My Precious

One of the greatest parts of my day, aside from getting to spend most of it hanging out with my little Bird, is getting the mail. Since we live in the mid-west, where winter seems to last for about eight months, we spend a lot of time at home. I usually know when the mail arrives because one of my dogs will bark. It’s like I can barely contain myself to get out there and get those bills, because 70 percent of what we receive are bills. But, I also get magazines. I love them! It’s like Christmas at the beginning of the month when they start to come.

Magazines are like the best deal ever. You pay $10 or $20 a year and get delightful little snippets of whatever you love coming directly to your door. In your mailbox! Once a month! Glorious!

I have weird little magazine rituals. I hate, hate, hate when anyone tries to rea> them before me. If you’re someone I know and I’ve let you read my magazine before me consider yourself blessed. This is not something I reserve for others. They are mine! Mine! Mine! But, I don’t like to read them right away. I save them. I don’t know exactly what I’m saving them for. Is it a rainy day? Perhaps it is to fill a lull between books? Maybe it's so I'll have something to do if we ever actually need to use our bomb shelter. There is no rhyme or reason for it. We all have our things.

What I love most about magazines is that you don’t have to read them all at once. If you have a few minutes you can read a page or two and move on. It’s a good early-morning pick-me-up. A good naptime break or something to do when you’ve finished all your chores (does this ever really happen, I think better said it would be when you have given up on ever having a clean house) and you want to read while your child watches Sesame Street. I know the publishing houses have my name. I am constantly getting mail asking me to subscribe to this or that magazine for $10 a year. I have to say no. Enough is enough. I am a sucker for a good deal; my mom taught me well.

I think you can tell a lot about a person based on what they read. I have used my magazines to keep in touch with the person I was before motherhood as well as to embrace the person I am now. I subscribe to Real Simple, The Food Network Magazine, Rachael Ray, Parents, Self, Shape, Marie Claire, Taste of Home and Fitness. The thing I find most amusing about my little magazine obsession? Each and every month, I get to the end of the month/beginning of the next and when I check into my magazine stock, I always, always have at least two of the health and exercise magazines left. Hmmm…What does this say? I like to eat. I like to cook. I like to read but I don’t necessary like to move. Another post for another day, my friends…

Whatcha reading?