Breaking the Habit

I have a habit I am trying to break. I thought if I tell people about it, I hope it will keep me accountable.

The 24 hours newspaper was created in January 2005, with a target audience of commuters who have nothing better to do with all their time while sitting on transit.

Since I spend about 2.5 hours a day on various forms of transit, I fall into this category.

When Jimmy P first started the paper, it was planted on every single seat on the West Coast Express (WCE), to get us all hooked on it. Then to seal the deal, they employ people to hustle it on all the street corners in downtown Vancouver. On my way to work I walk pass 6 bright orange boxes full of these papers, and at least one person shoving it in my face, shouting "24 hours?". Woa, back off! I just woke up! I see people take it because they feel they have to, and then throw it out right away. What a waste of paper.

I, however, usually pick it up at the first box I pass. At the WCE station in PoCo. I read it on the train instead of sleeping.

And then there's the Metro. Also a commuter paper, the Metro's audience tries to focus more to the "younger generation" by adding swearing to the stories. Hmm. Good tactic. I pass 4 bright green paper boxes and 2 people shoving this one into my face. I take this paper at the Waterfront train station from the "Metro Hawker" outside, and read it on the bus with my friend Julie who I commute with. Sometimes the papers include samples. I have enough Nivea moisturizer to last me a lifetime.

I don't generally like the stories in the Metro, which brings me to the reason I must kick this "commuter paper" habit.

I read both papers for the celebrity smut.

What crazy things are TomKat doing now? Is Brittany still putting up with Kevin's partying and money-spending? How is the Denise Richards & Heather Loclear love triangle going? Who's pregnant? Who's got a new baby? Mansion? Husband? Job? Boobs?

Well, as of June 23...I don't care anymore!

Vacation does something to my head. It really makes me realize what is important, and what is neccesary, even though I wasn't making a concious effort to do so. When I went back to work after vacation, I walked past the orange box thinking "Hmm. I don't really want to read the smut today" and I haven't ever since.

It may not sound like much of an accomplishment, but it's just like breaking any other habit. It has been part of my morning routine for the past year and a half. So stopping is difficult.

Sure there is important things in the papers, like....hmmm.... Sudoku! But other than that, I don't really need to hear about all the pedestrian accidents, cyclers hit, home invasions, grow ops, gang beatings, domestic violence, animal rights petitions, tree rights petitions...if it is actually important enough for me to know, I will hear about it some way or another. I find that all the above stories just make me feel sad for people, and make me completely paranoid! I already get that enough at work!

Besides. Why am I making the 24H and Metro a part of my daily morning routine, if the Bible isn't? Instead of reading about car crash deaths, I could be reading encouraging words of wisdom that could actually help me through my day.

So. There you have it. I think this is my first "pubilc blog confession". Out there for the world to see. At least now if anyone recognizes me from photos on this blog, and sees me holding a commuter paper, they can snatch it out of my hand and smack me with it.


Fine Print: Just to make it clear, I am not condeming those who enjoy reading the paper. Just like any other habit, it affects people differently and may not be a problem for you :-)