I became a news junkie the year before starting university.
I know that hardly sounds unusual in 2010, where the latest web and tech trends conspire to make all of us information-news junkies of one variety or another, but in 2003 it meant going a little out of your way to keep up with things.
It was just before the “blogosphere” was invited to join cable news and before the aggregators compiled every little development, from all corners of the media machine, into a single space.
It was back before newspapers disappeared and journalism was still a stable career choice.
A time when columnists could take a leave of absence that they affectionately referred to as book leave.
Why anyone would need to take a specifically sanctioned absence from writing less than 800 words, twice weekly is beyond me — and probably most mere mortals as well.
Still, back then the only thing I wanted more than my own column was to go on book leave.
As of this month, I am on a leave of absence from my graduate program until the new year. There area a number of reasons involved and most of them beyond my influence, but I am going to refer to the whole ordeal as being on book leave.
