Crazy Mary's Q& A

Here we are again, dear readers.  Last week, I got a question on Sunday, which meant that I had all week to think about it. It was a simple question, but since I had 6 days, I was able to complicate it sufficiently for the column. Here it is:

I have a question for the Crazy Mary column.




If you could create and publish your own monthly magazine, what kinds of subjects would it cover and what would you name it?
 
What an exciting and creative question! You can imagine in the space of a week how many different magazines I created and published. Some were rejected immediately, some were chewed on until I tired of them, some were completely nonsensical and had potential. 
 
First, I had to assume the magazine, being completely imaginary, wouldn't have to turn a profit. That little detail changes everything, because if one is marketing to make money, there has to be a target audience, a list of fancy shmancy advertisers and maximum circulation.  So keep in mind the idea that if I were to be able to do this, I would have to be a gazillionaire and just do this as a diversion.
 
Secondly, I don't like monthly magazines, so mine would come every two months. Monthly magazines can become so...predictable and staid, like an old auntie that shows up every Sunday afternoon for dinner with the same corn and bean casserole in a different dish. She tries to make it look different, but when you lift the lid, there's no doubt it's the same stuff again.
 
I start backwards, in the magazine question. First I name it, then I figure out what's in it.  My first name was "Melange" (my computer doesn't do the fancy French accent mark over the "e"...sorry!) which means something like "a bunch of wonderful, unrelated things thrown together".  It's still my favorite choice, but I did some research and there's already a college magazine by that name. 
 
The second name, and this is probably what we'd end up with, was "Front Porch Society".  I like the inclusive, comfy sound of the name and whoever subscribes can be a member of the Society. Do you like interactive things? I do, and a magazine that I can feel part of is one that I'll continue to buy and read.(Relationship, relationship...)
 
The content is the tricky part.  I've found that I like a magazine that keeps me a little surprised. And I hate to feel like I'm being advertised to, in every article. I like interaction...things that let me write in my magazine. I like projects, even though I don't do them, I feel as though I could. What I'm aiming for is like being on the front porch with my friends, with chocolate cake and lemonade, one thing leading to another in conversation. 
 
I'd like a serial story, that goes from issue to issue...a real nail-biter.  I like vintage graphics...perhaps you've noticed? Some travel, but mostly out of the way places that people didn't realize exsist and that don't have any sort of star rating on their accomodations. Recipes, here and there, that inspire.  Whatcha reading column...not necessarily book reviews, but more along the lines of "What's on your nightstand?".  I love quotes, so those would be scattered liberally.  I'd like to include a cd with each issue that has patterns for the projects, cool fonts, a couple songs, the recipes.  (Mostly because I like saving certain elements of magazines, but I get really tired of the torn out pages in file folders...)
 
My trusted advisors and input would be my bookclub girls, with guests as we find them.  If you show up at our farmhouse cum office with a great idea and culinary bribe, we'll find a place to tuck you in the magazine. Depending on the quality of the culinary bribe...
 
I could go on and on, but that's the general idea.  After spending hours on the wheelers, moving cows this week, the idea got rather out of hand.  I'm guessing if it continued in this fashion that every two months the publication would rival the Sears Christmas Wish Catalog in size, and it would take readers approximately 128 days to plough through the entire thing....
 
That was a fun question! Any ideas on what else should be part of the Front Porch Society? Would you read it? What do you like in a magazine? (And I know already that my husband likes guns...most men do. We can have a couple gun things, once a year.)