Thoughts on a slow day at work

My work project for the last couple of days has been going through the magazine back files: putting them in order, rescuing mis-shelves, pulling really old issues that we need to get rid of to make more space. It's the kind of mindless busywork in the stacks that I like doing from time to time, both to share the load with the student workers, and because I find it oddly relaxing to put things in order like that -- creating order out of chaos. But this time, I'm finding it somewhat depressing, too, because I keep coming across magazines that have been shut down. Magazines start and fold all the time, and keeping track has always been part of the job, but it's been epidemic in recent months, and some really venerable titles, too: Gourmet and I.D. (a very cool design magazine) both come to mind. It seems like almost once a week, lately, that I head or a title shutting down or moving to online-only. Also, we had to cancel a bunch of titles for a lack of student readership lately, which is sad for different reasons. Although, it occurs to me, possibly related ones.

The death of publishing? Only time will tell.

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Just in case anyone needed to know...

We learned today (through research, fortunately, not the hard way) that meat thermometers are not allowed in the passenger compartment of an airplane. If you want to travel with a probe thermometer, put it in your checked bag.

Because of course a meat thermometer is a deadly weapon. Just like that bottle of water they made you throw away. Unlike, say, a ballpoint pen, or knitting needles. (Help, someone stop me, I'm applying logic to airline security procedures!)

So yes, we are in fact packing for San Diego. Flight is late tomorrow morning; we return on Sunday afternoon. The cooking implements are for the big Christmas dinner that we're helping to make on Saturday -- it's our first time cooking for the whole clan without T's dad to direct traffic, so wish us luck. I'm not bringing my laptop, but I will have my iPhone. This is the first time I've traveled with the phone, and I'm interested to see how well I can use it to stay in touch. I have no idea what reception is going to be like at my mother-in-law's place, though, so if I disappear for a few days, that's why. Wish me luck. All around.