Mag Hag

I am addicted to magazines.

Wow, it felt good to say that. This is not a recent thing. I remember as a teenager desperately wanting my Mum to let me buy "Dolly", a type of Aussie teen Cosmo. She wouldn't, and thus the obsession began.

Over the years I have always had subscriptions to at least 5 magazines a month and sometimes as many as 20. I have gone through periods where I try to whittle them down and then six months later my mailbox is stuffed again. My main love is cooking magazines. The death of "Gourmet" was very tough on me and I still tear up when I receive my substitute "Bon Appetit" in the mail. I also get "Cooks Illustrated", "Cooks Country"and "Everyday Food". I am a proud subscriber to "Martha Stewart Living". The photography and styling in that mag is just gorgeous.

I went through a long period of getting "Harpers", but I never had enough time to read all the articles, and I often found myself getting depressed by them. I read the whole magazine. I am not a flicker. I read every page, and sometimes "Harpers" just did me in. I also have several years worth of "National Geographic s" stuffed in my spare room.

I could go on and on. So many magazines that I have once welcomed into my home, or still do.

I think I love magazines for the possibilities and mini motivational pep talks they give you. I always feel inspired, for a brief moment, to turn my life around. I will organize that closet. I will bake that 7 layer truffle cake. I will launch into a month of awesome weight loss and hard core fitness. It all seems so doable laid out on those glossy, friendly pages. Never mind that the craft projects and cooking adventures never quite come off as fabulous as the photos. For that brief moment one can luxuriate in the possibility that they will, and that your house will look sparkly and oh so perfect while you are doing them.

Magazines are also tailor made for my Mum life. I often have 5 mins to sit and read. But no more than that. A book would be far too dangerous to pick up. I might get sucked in. I might neglect my children. A magazine however can be set down with ease, and I can still feel like I have read something.

I must confess. The one type of magazine I never read. Parenting Publications! Can't stand them. I usually disagree with so much they have to say that I get quite worked up and start firing off letters to editors. Best to leave them alone.

And lastly, the best local magazine is "Edible Seattle", edited by a dear friend of mine. Do yourself a favor and check it out. I'm signing off now to go read what the best figure flattering skirt for me is....seriously.

Cooking Contests

I just entered my first cooking contest. I don't know whether to be elated or worried. My entry was pretty slap dash and I haven't actually cooked the dish in a long time, so I was going from memory. I am simultaneously excited and repulsed by the cooking contest world. It seems almost like playing the lotto, such big prizes at stake, and yet it is not the kind of cooking I normally aspire to. I just finished reading "The Ungarnished truth" by Ellie Matthews about her Pillsbury Bake-off win. It was an OK read, though I got the feeling that Ellie is a pretty underwhelmed person, and thus I had trouble mustering up enthusiasm when she seemed to lack it as well. It got me to thinking about food contests, and how for years now I have entertained the notion of entering Pillsbury. I get all fired up and then sputter out when I see all the rules and regulations. Not to mention I never actually cook with biscuits in a can and ready to go pie crust. I always kick myself when the entry period is closed. So, I've resolved to start taking action and tonight I entered the Dole California cook-off. I could win a 4-day, 3-night trip to California to compete for cash and a chance to have my recipe printed on 1000s of DOLE Canned Fruit or Juice labels! (as the flyer so nicely pointed out). That is if I have filled out those submission forms correctly! Stay tuned, and if I don't win I'll put the recipe here instead.

Back again

So it seems I got locked out of my last blog.....and then life conspired to stop me from doing anything about it. Never fear. I am back! I've got things I need to say, absolutely no time to say it, and friends who deserve better than listening to me prattle on. Thus I will send these thoughts out into the internet void...and to you dear reader, whoever you are.