Michelle Obama Guest Edits More Magazine

First Lady Michelle Obama guest edited the July / August issue of More Magazine.  I'm not sure what that means from a practical standpoint but can tell you what's inside the issue of interest to politicos.

She has an opening letter talking about the balancing act all working mothers do.  She asks the questions all of us ask "Is this really worth it?  Is my family OK? Am I OK?"

Lesley Jane Seymour follows with a letter from the editor, calling Mrs. Obama "The Inspirer - in - Chief."

This is followed by a lot of ads for things that are very pretty but I don't have any idea what most of them are.

One non-political item of note on pages 26-27.  There is a new thing called "beauty-concierge apps" which means you can hit a button on your phone and people will show up on your doorstep and make you beautiful.  Who knew?  Seven apps are profiled, including the cities in which they operate.  None are available in Philly.  So, there's a lead for an entrepreneurial fashionista.

Mrs. Obama penned a short article on p. 34 on interesting places she has traveled (all domestic).

There is a profile of Catherine Russell, US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues on pages 52-53.

Veterans can have a difficult time transitioning to civilian employment after leaving the armed services.  An article on pages 56-61 profiles a few women who made that transition and how they did so.

Statistics and a short explanation of each, all pertaining to fitness in the US, is on p. 62.  For example, there was a 43% drop in the obesity rate of children age 2 to 5 from 2004 to 2012.  That's good news.

Mrs. Obama persuaded her husband to write a short essay (p. 68-69) on "How the presidency made me a better father," complete with a row of photos.

Melissa Winter, Mrs. Obama's chief of staff, and later deputy chief of staff, pens a memoir on pages 74-76.  It is interesting to read about her job, which runs the gamut from policy to babysitting.

An unusual but star-powered feature, is a conversation / interview with Mrs. Obama and Meryl Streep (p. 83-85, 140).  There is some friendly and witty banter and some in-depth answers on significant questions.  I enjoyed this feature quite a bit.

There is a long color photo spread of the White House on pages 86-95, with a few short descriptive paragraphs.  We're getting ready to do some redecorating at Casa Jane and I picked up a few ideas from the pictures.  Honest.

A topic near and dear to my heart, first generation college students, is the focus of an article on pages 96-103, 140-141, with a few pull out features on individual women.  This is a really good article, with some concrete suggestions for people who want to help.

The younger Barbara Bush (daughter not wife) is one of the women profiled in "women working wonders" (p. 113-119).

The First Lady provides the backstory to some better known photos of her and her family.  I like the one of her and the President in inaugural dress riding in the back of a golf cart.  (The golf cart shuttled them from one inaugural ball to another so she wouldn't have to walk in heels.)

Not political but very useful nonetheless is the Findings feature on pages 130- 138.  It provides snippets of research on effective strategies to adopt healthier habits.  After I read it I put my toaster away.  I also learned an interesting stretching exercise for people who spend a lot of time hunched over a computer.  Mrs. Obama's "chill-out" playlist is included.  I actually recognized some of the songs.

Mrs. Obama ends the issue with an essay entitled "What women owe one another."

The issue is still on the news stands and is worth picking up.