I’m a magazine hoarder, at least according to my sweetheart. It’s true that there are quite a few under my roof. There’s a stack on the side table, a few on my night table, and three or four more still in the mail pile. Then there are the dozens and dozens of stored publications.

I get teaching magazines, housewife magazines (my name for them, although I think housewives no longer exist), and quilting magazines. The teaching magazines are useful for inspiration and resources. I keep these filed away if there’s something I will use in them, but I’ve become far more selective about what I keep. I’ve cut back on the number of these publications I receive, and I keep fewer and fewer of them, since so many excellent resources are available on the internet.

The “housewife” magazines are fun while they last. I don’t pay much for these (I always seems to be getting a free promotion for some reason), and for the price, they are entertaining. I use their recipes, skim their articles, and scoff at their version of “everywoman” fashions. They come into my house, sit around for a while, then are flipped through and recycled.

Finally, there are quilting magazines. These are the ones I keep. I love picking up the latest issue to see what trends are in vogue, and to get inspiration for my own creative endeavors. I’ve been quilting since the late 1980’s and its fun to see how trends have changed, but classic quilts never go out of style. I have learned so much from decades of different designers and teachers. I’ve viewed thousands of quilts on their pages, and I’ve created dozens of my own, using their patterns and ideas as a catalyst for my own creativity. Dozens of them are neatly stored in magazine boxes, and I pull them out to look through them every now and then.

I’m trying to simplify my life, at least a little, and I know I should keep new magazines out of the house, but I just can’t quite kick the habit. The feel of a magazine in my hands, the clean graphics and engaging text, and especially the photos keep me coming back. You would think a pinterest affecianado like me would be so enamored of the internet that an old fashioned paper magazine couldn’t compare, but the fact is, I love the look, feel, and content of magazines, and I will keep subscribing for many years to come.

September 17, 2013
by BulgingButtons 6 Comments

Daily Prompt: The Cat Says Meow

Write a story about yourself from the perspective of an object, thing, animal, or another person.

There she goes again, walking right past the door as if she doesn’t even know I’m in here. Oh, she knows, she just doesn’t want to think about me. Sure, sometimes she brings in the four legged one, clips her to the leash, and lets her go through her paces, but deep down she knows that she’s the one I want.

I didn’t always live this life, relegated to a side bedroom, spending hours watching a teenager lounge around playing video games. Do you know how hard that is? Having the company but sitting idle? If only he would get off that couch and turn me on. He could do it, it wouldn’t have to be her. But deep down, she’s the one I really want.

Every now and then, almost as a tease, she does come see me. She brings her music of choice, and her refreshment. She sets up the fan so that it’s blowing just right, and she makes a note of the time. Then, with deliberation and determination, she climbs aboard. Oh, how I love this time. That rush as she begins, slowly at first, then with increased speed and intensity, is impossible to adequately describe. We begin to move together, to get into a groove. The music helps us as we find our rhythm. This is what I was made for. This is what I long for. But, as always, it ends too soon, and again I’m left waiting, alone.

September 16, 2013
by BulgingButtons Leave a comment

Daily Passion Prompt 12: Stick to the Point

TODAY’S QUESTION

If you had to choose just one topic to write 50 different blog posts about — what would it be?

No problem. I could write 50 different blog posts on several topics. Of course that would mean several different blogs if I wanted to be coherent, but since I don’t, and I’m not, I would lump them all together in once place. You know, like I do here.

If I had to stick to one topic I certainly could, but I haven’t given myself any such constraints. For the sake of argument though, here are my topics of choice in semi-random order:

1. getting healthier and fitter and leaner and meaner, minus the meaner

2. teaching

3. parenting

4. quilting

5. the life and times of me!

The really great thing is that I get to use this blog as a platform for all of these topics, and any others that happen to cross my mind. I love having options and not having to choose!