In the past, when I have not had a computer to access, sometimes, I was able to access personal email at work. Or go to the library and use a computer. By accessing the Suddenlink Home Page on my smartphone, I was able to keep updated on my email, clean out my email box, read the important email, and defer the rest. That was good.
I also did one game, The Set Game, that is part of my routine and does not have an archive. The others I play all do have archives.
One thing I always I do, is to play Words with Friends. Well, I have that application on my smartphone, and use it a lot, so I was more or less able to keep up with that. And, I met the challenge the week this all started. Not sure about this week: I spent a lot of time getting caught up with email, newspaper headlines, and the many games I play each day. These games include: The Uclick Sudoku, the AARP Daily Crossword, and the Merriam Webster Cryptogram. So, I picked up the computer Thursday night, and by Saturday I was "caught up," which surprised me that it went so quickly. But that is why I may not meet the Words with Friends challenge.
That is okay, I used to do everything I could to meet the Words with Friends challenges. But I found I was neglecting other activities, and decided that I would no longer do that.
I also really like the new keyboard. It is awesome!
For several years, I have served as a communication person for the South Plains Branch of NASW http://naswtx.site-ym.com/?page=Branch_SouthPlains. The information on this link is out of date, but it is the best link I have.
I send out emails to NASW members, licensed social workers in the area, students at the local social work programs at Lubbock Christian University http://www.lcu.edu/, at Texas Tech University http://www.ttu.edu/, and other groups and individuals.
Most recently, one of my emails was forwarded on to an associate editor of the Lubbock Avalanche Journal. She had some questions about social service activity, and I was able to forward her to the person she needed to contact. Today, I was contacted by another reporter at the Lubbock Avalanche Journal about a community activity. I was not sure how he got my name, but he told me his editor gave it to me. I was not able to give him much information, other than a website, so he could find out more about the community activity. But, I sent an email to the group about his desire to have more information. I hope the specific entities involved can make contact and the AJ can produce a good story about the Cinco De Mayo http://www.elpngrant.org/CincoDeMayo.php activity that was in question.
I was watching the Tonight Show http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/ and some starlette or actress or beautiful body woman was talking about her relationship with an ex-boyfriend who was cheating on her. I did not recognize the woman, and did not recognize the boyfriend's name, and I asked myself "Why do I care?" And the reality is, I do not. So I shut off the television.
I used to be more discriminatory about what I watched on TV. After I stopped subscribing to the Lubbock Avalanche Journal http://lubbockonline.com/ this year, because of their outlandishly overpriced subscription costs, I have started watching more local and national news on TV, and paying attention to TV shows that might have bearing on today's culture.
But this show did nothing for me. Actually, a lot of the news shows I watch do nothing for me. I used to tell people that I got my news on The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/. Well, guess what, that is still the truth. I trust The Weather Channel more than I trust most news sources. The second source of news I trust the most is ESPN http://espn.go.com/. Of course, part of that is because I like sports so much. But they also report the social implications of sports, and are more factual and less biased than many "news" channels. I also listen to NPR http://www.npr.org/ on my way to work in the morning, all work days, and most work days, on my way home from work at night. So, I feel I get a good smattering of what is happening in the world.
I also check my home town newspaper online Monday through Saturday. I get headlines from the Austin Statesman http://www.statesman.com/ and The New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/ in my email inbox. So, I try to follow the news locally, nationally,and internationally.
And, if there is a "breaking story" I search out the best media source to follow it.
I want to be aware of what is happening in the world. But I do not want all that awful chatter in my head about what is happening that is inane, inconsequential, stupid, self-absorbed and socially insignificant. I can try to relate to my patients at work who complain about "the voices" who do not let them be. It is like having TV blaring at you day and night.
So, for many public figures I do not care about their intimate, personal lives. I do care if they are involved in some socially significant event. But leave your love life at home. Leave your sex life at home.
Until a few weeks ago, I was a subscriber to the local newspaper, the Lubbock Avalanche Journal. I am not sure when the last avalanche occurred in Lubbock, but the journal makes sense. When I moved to Lubbock in 1977, the Lubbock Avalanche and the Lubbock Journal were a morning and evening newspaper. I can not tell you when they merged into a morning edition only. But I can tell you that for most of the time that I have lived in Lubbock since 1977, I have been a newspaper subscriber.
The cost of the newspaper has skyrocketed. Last year, the cost was $130 or so. I thought it was too much, but I did like having the newspaper hard copy at home, and I used the newspaper for linings under the cat litter pans and food dishes.
