Backlog

As of today, I'm 25 issues behind of The New Yorker and 52 of The New York Times Magazine.

When a new magazine arrives, I scan it greedily, particularly the snippets in "Talk of the Town," and the personal essays in "Lives."  Ditto, the pieces on Callista Gingrich and her hair and Calvin Trillin and what he eats.  

But then it all breaks down.  I hit a wall with the serious articles that require concentration and time, and the magazine goes on a growing stack.

This now adds up to 8 inches of printed matter I need to get to.

This came to my attention recently when my friend Judy mentioned that she was only three issues behind of The New Yorker and was going straight home to catch up.  Does she read the articles on Afghanistan, I'd like to know?  Or the European debt crisis (or any debt crisis, for that matter)?  How about the machinations of studio heads in Hollywood?  If she does, she's better informed than I'll ever be.

I have the magazines stacked next to my chair in the living room, and I've started looking at them.  I've gotten as far as tearing out movie reviews from The New Yorker so I'll know what to rent from Netflix.  Mostly I just feel guilty.

Is this a common problem?


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