Nearly all the major daily newspapers have gone to a smaller sheet size for their product. The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, to name two, and the largest group of dailies in Michigan are printing on smaller pages to lower newsprint costs.
So too have a great many weekly newspapers, including the four published by our offsprings. When asked why, son Jim replies quickly, ‘To try to stay in business!?
That sounds pretty understandable to me, but the smaller size prompted my golf partner, John Patrell, to ask, ‘Did your son even consider what affect the smaller size has on we who have bought bird cages to fit his paper??
As quickly as before Jim responded, ‘I understand that there is a major movement by people to smaller sized birds.?
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I’ll bet every shopper of groceries in the world, who makes a list, has had my experience this week. There were only eight items, the major being bread. One cannot have a bacon/tomato/toasted sandwich without bread.
So, we go up and down aisles, picking as we go, filling a cart from memory of the list, ‘Cause I can remember it.?
But during the remembering we have to retrace our steps, thus interrupting our process, and arrive home, $89 lighter, and with no bread.
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In my way of thinking stress and depression are synonymous. Having experienced both, and fearing both, I read every article I see that has those words in the headline.
So it was recently when I saw a column, ‘Preventive Medicine? by J. Arends, M.D. in the Oakland Press. I’m a non-Oakland Press reader, but I go to the office to get its crossword puzzle.
The headline, ‘Easing stress is easier than you may think? got my attention. Maybe the answers to my questions were here. But then Dr. Arends wrote, ‘Make a vow to yourself to be cheerful, less critical and more tolerant.?
And, ‘Happiness is pleasant thinking most of the time.? ‘Relax while you work, and don’t feel tense or rushed.?
The doctor even quotes Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Tao (4th century) and Confucius (6th century) to make his point.
Thinking good thoughts ain’t as easy as your headline would have us believe, doctor.
Finally Dr. Arends points out, ‘Money will not make you happy.? I agree with that, but I believe he should have emphasized his next point more.
‘Good friends are more important than money!?
Good friends are healers.
Good friends involve you in their parties, games and conversations. They help erase our stress/depression related thoughts. They keep our minds, if only for a while, on something besides whatever it is that causing our us to think doom and glum.
With friends keeping us involved, time passes, and with that healing follows. At least it did with me.
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Madog Shayna is worried about the economy because some dog foods are up $3 a can. That’s $21 in dog money.
A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself. — Josh Billings.
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You can say any foolish thing to a dog, and the dog will give you a look that says, ‘Wow, you’re right! I never would’ve thought of that!? — Dave Berry