THOUGHTS FOR A RAINY FRIDAY

As long as Time, Inc continues to publish Sports Illustrated, I will not fully appreciate the loss of my Dad's aggressive parenting style.

The circulation department of S.I., one of their publications, has opted to replace him now.

A recent blog decried the fact that a newly elected Representative to the House's discovers their first duty is not to the electorate but, to see how they can be re-elected.

The S.I. circulation has apparently adopted their zeal. Maybe it's just me, but, it appears that very soon after yours truly "reups" his magazine subscription duty the notices start coming from S.I. telling me that it's time to renew.

When this first started, my immediate reaction was , "they must have made a mistake and haven't received my payment". A quick check of this possibility revealed that was not the case.

This Circulation aggregation is the most aggressive group to come along since Ghengis Khan.'s staff. Unfortunately, it is an aggregation that promotes aggravation for this meager blogster.

In our household during the period of a year we receive: a couple of travel magazines assuring us we can indeed afford to vacation in Bora-Bora. We also subscribe to People Magazine that used to include adults in their intended reading audience.

We get an AARP magazine that carefully explains why they chose to align themselves with one political party or another over an age related piece of legislation (as opposed to sponsoring one as they once did in the past).

The post office also delivers AAA magazine that promises us bargain discounts for things we would never consider purchasing but refuses to relate how their (unsolicited) lobbying efforts have impacted (or not) the price of gas.

Finally, every 5 days a week (or less) we receive delivery of The USA Today which each Friday via former Publisher Al Neuharth's column tells us more about senility than we ever wanted to know. Despite these faint criticisms they all provide a welcome diversion at times.,

The non- dues related publications like AAA and AARP do not have to hustle us to renew our subscriptions. Unfortunately, that's not the case for the other periodicals who, like S.I., also like to get a jump on my subscription buck, but are not quite as aggressive.

S.I's technique becomes clear after comparing two successful but opposite counselling protocols originating with Carl Rogers and Fritz Perls, among others.

The first counselling style, called Rogerian, is non-aggressive and works on the theory that a curative result can be found to be within the ability of the client. It is non-directive and focuses much on past activities and choices. About 95% of Rogerian counselling consists of supplying few answers to the person who seeks therapy. Are you familiar with the technique of, "So how do you feel about that?"

Gestalt, on the other hand, emphasizes the here and now. I once watched what appeared to be a homemade film made with a hand held camera and whose purpose was to capture Perls "counselling" a client.

It was too long ago to remember specifics but a sample response from Perls to the client expressing a feeling of inadequacy might well be, "You say you feel indadequate and that's because YOU ARE INADEQUATE!" I often described it as the "rubber hose" approach,

Unfortunately something else that the folks at SI appear to have adopted is it's own lack of sensitivity.

Their renewal technique starts out Rogerian but ends up Gestalt- like. The frequent letters seeking your money become more and more aggressive way before your expiration date approaches. If you're lucky, in true "Where's Elmo" style, you can find the actual renewal date of your last contribution somewhere in the correspondence.

At some point toward the end of this battle for your renewal money you receive mail suggesting that they MUST have a response and you better open the envelope lickety-split if you know what's good for you. (Go get em, Fritz!)

Visions of two ex-NFL linebackers breaking down your door in the middle of the night does not suggest any deep REM sleep patterns are coming your way very soon.

Now, I truly appreciate a magazine that has the ability in both pictures and words to capture the brutality of our favorite sports. You almost have to wipe the testosterone off the cover.

I embrace their literary accomplishments as I no longer can afford to renew my membership in the "Lions and the Christians" publications nor attend their annual meetings in Detroit.

But, this old f--t would prefer a more congenial approach in their fund raising technique. I would be very appreciative if Time, Inc would curb S.I.'s "early practice" activities as successfully as the NCAA has done with it's member schools. It is the the NCAA et al ,without whom Time, Inc. would find their customers wrapping their fish entrails in S.I - BEFORE reading it.

Gotta run. I've got to find a way to remove the Sports Illustrated label off their hooded sweatshirt so I can give it to my wife for her birthday. It's in the closet with several others, two stadium blankets and half a dozen monogrammed S.I. windbreakers.

Hey, no broken front doors for this guy.