Thursday, January 30, 2014
New York, New York
For some reason we are now getting two copies of The New Yorker every week. This is fine, I suppose, except I really don't want to be PAYING for two copies of The New Yorker every week. Also, I barely read the one copy as it is. I've developed a system whereby I 1) check out the cartoon caption contest at the back and verify that all the submissions are terrible, then 2) read whatever criticism back there that happens to be of interest (for instance, NOT three-page thinkpieces on Icelandic artists I've never heard of), at which point I flip back to the front and 3) check out the table of contents for anything that doesn't sound super depressing and/or super boring, then 4) read whatever Talk of the Town pieces don't make me throw up in my mouth in the first paragraph, and 5) start on any of the aforementioned non-depressing/boring long form pieces, unless I feel like maybe I'd rather play with my phone instead. Of course, the system doesn't generally apply if I'm on the train or the elliptical, in which case I'll pretty much read anything, although I'll have The Young & The Restless with closed captioning on in the background. But regardless, what to do about the two copies? I should probably call their subscription department, but I'm afraid they'll be all urbane and witty and hoist me by my own petard or something.
For some reason we are now getting two copies of The New Yorker every week. This is fine, I suppose, except I really don't want to be PAYING for two copies of The New Yorker every week. Also, I barely read the one copy as it is. I've developed a system whereby I 1) check out the cartoon caption contest at the back and verify that all the submissions are terrible, then 2) read whatever criticism back there that happens to be of interest (for instance, NOT three-page thinkpieces on Icelandic artists I've never heard of), at which point I flip back to the front and 3) check out the table of contents for anything that doesn't sound super depressing and/or super boring, then 4) read whatever Talk of the Town pieces don't make me throw up in my mouth in the first paragraph, and 5) start on any of the aforementioned non-depressing/boring long form pieces, unless I feel like maybe I'd rather play with my phone instead. Of course, the system doesn't generally apply if I'm on the train or the elliptical, in which case I'll pretty much read anything, although I'll have The Young & The Restless with closed captioning on in the background. But regardless, what to do about the two copies? I should probably call their subscription department, but I'm afraid they'll be all urbane and witty and hoist me by my own petard or something.
