Sunday, February 6, 2011

My Life in Magazines, 7 New Subscriptions, Career Fun Fact, Out in Atlanta

I think it's funny - I can look at my life in magazine subscriptions. I remember Highlights (hehe goofus and gallant) and then my "dark years" in middle school where i'd rip up Spin and Rolling Stone to make collages of alt rock bands. Then I bounced into high school crushing on YM and Teen Magazine. Then Seventeen, which led to In Style, Cosmopolitan and later Lucky in college when I got even more into clothes. Throw in some scrapbooking subscriptions to Creative Ideas around age 21. Then later, Shape and Fitness when I got into working out. Then Glamour when I found out "it's like Cosmo without so much 'find your perfect man' stuff", and Self - a little less workouts and more 'you' stuff. And now, here I am, at 28 years old, wanting to cook new recipes, organize my home and office, get tips on running a household and saving money, and see pretty pictures of other houses to be inspired and keep my love of decorating and home decor in tact. I just really think there is nothing like sitting around with a stack of magazines and just flipping through them. Obviously, I love to read. But with magazines it's like a different idea, product, tip, etc. on each page. I rip out pages when I see something I can use and file them - it may be something like the party central buffet I stumbled across in Better Homes & Gardens. I wasn't looking for ideas on how to do one, but I found it and knew I wanted one of my own!

I currently get Fitness and Glamour in the mail. I recently let Shape, Self and Cosmopolitan lapse and haven't missed them. But I'm ready for some more inspiration, and decided that magazine subscriptions was where it was at. I decided to subscribe to:
  • Real Simple ($24 for 12 issues)
  • Better Homes & Gardens ($12 for 24 issues)
  • Good Housekeeping ($9 for 12 issues)
Well after I applied for each of these "deals" came up - basically lots of magazines and it would be like click here to add to cart.... so I got these too:
  • Family Circle ($5 for 15 issues)
  • Country Living ($5 for 10 issues)
  • Cooking Light ($15 for 12 issues)
  • Woman's Day ($5 for 15 issues)
Yes, friends. I'm a sucker. 7 magazines, 100 issues, $75... 75 cents an issue. $75 for a YEAR of monthly inspiration (some even more than a year!) - count me in! I'm ready to be inspired and find more ideas for gifts for my family, tips for my home, recipes and the list goes on. It's going to be like Christmas around here. And yes, I may not like all of these, but if I do you know renewing is usually cheaper than the first time around and even if I find one good, motivation tip it was worth 75 cents!

Q: Which, if any, of the magazines above do you subscribe to?

Q: Do you rip out ideas when you find them? Or save all of your magazines in tact? If you rip them out - then what - a filing system?

CAREER FUN FACT: It should also be said that I manage and publish a monthly 28-page magazine for my company. I'm the editor, I determine the pagination, work with design each month on articles, layouts, cover stories, photos, etc., and then work with the printer. When I was tasked with this role 4 years ago, I used magazines as my inspiration to revamp our magazine - taking it from 12 pages to ultimately 28 pages over the years, adding 'cover blurbs', revamping the masthead, changing the publication size, going "green," using titles that pop more even though, let's face it, it's internal content! (i.e. 5 Things You Should Know about our New 401(k) Program), ultimately changing the writing style, adding subtitles for more interest, developing a style guide, launching "ads" - full page and towers publicizing company programs and initiatives, etc. I got ALL of my inspiration from magazines - finding trends - what are THEY all doing and WHY aren't we doing this internally? If we want people to read OURS instead or along with THEIRS we have to at least pretend to look the part... then work on getting the actual article copy there - this was my theory and i'm happy to report in this slap-myself-on-the-back moment that the magazine has garnered local and national industry awards for IABC and PRSA . Also, annual survey results from employees were also super favorable- 99% said the articles were relevant, 93% said the articles reinforced companywide initiatives and programs, etc. YES, I can stay "in business." I LOVE magazines, and while the magazine isn't my only role (by far lately!) it's the one I look forward to most each month. :)

Back to normal programming! Saturday I got up early and did some stuff around the house, then hit up the grocery stores and cooked: 6 servings of chili noodle bake, 6 servings of taco soup,6 servings of brunch pizza squares, 4 servings of guacamole chicken wraps, and 6 servings of burrito casserole. Then I realized I had lost track of time. It was time to get ready and I hadn't gone to the gym - DANG! Oh wells, I showered and then we headed down to Buckhead to Ru San's. Horrible website but awesome location - the place is ALWAYS crazy packed. We had a party of 10 but since we got there early we got a table within 30 minutes. Dinner was fun - great to catch up with Mon, Andy, Andrew, LA, Frank and Katie. I also met a couple who was super nice - and our hometowns were close together so we knew lots of the same people! Afterwards, we hit up Smith's Olde Bar and stayed too late, cabbed it home and called it a night. Nice little Saturday!!

The ladies!
Ze boys
Me and Austin! (and my vodka + water + crystal light!)
The Blancos
A&A


Q: What's your (alcohol-based) drink of choice - if you have one?!

19 comments:

Buckhead Belle said...

Sounds like a fun weekend! I am ob-sessed with magazines... I am always on the hunt for more to read!

