Like many an American when I go into my bathroom at home to take care of business; I frequently like to have something to occupy my mind while the rest of me is busy. Occasionally I’ll take whatever book I’m reading at the moment with me, but I don’t like to do that because I tend to get caught up in the book and don’t leave the bathroom until my legs are asleep. I’ve found that taking a magazine in with me works better, as I can finish my business and read through an article at the same time.
I used to subscribe to CPU Magazine but my subscription is running out now and I don’t plan on renewing it. I’ve known for a while that I can basically get all the same info that’s in the magazine before the magazine goes to print by surfing the web. That didn’t bother me so much when the magazine was newer but the last several issues were completely dull. Maybe that’s because the whole tech industry is getting to be boring; I don’t know. What I do know is if I’m going to read dull information; I sure as hell don’t want to pay for the privilege.
So what am I reading these days? Well, first off there’s American Bungalow. I really love this magazine as it’s full of great photographs of lovely houses nd has articles about restoration projects. And let’s face it after abut 11 years of apartment living; I’m being totally consumed by house-envy. This magazine doesn’t help me with that in any way, shape or form but it does give me these crazy & exciting ideas of what I want in a house and what I’ll do to a house once I finally buy one. The only downsides to this magazine are that it only comes out quarterly and it’s rather expensive (~$12). So I tend to buy it at our local B&N, so I can use our membership card for the discount. Plus by getting it at the store, I don’t have to worry about our mailman shredding it in our mailbox; which has happened more than a few times. *grumble, grumble*
The other magazine that I’ve just started reading is mental_floss. I heard about this one about a week ago while blog-hopping1 and it sounded interesting. So the next time Ariesna & I were in B&N; I bought a copy of it. Basically, the magazine is full of trivia and wacky/interesting information. So far it seems like it will be a fun mag and I’ll probably pick up the next issue when it comes out (since it only costs ~$5). If the next one is also fun; then I might end up subscribing to this one and hence will have plenty of bathroom reading handy. 😛
1 Blog-hopping (verb): The process by which a person reads an article one blog and then proceeds to follow links from the blog that they are currently reading to another blog.
I typically read a book or magazine. On the rare occassion that I had to make an unexpected pit stop, I’ll read the back of a shampoo bottle, toothpaste, or whatever else seems to be laying around. What makes us want to read in there anyways? You would think we’d want to get in, do our business, and get out.
I don’t know that I prefer to read in there, but if I know that my business is going to take some time (e.g. like when, in a fit of insanity, I eat at Taco Bell); then I don’t want to be stuck in there with nothing to do.
On the other hand, it’s not entirely a bad place to read as it tends to be the quietest room in my apartment and most people will not bother somebody while they’re in the bathroom. Undisturbed peace & quiet is something that’s rather hard to come by when I’m in any other room. Hmm, I might have to look into getting a comfier toilet seat and do more reading in there…
At the risk of continuing this line of conversation, I have never read on the toilet. But the way you all talk about it, I might have to give it a try! 🙂