Newspaper

For decades we've subscribed to home delivery of the newspaper.  I've loved having it as part of my daily routine - either reading it while preparing dinner or while I'm eating breakfast.  I've enjoyed it.

Less and less worthwhile.

Lately I've become disenchanted with our paper.  Over the last few years their vacation hold policy has gotten sillier and sillier.  The paper is getting thinner and thinner.  A few weeks ago there was an article mentioning that because of costs, certain columns had been eliminated.  But be sure to go online for expanded newspaper offerings.  Online access is so far free (nearly as I can tell).  Yeah, I get that printed materials like newspapers and magazines are struggling with the advent of everything-on-line.  But, at least in my unsolicited opinion, there's room in this world for both.

So I called the newspaper.  With a couple questions.

If I decide to cancel the subscription can I get a refund?      No, we don't do that.

Can I access the same material online whether I have an official account or not?  Nope.

How much does it cost to register for online newspaper content?   Too much (can't remember the exact $ amount).

So, then tell me how much longer I'm paid for and then I'll cancel.  To August 8th.

Then he says he'll go ahead and put in the cancel order for me for that date.  No, no, I say, I can take care of that myself.  And here it comes, the statement that caused me to laugh out loud.  You must, he says, cancel before that time.  But there will be a 12 week grace period, where you'll still get the paper delivered without your payment for renewal.

12 weeks?!?  That's 3 months! Of free newspapers.  But no, you can't get a refund.

Makes absolutely no sense to me.  No wonder the world is so confused.  Even very basic stuff like newspaper subscriptions are all messed up.

So now, each morning when I bring in the ever shrinking newspaper (whose important columns have been eliminated, but the fluff columns (that I often disagree with) by prominent people whose opinions are often too smug to tolerate are still there to disagree with) I have to consciously stifle my annoyance.

I hate to waste money.  But more and more I feel like I'm being forced to waste the money spent on the paper.  It makes me sad.  And annoyed.  And grumpy.

Today's post is a grumpy one.  Sometimes a person just has to go with the mood.  :^)