Friday, May 27, 2005
And then, there's The NY Times...
...which, almost more than anything else, is reason enough to be home. My dearest momma placed a good deal of hope and faith in a good newspaper, and she read good newspapers until she died. The Chicago Trib was her paper,(much the way the Cubbies were her team) and the NY Times was delivered to her small apartment every Sunday, (she took all week to read it, relishing every time-consuming page). The smell of newspaper ink, though smelt less in these lattter days of computer generated newsprint, nonetheless remains one of my favorite odors, and I never particularly mind when my fingers become stained with morning ink. It's a bother for the clothing, but a joyful reminder that I am toiling in the trenches of the daily newspaper readers. For me, it is a badge of honor. I have even seen NYC subway regulars put on a special pair of lightweight gloves to read the paper and then genteely peel them of when their reading chores are complete...
I may have to try that. Just for the look. Sort of like gardening the news.
In any event, waking up this gorgeous morning, sun blasting away the gloom of yesterday, the doggies behaving particularly well on their morning jog (they sense a ride to the country later, I bet), I am greeted on my return by the fat and inviting Friday Times at my doorstep, and it feels like I just got a present, or that my order has arrived from Amazon.com and i can take my time opening it.
The only time we got the Times in Virginia was on Sundays ($5.50 a shot, thank you) and I can only praise the Main Street Bookstore there for carrying it so faithfully. The only other times were either online, or when a pal sent us an article clipped from the real thing. I adore computers, but they do not and never will, take the place of good inky,smelly, tantalizing news paper.
And despite my best efforts otherwise, i do turn immediately to the Arts sections and gobble up whatever I see there. The front page comes next, and then the Metro Section, etc etc etc. And on Sundays, there are oh so many more to stroll through. The only section I have never read, and probably never will, is the Sports section. That , of course, is deplorable...I mean, I am a grown up person, and all news should interest me..but, alas, sports things never have, and I seriously doubt they ever will, unless, in my dotage, I begin to admire the young men's asses in their tight baseball uniform pants, as did my Momma with her Cubs guys. She loved to watch them run. Ah, Baron women!
The NY Times Arts Section is remarkable. Not always cutting edge, certainly biased, with tastes and enthusiasms mystifying at times, but it is so alive with it all: the scene. And, despite EVERYONE'S best efforts, it remains the final word in so many artistic lives, which, while this is truly stupid on one level, on another,is understandable, since human kind has always loved royalty and the NY Times is a kingmaker. The paid ads alone are a complete education. When I was at Northwestern, we were required to read the NY Times Sunday Arts Section weekly. It was our text book. It's how I learned what I would need to know in order to conduct a professional life later on. It became important to me even that long ago.
So, hail to the Times!! And good morning!
I may have to try that. Just for the look. Sort of like gardening the news.
In any event, waking up this gorgeous morning, sun blasting away the gloom of yesterday, the doggies behaving particularly well on their morning jog (they sense a ride to the country later, I bet), I am greeted on my return by the fat and inviting Friday Times at my doorstep, and it feels like I just got a present, or that my order has arrived from Amazon.com and i can take my time opening it.
The only time we got the Times in Virginia was on Sundays ($5.50 a shot, thank you) and I can only praise the Main Street Bookstore there for carrying it so faithfully. The only other times were either online, or when a pal sent us an article clipped from the real thing. I adore computers, but they do not and never will, take the place of good inky,smelly, tantalizing news paper.
And despite my best efforts otherwise, i do turn immediately to the Arts sections and gobble up whatever I see there. The front page comes next, and then the Metro Section, etc etc etc. And on Sundays, there are oh so many more to stroll through. The only section I have never read, and probably never will, is the Sports section. That , of course, is deplorable...I mean, I am a grown up person, and all news should interest me..but, alas, sports things never have, and I seriously doubt they ever will, unless, in my dotage, I begin to admire the young men's asses in their tight baseball uniform pants, as did my Momma with her Cubs guys. She loved to watch them run. Ah, Baron women!
The NY Times Arts Section is remarkable. Not always cutting edge, certainly biased, with tastes and enthusiasms mystifying at times, but it is so alive with it all: the scene. And, despite EVERYONE'S best efforts, it remains the final word in so many artistic lives, which, while this is truly stupid on one level, on another,is understandable, since human kind has always loved royalty and the NY Times is a kingmaker. The paid ads alone are a complete education. When I was at Northwestern, we were required to read the NY Times Sunday Arts Section weekly. It was our text book. It's how I learned what I would need to know in order to conduct a professional life later on. It became important to me even that long ago.
So, hail to the Times!! And good morning!
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