Magazines

It started innocently enough, probably around 1977, when I began to receive Highlights Magazine.  I remember saving every issue, lining them up in order in the hutch over my desk.  Leafing through them over and over again even though I knew where ever last hidden picture was.  It was a natural extension, this jump from a love of books to a love of magazines. 

A couple years later I realized that The National Geographic was coming to our house and I discovered the wealth of information it contained.   They joy!  My Dad saved these.  Every issue -- downstairs in the bookcase.  Then. . . the flood.  I was heartbroken to see all those pathetic, waterlogged pages ruined and tossed into the trash.

As I became a teen there were the usual coming of age periodicals arriving in my mailbox -- first YM then later Rolling Stone.  I'm sure many of you read the same make-up tips and record reviews.

The revolution came in my 20's.  I discovered Martha Stewart!  I subscribed to MSL and fell in love.  This was a whole different magazine -- something I had no experience with, but it was me!  I absolutely loved it.  My sisters started calling me Martha.  I still have every issue I ever got and I do look through them.  (Although since the last move they have yet to be unpacked and I think about them a lot.  Maybe that will be my project for this weekend.) 

So enough about my magazine history!  Here's where I am today.  You can see a bunch of the magazines I've gotten in the last 4-6 weeks up top there.  Several major categories:  Homemaking (for lack of a better term), cooking and crafting.  I used to subscribe to National Geographic and Smithsonian and all kinds of stuff like that but they kept coming every month and there was absolutely no way I could keep up.  I always felt guilty and I kept them.  Then one day Pete was afraid I was going to be smothered in my sleep due to the precarious pile on the nightstand.  I just had to give a few up, so I did.  Whew.  What a relief!

Speaking of my nightstand.  I have to show you where I stash the ever growing mountain of periodicals:

Magazines on Nightstand


Magazines in Bottom of Nightstand


Magazines in Drawer of Nightstand (along with Chocolate and other candy)


Magazines in Bin Under Bed


Magazines on my Desk

And at this point the camera battery died, so that's all the magazines I can show you.  Pete said when I revealed my magazine obsession that a lot of people would write in and tell me that I had practically no magazines compared to them.  I wonder if he knew how many magazines I had?

So, I'm going to try to list here the magazines that I have subscriptions to.  I get confused and sometimes buy magazines from the newsstand when I have a subscription, so I am in no way saying that this in 100% accurate.

• Interweave Knits
• Vogue Knitting
• Cooking Light
• Martha Stewart Living
• Mary Engelbreit Home Companion
• Spin-Off
• CNA
• Cook's Illustrated
• YMN
• The Wheel
• Rowan
• Gourmet

Hmmm. . . seems like I'm missing some.  In fact, I think I subscribed to some new sewing magazine a while back, but I haven't gotten even one issue.  And I used to subscribe to Food & Wine and Saveur, but I think those subscriptions may have recently expired.

Well, there you have it.  I love magazines!  The next magazines I'm going to be subscribing to are both part of MSLO:  MSL Kids (because of the success of the sheep unit study from the last issue) and MSL Blueprint A new magazine aimed right at my demographic-- heh!  (I laugh, but I am actually looking forward to seeing this magazine very much).

I think I'll go get some work done now so that Maddie and I can go to the bookstore before the snowstorm hits.  I think I may need to pick up a few more magazines to get me through the bout of bad weather!  One of my greatest fears in life is being without reading material.

** Update **  A comment by Denise reminded me that I also get Family Circle and Parenting (Parents? No, I think it's Parenting).  At any rate, I started getting them for free and I have never paid for them or renewed them and they just keep coming.  My father-in-law was in the magazine biz and from what I have gleaned it has something to do with keeping up subscription numbers which correspond to advertising rates. Who knew?

** Update 2 ** I forgot Cast On (which I probably wouldn't subscribe to, but I'm a member of TKGA -- Don't you wish they would update the designs in that magazine?  Some of the detailing on the designs are so nice, but the designs themselves?  Eh.)

Comments

[Denise]

oi! Let's see.. I get Parents because my husband renewed the subscription for me.. don't want it. and I have Interweave knits.. any others I buy on a case by case basis.
I got Real Simple for a while like it alot. you might like it tooo hehhehe *evil grin*

[Imbrium]

It's funny - I love reading, and I love books, but I've never been that into magazines. I don't know what it is about them, but for most of them I can't bring myself to do much more than flip through and look at the pictures. At this point, the only two magazines I subscribe to are Real Simple (I agree with Denise...if you haven't read it, you should check it out), and Game Informer. Which is a sort of weird yin-yang selection, but it works for me.

[Marie]

I love books and magazines but since my post box ian't quite big enough for magazines I don't have any subscriptions which is a good thing or I, too, would be overflowing - I have enough books to keep me very busy and they just keep on comin' with every trip to B&N - it's an addiction.

