From Cosmo to Woman's Day

Obviously when you get married, begin having children, leave your twenties (not necessarily all in that order) things change. Sure, you're no longer as "hip" and youthful as you once were. There are usually less late nights on the town, less little black dresses, and less hangovers (at least compared to being single in NYC for a year). But one particular change is the most alarming to me: magazine choices.

A free issue of Woman's Day arrived in my mailbox last year and it depressed me. Where were the free issues of Cosmo, Glamour, or Fly Young Women Like Yourself Quarterly? Clearly the marketing powers that be got together and decided that I no longer need to know about flirty cocktails, strappy stilettos, or enticing the object of my affection by the photocopier in my chic Manhattan office (y'know, things that used to be an everyday for me).

I wouldn't even OPEN that first issue. Who do these people think they are, sending me this smut? Sure, since the birth of my son, my hair is lucky to see a brush, my footwear is two steps away from orthopedic nursing shoes, and discussions about our child's digestive health make their way into daily interactions with my husband more than I'd expect, but I'm still cool... RIGHT?!

Then I was at "work" one day. I put "work" in quotations because I take care of a second grader after school and enjoy it thoroughly so it doesn't really feel like work. Actually, the real "work" is caring for MY son! But anyhow, a down-and-out man selling magazines caught me off-guard as he rang the doorbell. He had a story of addiction, loss, and redemption that convinced me to use the ten dollars in my pocket to order a magazine subscription from him.

The magazine selection was slim: fishing, financial, Cat Fancy... plus I had two children to return to, so I skimmed the list until I saw a familiar name in a low price range. What do you know: WOMAN'S FREAKIN' DAY.

My husband thought I "doth protest too much" after I had been so INSULTED by one issue and then willingly signed up for a year's subscription, and I can't blame him. Then the issues started to arrive. Well, I may as well give it a skim. Recipes for homemade donuts and quiches, the wonders of coupon-ing, dieting tips (thanks, I'll read those after I use your donut recipe), three billion new ways to organize your tupperware, makeovers that make women look very stylish and yet somehow add two decades to their age...

Then something happened. I started getting INTERESTED... "25 Ways to Meal Plan and Save on Grocery Items"? "Affordable Decorating Solutions"? "Ways to Organize Yourself and Your Family While Not Hating Life"? YES PLEASE. Obviously I'm just making up names of articles, but you get the gist. SIGH. What do you know? Woman's Day actually has a LOT of great articles and tips that touch on financial advice, organization, parenting, grandparenting (!), fitness, decorating for morons like me, charity opportunities, small business management, and more. And it does a great job of spotlighting entrepreneurial, diverse women. It encourages goals both in and out of the house, and I love that. Plus I kind of want to try that donut recipe...

So I guess I'm a Woman's Day woman now. Please pass the snuggie and Murder She Wrote anthology. I will never be sexy AGAIN.

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