Celebrating Newspapers!

Can't believe how in sync DeLynne and I are regarding newspapers! I've mused about my growing affection for newspapers over the years but had no idea anyone else mused newpapers as well. Do all bookworms ponder such things, I wonder.

As a child, I found the paper as dull as dishwater. Excepting the comics, kids gazette, tv listings and Dear Abby which I read avidly every Sunday morning. While college age to mid 20s, my reading expanded to the travel, living/style and science sections but really I could take it or leave it.

One morning, and I remember this vividly, my ambivalence disappeared. The entire paper (not sports) was fascinating! The op-ed columns, wow! Just like DeLynne said: The columnists include theologians, philosophers, comedians, economists, politicians and ethicists. They stretch my mind and make me feel like an interested, informed person.

Really, it was such a demarcation between ho hum and digging that I wonder if it is a phenomenon that others have experienced. Does it have to do with maturation of the brain? Studies have shown that brains continue to develop with regards to risk-taking on into the twenties. Maybe the brain must mature to fully appreciate and enjoy newspapers too.

Yes, I muse... I mull... I ponder... I puzzle... so please put me out of my misery before I rack my brain too hard!

Do any of our college age readers get a buzz out of the newspaper or is it too dull for words?

Do our older readers pore over the newspaper or do you just scan?

Do you remember a time when you didn't thoroughly read the paper as opposed to just scanning?

Here is how I read the paper:

All of the newspapers I read are broadsheet but I don't delight in the flapping or spread the paper out all over. (hubby does though and, yes, it bugs me) No, I am systematic. I start with the first section and go straight through... laying each completed section flat with crease down in the proper order so that when finished the paper folds up good as new. I skip only the sports, comics and classifieds. I love finishing up with the weekend mags and coupons.

How do you read the paper... a set routine or random or something in-between?

Mrs. BG's New Look!

What do you think of the new and improved Mrs. Baja Greenawalt's Cozy Book Nook? I am so pleased and would like to send a big thank you to Sarah for sharing her know-how and so graciously answering questions. Check out her fabulous blog!

If you are considering a face lift for your blog, give The Background Fairy a look. Beautiful and elegant backgrounds for 2 column or 3 column templates. The background I chose is called French Vintage Newspaper. Perfect for DeLynne's blog post celebrating newspapers! Plus, DeLynne speaks french and we both appreciate vintage finds. Voila!
Sarah also brought The Blogger Guide to my attention. This user friendly site provides step by step instructions for how to change a blog template by editing the html code. Sarah switched from a 2 column template to a 3 column template with no trouble. I planned to do the same but I'm too thrilled with Mrs. BG's new look to upgrade at this juncture. Maybe later...

Cat survives four weeks in freezer by eating frozen peas

When I was young, newspapers were for grown-ups and they were all the same. I remember my grandfather saying something along the lines of our local newspaper being good for lining bird cages, but I just didn't see it.

At uni I didn't read a paper because I already knew everything and anyway, who can afford that kind of outlay on a regular basis? Once I emigrated, the distinction between a good paper and a bad one quickly became clear.

My dear mother in law faithfully reads the Brisbane Courier Mail, and I must confess to reading it every time we visit. It's an easy read, that's for sure. My mother, during one of her stays here, discreetly whispered in my ear, asking if we could get a 'real' newspaper. I knew just the one for her.

I can't remember my first encounter with The Australian newspaper, but it has been a part of our lives since I emigrated. Every Saturday one of us makes sure to buy The Weekend Australian, and the week seems bleak if we've failed in our routine task. If we are away for a weekend we buy it and carry it home. I've even taken one on international flights (terribly inconvenient economy class reading material). Don't know why we don't subscribe…

The Australian is a broadsheet. It's a big format publication when the other, more populist papers seem to be half the size (like the National Enquirer, if I remember correctly). Recently I was flipping through a weekday copy in my school library near some of my students. One of them commented on the size, "What paper is that? It's huge!" It may be intellectual snobbery, but I feel an instant kinship with people who read The Australian, and have even been known to ask my students which paper their families read.

I just love spreading my paper out all over the table and folding it to get just the right bit so I can read an article. I love the heft and the flapping involved with reading The Weekend Australian. I love the way my slight OCD tendencies are needed to keep it neatly aligned. I love the amazing vocabulary, opinions and ideas it contains. I love reading while I eat and not worrying about dirtying it. I love its spot in our bookshelf. All week long it sits alone, laying flat, only occasionally sharing its space with a local rag. All week long we pull it out and read it.

I generally start the weekend with the front page and 'Inquirer' sections, work on the puzzles around Wednesday, and slog through the sports section by Friday. The paper does have some fun, fluffy articles. As a matter of fact, the title of this post comes from its website (5 March 2010). Our twelve year old lives for the fashion spread in the magazine and the short, biographical articles.

But it also has such intelligent in-depth writing. Long have I thought it made us cleverer, and low and behold, their new slogan is, 'Think. Again.' The columnists include theologians, philosophers, comedians, economists, politicians and ethicists. They stretch my mind and make me feel like an interested, informed person.

It is really the only paper we buy most weeks, but recently I have been buying the daily Australian as well. See, it is running a contest to win a luxury holiday every day. I've sent away envelopes wishing for Paris, Venice, Hayman Island, New Zealand, Switzerland, Rome, Hong Kong and Singapore. You can bet that if we win one of those luxury holidays we'll be buying a copy of The Australian Newspaper in the airport newsagent to read on the plane.

