The Economist vs. W Magazine

Last month I received a notice from United Airlines that the few miles I had on account with them were about to expire, but fear not for I could redeem them for magazines. I am a sucker for magazines, and for free things, so it seemed like a no-brainer. Ignoring the fact that in this household we already receive The New Yorker, Newsweek, Vanity Fair, The Smithsonian, Budget Traveler, Atlantic Monthly, The New York Review of Books (Daddy pretty much has this one to himself), and various alumni rags, I went ahead and ordered Conde Nast Traveler (I really wanted a cooking magazine but none were available), W Magazine, and The Economist. I have never read The Economist in my life, but it seemed like a good choice to balance the somewhat nonsensical point of W with the somewhat nonsensical (to me) point of The Economist. I would say my grasp of economics is wanting, to say the least. Why not subject myself, I mean open myself up to the challenge? A few things to note about The Economist: it has little advertising (rare indeed), it actually includes information about places like Latin America and Africa, AND it is a weekly. Oh my. Suffice to say that I am barely through the first third and I fear issue number two will arrive this afternoon.

I end with a confession and a goal. First, the confession: my first issue of W arrived yesterday and it was a fashion-filled respite from the rigors of global economics. Cate Blanchett looks gorgeous on the cover by the way. Second, the goal: stop writing about not finishing The Economist and go read The Economist. Well, perhaps after my run and after I make pesto, of course.