Read the newspaper!

IMG00050 My dad always tried his best to tell me the importance of reading the newspaper even before I stepped into the teenage years. He wanted me to possess a better vocabulary and a writing style. More than the elegant prose and presentation, he wanted me to stay in touch with what was happening in the world.

Parents are always driving a point relentlessly into your head and also making life more difficult in your teens. As I entered into my teens, I had plenty of evidence to back up the above adage. So, the natural tendency was to ignore my dad’s advice! But, during those days, I went through a flip flopping emotions of love and annoyance where love mostly won hands down. In order to please dad and to give boost to my ego, I found a middle path. I decided to read the newspaper.

Every morning, I picked up the newspaper and read the local listing of the movies. I also garnered the knowledge of upcoming movies too. As for what is happening in the world, remember, I said “middle path”! I have religiously followed this ritual till date although the frequency has reduced from 7 days to 1 day namely Friday.

As with all bitter lessons in my life, lack of respect for my dad’s advice caught up with me last Friday! After a hard day’s work, we – me and a group of friends – gathered at a local watering hole. On that night, we were surprised to find that the watering hole was not serving water – in our case, alcohol! Agitated, we asked why. They couldn’t serve alcohol because of the local corporation elections. We retired for the day with a tired soul and an aching body!

If I had listened to my dad’s golden words, I would not have landed in this situation. I would have found this piece of information by reading the newspaper! Like the ants stocking up food, I would have stocked my house with alcohol for the dry period that lasted three grueling days.

Tags: Musings,Dad,Parents,Newspaper

Comments

  1. What hardship, to go without alcohol for three whole days!
    I am addicted to the newspaper. In my house, we all fight to read it first, even my little girl. She loves the daily cartoons.

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  2. Good habit, keep it up and encourage others to follow.

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  3. Despite 24 hrs news channels making noise , I feel one must have the habit of news paper reading.

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  4. hahaha..buddyy..take care..keep off alcohol...whenever poss...

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  5. Like children say - Nice happened!! I am sure you will find yourself echoing your dad's advice as your child grows up.

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  6. I am addicted to the newspaper big time and so is my daughter, our days dont start unless we go through the pages in the order that suits us best!!

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  7. Ouch!!!
    *sigh..I can understand..your situation.
    Why not the telecom companies provide a Watering Hole Alert Service.

    Hmm..Should we propose this to tele companies?

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  8. oh poor u...my heartfelt sympathies ;)

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  9. @Aparna - Nice! Great habits start from home. Hope she graduates from cartoons to editorials soon.

    @Stranger - I will try to inculcate the habit in my home! But, I'm still not sure I will be a good role model for the same!

    @BKC - Yes, the joys of reading cannot be substituted.

    @Ramesh - I will try to follow your advice. :)

    @Radha - Let her enjoy for another couple of years before I start barking orders. ;)

    @Deepa - Thanks for dropping by. :)

    @Sujata - Like I said to your cousin, Great habits start from home! :)

    @Sorcerer - Good thinking! Madhuloka had called up all their preferred customer warning them off the "outage"!

    @ScorpioGenius - Yes! Devastating!

    @BluntEdges - Thanks for dropping by! Sympathies accepted! :)

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