I've been wanting to write a post on this for so long. Last year, J's sister Megan got him a subscription to a bird magazine, catering to his favorite hobby. Only the magazine she got him was "Bird Talk," which - she didn't realize - is a publication for pet bird owners. Not people interested in watching and identifying wild birds, like J.

So we all sat there on Christmas morning and laughed hysterically at this mix-up. But the best was yet to come! The magazine itself.

I haven't ever sat down to read "Bird Talk." Because I don't need to read it. The headlines featured on the covers are entertainment enough. I can't get enough of them (and I apologize to anyone who receives and seriously enjoys this magazine, which you are obviously never going to admit to me). Here are a few of my faves from the 2008 issues we received:

"Parrot Driving Your Spouse Crazy? What to do about it."

"Connect With Your Aloof Bird."

"Help Your Hen Get Through Hormones."

"Protect Your Bird From Your Bad Habits."

"The Real Story Behind Bird Keeper's Lung" (ok, it's no good to make fun of medical conditions, but come on, Bird Keeper's Lung?)

"One Behaviorist Tackles the Pressure of Being the Perfect Bird Owner."

"Is Your 'Mean' Bird Misunderstood?"

"He Said, She Said: Top 5 Complaints, from Owners, from Birds."

I like that last one a lot. I love the thought of a researcher sitting down with a notepad and a pen and asking a parakeet what his top complaints are about his owner. I'm sure that involved some great dialogue.