carneys_ID's Full Review: O The Oprah Magazine Subscription
Don't get me wrong; I like my gift subscription (thanks mom!) to O: The Oprah Magazine. But Oprah and I are on different planes. Well, that's natural, I suppose, since the big O is edging up on 50ish and I'll be only 26 next Monday. So what do I take away from Oprah besides a snoot full of perfume ads that make my head ache? Good question...
Every month, O is filled with large, glossy photos of high-toned items I'll never be able to afford and existential karma I'll never get. That said, I do like several of the monthly features. Raking among my favorites are: Oprah's monthly interview with "Someone Important" (Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, Bette Middler), Tell it like it is (or, "Dear Dr Phil..."), Financial Freedom with Suze Orman, many of the inspirational "normal person" stories that O is jam-packed with each month, and those lovely photos of Swarovski crystal, Waverly Interior Design, LL Bean, Prada, Calvin Klein, Barneys NYC, Fred Segal, Louis Vitton, and Roberto Cavalli clothing.
Obviously, Oprah had only the best of intentions in starting this magazine. She wanted to share her ideas regarding self love and empowerment with every woman (and some men). To that end, she includes a monthly calendar in every issue of O that compiles many quotes from "great people" to inspire you. The quotes this month (April 2001) are all geared towards Stepping out of the Box - taking a leap of faith and trusting in yourself. While each month is something different, they all run along the same self improvement, self trust, self empowerment line.
To go along with the Monthly Take Charge Calendar is the "Something to Think About" section printed on a stiff paper meant to be removed and written on. Perhaps devoted followers of Oprah's journal kick keep these all together in another place? This month, you are asked to consider the last major chance you took and the repercussions it placed in your life and how you felt about it. Then, you are asked to consider the fears of taking emotional risks in your life.
(An Aside:)
My very favorite article was one about how long it takes Oprah to get ready to shoot the photos for her magazine. The team of people to make her "show ready" is amazing - have you ever seen Oprah without makeup? Whew! No wonder I'm so critical about my appearance. Good thing I can learn about taking a vacation from my face in this month's issue!
(End Aside)
My biggest beef with O is that it is more ads and fluff than actual relevant articles. This month (April 2001) doesn't even have any substance until page 26. I guess I also am simply not into the "touchy feel-y" genre such as this. When Oprah started her Remembering the Spirit segments on her television show, I thought it was a good addition. When she started making only episodes about Remembering the Spirit, I stopped watching. I imagine my overall impression of O: The Oprah Magazine is that it is merely an extension of her Remembering the Spirit episodes.
Am I crass for considering so much getting in touch with your inner child stuff uninteresting? No. Perhaps I'm just not ready for it at this time in my life. Perhaps I'm still too close to my own childhood - and that of my soon-to-be three children - to see the relevance of it in my own life. If you take something of lofty value away from your reading of O, then I'm so happy for you - obviously O: The Oprah Magazine fills a missing niche in your life (it really is a unique piece of literature).
Will I renew my subscription after my gift has run out? Probably not. The cover price of $3.50 per issue makes it one I'll read at the library, if I am still interested in smelling more perfumes and seeing $400 - 600 pairs of shoes with matching handbags. And that pricey outlay makes me feel guilty about simply throwing away my read issues of O, so I pass them along instead. I hope my buddy gets more out of them than I do.
So, what do I take away from O: The Oprah Magazine? I get to gaze at clothing that is "in vogue" just now, things that Oprah herself might buy. I get in touch, as much as my inner and outer children will let me, with myself and my feelings. I have something to read on a night when my book is too in depth for my flighty manner. And I get something to pass along to a friend, in the hopes that she will take something out of it for herself and continue to pass along the magazine.
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