2003-06-08 - 1:58 p.m. confessions of a born-again magazine addict Today's little magazine purchasing extravaganza was brought on upon by a crisis of self, resulting from some career/life introspection. This introspection happened, in part, while engaging in some overly-caffeinated dancing around in my living room to �reeling� by PJ Harvey. Marketing is not my calling in life. Yes, I am good at it, but, it is, honestly, a secure spot I landed in when I needed to sort out other things in my life, and to get over the exhaustion/despair that comes with trying to live in one of the world�s most expensive cities on a journalist�s paycheck. Most unfortunately for me though, the only "work" that makes me happy to get out of the bed in the morning, the only "work" that makes me beam with pride and a sense of accomplishment, is my writing and photography. Nothing else comes at all close. Thus, I am at one of those precarious crossroads in life again. I've had a year to regain my balance and mourn the loss of the boy I was married to. Now, I am feeling the need for taking action. For taking a risk. For pursuing work that either a) is personally fulfilling, or b) pays me significantly more so I can save up for some significant time off for travel and writing and exploration. Chances are this City that I love dearly won't offer up any such opportunities. I'm not looking forward to the idea of leaving behind my friends and all the fabulous secrets this City has let me in on, but I need more than I'm getting right now. If I can obtain that certain je ne sais quoi while staying here, I'll rejoice; if it entails moving elsewhere on this Coast, or even to NYC to find it, it's my duty to pursue it. You only live once. Thus, to get the professional writing juices flowing again, I strolled over to the fabulous Green Apple Books fiction annex which is also home to their well-edited magazine racks. While listening to the new Radiohead album (that gets released this week) at a good volume, I picked up the following mostly indie reading materials: Friction Magazine -- issue 1, collecting up a year�s worth (2002 to be more exact) of articles originally posted on their Web site. Kitchen Sink � issue 3, of this new (less than a year old) Bay Area mag . It�s the stalker issue, with both an article and a comic on folks w/Polly Harvey obsessions. The Believer -- issue 2 of Dave Eggers monthly interview/essay magazine, featuring no advertising (and thus a hefty $8 an issue price tag) and articles on est being alive and well in corporate America and the Magnetic Fields, and interviews with Pat Benatar and Jack White. It�s a pleasure to support this lively local magazine. The Believer -- � issue 3, (see above), but with an article on the language we use to talk about epidemics (I am always such a sucker for long essays on language and word use/abuse) and interviews with David Rees (of "Get Your War On") and Liz Phair. This issue had a tipped in postcard of a pretty painting of a monkey, and a subscriber card that gets you one year for 25% off the cover price. I�m going for it��cuz I just don�t subscribe to enough magazines already (haha). Found magazine � issue 2. I bought this for the friend who went with me to the South Asian festival at the Metreon last night. It was featured on a "This American Life" segment yesterday and we were chatting about it. It�s full of found letters/postcards/photos given new poignancy by their lost or discarded then found by strangers status. Bitch � issue no. 20, the obsessions issue, with an interview with kick-ass investigative journalist Barbara Ehrenreich (please go pick up a copy of her book "Nickled and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America" if you haven�t read it already), and on record collecting (an obsession *I* certainly don�t have. No. Not me.) mental_floss � vol. 2, issue 3, the "second annual 10 issue", with ranging from 10 most political moments in rock n� roll to 10 ways to lose someone elses� money and 10 great movie villains. Somehow, it reminded me of the late, lamented, might magazine, so I had to buy it. Utne -- June issue, with a few articles on indie filmmaking and Kurt Vonnegut on war, politics, religion, etc. dwell -- June issue, with a roundup of cool furniture showrooms, etc., purchased mostly to act as a push to get crackin� on writing about design again, and to help my interior designer friend whip his portfolio into order. Real Simple -- June/July issue, to remind me of what small, snappy, saleable articles look like, and what interest the folks I work with, as compared to the above titles which are more in line with the reading habits of my friends than of my coworkers.) This should certainly give me more than enough to read all week on MUNI� any comments? (1 so far) previous - next recently on almostgoldsf... in defense of an email box I came to do battle with SPAM - 2008-05-17 hello 2006 - 2005-12-31 Happy Thanksgiving - 2005-11-14 bon voyage - 2005-11-05 October already? - 2005-10-09