And I'm back! But just not quite READY!

Odd how quickly a six day vacation can fly. You blink -- it's over, it's Monday all over again and you are back to the same routine as before you left. The New Year doesn't make a difference, it's just one long winter's day. All that's left now to show for the time away is several extra pounds and a full memory card on my Canon Power Shot.

But before we get back into hockey mode for today as the Islanders are playing yet another "too late for my taste" western game, I'd just like to mention a few things I came away with from my 'travel and unpack' day.

First, the Sunday Boston Globe: I now know what a GOOD newspaper is supposed to look and read like. I read various sections of yesterday's edition for three and a half hours of my almost six hour trek home. After the first hour, it struck me.

"Oh My GOD!!! This is JOURNALISM!!! No! REAL JOURNALISM!! This is what I aspire to!" and will probably never achieve. Every article was well written, thought provoking and emotional. There were hard news articles that were so graphic, I had to stop reading because I was getting so upset. There were Sports articles that made me read about Sports I couldn't care less about. There were even articles on books I will never read, but GOD, how the words made me want to.

In the next two days I am sure I will link two of these articles as they are perfect for our hockey discussions and are too good not to share.

My husband had his own feelings about my comment.

"How many years have I told you what a 'rag' Newsday is, Dee? It's garbage." There is no love lost on our home town paper from my husband, the Rescue Captain of a Volunteer Fire Dept. and ex-Newsday carrier.

On the first level is the seemingly unending jabs Newsday takes at Long Island's Volunteer service. They are constantly looking for that headline that will be demeaning to those who put their life in harm's way for no pay and to protect their community. But when important community service stories are presented to them for publication, they are buried with two line subnotes or ignored all together. This is fact, not fiction. I have proof.

He also has a very good argument regarding their delivery system. Your newspaper is now delivered by someone in a car or van and tossed at the end of your driveway. You are sent a computer generated invoice at the end of each month. On the invoice is a place for you to put in a "tip" for this "service." But wait.

This distribution system is far from the local youngster on a bicycle delivering 150 papers each day to your door step and stopping in to pet your dog. These are faceless adults who drive by in the dark of early morning and drop your paper at the curb.

These are Newsday employees with designated routes and hours. I do not tip my mailman on a monthly basis and he delivers my mail to my front door and sometimes even takes mail with him that I've stamped.

If the Newsday carriers are not making enough money and relying on tips from customers, then perhaps they should unionize like the rest of the newspaper industry workers. Newspaper delivery is no longer a personal service. It's a job. We do not tip the Fed Ex guy or the UPS man until the end of the year. Why should I have to tip a paper carrier monthly? I don't.

And finally, it's National Whip Cream Day. Enjoy some however you like. Because maybe a nice shot of RediWhip will make a rather harsh first Monday back from Vacation relaxation a little easier to get through.

It's Blue, White & Orange day people!