Yesterday, I found myself with an afternoon free of any obligations, where I could finally partake in my favorite activity: reading magazines. I savor my magazines (three monthly, one weekly) and often wait until I have two hours of unfettered freedom to peruse the periodicals at my own slow and savoring pace. File it under "simple pleasures."
There is something so delightful and relaxing in thumbing through a robust, glossy magazine. I take my time, read each article, in order. I even give some eye-time to the advertisements. It's never a quick thumb-through. There are not many things I am meticulous about but skipping ahead in magazine pages is a line I do not cross. It's all or nothing, digesting the visual and textual meal in one sitting. I look forward to opening my small mailbox to find 180 pages curled around itself. Pure bliss!
So I had my luxurious Sunday of November's issues to look forward to; but first, I had to pop down to get the mail, only to discover two December issues a-creeping at my door.
This should be exciting for a periodical-phile like myself but I can be a completist about certain things and I want to correct the imbalance as fast as possible without losing the pure joy in savoring it.
"So just read the magazines, why write a lengthy diatribe about it? Gah!" <-- that's you, right now. And me, to be honest.
December magazines are the creme de la creme of monthly magazines. They are chock-a-block of gift guides, DIY ideas, wrapping and stocking-stuffers and recipes and cocktails and party dresses and home decor and wintry photos and magical everything! December magazines are bursting with a general homey coziness that ushers in that "special time of year". It's like a cup of warm soup for your eyeballs. I LOVE my eyeball soup and my December issues! File under "simple winter pleasures."
But...just not yet...
It greatly saddens me that Christmas decorations began invading the stores two weeks before Halloween. Thanksgiving is three weeks away and some leaves still haven't fallen from the branches outside. December (really, that means the HOLIDAYS with capital letters!) has always been muscling over the late-year months for years, being all "I'm everyone's favorite month of winter!" I just want to give November its due. To read leisurely of pine cone centerpieces, nubby knit sweaters, and autumnal photos before giving over to the holiday hullabaloo. Though the seasons are equal amount of days, of Autumn (like its early year cousin, Spring) gets the short shrift.
So I read my November issues, though it did lose a little of the cozy indulgence, knowing that December's magazines were just sitting over there, all glittering and sparkling. I'm forcing myself to wait at least another week before digging into the first December issue.
As they say, Be the change you want to see in the world...