Friendship

Friendship

Friendship is a magic tie

That reaches past the last good-bye,

Past the miles and past the years,

Past the laughter, past the tears.

Nothing breaks this golden strand

Spun by heart and not by hand

----Clare Mishica

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Isn't that just the sweetest? I've reread it about 10 times in the past 3 days, and I love it every time. And, you'll never guess where I found it...Highlights! Yes, the same Highlights you used to read as a kid, probably at the doctor's office like I did. Unless, of course, you were one of those lucky kids whose parents actually got them a subscription. Spoiled little brat! But, I digress... I did have a cousin who used to get them (my uncle is STILL the coolest guys I know!) and when we would visit, I would disappear with a giant pile of Highlights until it was time to go home. See, I HAVE always been a geek! It's nothing new, trust me. I used to do the same when we'd visit people who had Readers Digest in their house. (Why is it that nobody can throw those away?) I would try and read a year's worth in one visit. I suppose this is where my obsession with magazines started.

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We never had magazines in our house when we were growing up. At least not any that I wanted to read. My dad received some sportsmen/shooting/NRA magazine (He's a world champion trapshooter) but who the hell wanted to read those? My mother was a Harlequin romance kinda girl back then, definitely not a magazine girl. I, however, have a serious issue, and I probably need professional help. I have no less than 10 magazine subscriptions that come to this house. Maybe it's more...let's count...

1. Highlights*
2. Ninetendo Power*
3. Game Pro*
4. Readers Digest
5. Playboy
6. All for You
7. Family Circle
8. Woman's Day
9. Family Fun
10. First for Women
11. Woman's World
12. Everyday with Rachael Ray
13. Everyday Foods
14. Everyday Living
15. Cooks Illustrated
16. Food and Family

I think that's all. (*These come in Stud Muffin's name, but I always snatch the Highlights first. Believe it or not, he will still read through them, and he loves to do the hidden picture puzzles. He cracks me up!)

OK, so that's 16, if I didn't miss any, which is possible. This is the part where you all tell, "What the hell is wrong with you?!! If you didn't subscribe to 16 freakin' magazines, you could quit one of your jobs!!!" Believe me, I know. And, I hear it all the time from my mother (thanks, Ma!). But, I feel completely justified in my magazine addiction. First of all, magazine articles are about all I can read in my free moments. 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there is really all I have. Sundays used to be my Magazine Day, and I would take a pile of them to my room, and stay in bed reading them all day. That was BI (before Intimo!). Now, I try to catch up on my sleep and still get up in time to watch Desperate Housewives!

Anyway, another reason I feel justified in buying all these magazines is that they really are my only vice. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't gamble, I don't spend money on my hair or clothes, I don't care about jewelry, and I don't wear a stitch of makeup, so there's no money going there. I'm sure if you added up what 'normal' women spend on all those things (not the drinking, smoking and gambling parts!) I'm way ahead in the game.

And, finally, I'm not asking anyone to pay for my magazines. If I choose to work 3 jobs to support my habit (tee hee), that's my business. I have managed to eliminate some subscriptions in order to cut back on my spending, and if I have to do it again, I will. But, for now, this is what makes me happy. And, you can't really put a price on that, can you?

Whew! Glad I got that off my chest! Sorry to unload on my Bloggy Buddies, but I know you don't judge! ;-)