text: I Love (good) Magazines! | One Picky Chick
  I really like to read a good mag…
  In my hands, flipping pages.
  Does that make me old and out of touch?
  I love magazines. I have been reading them for years. I would say it started, of course, before the advent of the internet on every personal device we own - as a morning reporter in Phoenix, Arizona. In the wee hours of the morning, I sat in live trucks… for sometimes, hours. We would arrive, talk to the interview subject, do the live shot, wait for another hour and do another live shot. During that time, I had a lot of time… so I used it. I read magazines. Lots of times I got really good story ideas from them.
  But some magazines I would save… for the weekend. With a glass of wine I flipped through looking for products, decorating ideas, party plans… it gave me a good spring board for life. At one point, I was probably subscribing to like 15 at a time. Cottage Living, Living, Country Living, Real Simple, FOOD, Food & Wine, Parents, Parenting, Phoenix Magazine, Phoenix Home & Garden, In Style… yea, the list goes on. It was my old Pinterest.
  But even since the start of the IPhone & IPad and the demise of some of those good magazines… I still like to look at them - touch, tear and turn. I am not alone. Some of my friends are even trading magazines (and we're not 87 years old, I promise)! It all started because I hated looking at one mag and then just getting rid of it… such a waste. So I pass it on to whomever I can. Especially one friend, we have a direct trade thing going. You basically get double the fun!
  There are a few magazines I won't pass along. Because they are so chock full of information or are so cool looking - I don't want to! Here is my list:
  Coastal Living tops it. It's my favorite. I love to look at this magazine all year long even though we don't live at the beach (and lots of times they feature pools too)! It makes me yearn for warmth during the Winter and appreciate Sun in the Summer. They have great houses to look at inside and fun products too. I love it.
  Then there's this one. It's my
  Cover Winner:
  Martha Stewart's Magazine, Living, is almost a sure thing in terms of the cover. I place it out each month. It's pretty much why I buy the magazine. The content is a little less full in my opinion. I get through it in less than 30 minutes every time. It just seems to me to be a little too complicated. Some good ideas but also many that would require me to hire someone to do it for me! But those covers… so good… keeps me coming back!
  Home/Lifestyle Winner:
  The next magazine has a lot of bang for it's buck. Better Homes and Gardens is an oldie but goodie. It has morphed with the times and has gotten better with age. It is always inexpensive and has a bunch of great content. Not "decorative" worthy… very flimsy cover and a little busy but the content inside blows most magazines away especially for the price.
  Parent Winner:
  I do not have have a picture of it but for a Parent content magazine… I like Family Circle the best. It has a good mix of information. Better than some others who will remain nameless.
  Guilty Pleasure Winner:
  I have to be honest… I do not buy these magazines. They're too much of a guilty pleasure. It effects my life, on a scale of 1-10, zero. I mean really, I don't care whose dating who or having which baby daddy daughter named some weird "nectar flower south" name that no one else has or would ever want. Whatever. But while at the pedicure place or the hair salon - I read. For fun. I can't bring myself to buy… but my friend does and I accept. People has the longest track record and not as many reality star stories as, let's say, Life & Style Magazine.
  Here's another positive. I always say kids go where you go - not where you point. I am not really an avid book reader. Kids need to read books. So at least I'm picking up a magazine and showing my young son and sweet daughter that I know how to read (or at least look at pictures). But honestly, they see me do that and it does have some reinforcement factor. At least, so says Dr. Nicole.
  In any case, there ya have it. I like magazines. I will always like magazines. Perhaps more than Pinterest. Maybe that makes me old but I'd like to think it makes me classic. Actually, I know it does.
  Aubrey @53 Weeks August 13, 2014 at 10:35 AM
  I'm not a magazine reader, unless I'm in the lobby waiting for an appointment somewhere..BUT I will take your tips of which ones are your favs!
  Nicole McGregor August 13, 2014 at 1:55 PM
  … when… you're… in… a waiting…. room. !!!!
  WorkingMomMagic August 13, 2014 at 11:26 AM
  I love magazines, I have since I was a little girl (Sassy, anyone??) I love Family Circle, Shape, & Marie Claire! :)