Navel vs Newspaper

As is rather obvious for those of you who read my blog more regularly, the past month has involved some serious navel-gazing. Not a very productive time, and a seriously frustrating one. Now that the sun has finally returned, I have been reading more newspapers again - either during rare luxury moments when I have a babysitter, and can lie in a park, as far away from a playground as possible, or at the playground, with several sand-baking interruptions. Two things always amaze me: (1) There is so much happening in the world. And it's pretty interesting to follow it, try to understand it, and think about it. (2) It feels like not much changes in the world: the Euro crisis continues, the Arab spring's outcome is still on a knife's edge... Now here's my problem, though: After my time at the Bank, where my most rewarding task was to be on top of political and economic developments, and be able to brief management on any interesting developments, I read all of this news now - and then what? I'm a more educated housewife? A more knowledgable potential interviewee? A better world citizen? Whichever it is, at least far more content than if left alone with my own navel.