Sunday Morning

A rainy start of the first of November I start with a pot of chocolate mocha coffee, “Butterflies Away from Home” and the Sunday newspaper.

The headlines state the republicans lead in the polls (no surprise), while overseas the runoff election in Afghanistan may be for not if the runner up drops out. The grand opening of the Home Goods covers the promotion of $175 in coupons are falling out of the newspaper and the report that the Yankees won last night (but I saw the game and already know that).

The economy hits with a investigation of a small poor Virginia county known for it’s peanuts losing over 1,000 jobs in a paper mill and announcing public services at risk because of revenue declines, so don’t expect the libraries to stay open, the kid’s classrooms to get any smaller, or the firemen to show up if you have a fire.

But I read the paper from the back to the front so let’s pick up all those things that fall out of the paper and see what we have.

I first try to start the day with the comics. Why not start the days with a smile?

Prince Valiant is searching for his wife who has been swallowed inside the earth with the help of the hairy man he picked up in the algae sea (oh, it’s a long story) with Merlin’s glowing gems. Pardon my Planet, the new “hip” comic uses potty talk, and Peanuts is still in the paper though the artist has long since gone.

Zombies, drinking, war, and pills take up the other comics without any outstanding creative or artistic surprises.

“Parade” the Sunday Newspaper Magazine presents Sandra Bullock’s new film and How the Economy has made up poorer but richer in spirit.

Now on to the coupon with “Toys R Us” Christmas catalog with video games, plastic dolls, plastic guns, plastic autos, plastic electric guitars, and one page of science and thought provoking projects with a girl in a wheelchair looking though a telescope with a smile.

“JoAnn fabric and Craft Stores” ? Don’t know where that is and I don’t need anymore yarn. “Popeye's” ?? Nowhere close to me, so that is a waste of printing. Same with “Best Buy”, “Sears”, “Arhaus”, “Farmer’s Foods”, “Ollie’s Outlet”, “Dicks”, “Walgreen's”, “Kmart”, “Michael's”, “Rite Aid”…. well you get the point.

I don’t need anything at “CVS”, “Mattress Warehouse”, “Radio Shack”, “Target” or “Office Depot”. I don’t need a John Deere Holiday train, a glass snowman with a white Christmas scene in it, or $15,000 rebates in an assisted living apartments (yet).

Low rates for safe drivers? Is this directed marketing? They don’t know me very well.

The bundles of food coupons are all about chocolate, hair color, mail order pills and fancy checks. The grocery store, I attend everyday, has the same stuff they had yesterday and will have tomorrow. And I am so used to their weekly mailing, nothing moves me to go shopping for a snugglie or diet coke.

Now on to the meat of the product… the NEWS.

Starting with section J (remember I start at the back and move forward). Babies. Cute. Brides. Cute, but not for me.

“Travel”? Not today. “Arts and Entertainment” about a former Richmond high school graduate playing for the Chicago Symphony (yawn) and Warhol Polaroid display at W&M (double yawn). Tonight on television there is a makeover, race, mystery and baseball. I don’t need any advice (that’s my take, you may differ in that thought) or puzzles. A plus size model is happy to be a size 12 (the average size for the American female is 14). “Books and Authors” have WW II story reviewed by the old managing editor, and other page turners, but nothing catches my eye, accept the old rockers smiling from across the page promoting their upcoming show with bleached hair and wrinkles.

Speaking of music, which is the ultimate connection, a story of a stepfather and his children bonding over his massive CD collection and a photo of one of Jimi Hendrix’s stratacasters.

Now onto the “Classifieds” sections. Not looking for a car, house, or a job… so two sections are scanned, but not read or needed.

The “Commentary” (which used to be called the Editorial) gives the public forum called “Your 2 Cents” which tells you what it is worth, then the war(s) decision request, health reform, election night goose bumps (big night in newsrooms), education, traditional values, and a “Road to Revival through small business, government regulations, medical cost, and federalism.

“Moneywise” section continues with green research, virus software, taxes, and tightening your belt. The most interesting spot was tips for energizing your work environment by eliminate useless work practices, clearing e-mail, make meetings optional, and help other and ask for help (all great options if management accepts the empowerment of those who work in the trenches.)

“Sports” hasn’t changed much. Scores are typed in tiny type for the search of baseball, high school football, auto racing, ice hockey, golf, tennis, and rodeo? What about ping-pong and badminton? With two ads, one for guns and bullets, and one for a football package to the local university game next week, I still wonder how this 12-page section pays for itself?

The “Metro” section informs me that the “Home Goods” store is opening in Glen Allen (but I already knew that from the front page), an English baron who directed “The Avengers” and “Hawaii Five-O” is charged with larceny, a bunch of dead people I don’t know, Jahnke Road to be made safer with curbs, gutters and sidewalks, people walk for Lupus in the rain, kids dance to Thriller for Halloween, dogs get dressed up for Howl-A-Woof, and downtown Broad Street is the scene of two….TWO stabbings in one week (put that in your “Come On Downtown” pamphlets).

More election information, polls, economy news, opinions of a state county drift into poverty, an old mosque restored in Cairo (?), bomb in Pakistan, forth typhoon hits Philippines, no contract changes at Ford (keep quiet and keep your job), Ms. Clinton speaks to Muslins (who treat women well?), while the president hands out treats to kids at the White House, and six dead bodies found in Cleveland are the stories in the main news section of the Sunday paper sponsored by phones, gift cards, face lifts, holiday portraits, shoes, bankruptcy liquidation, medical information, mortgage cost, senior assisted living, cash for gold, auto insurance, teeth, feet, bunions adjustments, and tuxedos for the holidays.

So the rain is stopping and daylight saving times has given another hour (but two of the three radio controlled clocks haven’t caught on yet)

So it is time for football, feeding the yard, and snuggling down for some economic studies of the past few months and plans for the next projects.