For whatever it is worth, typically mazagines are sent out third class or periodical class (not sure of the terminology) but basically that means the letter carrier has a lot of leeway. Not sure how to put it in words, but if their load is too heavy he/she can wait and deliver it later. Some people may not like to hear that, but you get what you pay for. Everything can't be first class or why would you pay different rates?
Dorothy,
Do you know anything about the Development Director job at the CCYMCA. I was wondering if the woman who had the job left. I think her name was Alison Kuhn. I once interviewed for a job under her. If you don't okay.
I wonder how close they are to raising the money the want for the new Y. I've heard that it is going to be one of the best in the country! I can't wait! That Pool is liek swimming in a cave.
I finally got mine...
I must admit, I liked the old mag. better; this one didn't seem as glossy and seemed to have a different target audience.
Having said that, it did seem to present USMS swimming as being very accessible to swimmers of all levels.
We shall see... :D
Originally posted by craiglll@yahoo.com
I really don't understand why a very good magazine can't address all issues concerning swimming.
Many USMS swimmers compete and almost all (I would think) do some sort of workout. The magazine should be and is geared towards USMS members. It also has great appeal to non USMS swimmers who might be interested in what we do from a serious athletic perspective.
What in the world makes you think some bland magazine geared towards all levels is appealing to any level? You'd certainly have no interest from serious USMS swimmers. And, what kind of noodler or trunk wearing beach blob is gonna buy a swim magazine in the first place? And, even if they did, do you think they'd want to learn about real swimming or how to not let that next wave knock you from the Spiderman Raft you bought at Wal Mart? Hopefully the former.
You do realize the magazine is called USMS Swimmer. It's not called I Really Want to Learn How to Swim or Hot Water Noodlers Unite. There is already a magazine for this crowd called Bon Apetit.
I think article(s) on recovering from injury would be fantastic. But, it should be geared towards active swimmer, as you are. Many USMS swimmers could draw great inspiration from your story.
Originally posted by craiglll@yahoo.com
4) Competitive swimming is more than working out to get to a certain place so that you can go to a meet on certain weekends. Many very good competitive swimmers use cross-training to bring in freshness to their swimming. I would be irresponsible to not include cross-training.
Listen, we aren't investigating Watergate or Halliburton here. We are just swimming. I'm not so sure there is some lofty social responsiblity goal with a magazine for USMS swimmers.
Interestingly enough, I got my University's Alumni Review mag last week. This comes as part of my annual dues. Surprisingly, it focused on alumni news, university news as it pertains to alums and alum accomplishments. This is fine by me but I suppose we should expand this mag to include alumni news from every single university.
Originally posted by gull80
Maybe this isn't politically correct, but yes, I do want a magazine about competitive swimming. Swimming World primarily addresses the needs and interests of the age group, high school and college level swimmers. I understand that USMS tries to be all-inclusive, but often when you try to please everyone you end up not really satisfying anyone.
I don't think that the issue is based in potical correctness. It is more to do with selling enough magazines to make it worthy or viable. I really don't understand why a very good magazine can't address all issues concerning swimming. It seems that many people who are competitive swimmers really don't want a national magazine. If you want a newsletter, you are not going to be able to sustain it and it will quickly becaoem a list of who's done what. That will be no more interesting to you than would be an article about shallow-water workouts.
Oddly, what struck me the most about the two new magazines was how simular they were to eachother. The only real difference I saw in editorial/content philosophy was that USMS has spent more on the cover stock (I finally did receive my orginal magazaine cover but never the body of the magazine). I can forsee USMS deciding to take the magazine down a more narrow path trying to please a core rmembership. But why?
I wonder how many of the members are actually competitive? Also, how would you truly determine if an article was about competitive swimming? I fear it would be the same as the old saying about art. "I don't know what art is but when I see It I do and that ain't art!" Who would be the arbitator deciding what is and what isn't about competitive swimming? In time, the magazine woudl be thrust into meaninglessness.
I wonder if maybe many people really don't want a magazine that would only satisfy them personnally.
Okay, now attack!
Pretty weak analogy, Craig, comparing the debate over what is art to the question of what defines competitive swimming. Swimming World seems to have a grasp of the subject. I'm not disputing the fact that many USMS members rarely if ever compete. I'm only saying that I would like a publication that caters to those who do (which might still be of interest to those who don't). Do I think that will happen? No.
1)If you look at the number of members in USMS and the number of registrants for competitions, a majority do not compete.
2) Would a magazine directed to competitive swimmers be able to have any articles about recovering from injury or severe medical problems? I had several operations in the late 1990s, I was on chemotherapy until 2002, and I wore an oestomy bag for six months. I was barely able to swim. I took some shallow water exercise classes. They were very helpful in getting me back to the place where I could swim laps. Sometimes we used noodles. Before I began the long swim back to health, I thought that I would never be able to be physical again. The greatest monet I had was when I first realized that a shallow water workout might be a new beginning. I reached that moment reading an article about using ankle fins in a shallow water workout.
3) Defining the magazine with such very narrow limits will truly close the circulation. Frequently, I ask poele to be members of USMS. frequently, people respond to me tha tthey were but the USMS is so geared towards competitive swimmers they saw no need to participate in the organization. One woman who said this to me swims every day, swam in college and has children who compete on the high school level.
4) Competitive swimming is more than working out to get to a certain place so that you can go to a meet on certain weekends. Many very good competitive swimmers use cross-training to bring in freshness to their swimming. I would be irresponsible to not include cross-training.
5) I don't expect peple with no interest to buy the magazine. I do expect those who buy the magazine to have their interests anad curoisity pushed when they read articles concerning other aspects of swimming.
6) I hope no critic read the article about crossing the English Channel.
Originally posted by craiglll@yahoo.com
Dorothy,
Do you know anything about the Development Director job at the CCYMCA. I was wondering if the woman who had the job left. I think her name was Alison Kuhn. I once interviewed for a job under her. If you don't okay.
I wonder how close they are to raising the money the want for the new Y. I've heard that it is going to be one of the best in the country! I can't wait! That Pool is liek swimming in a cave.
Alison left to move to Boulder. I liked her and she worked really hard at the fundraising. She really believed in it.
The Capitol Campaign is going really well with the funds meeting the expectation of where they are suppose to be at this time. Strong Kids did not go as well, I think because people gave to Capitol but we are still working on it(I am on the McKinley Board),
Yes, the building leaks badly, it is sad. The hope is after the new Y is built(with only a 4 lane pool, BTW), then they will gut the old building, keeping the pool around it. It will become a Senior Citizens center by day, and a teen center by night, and also be the Aquachief's main facility. That is years down the road though.
