Predictability is funny

Some things just make your day. It can very nice indeed if your day is made early.

I know I'm a creature of habit in both my activities and my, shall I say, slogans. I like repeating several of me Pops common remarks such as 'Every day above ground is a good one', even though me sister hates that one. But I've developed my own sayings too. A common one when asked how I am is, 'Not bad for an old man'. It apparently has become rather well known.

As I finished my typical morning constitutional today I stepped into the local 24/7 gas station and party store for a paper. I still like the occasional morning news even though in this Internet age I probably know most of the expressed events as it is and as such what I buy is already dated. But it's still a paper and there's still comics and crossword puzzles which I don't know, thank you very much. I might also as I did this morning buy a coffee, especially as I had none ready at home. What says lazy worse than a man with a Keurig who buys a large coffee for a buck sixty-five because it's easier? In my defense I was of course already at a spot where I could get my java immediately while my Keurig and my percolator were four whole blocks away.

Gathering the paper and the joe I set them on my side of the glass enshrined counter. Reaching for my wallet I asked the attendant conversationally, "How are you today?"

I looked up to see a broad smile on his face. "Not bad for an old man!" he heartily exclaimed.

I laughed out loud. "Well, good for you!" I replied to the much younger than me guy. But I appreciated the humor, and it truly made my day.

Old school is good school

I'm begining to go old school again. I've found myself buying the morning newspaper on a more and more regular basis rather than catching up on news through my computer. That's not to say I don't use my desktop or laptop for, especially, breaking news. But buying the paper does seem to have its advantages.

It begins with my now routine morning walk. There's a party store/gas station near the end of my usual route. One day at the end of my daily constitutional I just decided I wanted a paper. For a buck fifty a day it's not a bad deal. And other things are at work too.

The newspaper never freezes. It never takes forever to load; if I'm reading an article which concludes on page 3D, I simply turn to page 3D and it's right there. And while there are adds trying to distract me they are easy to ignore. Nothing pops up on my newspaper page forcing me to click it off, nor does my text get shoved downward on the page where I have to scroll to keep up with, or look for that insolent little tiny box with the 'x' to click on, to roll what I'm reading back up. I also get the puzzles for my entertainment, and the comics are found nicely arranged on one page. No going to a couple dozen different web pages for my daily comic fix.

My computer and smart phone will always be available, and I certainly get my use out of them. Still, the morning paper has reacquired for me a certain charm. I read as I want to read, jumping from page to page as I like. It feels quicker than my computer sometimes does. It's simply a nice way to ease into my news day.

Wow. I'm loving golf and reading actual newspapers. I am getting old school.