#156 – Reading Material

I have subscriptions for exactly two magazines; Real Simple and Wired.

The former tells me about all the dishes I won’t cook, the home improvement and organization projects I’ll keep procrastinating and the cloth I won’t buy.  I enjoy reading it.  Wired, while telling me about all the gadgets I won’t buy [and a few that I will], kind of falls under professional reading.  I have yet to get an issue that doesn’t include knowledge, tidbits or insights I’ll immediately use while doing my job, at lunch talk or whenever.  It’s cool, hype, a bit wild and yet very useful and educational.

I can’t remember when something I read in Real Simple became a conversation piece. EVER.

And yet, every year [or two] I renew both subscriptions without hesitation.

One would ask, “why?”

My introspective, pseudo-psychological answer is simple: I’d love my home, office, closets and drawers to be perfectly sorted and organized, everything that belongs to Goodwill making its way to their store, every stain removed instead of having to part from cloth I dearly love. . . I love the idea of making the house as efficient and perfectly set, organized and run as Real Simple advises and guides.  But I don’t.  Nor do I cook/bake/prepare those healthy yummy dinners.  Real Simple is here for those reasons.  however, while I read 30-60% of each issue, do I follow much of its advice?  No.

Instead, I take the time to read the Wired issue, a book or two and too many emails.

one big difference though. Reading Real Simple can [and at times does] generate a minor guilt trip.  Wired may depress, yet generates a trip to a website or Fry’s.  further learning yes, guilt – no.

Don’t look for logic here, I didn’t commit to any.

Potential convergence?

or maybe this:

Geekiness Made Simple?