If you've ever dared to venture beyond the normal magazines like Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, and Time, you probably realize that there are literally thousands of magazines in print. Some are good, some are decidedly not good, and others...well, just take a look.
10. Geez: Holy Mischief in an Era of Fast Faith - This magazine claims to have "set up camp in the outback of the spiritual commons." I don't know what the heck that's suppose to mean, but I do know that these people really, really like dashes. A couple of quotes from their homepage...
"...A bustling spot for the over-churched, out-churched, un-churched and maybe even the un-churchable."
"...it's time we untangle the narrative of faith from the fundamentalists, pious self-helpers and religio-profiteers."
"...A place for wannabe contemplatives, front-line world-changers and restless cranks."
If there were an award for best use of a toilet on the cover of a magazine, though, they'd be strong contenders.
9. American Coin Op Magazine - This trade publication is dedicated to serving the needs of coin-operated laundromat owners. It makes me wonder if there's a magazine for people who own those little perfume and adult novelty machines in gas station bathrooms...there are an awful lot of those around, too.
8. Fate - There's no better way to stay up-to-date on ghosts, monsters, and local legends like Bigfoot and Nessie. There's also no better way to ensure that your postal worker thinks you're completely insane.
7. High Times - Potheads everywhere love High Times, but I've always wondered what percentage of this magazine's copies get delivered to college towns and trailer parks. I'd be willing to bet it's high. Yes, I went there.
6. Transgender Tapestry - Maybe it's just me, but I think Transgender Tapestry sounds like something that would be hanging on the walls in one of those outdated motels with its own carpeted steakhouse where everything's made of wood...but that's not the case at all. As you might have guessed, it's a magazine for people with transgender issues. With that in mind, I won't even attempt to guess if that's a man or woman on the cover. I am so confused.
5. Varmint Hunter Magazine - Varmints? Really? Do people still say that? Still, if you enjoy dressing in camo and shooting innocent creatures, this is the publication for you.
4. Shark Diver Magazine - This one catches me completely off guard. I wasn't aware that there were enough people interested in diving with sharks to justify an entire magazine, but once I started reading their website, I was transfixed. It's like Discovery Channel's Shark Week, but year-round.
3. Mushing Magazine - This one, published by "Smelly Dog Media", bills itself as "The Magazine of Dog-Powered Adventure". Again, I had no idea this topic had enough followers for a magazine.
2. Wildlife Art Magazine - All those paintings of wild ducks in flight don't just paint themselves, you know! I can't even imagine the kind of trauma Bob Ross' death inflicted on this community.
1. Girls & Corpses - The sidebar on their website says they give zombie strippers "three stumps up". That's as far as I got. I have this creepy feeling that this is one of those things where 99% of the people are laughing or cringing, assuming it's a joke - and the other 1% is hoarding back issues under their beds because they really, really like it.
You must lead a very exciting life if you don't think that a magazine about UFOs, monsters, and alien abductions is a little strange.
I'm not arguing that it's an established publication, just that the average person on the street would consider it a fairly strange publication.
FATE? FATE?
You put FATE on this list? I think HIGH TIMES is even stretching to make this list but for legal reasons I'm surprised it's so easily available. FATE has been around FOREVER and it does not belong with the rest of these intensely specific publications.