Dear Reader,
A big thank you!
Thank you for being so supportive of the magazine, Human Chronicles. Your presence, from far and near, meant a lot to me.
The weekend of 28 and 29 September turned out to be beautiful. After a cloudy start the sun broke through, beamed on all humanity, and urged people to go and visit the Word On The Street Festival!
The magazine
The idea for a magazine was brewing in my mind for almost a decade. Every January, as part of the New Year's resolution, I'd brush up on the idea. By the end of the month it'd get relegated to the back burner with all the other resolutions. [I did not make any resolutions this year!]
The pandemic of 2019 changed all that.
My life ... I started looking inward; the hidden depths of what I found inside scared me. I went on a 10-day silent meditation retreat soon after. [That's another story for an upcoming issue.]
My career ... When I got 'restructured' from the last company I worked for, I stood face-to-face with ageism.
My age ... Like the Great Wall Of Midlife, 60 loomed ahead on the horizon. I got a peek of what the other side of 60 looked like. Now I avoid looking in the mirror. I realized I could change my mindset and look at it from the oft-abused perspective of 'Being Positive'.
Now that I am also one, what better demographic to attract than older adults, I thought. Work on the magazine began in early 2024. But I kept delaying the launch. A content coach, someone less than half my age, advised me, "Go for it".
The festival
When news about Word On The Street Festival came up I decided to jump off the ledge of procrastination without a parachute. I got a few copies printed, hired a table from Magazines Canada, and started beaming at everyone who passed by (see image).
There is something energetic about being in downtown Toronto. The place is flooded with events and festivals where one can potter around, pick up goods of the strangest kinds, services that you did not know existed, and generally talk to people. When we weren't busy explaining the magazine's concept, it was a great day for people- and dog-watching. [Here pets are higher than humans in the food chain!]
There is a niche, after all!
Everyone we talked to agreed. There is a requirement for such a magazine. The magazine targets an older demographic. Their stories need to be told. We aim to listen and write more stories.
If you belong to this demographic or know their pains and issues, drop us a line at stories@humanchronicles.ca. What do they feel strongly about, what are their passions, hobbies, stories... If it fits into our content structure, we will connect with you to find out more.
At the Magazines Canada booth, Word On The Street, Toronto
If you missed it ...
'Human Chronicles' aims to appeal to a demographic of older adults. This group is a treasure trove of collective wisdom, joys, sorrows, heartbreaks, passions, hobbies, aspirations, and experience.
I am still working on the backend - website, payments, subscriptions, marketing, advertising, social media, newsletters, analytics, and more. It will take a couple of months to fish out and get all the ducks in the row that I have envisioned. A little bit of patience is appreciated.
