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I have been subscribing to People magazine since the mid 1990s. Like clockwork, my People arrived in my mailbox every Friday and by Friday evening, after my babies were tucked in bed, I would read each section with great excitement, carefully studying each picture so that I was well enlightened with not only what was going on within the entertainment industry, but also within pop culture.
Even though I loved the movie reviews (now a more watered-down version), fashion sections and sexiest man alive reports, the crossword puzzle was always my favorite and I saved that for a quiet moment on Sundays.
I would happily share my People magazine with family members but only under the condition of the promise that they were, under no uncertain circumstances, to EVER attempt to fill in the crossword puzzle. Today, although my mothering responsibilities have drastically subsided, when it comes to my feelings about my People magazine, not much has changed …
If I know that I will be travelling or going away for a week or so, I will purposely not read my People magazine for a period of 2-3 weeks prior to the trip so that I have a nice collection of them to read on my flight or in the hotel room.
In particular, knowing that I have a stash of People’s tucked neatly in my plane carry bag means that I also have a stash of crossword puzzles to get through which makes me feel, to be completely transparent, happy!
Over the years, I realized that I may care less about entertainers and actors who look like they could be my children (or even grandchildren!), doing things that I would never in my wildest dreams ever do (like surfing in the scary Pacific Ocean) and using platforms of expression that feel like a foreign language to me (like podcast streams), but I still care deeply about the crossword puzzle. Despite my inclination to skim most of the articles presented in the magazine, I still look forward to the arrival of my People every week and make sure that I have a quiet moment to get through the crossword puzzle.
Over the years, I have also learned that I do not care if anyone judges me about my infinite love for People magazine. I do not, in any way shape or form, believe that reading something that makes you happy should be judged for its content IQ worthiness. Who cares!? I am a rather intelligent person but I do not need to flex my intelligence muscles by doing the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle, wherein I find that I can only solve one or two answers, which makes me feel “not smart” and, quite frankly, somewhat aggravated as if the puzzle is a task I must attempt to accomplish, rather than an enjoyable outlet I get to succeed at. As a “smart” psychologist, in terms of psychological well-being, the latter would be my unequivocal recommendation.
Renew! Renew!
Kathy Naumann, possessor of NATURALLY curly hair and the understanding that you can’t control everything!
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