Magazine Mania

I spent part of my deliciously hot summer weekend this week in the sand of a beach on the beautiful Bruce Peninsula. In addition to starting my work week off feeling refreshed and sun-kissed, I am feeling waves of gratitude for all the innovative, alternative and critical publications that exist.

Magazines hold a dear place in my heart, which has been true since I was 14 and first spotted Nylon in my small hometown’s 7/11. It seemed so different from the Cosmopolitans I was used to seeing. While my love for Nylon has waned some, I do appreciate a really great collage as a result of my teenage readership.  

It’s only recently I’m recognizing how magazine obsessed I am. For more than a decade I’ve shelled out anywhere from $5 - $50 per month on a random assortment of mags, primarily used as inspiration and arts and craft material rather than anything educational. I was talked into subscribing to Toronto Life back in November and became both surprised and delighted when the latest issue appeared in my mailbox each month. Beyond the excitement of actually seeing mail addressed to me, it was refreshing to read pieces that were well written, relevant and meaty. In January, I took my relationship with magazines to another level and tried out Next Issue – which has swiftly become a steadfast source of entertainment, competing with Netflix for my leisure time.

Finally, my journey has led me to the diversity of non-mainstream, unconventional publications. I received a subscription to the Smith Journal as a birthday present from my beloved – and boy does he know me well! The well curated collection of articles in my first issue has been incredibly pleasing to the mind. Yesterday, in between beach Frisbee and ice cream, a good friend let me peruse her edition of n+one….and I COULD not / WOULD not put it down – even with the prospect of a fresh water swim dangling before me. 

Perhaps one of the best things about magazines is the low commitment, bite size pieces of inspiration, information, humour and perspective. The wide range of topics available makes a 5 minute reading break feel diverse and intriguing. I often find myself googling a novelist, or perusing the site of a new designer as a result of the magazine’s content. In my pursuit to constantly widen my understanding of the world, magazines have proven themselves useful allies.