Wait a Minute Mr. Postman!

This economic downturn has finally hit home. Don't get me wrong, I've had to tighten my belt like everyone else, I know things are tough all over.

But I'm talking about the folding of publications. Obviously, you're reading this, thus I'm a writer. But what many of you may not know is that Skip Serpico is also a reader. More than that I'm a subscriber. And one of the magazines that I subscribe to folded earlier this year.

However nothing could prepare me for what I found in my mailbox last week.





In the mailbox was a magazine with a sticker it's cover. The sticker read;

Welcome to Maxim!

This not is to inform you that Blender has ceased publishing with the April 2009 issue. The balance of your paid subscription will be fulfilled with Maxim.

And just like that, my day was ruined.

Here's the thing; I was a fan of Maxim when it first debuted in the U.S. Here was this cheeky new import from the U.K. that had a brash voice and a sense of humor. I loved the "How To" bits and the irreverent "Vs" in every issue.

However much like another U.K. import, Robbie Williams, the allure quicky wore off and I became indifferent to the mag.

Maybe it's the Family Guy syndrome where my tastes changed and what I once found charming and refreshing I now found annoying and uninspired. I don't really know what happened, but I know it's been about a decade since I read Maxim with any sort of regularity.

And now I'm saddled with the subscription to a magazine I'll probably never make time to read. The thing is, if I wanted to see underweight white girls with eating disorders and drug habits I'd have never left Las Vegas. Accordingly, Maxim has very little to offer me. In fact sort of feel like every time I read it, my character diminishes a bit.

Honestly, Maxim is sort of like a white girlfriend; I'm cool with it in theory and wouldn't have a problem with it in the crib, but I don't know if I want my neighbors to know it's coming to my house and I'm sort of uncomfortable about being in public with it.

Eh, maybe I'll save up the issues and give them to Chet the intern as a gift at the Fish&Spaghetti Kwanzaa party. I drew his name for the Secret Akili drawing.