[Faith]

I like magazines, but at the moment I don't subscribe to any. I had Budget Living for a while and Knitters (a gift sub from mom) for a while, but mostly I just leaf through them at the bookstore and buy an occasional issue of one or another here and there.

Oh, I guess I'll be getting Yoga Journal at some point this year, but that's another gift sub.

[Tari]

I can really relate to your obsession - I used to have a lot of subscriptions too. But after I had my baby, and started knitting again, I realised that I wasn't actually reading them anymore. But it wasn't easy to cancel those subscriptions! Lately I have been starting new subscriptions, but now it's all about children or knitting!

[Pete]

"I wonder if he knew how many magazines I had?"

Frankly, I'm terrified to find out. I strongly suspect there's a hidden room up in the attic which is stacked, floor to rafters, with old copies of Ranger Rick, Cricket and Teen Beat.

[Cindy]

OK. I truly understand, but what's CNA and The Wheel? I've never heard of those two. Are they ones I should be getting, too?

[Gina B.]

I am so happy someone shares my obsession with magazines. I have many subscriptions plus buy many titles regularly depending on what's in them. I save a huge pile to read and then plow through the pile when I'm in a "magazine mood." I cut out pictures, articles, etc. so don't save many complete issues (with the exception of knitting mags). I always take my leftovers to work or to the gym to leave for others to enjoy! I'm seconding (thirding?) the recommendation of Real Simple. It's my favorite!

[Amy]

I love magazines too-- I started getting Highlights the same time you did! I mostly subscribe to knitting magazines nowadays, though I used to get Parenting AND Parents, and Martha too.

[Liz]

I too am a magazine addict...Quick count in my head, I have 12 or 13 subscriptions. I can't live without my magazines...It's nice to see I'm not alone.

[Deanna]

Your husband mentioned that you may have old Crickets in the attic - is it true? I still have the first 4 or so years when the issues were bound more like paperbacks. I'm just waiting for my daughter to be old enough to appreciate them.

[Jo]

My all-time favourite mag is "Smithsonian" - if you like NG, you will like this one as well. Followed a close second by "Canadian Living" - which you can get a subscription in the US for about $25 - think of a more upscale FC or WD magazine.

[freecia]

I love Real Simple. Great clean look with lots of good ideas, even some "look what you can do with this old stuff to clean your house" ideas. Hey, not everyone can afford new containers/scrubs, Martha.

And you know what? I could use a magazine that helped me develop a better wardrobe with distinct styles. Think of it as InStyle with MS Blueprint at Banana Republic Prices. Please let me know if MSBlueP is just that. I made the demographic!

[Chris]

My magazine thing could get totally out of hand if I didn't watch it. I get Gluten-Free Living, Minnesota Monthly, Utne, Interweave Knits, Knitters, Bicycling, and Body+Soul (a freebie I won't renew). Dropped Cast On and INKnitters last year. Like you, I thought I got more magazines than this! Hmm.

[Meg]

Cook's Illustrated but not Fine Cooking? I like that one a lot.

[Scout]

You want to know how tired I am? I voted on the poll for you to talk about your magazine obsession. I completely forgot about the poll and was wondering why you were talking about them

I really need to go to sleep!

[Vicki]

I'm a big mag fan, but nothing like that. In fact, I might just troll the magazine isle at the bookstore this weekend. I miss my stack!

[Lina]

Oooh, so nice to know I'm not alone in my addiction! Thanks for the link to the new Martha mag. I love MSL and the new one sounds interesting too!

[Liz]

I love Everyday Food. The recipes are interesting for those of us really into cooking but simple enough for weeknights. And, without fail, every recipe I have made has been very good. Of course, I expect it from Martha!

[Jenn]

Ooh - I LOVED Highlights! I see old issues sometimes at used bookstores and wish I still got it. So good!
And I'm late to the party, but thank you for maintaining the web ring! I can only imagine the amount of work it takes, and I wanted you to know that I subscribe to the feed, and check out each new blog as you add them. Let me apologize for not saying it sooner! :)

[Renee]

Count me in too. I'm a magazine addict. Over the years I have subscribed to so many different magazines. I love the thrill of seeing a magazine in the mailbox. But I also love to buy magazines at the grocery and in the bookstore, so I sort of don't want to subscribe. It's a constantly revolving issue.

[gigi]

oh i feel your shame....you are ashamed aren't you? i also have a terrible magazine jones - highbrow to lowbrow i can't resist them! i subscribe, i buy at the store, i prowl the magazine section waiting for the new issues to hit the stands. i live with msl haters so i used to have to hide my stash...and i had years and years worth! oh the shame! you have a great collection going there.