Stages of life have been chronicled in objects ad infinitum, from the wheels on your carriage to the hearse, from diapers to Depends. But what do those say about your growth, or lack thereof? If you would like to chronicle the changes in your interests during the stages of life, it’s as easy as observing the magazines you gravitated to. This is an abbreviated list of mine. Does any of it look familiar to you? I’d like to know what your “mag tags” are if you’d like to play along.
Weekly Reader
Highlights
______
Comics
Mad Magazine
______
True Romance
Seventeen
______
Mademoiselle
Readers Digest
Redbook
McCall’s
Playgirl
Family Circle
Better Homes & Gardens
Southern Living
_____
Oxford American (sadly out of print)
Smithsonian
AARP Magazine
First Line
Writers Digest
Wired
First Line
Garden & Gun
_____
I am in the last section now. As I look back, the only magazine that still interests me above that line is Mad Magazine. Go figure. And here I insert a plug alert. No I’m not paid to say this, I jut want to increase the circulation of magazines I’d like to see stay in print in this tough environment.
The first is Garden & Gun. If you are Southern, or love any part of the South, this publication will blow you away. I found one of the first issues in the dentist’s office, ripped out the card and ordered it the minute I got home. Several visitors to my home have gone home and ordered it for themselves and friends. Garden & Gun is published in Charlston, S.C., not New York City, like a certain other “Southern” magazine. If nothing else it is fun to see guests run screaming from your bathroom with the publication in hand, yelling, “Garden & Gun????”
The second one that has more relevance in my life that most on the newsstand is Wired. Never one to enjoy science class, I am shocked at the scientific articles that pull me right in. And then there are the technology articles, and what is more relevant to our lives today? All these years later, after scraping through science class, I discovered, thanks to Wired, that I am more than a little nerdy—and that’s just fine with me.
I came across this blog post today and enjoyed it. It was the mention about the stages of life that triggered my Google alert service to send me here.
I loved the breakdown of magazines by life stage. If you should have other insights like this that are stage of life specific, we’d love to have your input on our site.
Take care!
Eric
CEO/Founder
Stage of Life.com
So glad you enjoyed the blog. I’ll look around and see what I have in that line. Just briefly perused your website, but will be back. Very interesting.
that’s kinda neat, the above comment.
I so hear you on the Wired thing. Also not a science person, I absolutely love reading Popular Science and Science magazines. They are so interesting.
I try to keep publications that I like on my blog links, but really never have time to look them over, which is sort of a shame.
My dad was great about giving my brother and me each a subscription to a magazing growing up. We had Ranger RIck and the Electric Company magazine, and one called Cobblestone which I never appreciated at the time.
Then Elle for years and years, and then I decided I’d rather be intelectual/elitist and the New Yorker just kind of fit into my NPR listening, natural fiber wearing, organic vegetarian eating self.
THen I had Sierra and the whole ‘I’m too pure to look at Fashion Magazines’ thing ended. I got over myself, and must say Vanity Fair is really my magazine. I like pictures. I like pictures a lot. Their articles are interesting, and engrossing, but not too grown up and hoity toity.
This was fun to think about, anhinga. I’m so glad you came up with the idea.
Yes, I thought that was a neat comment, too. The one below from Oxford American also made my day. I can’t believe it is still in print. OA has more Southern literary articles, as well as the culture. Looks like I will be adding another magazine. No cutting down on periodicals for me as hard as I try.
Enjoyed your “mag tags” too. Kudos to your dad for keeping you supplied with reading material. I do the same with my grands.
The Oxford American is still in print!
It’s available at most major and independent bookstores.
See http://www.oxfordamerican.org.
This is GREAT news. Thanks for the e-mails. I will follow up.
I think my comments were eaten. Possibly by the spamolator.
Oh no! The dreaded spamolater!!! Hope you’ll re-post.
I was hoping you’d find it in your spam and I wouldn’t have to (it was kind of long). Ah well. I’ll try again.
My first three magazine stages are similar to yours. I would add:
Tiger Beat
True Confessions (I had to sneak this one)
In my 20’s I would have been without magazines except for gift subscriptions of:
Readers Digest
Catholic Digest (my father’s choice)
Newsweek (from my mother-in-law)
Time (from my father because he saw we were getting Newsweek)
Sports Illustrated (mother-in-law again)
Consumer Reports (still get to this day)
I also checked out the occasional Playgirl, Penthouse, and Playboy (because I could).
In my late-20’s and into my 30’s:
Cosmopolitan
(There was another but I can’t remember it now.)
In my 40’s:
Self
Yoga Journal
Utne Reader
Cooking Light
I’m pretty much magazine-less now (can’t find time to read them) but am considering subscribing to:
Fitness
And resubscribing to Yoga Journal. I could use the inspiration/motivation.
(Hope this one takes)
I also said that something along the lines of:
You come up with interesting blog ideas. Fun ideas, too.
Cool beans on the comments from Stage of Life and Oxford American.
Thanks, Robin. Sorry I didn’t check spam file. I found it there. Duh! Have been fighting my grandsons for computer time all day. Forgive me.
Know what I like about y’all’s lists? They could only be from you.
LOL! I know what that’s like (fighting for computer time and/or forgetting to check the spam file). No problem. Did my lists match? My memory ain’t all it should be. (And what was the one I forgot? It’s not coming back to me. Or maybe I didn’t forget and just think I did.)
I never really thought about magazine stages or lists being an individual and telling thing. Like I said, you come up with the most interesting blog posts.
I’ve decided I must check out Garden & Gun. It’s too fascinating a title to pass up.
Hi, Anhinga~~
I found your blog by following you from Robin of the cool shoes. How did I find Robin? She commented on another blog I was checking out. Would have to click backwards to figure it out. ;-D
I don’t have a blog, don’t do Facebook or My Space, don’t even tweet on Twitter. But I clicked on Twitter on your home page, and read your tweets. There were half a dozen I found really funny/cute/priceless/descriptive:
- The mistakenly-made bed sheets on laundry day.
- The after-dinner drunk-like squirrel.
- The secret back-up source for veggies.
- Wearing your good PJs for expected trip to OZ.
- Rain flirting…swaying…rumbling…flicking.
- I thought I was cool tweeting on Twitter. Now I realize the cool kids are in twibes.
- Waiting for energy to invade and take over my body.
You certainly have a way with words, even in 144 characters or less!
I am bookmarking your blog so I can come back and read your posts when I have more time.
Joan, what pleasant words to wake to. Thank you.
I appreciate you dropping by so much and hope you’ll be back.
OK, I think I’ve figured out the chain:
From Amy at Flandrum Hill
(http://flandrumhill.wordpress.com/)
To Gerry at Torch lake Views
(http://torchlakeviews.wordpress.com/2009/06 /24/playtime/)
To ____ at UPHILLDOWNDALE
(http://uphilldowndale.wordpress.com/)
To Robin at LIfe In The Bogs
(http://bogsofohio.wordpress.com/)
To you.
All such interesting blogs. I am enjoying getting to know people all over the world this way! And spending ‘way too much time at my computer! ;-D
You’re a person after my heart. We aren’t closeted in our computer rooms, we are spreading connections worldwide. A waitress at Disney recently told us she was from Liverpool. She was astounded when I knew about the beautiful buildings, flora and fauna, etc. in her hometown. Aha, but I have been seeing it through a talented photographer’s eyes on his blog. The world is certainly smaller.
Your chain of blog hopping is exactly how I’ve found many of the interesting bloggers on my blogroll.
Hope to “see” you again.