The guy who delivers the newspaper in my neighborhood drove past my house without stopping Monday.
He did it Tuesday, too; and again this morning.
This might not sound like a big deal to many of you, but it is to me. For the first time in 40-plus years -- including the crazy college days -- I live in a house without daily newspaper delivery.
I didn't take this decision lightly. I love newspapers. I worked at one for nearly half my life. The business is in my blood. Many of my best friends work at the local daily or at similar papers across the country.
I almost feel like I'm betraying them by not buying the product anymore.
But, it just made sense.
For the past few years, beginning at about the time I left the Journal Sentinel for OnMilwaukee.com, I began disengaging from the actual physical newspaper.
Like so many other Americans, I found that I just don't have time to sit down with the broadsheet. I still get plenty of news -- international, national and local -- but I read it on my computer and on my iPhone. Most nights, I stay up working late enough to read the Journal Sentinel's stories online before they hit my paper box / driveway.
I often caught myself carrying fresh, unread copies to the recycling bin and wondered if it was worth it for me -- or the planet. When the renewal notices arrived, I tossed them away. The phone solicitations came, and I ignored them. This wasn't a financial decision, though I'm sure I can find a use for the extra money that I won't be spending on home delivery.
Sunday morning, I got a note from my carrier with my paper saying that it was my last copy and that I needed to call or go online to continue delivery.
I didn't do anything.
As a result, I no longer count myself among the daily subscribers and it feels a little weird. I checked the paper box yesterday, just to see if the carrier made a mistake.
He didn't.
Later today, I'm going to go online and sign up for a Sunday subscription. That's a day that lends itself to leisurely reading. My little one loves the color comics. And, I like to check out the ads.
But, I'm no longer a daily subscriber and it feels weird.
It might not be as bad as quitting nicotine or caffeine, but I think I'm going to go through a period of withdrawal.
If I find myself buying a paper at a newsstand, maybe I'll pick it up again. In the meantime, I'm going to have to use paper towels to wash the windows and a dropcloth to cover the floor when I paint the home office. I won't have a stack of newspapers for the job.
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