Which paper would you take?

Dr Karl

We have our own buster of myths Down Under, and his name is Dr Karl Kruszelenicki, aka for obvious reasons, Dr Karl. He's famous for being really clever, writing more than two dozen books, wearing super-loud shirts and being on the radio often. He's got degrees in maths, biomedical engineering, surgery and medicine (according to Wikipedia). He's our go-to-geek.

So I recently read his book, Dis Information and Other Wikked Myths, which is not his most recent. Here he debunks ideas that I thought were truths. Some of them have been life changing for me. For example, did you know that it's ok to have a drink while on antibiotics? Dr Karl explains the birth and growth of this 'dis information', and I have already put this knowledge to use. Who said science doesn't help us in everyday life?

He explains that Cleopatra was not beautiful, Columbus never put foot in America, germs are not spread by aeroplane air conditioners, and Galileo didn't invent the telescope. Dr Karl also sets the record straight on shark cartilage, cats' purring, vitamin C for colds, the great stock market crash of 1929 and lie detectors. He discusses the Roswell 'autopsy' and early puberty in girls (is it really caused by hormones in chicken?).

This book crosses all geographical boundaries, and has a fair bit of American content. It's a great read for anyone with an enquiring mind, or a good gift for a mind you'd like to be a little more enquiring.

Parading at Holland Hall Book Fair...

Did the Cozy Book Nook family shirk work and play at the book fair? If you voted for shirking work, then you win! Really, was the outcome ever in doubt?

Actually, it was touch and go for a bit. No gory details but I had a bout of sick Friday night... crazy passing out food poisoning sick. So disappointed, as I expected to be out of commission for a jaunt to the book fair, but miraculously I rallied. Guess you just can't keep a bookworm down!

Even though we didn't arrive till 1:00, there were still plenty of books to peruse. The entire gym floor was covered with utility tables and most were still loaded with books: All neatly organized into more categories than I've ever seen at a book fair. Very nice!

First though, I popped into the rare book room. A couple of books caught my eye but neither were appealing enough to go through the bidding process while in a weakened state.

Second, we checked out the children's room located in a small auditorium. There were only 1 or 2 boxes of books left per table. Oh well, the lady on tv did say to be there by 8 a.m. because the games and kids books go quick.

Overall, the Holland Hall Book Fair resembles any other book fair except on an incredibly massive scale. Many newish book and lots of outdated dull books but also quite a few old charmers that make the treasure hunt worthwhile.


The only drawback was the overpricing but maybe that is normal for a big city book fair. I'm used to paperbacks being .10 to .25 and hardbacks being $1 to $3. Here most paperbacks were $1 and hardbacks ranged between $3 and $10. An inequity of pricing was very apparent among the books I purchased. Must be difficult to coordinate pricing between the many volunteers who prep the book fair.

Fab Finds

Found this hardback in the kids room. Fair price and great condition to boot.

Beautiful photos of unusual animals from downunder. Fascinating for my four year old and my students. Perfect for language stimulation (adjectives ect).
Plus, the text is ideal for my 4th-6th graders to practice their target sounds while reading aloud.

Cute little board book with flaps but in very worn condition. See what I mean about price inequity. Ten cents would have been a fair price... and the large hardback was seventy five cents. Go figure?! I still like it though and so does my little one and so will my early childhood students.


Beaucoup books on the language table! DeLynne, my linguist co-blogger, would have been in hog heaven!
Lots of French language learning books. I even spotted a couple of editions of 501 French Verbs that she recommended for advanced students.
DeLynne's Language Learning Resources

Aren't old books lovely? Hope DeLynne thinks so because this one is hers.



It is a 1961 edition and, of course, I couldn't resist the name and address written on the inside cover.

DeLynne is well beyond this book but maybe some of her advanced students might find it beneficial.

Not only do I adore food, I adore reading about food! Doesn't matter that this book reviews Parisian restaurants that may not even exist anymore: It is still amusing.




Note the prices. Aren't they a hoot?

By the way , this is a 1971 Gourmet Magazine publication. Makes me sad that an esteemed magazine such as Gourmet was discontinued after sixty eight years.

This little cookbook is only 4 by 6 inches. So cute! This one is for my other linguist friend, an elderly gentleman, who speaks several languages but specializes in Russian. He is a bookworm (book snob but I like him anyway) who definitely appreciates the culinary arts. The author was born in Moscow and teaches Russian. My friend will love it!


Yippee! A copy of Mrs. Baja's book! The book with the note that I've been reading off and on at school. I enjoy it and want to finish but with 878 pages, I really really need a copy at home. This paperback is in excellent condition. The spine isn't even cracked! A terrific value at $2!

This one is purely for my pleasure. 568 pages of thriller shortstories by a multitude of authors. A few of my faves are listed: Steve Berry, Lincoln Child, James Rollins, Douglas Preston, and F. Paul Wilson. Bet I find some new authors to read as well. The last few years, I have developed quite a liking for short stories. Just perfect for anytime quickie reading and especially for between book reading.
This one doesn't appear to have ever been read. It has stiff pages with an unbroken spine.

Can't wait to read a bit... I'm shivering with anticipation!