First the Christian Science Monitor, now possibly Detroit Newspapers and perhaps next, many of the daily’s may halt home delivery of their newspapers. As someone who still reads three papers daily, and as someone who’s first job was as a newspaper delivery boy (The Milwaukee Sentinel) this saddens me greatly.

I recall wanting to read as much of the paper as possible as a youth before I finished my route so if someone stopped me on my route and asked “what’s today’s news?” I could answer enthusiastically. It also gave me plenty of fodder to open up conversations and made a Milwaukee boy seem a tad more worldly. I became the “know-it-all” in social studies class in junior high school and my teacher, Ms. Whitney (her great grandfather invented the cotton gin) would ask me daily what was happening in the world.

Like this entry you’re reading, online is taking over, but there is just something so right about reading a paper. The ink-stains on your fingers; the smell of the ink; the smell when it’s wet; the way you have to open it; the anticipation of finding a story on something new and learning; its transportability. If you’re a paper reader, you know what I mean.

We all know that reading makes us smarter, but reading a newspaper seems to make you special, perhaps a little bit more intellectual. I have to sign off now. I have a paper to read.

Grant A. Johnson
Johnson Direct LLC
1-800-710-2750