Month-end wrap up: Part One

It's been a busy last two weeks at work, but I was able to read another batch of magazines.  Nothing overly exciting, but I'm glad to be wrapping up a month's worth of data on what I've been reading and learning... and which titles haven't been worth my time this month.  This batch was a really varied mix, and I'll try to add a re-cap of the second batch tomorrow. 

#1.  The June 2010 edition of National Geographic was fantastic - as always!  I never regret the time I spend learning something new about this world we all share.  My favorite article was the cover story about Greenland.  Check out some of the pics here.  Both the coverage of the vanishing ice in that country and the coverage of the changing weather patterns affecting the people of Greenland were so eye-opening. Also, the coverage of the biodiversity present in New Guinea's Foga Mountains - wow!  This video about their efforts to protect the golden-mantled tree kangaroo is amazing. 

#2. On a much lighter note, I also read a recent (September 6, 2010) People magazine.  The cover story on Elin Nordegren's side of the Tiger Woods scandal caught my attention.  What a beautiful, courageous woman; I hope she finds much happiness as she moves on from all this. 

#3. Cooking Light covers a variety of topics beyond just cooking.  Surprisingly, I wasn't compelled to pull out any recipes from the July 2009 issue (just a little behind...).  But, I did pull out a couple of pages of travel articles - New Zealand, Pompeii , and Barcelona.

#4. The May 2010 issue of Nutrition Action was a solid read.  I've already tried a recipe for simple, cooked leafy greens that worked out great.  Sauté a little garlic in olive oil for a minute or two, add the greens - I used chard - and cook until soft.  It took about 10 minutes, and then we added a squeeze of lime juice.  (Full disclosure here - this was so easy my husband actually made it!)

Total magazines read this month – 5 + 4 = 9
Magazines in queue - 168 - 4 = 164 plus 5 = 169. 
(A new batch of October magazines came in last week...)

Where to go next?

It was a busy week at work and home, but I was able to squeeze in some reading here and there.  Earlier this week, I bribed myself to get some exercise on the stationary bike by finishing an old (Spring 2008) Real Simple Travel.  I love travel magazines - especially when I don't have the next trip booked and am looking for ideas.  So many places out there to experience!

1. The best article in this magazine offered solutions for where to go when you have a limited travel budget but plenty of frequent flier miles.  The suggestions?  Fez (Morocco), Budapest (Hungary), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Cusco (Peru), Koh Lanta (Thailand), Panama City (Panama), and Tulum (Mexico).  Buenos Aires has popped up in several articles I've read this year, so it's definitely on my radar.  Lonely Planet has a good overview here.

2. A similar "problem/solution" article addressed where to visit if you need a country where English is widely spoken.  Belize, Croatia, India, Israel, Norway, Sweden, and Vietnam are all great suggestions.  I would also add Ireland.  I was there earlier this year, and it was definitely a different cultural experience without having to study up on a new language before the trip. 

3. I pulled out two cute totes perfect for hauling your gear to the pool or beach; it's a little late for that this year, but at least I have a couple of options before the next trip.  The first option is made of upcycled boat sails - love these! The second option is made of raincoat cotton, and though they don't have the same style listed on the website (it has been two years!), they have other cute options. Check out this one in the blue (gulf stream) option.   

4. I picked up a new safety tip - not listing your address on your luggage tags.  Listing a home address tells, as the article puts it, "a potentially unscrupulous baggage handler" that no one is home at that address.  I'd never thought of that!  My husband travels a lot for work - so glad that he's been using a business card (with his work address) on his luggage tags. 

5. Finally, I also pulled out two random articles on A.) a quick long weekend trip to the Dominican Republic on $1,000 (sounds promising, right?!) and B.) the best time to travel to Machu Picchu, Peru (definitely on my long-term list).  If you're wondering, the best time for Machu Picchu is in March...

