Something weird and sort of wonderful happened last Sunday.

     Betty and I found ourselves relaxing on the couch, reading an actual, three-dimensional, hold-in-your-hands 𝘯𝘦𝘸𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳.

     You remember the newspapers, don’t you? Paper and ink. Turning pages. Lots of local news and sports. Peanuts, Garfield, and B.C. A crossword puzzle that you’ll never finish. And of course that blizzard of fliers and coupons spilling into your lap.

     Prior to last Sunday I’d probably not read a newspaper in 10 years. And you know something? We really enjoyed it.

     No pixels. No pop-ups. No wild digital creatures or celebrities springing up on the screen to sell me a diet plan or “must-have” set of designer ear buds.

     But the 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 difference was in the quality of the news and its focus. A large portion of 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘳 (our local paper) is sourced right here in South Carolina, written by people who know their neighbors, put their kids in local schools, and shop the same stores we do. I found their writing more relevant, thoughtful, and even-handed than the pickled baloney and slant they dish out on the big national networks.

     One last thing. Local reporters serve as watchdogs in our communities. Without them, corrupt politicians and shady companies can get away with murder.

     With all that in mind, we’ve decided to subscribe to the local paper.

     It’s so retro that it almost seems avant-garde!

     AFTERTHOUGHT: Wondering what to do with old newspapers? How about wrapping Christmas presents in the comics or adding some free cellulose to your compost heap? Google “15 Genius Things You Can Do with Old Newspaper.”