Aide your digest-tion

My friend, Kim, and I are hanging out at a writer’s conference this week. It is full of excitement, education, and unusual menu selections.  But the best part so far was the editor’s panel that Kim and I attended this afternoon.  The panel consisted of editors from magazines like Thriving Family, Christianity Today, Christian Communicator, Splickty Magazine, and the ever-popular Home Health Care Digest.

Now, I have nothing against home health aides (I once worked as one for a lady who was blind, but she had this really huge clock in the kitchen that was white with big black numbers on it, so she must have been able to see a little—or a big—however you look at it), but to tell you the truth, the Home Health Care Digest editor didn’t seem super excited about what she was publishing, and she kind of stumbled around when she was asked about what seasonal pieces her publication would accept.  And when she was asked what kind of writing they were looking for, she kept repeating something about needing someone to submit an article about painkillers. I started to feel sorry for the editor of the Home Health Care Digest because she was surrounded on all sides by people publishing stories of romance, marriage, parenting, Sci-fi, Amish fiction (we must not forget Amish fiction), and all she was looking for was someone to write uplifting articles about pharmaceuticals. 

I didn’t see bunches of audience members rushing to talk to her about  her magazine after the session.  I’m not completely certain that many of us felt inspired to write about NSAIDS or Vicodin--even though we grew up singing songs like “Puff the Magic Dragon” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.” 

Maybe next time she agrees to be part of the panel she can talk to her board of directors beforehand to get permission to publish research on bath mats, or tub rails, or orthopedic stockings, or Metamucil—cause I bet that—especially the last one—would really get things moving in the right direction. 

Don’t ya think?