One of my favorite things to take home as a souvenir is a local newspaper from the places I visit. This goes for Northern Wisconsin as much as it does for Beijing, China. Headlines, opinion pages, and even obituaries give a vivid representation of the culture and atmosphere of any given place. So, when Wreck This Journal gave instructions to glue down a random page from a newspaper, I was ecstatic!
I got so excited I actually ended up using four pages in the journal to paste down various parts of The Daily Telegraph from London. I clipped the title, interesting tidbits, and a few other little things to bring back some great memories of the U.K. Who would have thought my Wreck This Journal would also serve as a scrapbook?!
First up, I clipped out the iconic title The Daily Telegraph. I even added the price block of 90p, of which I always keep that much handy in a bowl on my nightstand. It’s a nice reminder of how much I always kept in my pocket, so I could buy a newspaper each day to read in the park. I tried to draw the Union Jack as the backdrop, but it turned out a tad odd!
The Daily Telegraph tries to hide a lame drawing of the Union Jack!
Next up, I attached some clippings that are so English they really capture the essence of London. Quirky headlines, the BBC schedule, and a spot of trivia are in every newspaper. This particular issue of The Daily Telegraph is one of the older ones I have, dating back to 2009, (hence PM Brown). In the bottom corner of this page, I tried to document where and when I got this edition, but as you’ll see my memory got a little fuzzy, (I had to whip out my journals to find the date)!
Memorabilia fills this page along with a snappy shade of purple.
A newspaper just isn’t complete without mention of the weather. The weather is a moody thing in the U.K. and I love how people talk about it as if its a member of the family instead of a natural phenomenon. The rain isn’t just something that waters the garden, but rather a temperamental cousin that makes you carry his umbrella.
During my last trip to London, I became quite reliant on the weather section in a free daily newspaper, The Metro. I actually started to learn the Celsius standard from experience rather the relying on a converter. I knew 18°C and partial clouds meant I needed a hoodie and an umbrella. As is happens, the same goes for 27°C and sunny, (sometimes the “cousin” makes surprise visit).
Hmmmm . . . looks to be a hot day in London.
Finally, I clipped the enigmatic crossword puzzle. No day is complete without at least trying to crack the clues and complete the puzzle. Strangely, I have better luck on U.K. puzzles than I do with American counterparts. I haven’t completed the puzzle I clipped, but I will someday.
Just in case I get stuck on the Tube with nothing to do!
I’m already anxious to go back! Meanwhile, I’ll be living vicariously through my television during the Olympics later this summer!
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Sadly, newsprint is starting to go out of style, but I have hope that it will never completely die out. How else will we:
- do paper mache
- make origami hats
- have cheap placemats
- protect the table from a painting project
- save clippings for a scrapbook
- potty train puppies
- pack fragile items (shredded padding or wrap)
- lift ink with silly putty
What else should go on the list?
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c.b.w. 2012
C.B. Wentworth 