The Force of Habit

It's almost as difficult to get into new habits as it is to break free of old ones. Here is an example of what I mean: I have been subscribing to the International Herald Tribune for several years now and I would find it very difficult to do without it. Next year, however, I am seriously considering abandoning the print edition and switching to the electronic version which I would read on my iPad. The advantages are considerable: cost savings, no more missed deliveries, fairly regularly updated news, larger rain forests, etc. But I have been reading newsPAPERS for most of my life and I wonder if I will be able to make the switch after all this time.

As if aware of the predicament of people like me, The Tribune is currently and temporarily allowing people to download the electronic edition onto their iPad or other device free of charge, and I in turn am making a conscious effort to forswear the printed page in favour of the iPad. And I can now report that I am gradually getting used to the change and can begin to imagine a world without paper.

The only trouble is that if someone rips the paper out of your hand, you haven't lost very much, but if someone were to snatch your iPad, he (or more likely she) has walked off with a valuable piece of merchandise. That is why my prediction for 2011 is the introduction of chains and padlocks for your electronic device. But for goodness sake don't lose the key.