Mod abstract print curtains frame the clapboard siding of the house next door peeking though the window into a flash lit kitchen. Westinghouse light bulbs, “enriched” wheat bread, Morning Glory Butter, a plastic squeeze bottle of mustard, an iron and a metal canister clutter the counter behind a lovely young lady perusing the Milwaukee Sentinel. A blizzard, a blast and a brain surgery make the headlines. The young lady matches the scenery. Her lightly combed out poodley permed hair matches the varnished, honey blond wood cabinets just as harmoniously as her creamy complexion glows in the tone of the kitchen’s glossy powdery pink painted surfaces. While reading the morning news, through her timeless classic horn-rimmed glasses, she gets a physical workout. To open the paper she must stretch her arms into a nearly full side to side extend. Turning a page requires far reaching, which could easily be considered exercise. Later that evening she may repeat the workout when reading the evening paper, the Milwaukee Journal.

A fur trader printed the first edition of the Milwaukee Sentinel in 1837. News was printed above and below that name for 158 years until 1995, when the morning paper merged with its evening competitor the Milwaukee Journal to become the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. As of today it’s still operating. Ironically, The Seattle Post Intelligencer closed shortly after I featured its iconic building-top globe in the Slide-of-the-Week a few weeks ago. Saving the globe is now a preservation issue. And, of course, that globe definitely needs to be saved!!!

Anyway, recently I was in my hometown of Ontario CA, and I picked up a copy of the local paper. I guess I, like many people these days, haven’t picked up a newspaper for a while. I get my news (and exercise) these days moving a mouse around a mouse pad because I can find all the news I need and more on the good ‘ol www. Then I stared noticing other newspapers and they’ve lost weight too. Its been a long time since they were as wide as the one in this slide. But I had no idea newspapers have recently gotten even skinnier.

Here’s to skinny newspapers, color harmony between a human and a kitchen and YOU!