I’ve always loved magazines. The way they look, the way they feel. How they capture a moment and immortalize an image. The content can be fun or serious. Short or long. And many of them have contained some of the best writing — nonfiction and fiction — ever produced.

Magazines set the cultural conversation and influenced taste. Before the internet catered to any and every interest, magazines served that purpsoe. If you have a long layover at an airport, the newsstands and magazine racks are an oasis.

Yes, I dreamed of writing for magazines. Seeing my name in glossy print; my byline on an in-depth feature, celebrity profile or funny opinion piece. Though almost all of my professional writing has been online, I was fortunate enough to start my career with a local magazine, the now-defunct Motor City Sports.

I was reminded of that while listening to The Press Box podcast last week. It’s one of my favorites (listed in the old-school blogroll on my site). The Ringer’s media critic, Bryan Curtis, with co-hosts David Shoemaker and Joel Anderson, recaps developments in the media — and often, how they influence or reflect culture — each week.