Vodka water is always my alcoholic drink of choice and I am about to try it with some Crystal Light... great idea!

Kerr said...

I love cooking light and vodka water!

Kacy said...

I used to subscribe to SOOO many magazines, then I let them all lapse in college because I never had time to read them. Recently I started randomly getting Shape even though I didn't subscribe to it. That's kinda cool, haha.

I'm a beer/wine girl but if I'm going to drink liquor I'd be inclined to order a dirty martini (only with Ketel One vodka) a gin and tonic or a marg on the rocks. If I'm in the mood I love a good bloody mary as well. Gosh, I sound like such a boozer ;)

Tyler said...

I'm totally impressed with YOUR magazine! That's so cool! I get in mag kicks. I usually go to Glamour, Real Simple, Fitness, or trashy gossip mags.

I made your burrito casserole for lunch this week. I can't wait to try it out tomorrow!!

I just wanted you to know that I do love my sister, I just HATE her "me me me" attitude. She is super present centered and expects too much when it comes to them. It just erks me. My mom and I were treated really shitty with the whole shower thing and it shouldn't be that way. OK vent done! Have a fabulous week!

lee said...

I definitely went through a Rolling Stone and Spin phase and then a Cosmo and Glamour phase and then Shape, Self and Fitness. My sister-in-law got me a subscription to Cooking Light for Christmas but I haven't gotten my first issue yet. I would also like to subscribe to Real Simple. I used to subscribe to Women's Health but I found it to be too repetitive.

Kara said...

I love all your Magazine subscriptions! I also love magazines and for whatever reason I buy them at the grocery store (eek!). I need to subscribe to them because it would be sooooo much smarter than forking over $3.50 or more for each magazine!!

Val said...

I'm a magazine junkie!! Everyday Food is my favorite and Sunset magazine. My drink of choice is so boring but...nothing beats a cold Corona with Lime!! = ))

Danielle said...

I subscribe to Red Book.

And as you know... I'm a beer girl.

Anonymous said...

What cute pics! I LOVE Good House Keeping!

Jess@atasteofconfidence said...

I'm a beer girl:)

CeCe said...

Thanks to mags for miles I have so many magazine subscriptions I can't keep up with them. Self, and Marie Claire, Glamour, US AND People oh my!!! We also get Martha Stuart Living but we're not sure where it came from!

Jill said...

Have you ever read Readymade magazine? It's great for cool craft projects, and really interesting DIY home decor. (And my favorite drinks are usually bourbon-based.)

Megan said...

I should subscribe to magazine because I know I spent so much more by just buying them separately. I love vodka sprite but I want to try vodka water and add Crystal Light..that's easy to keep in my purse! If I don't drink liquor, I stick with Chardonnay.

Kelly Olexa said...

Alcoholic Drinks- I don't drink a ton anymore, totally on social occasions but I love Dirty Martinis, Bloody Mary's and Mojitos/Margaritas in the summer.
Magazines- I am an ADDICT. For Realz. I read soooooo many and I now use little yellow stickies to mark pages where there is something I look up- new clothing brands, shoes, home decor, and I also rip out and save a lot as well- recipes, decor ideas etc. What mags do I subscribe to? Whoa. BHG, Coastal Living, Real Simple, Whole Living, Self, InStyle, MORE, Women's Health & Fitness, Oxygen, Muscle & Fitness HERS, Runners' World, OK, Star, Fast Company, Fortune....do you get my drift? And Oprah!!!

Kelly Olexa said...

Alcoholic Drinks- I don't drink a ton anymore, totally on social occasions but I love Dirty Martinis, Bloody Mary's and Mojitos/Margaritas in the summer.
Magazines- I am an ADDICT. For Realz. I read soooooo many and I now use little yellow stickies to mark pages where there is something I look up- new clothing brands, shoes, home decor, and I also rip out and save a lot as well- recipes, decor ideas etc. What mags do I subscribe to? Whoa. BHG, Coastal Living, Real Simple, Whole Living, Self, InStyle, MORE, Women's Health & Fitness, Oxygen, Muscle & Fitness HERS, Runners' World, OK, Star, Fast Company, Fortune....do you get my drift? And Oprah!!!

Jill said...

Have you ever read Readymade magazine? It's great for cool craft projects, and really interesting DIY home decor. (And my favorite drinks are usually bourbon-based.)

Anne Marie said...

What cute pics! I LOVE Good House Keeping!

Tyler said...

I'm totally impressed with YOUR magazine! That's so cool! I get in mag kicks. I usually go to Glamour, Real Simple, Fitness, or trashy gossip mags.

I made your burrito casserole for lunch this week. I can't wait to try it out tomorrow!!

I just wanted you to know that I do love my sister, I just HATE her "me me me" attitude. She is super present centered and expects too much when it comes to them. It just erks me. My mom and I were treated really shitty with the whole shower thing and it shouldn't be that way. OK vent done! Have a fabulous week!

Buckhead Belle said...

Sounds like a fun weekend! I am ob-sessed with magazines... I am always on the hunt for more to read!

Vodka water is always my alcoholic drink of choice and I am about to try it with some Crystal Light... great idea!