This year, the price went up to $180. That was more than I wanted to spend. I will do something else to have underlinings for the cat pans and dishes.
It has felt very uncomfortable not to get the newspaper every day. I did not read it thoroughly, as did Lisenby, but I checked it out. Headlines, stories to my interest, events, sports, entertainment, puzzles and games.
For the last 10 or more years, I have not watched the local news. I have watched the Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/, and that is the site that gave me most of my news. In addition to the local newspaper, I did get headlines, online from The Austin Statesman and The New York Times. I also read the online version of The Recorder the newspaper for my hometown area, published out of Greenfield, Massachusetts.
So, with the end of my hard copy newspaper subscription, I have changed my habits and lifestyle. I watch the morning, evening, and sometimes night time news. I do not listen closely, but pay attention if a story means something to me. I get frustrated that something that I hear during the early evening news is presented not only in the late news, which I understand, but the next day's morning news, as if it is fresh information. But it is not. I think that is shoddy reporting.
During my drive time to and from work, I listen the the local NPR radio station: KTTZ. The Morning Edition and All Things Considered has wonderful news stories, in depth interest stories, and is generally of high quality.
I was visiting with co-workers today. I was amazed at their lack of local awareness about the news. So this makes me wonder. If they do not know about the local news, are they also unaware of the national news. Are they unaware of "The Sequester" that will impact all of our lives, mostly negatively. What else do they not known about that is happening in our world?
I thought I was not very aware or informed, but when I compare my awareness to my colleagues, I know A LOT!
As I am adjusting to my new lifestyle without a hardcopy daily newspaper, but more TV and online news, I am finding that in some ways, it is easier: I can have the TV news fed to me while I am doing other things, such as getting ready for work, feeding cats, doing computer chores.
In some ways, it is more difficult. I have to go to several web sites to get the information I want, and I am not sure I am hitting all the categories, especially in regards to local news, activities and events.
However, as I ate dinner with the book club members tonight, I realized that I had much more information about several current events than most of the members had. So, that was re-enforcing regarding my efforts. This is an adjustment, and I feel as if I am juggling several balls in an effort to stay abreast of local, national and international information.
Hmmmm. I just wrote about my newspaper dilemma. I do not need newspapers for mats under the cat pans and cat food dishes. I am thinking that I could buy washable shower curtains, cut them into appropriate sizes, and change them out and wash them weekly, instead of changing out newspapers.
Why did I not think about that a long time ago? Hmmmm.
I have long been a subscriber to the Lubbock Avalanche Journal http://lubbockonline.com/. I remember when there was the Lubbock Avalanche (where would there be an avalanche in Lubbock?) and the Lubbock Journal, and there was a morning edition and an evening edition. Sometimes I got one, sometimes I got both. When Lisenby and I were together, we got both. One of the endearing charms he had was to read the newspaper, and he read it front and back, more intensely than I did then or do now: I read headlines, and what stores that interest me.
I have not always been a subscriber, but I dare say that I have been a subscriber more years than not since I have lived in Lubbock.
Over the years, when I have talked about local community activities and events, people have wondered how I know about these. That is a large part of why I read the newspaper. I do not read the newspaper for state, national or international news. And, as I have been at local events, and my interpretation of such events was very different than the newspaper story, I do not rely on the newspaper for reports of local events. But, I have used it for schedules and announcements.
Until the last couple of years. More and more increasingly, the reporting of local activities and events has been incorrect. So, I have had to double check information on line, with independent sources, including web sites for the activities, sporting events, and TV listings.
But, I continued to subscribe to the local newspaper. I enjoy doing the crossword, word jumble and sudoku. I use the newspaper for "mats" under the 3 cat litter pans, and food dishes. But I have struggled with myself in regards to whether or not I was getting my money's worth.
I received the renewal invoice for the newspaper this week. Last year, I paid $133 for a year's subscription. I thought long and hard about paying that amount, which was about $17 more than the few years previous. But the invoice, this year, is $180. Almost $50 more.
I have thought long and hard again about paying that amount. I had thought to pay the same amount as for last year, and see how long the subscription would last. Tonight, at a confluence of mystery reading buddies, we discussed this. One of the members said his invoice had last year's amount, so when he called in to renew, and they tried to charge him the new amount, he held fast at the old amount, and they agreed to that.
I am not sure what I am going to do. But, I know I am not going to pay $180 for a year's subscription.
And, I am hatching a plan for mats under the cat pans and cat food dishes.
