I encourage all to do so likewise, from cover to cover, all sections, flyers, online and in print, etc., etc.
Ahem. It’s a bit of an occupational hazard but I’ve always been into checking what’s going on in newspaperland.
So when I go shopping on Saturday I have to check out the national dailies to see what’s up and if something catches my eye I buy it, whether it be The Vancouver Sun, The Globe and Mail or The National Post.
And if I happen to be staying at a hotel out of town I always snag the free paper at the front desk, or if it’s a real nice hotel, I get one delivered to my door in the morning. I love that service.
But what I find happens is these weekend papers are full of longer features and news articles that I don’t quite get the time to make my way all the way through and a pile begins to collect near my side of the bed that tends to get bigger as the days progress, rather than the opposite.
I hate to tell you the date on some of these babies but there’s always something in at least one of the sections that I plan to read, someday, so I don’t recycle quite as often as, well, say, my wife would like.
Although I have a feeling that someone, and I’m not saying who, but if the other two members of the family did it I would be very surprised (actually astonished would be a better word), who may be taking papers from the bottom of the stack and recycling them without my knowledge.
At this time though it’s just a hunch and no formal charges are being considered.
But of course a better solution would be to actually finish reading them on my own, and that does happen on occasion but in the meantime I buy another one and add some of it to the pile and so it goes….
So if I have trouble reading an entire weekend national newspaper, you might wonder how I can handle something even more substantial, like say a magazine or, a real live book.
Well, I have to admit, next to the pile of newspapers next to my bed is a secret stash of old magazines, again dates to be kept secret, that I’ve also been meaning to get to. Most are Sports Illustrated from when I had a subscription. I have perused them and read them at least partially but there’s always something in there, that when I have more time (which never seems to happen) I want to look at a little closer (i.e. actually read).
There’s also some Maclean’s I stole off my dad and a few other titles that I’ve acquired, and again this pile seems to somehow get smaller before I can attend to it, and, again, I have a suspect in mind.
But what I really wanted to tell you this week, and hopefully before I run out of space, is that I have achieved a personal milestone of sorts. Sure the two piles are still there and on my list of things to be dealt with, but somehow I actually managed to find the time to also read a book. Actually two books. From cover to cover and I enjoyed them too.
It’s likely sad for an English major to proclaim to the world he’s read a book, as if it’s some kind of accomplishment, but in this world of hundreds of TV channels with news and sports basically non-stop, the Internet, social media, cell phones, video games, not to mention the more traditional forms of media next to my bed, and of course work and raising kids and maintaining a relationship (hi honey) and of course household chores and an increasingly limited attention span, I’m going to feel good about it.
And one was a classic I’ve been meaning to read forever. I read Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms (bit depressing but impressive and likely revolutionary for 1929) and Neil Young’s Waging Heavy Peace, which I wouldn’t call revolutionary but nevertheless an interesting and enjoyable glimpse into the mind of the legendary Canadian singer, songwriter, activist, etc.
If you get the chance check them out. Meanwhile I’m going to dive into that pile this weekend, unless the weather’s good or I happen to buy another paper and……
