signs of the Times...

There are many things that signal the end of the holiday season. The holiday lights on people's lawns go dark, the Rockefeller tree comes down, it becomes uncool to pay so much to go ice skating, and the stores sales that offer such a nice bargain don't come with the cheery holiday decorations.

But for me, what shakes me out of the holiday spirit is the shock of the Sunday Times that immediately follows the Christmas day. All of a sudden, for the four dollars you fork over, you get a very thin newspaper. I know the Sunday Times is still a tome compared to the weekday one, but today, as I picked up my copy at the local stationary, I couldn't believe how trimmed down it was.

I thought for a second that maybe some sections were missing. But I go to this particular store because the owner left out a section only once in the six months I've been going there... and it was a business section so all was well. I will never go to that one walgreens that left out the book review. So I knew all the sections were there.

And when I got home, I did confirm nothing was missing. But alas, gone are the glossy advertisements I throw out without reading. And every section was extremely thin, so thin that it was actually fold-able. The main news section didn't have page after page of Macy's ads. when i turn a page, i actually found an article. And yes it seems like all the articles are there. and the thin sections, as I've said, are not as unwieldy as before making the reading easier.

But I miss the advertisements with happy fashionable people wearing expensive things. The articles about Zimbabwe doesn't depress me as much when it is sandwiched in between an ad featuring santa and sweaters from Saks fifth ave. And while I know the ads will return (i hope) at the end of 2009, I am not so sure about the thinning job and real estate listings. I remember the time when there had to be a whole separate section-like-thingy for real estate listings. I was so annoyed at having another thing to recycle. but now it is attacheed to the real estate section almost like an afterthought.

Growing up is all about realizing that nothing can be counted on and everything is only for now. I do hope though that I can for years to come count on thick sunday times to unpack every december.