I miss paper

I miss getting bills in the mail rather than having to remember another username and password to find out what you owe.

I miss reading poems and stories out of a book. I like holding it in my hand, putting it down for a second so I can grasp the meaning and then bringing it back up to read again. I miss the feel of the paper and the weight of the book. I miss the smell. You don’t get that from a computer screen.

I miss getting information in a handout. Now, when you start at a new college you’re expected to find what you need to know online in a see of virtual pages. You need a user name and password for your email, and another for your account. You don’t get a syllabus anymore. You have to find it in this sea of online pages. There’s a page titled Portal. Another for email. One called Murphy. And one more titled Blackboard. How do I keep everything straight? I miss getting every thing I needed to know in a convenient folder. Here’s how to access your mailbox. Here’s a map of our buildings and a list of accronyms. Your class meets in this room at this time and your instructor is Leslie Miller. Here’s an invoice; send your check to this address.

Yesterday I got a postcard in the mail telling me St. Thomas doesn’t send out bills anymore. It’s all electronic.

Yeah, I really miss paper.