Jan. 31 -- Lisa's Musings From Every Day Life

Well, it's the last day of January.

And I started it by reading "The Detroit Free Press," something I'd done faithfully for many years -- until they decided to cut delivery days out here, and that royally pissed me off.

So, I canceled my subscription.

Yup, moi, a newspaper person, added to the red line of another paper I really enjoyed reading -- except on the days that they were offering delivery to me out here in the boonies.

I loved the Monday paper because it was smaller than other week day editions, but it had columnists and good sports stories I enjoyed. They inspired me to get out there and report my own stories for the week.

So, here's how I ended up getting the paper again. I was at a dog show a couple weeks ago, and there was a guy selling subs to the FreeP. He made me an offer I couldn't refuse.

So I decided to take pity on the guy and resubscribe.

So, Thursday's paper came in the morning and since I'd gotten out of the habit of walking to the end of my driveway to fetch it, I'd forgotten it would be there.

Until I was leaving to cover a story and it was in the middle of my driveway, so I had to stop my van to pick it up to keep from running it over.

Not the best reintroduction to the paper. If you recall, it was cold outside Thursday, and I was forced to get out of my warm van to pick it up.

My former paper delivery person was terrific. On snowy days, he'd drive up my driveway and toss it on my porch. I didn't even need to put on shoes to grab it. Or, if for some reason he was late delivering it, I'd find it close to my door.

I made sure he knew how much I appreciated his efforts with big fat tips with every reup of my subscription.

And yes, I'll admit it, since the AA News no longer arrives daily and I don't see my byline in it anymore, I pretty much forget to rescue the paper on Thursdays from my paper box -- that's now plastered with a cheesy-looking Ann Arbor.com sticker.

As much as I used to love the AA News and writing for the paper, what poses as a newspaper now is a rehash of what's already been online, and I frequently check the Web site to see what's there, so there's really no point in my having a paper version.

I've read everything that interests me on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before it arrives on Thursday.

And, on Sunday's it amuses me for about 10 minutes. Again, there's a lot of the same old, same old stuff; my Sunday morning shower gives me more satisfaction.

And this is said with no disrespect to my friends who are still working there. I'm glad they have jobs and are all over the Internet.

But for the first time since last March when the FreeP stopped delivering out here seven days a week, I sat down with a cup of coffee and my Sunday paper.

Two more cups of coffee, and more than an hour later, I finished reading all the stuff that grabbed my attention.

And before I placed it in the recycle bin, I smiled.

This was the best Sunday newspaper reading I'd had in a long time. I found all sorts of interesting stuff to pursue about Michigan Olympic athletes and books and when the Bud Shootout is.

Ok, so maybe I spent a lot of time with the sports section.

But there was an interesting piece about JD Salinger, who died recently, and how mediums and psychics are popular in a bad economy.

And a lot of other stuff, too.

I made note that all state candidates need to file for office by May 11 and that we are about to have a $14.3 trillion national debt.

But what this morning brought back was just how much I'd missed a good Sunday newspaper.

One that I hadn't read previously online.

I read all kinds of sports stories and national stories and profiles and features.

Some whacky stuff, too.

Like a story about it being squirrel rut season. Who knew that this was the zenith of squirrel mating season and that's why the seed-stealing little rodents were so vocal and active now.

So, here's to Sunday and the Sunday Free Press, which got my morning off to a delightful start.

And, thank you contract salesperson at a dog show at Novi, who talked me into buying it again.

In retrospect, I should have tipped the guy.

Lisa's Musings (from the Farm Bureau meeting) and Every Day Life

I passed up a fun opportunity today because I chickened out at the last minute.

Now, anyone who knows me well, knows that when I get an idea I like, it takes a lot of convincing to change my mind.

And, in retrospect, I wish I'd gone with my gut this morning and just done it.

Some of you probably know that I was chosen as the 2009 Washtenaw County Farm Bureau Ag Communicator of the Year and I was surprised with not only a lovely plaque, but also a CROWN.

AND a sash.

I have a whole year of my reign and this morning I decided to proudly wear my crown and sash to the Farm Bureau's legislative breakfast this morning.

I put them on and drove to The Grand Traverse Pie Company poised to make a grand entrance at the meeting.

In the parking lot, I changed my mind.

I thought people in the restaurant might, well, look at me funny if I wore my tiara -- even though I'm very proud of it.

And I thought people might think it was stupid that I wore it.

So I didn't.

And I'm really regretting it.

Especially when several farmers at the meeting asked me where my tiara was. They'd been at the awards meeting when I was knocked for a loop by my surprise gifts.

So I spent the afternoon brooding about what could have been.

I know it would have put smiles on the faces of everyone there.

On a gloomy winter Monday morning.

And, besides, it's so ME; I'm just kicking myself.

How often does an almost 52-year-old woman have the opportunity to wear a crown?

I cover story after story and see the current Miss Washtenaw wearing her crown or sash. I'm just as worthy.

Besides, I could care less what a bunch of politicians and would-be politicians think about me.

I'm the press. They need to impress me. Not the other way around. Besides, the ones I knew who were there would have appreciated it. After all these years, they know me well enough to laugh along with me -- instead of at me.

But, what I think it came down to was I didn't want to embarrass the farming community. A group of people I profoundly respect and who thought enough of me and the stories I've written about them to name me their Ag Communicator of the Year.

But, the year is young and there will be other opportunities -- maybe when I attend the Farm Bureau's kickoff membership meeting on Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. at the Farm Council Grounds.

Yeah, that's it.

I'll proudly wear it there, in a happy return to the place where it was first placed on my head.

Jan. 10 - Lisa's Musings from Every Day Life

Today's topic is clothing.

Because I was out and about today taking photos -- wearing many, many layers of it.

In fact, I was dressed like a miniature snow woman, to protect my back.

See, that's me. In the window.

I was taking photos of some of the restaurants that are participating in Ann Arbor Restaurant Week from Jan. 17-22, which is your chance to try out one of 26 downtown restaurants for a $12 lunch or $25 dinner per person.

Check out www.annarborrestaurantweek.com for the complete list. And, reservations are highly recommended as some of the spots book quickly.

But I digress.

As we all bundle up to beat Michigan's sometimes harsh winter cold, I think it's important to do so in style.

Or try.

Did I mention taking a close look at my reflection in the window? Smile.

What you didn't see were U-M college students in shorts and short-sleeved T-shirts on State Street tossing around a football. In the snow.

Or basketball fans heading toward Crisler Arena without hats or gloves.

Did anyone happen to check the temperature before they headed outside -- it wasn't exactly balmy out there.

Or perhaps I'm just getting old.

Older and wiser than when I was a U-M student?

I don't remember ever heading anywhere in the winter without dressing for the cold.

But they say the mind is the first thing to go.