Total magazines read this month – 5
Magazines in queue - 168

I don't own a house or a garden…

But, I do periodically read Better Homes and Gardens.  I had some rare downtime on Sunday, so I read the whole September 2010 edition.  In a hectic workweek, reading a few BHG articles can be peaceful and soothing.  The photo styling is always spot-on, and I can count on learning at least one new thing.  I ended up pulling out quite a few pages for my files from this edition. 

               

#1. Possibly the most beautiful chair ever - The Mullins Tufted Side Chair at Wildflower Organics.  Out of my price range right now, but so perfect!  

#2. I love gummy bears, but I don't want the high-fructose corn syrup and artificial ingredients, so I rarely eat them.  BHG has my solution - Gummy Pandas made with organic sugar and real fruit from bissingers.com.  Yum!
#3. I pulled out a couple of (most likely too difficult for a novice like me) recipes plus two that I could actually pull off.  The first is for slow-baked tomatoes with garlic and mint.  Only four ingredients and 15 minutes of prep time, so this one has potential for me.  The second was an ad for the National Pork Board featuring “the perfect pulled pork” recipe.  Pork + water + a few spices in the slow cooker while I’m at work = easy dinner one day this fall. 
#4. As luck would have it, I had some figs that I needed to do something with asap on Sunday.  BHG had an article about how to buy, store and eat figs.  Excellent!  How did they know?! They suggested a sprinkle of sugar, baking for 10 minutes, and serving with ice cream.  I didn’t have any ice cream or sugar, but I did cut them in half and bake them in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes.  I used one teaspoon of splenda on half of the figs and about a half tablespoon of agave syrup on the other half.  I would cook them for about five more minutes next time, but they were pretty good.  And, the best part was that they didn't go to waste.
#5. 10% off promo code for overstock.com.  Not sure if I'll use it yet, but it doesn't hurt to hang onto it for a couple of weeks.
#6. Goody's Simple Styles Spin Pin looked promising, so I looked it up online and checked out this video.  Looks easy and the cost is really reasonable at about $6.  Might keep an eye out for it on the next Target run.

Total magazines read this month – 4
Magazines in queue - 169

Why aren't more magazines sized to fit in a purse?

Saturday was an errand day for me this week, so I grabbed the only magazine that was small enough to throw into my purse – Prevention.  I’m still getting caught up on magazines I missed this summer, so this one was from July 2010, but I was glad I had it when I got delayed waiting for my car’s oil to be changed. There wasn’t anything in this edition that really warranted being pulled out to keep or investigate further , but it did help reinforce some good healthy habits that I’m already practicing (drink enough water, eat more fruits and veggies, exercise outdoors when possible).  The cover never really pulls me in and some of the material (plus the copious multi-page drug ads) skews old for me, but they do consistently have solid, practical health advice.  And a little extra motivation is always a good thing.  I saved one very simple-looking recipe to try out soon; I'll post a pic if I get around to making this one. 

Slow-cooker beef fajitas: In a slow-cooker, combine flank steak, ground cumin, lime juice, and jarred salsa.  Cook on low 8 to 10 hours, and then shred the meat and serve in tortillas. 

(Prevention reported that this recipe is from Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever by Diane Phillips.)

Total magazines read this month – 3
Magazines in queue - 170

Success!

So, a couple of days ago, I wasn't very impressed with fall edition of InStyle Makeover.  However, I did promise to check out the free offers at Ulta that I stumbled across while reading it.  I'm happy to report it was a success! Yes, the sales girl was a little annoyed that she had to check for them, but I had torn out the offers to bring to the store, so that seemed to help.  Here's the final tally:
#1: Cosmedicine oil control lotion with spf 20 (0.5 oz) - FREE
#2: Dr.Dennis Gross Skincare alpha beta daily face peel (1 use) - FREE
#3: Murad sun undone 3-step daily regimen (cleanser, serum, and spf lotion - 0.125 oz. each) - FREE
#4: bareMinerals matte spf 15 foundation plus brush (reportedly a 10 day sample) - FREE
#5: Smashbox Photofinish primer - SOLD OUT – But, they seem to have replaced it with Cargo Activating Face Primer (0.12 oz.) – FREE

Ulta had some other great deals and free offers with purchase going when I was there, so I’m really glad that that I happened to read the magazine before I stopped in.  Score one for reading magazines in the same month they come out!   

