From the Editor:
Feeding My Addiction 
by Lori Murphy
I keep magazines everywhere. There is a stack in the den for leafing through while I’m watching TV, some beside my bed for late night reading and a whole heap of them in my car to enjoy while I’m waiting in school car line. At least 20 subscriptions come to my home—everything from People and Real Simple to Money and Reader’s Digest—and I read them from cover to cover. Waiting in doctors’ offices is a pleasure, because that usually means I’ll happen upon a publication that I don’t normally read. And the hair salon! I could spend an entire morning devouring the magazines there—and I sometimes do! It’s time to come clean. I’m a magazine addict.
The positive side to my addiction is that it gives me insight and ideas to use here at work. Reading a really good magazine is inspiring. The best are those that are specific in their focus and true to their readership—a theme that we strive toward within these pages. Our aim here at IN has always been to reflect the extraordinary life and character of the northshore and the people who live here. We would not be true to ourselves if we used mostly generic lifestyle articles that would be appropriate everywhere from California to Maine and just supplemented them with local snapshots and calendar events. We want to offer stories and information that are more specific to our readers.
We must be doing something right, considering the influx of your letters and responses to our requests for your input. After receiving so many wonderful submissions for our Hottest Husbands contest and photos from past Mardi Gras events, we’ve decided to ask for your input on specific topics in every issue (see box at right). We’ve also added an OpINion department (page 18), where you can serve as a guest editorial writer and weigh in on the northshore’s hot topics. Another new department is “Now that’s interesting!” (page 171), where you can submit questions concerning the things you’re curious about on the northshore. Local history, places, customs, names, famous residents—even rumors! Of course, you can always send in events to be included in our Scoop calendar and your social photos to appear in our Peek pages.
If you have a great story to tell, topic to discuss or suggestion for making the magazine better, we want to hear about it! Our hope is that every time you pick up IN, you find a little bit more of your community, your interests and your passions. When you read these pages, we hope you see yourself.
Congratulations to Erin Krantz of Slidell, the winner of last issue’s Word Search!