You get what you pay for

I should probably mention that I don't personally subscribe to all the titles I read; a decent number are passed along from my mom and my sister in Ohio. Between the three of us, the magazine industry should be just fine...
Today, I finished the Fall 2010 InStyle Makeover (one of my sister's cache), but it was a bit of a disappointment. So glad I didn't pay to buy this!  Okay to flip through, but not much material of any relevance to me. I only noted a couple of pages:

#1. I tore out pics of three dresses that caught my eye, but when I looked them up online, not one of them was available on the websites listed in the articles. Already sold out?! Not available yet? It’s a mystery!

#2. Ulta seemed to be the sole advertiser for this copy, but there were several free sample offers of the advertised products. I already had a trip to Ulta scheduled for this weekend, so I'll try to find out if these samples are actually being given out.

#3. There was one interesting article about the best hair cuts based on the shape of your face (similar article here). I'm about ready for a haircut, and according to this article my face is heart shaped, but none of the recommended haircuts appealed to me. Bangs – no way!!

Luckily, I was able to read a couple of articles in National Geographic at lunch, so the day wasn’t a complete bust!

Total magazines read this month – 2
Magazines in queue - 171

And then there were 172...

So, one down and 172 to go...! I finished up the summer 2010 edition of The Nest magazine today. An interesting magazine focused on modern newlyweds, it tends to skew slightly young for me. Although, I love the snapshots into other newlyweds' marriages and homes - a total guilty pleasure! Overall, it was pretty good, and I ended up pulling out a few items for my files.

#1: A cool custom-printed window shade from Orange Piel similar to this one. So pretty and creative!

#2: Solid-color throw pillow from Pier 1 for only $20. I wouldn't have though to check with them, and I've been looking for new throw pillows for the living room.

#3: Trip ideas for New Zealand in an article titled "6 Places to go before you have kids." Yes please!!

#4: A pie chart showing one option for how to break out your household expenses.  This made me remember how thankful I am not to have car payments right now, and also how much more money I could spend on travel if I didn't have a student loan payment!

• Housing 30%
• Savings 15%
• Transportation 12%
• Groceries 8%
• Medical/Health 8%
• Entertainment/Dining Out/Travel 8%
• Phone/Internet/Cable 5%
• Utilities/Maintenance 5%
• Clothing 4%

1,440 minutes today...

I've been in quite a "work-dinner-gym-chores-sleep and repeat" rut this year, and it struck me recently that there are one thousand, four hundred forty minutes in each day.  That sounds like a lot of time!  Where is it all going?! I have a feeling that a decent chunk of those minutes are going to reading... or thinking about what to read next, going to the bookstore, moving stacks of magazines around my house... you get the idea. 
In fact, a quick count today revealed that I currently have 173 magazines in the rotation waiting to be read.  Part of the problem is that I have a wide variety of interests that I would like to continue to develop.  Travel, healthy cooking, home design, hiking, and the occasional fashion magazine all grab my attention.  Each time I pick up a magazine, I think that this could be the day I learn a tip that changes my life.  Who doesn't want to "find the perfect jeans," "lose ten pounds without getting off the couch," or "organize your closets for the last time"?
So, I continue to try to read everything from Allure and Accounting Today to Yoga Journal.  And yet, I'm not sure what I'm really getting out of all these magazines.  Am I really learning anything new?  And, more importantly, will I ever put any of the knowledge gleaned from these articles to use?  So, it seemed like it would be a good idea to try to use this space to track the best nuggets from my reading journeys.  Worst case scenario, it should at least motivate me to pay more attention to what topics and interests are getting some of those precious daily 1,440 minutes!