Big birthdays: turning 30 isn't everyone's favorite event

It's usually accompanied by bad jokes, dopey birthday cards and an uneasy few minutes standing in front of the mirror, trying to figure out if you suddenly look older.

But not around here. In fact, turning 30 may be one of the best things that ever happened to VT. During the year of buildup to this big blowout, the magazine got some new owners who looked at Vegetarian Times and said: "Diamond in the rough. Let's lose the rough, polish the facets and put it in a terrific new setting." And then they added, "While we're at it, let's spend some serious time talking to the readers about what they want. Do they think VT needs more of this, less of that, a different attitude, even a new name?"

After a whoop of excitement and relief from the staff (with new owners, you never know), all of the above got under way. Fast. Things didn't really come to a boil until last April, and as I write this, it's not quite Labor Day. In magazineland, that's like making a dinner party for 8 in 30 minutes, including turning some fresh flowers into a centerpiece.

In the process, we contacted thousands and thousands of you--many online, some in live groups. We talked to people who'd subscribed forever, people who'd canceled, people who bought a few issues a year, people who occasionally borrowed a friend's copy. We listened to hard-core vegans, moderate vegetarians, relaxed "flexitarians" and people who believe that caring a few vegetarian meals a week is just a healthful, delicious thing to do. And we got an earful, but a remarkably consistent earful. Here's what you asked for, in almost one voice:

* More pages, and bigger ones.

* More recipes, and quicker ones.

* More soul and substance--more about our food and water, plants and animals, and about Earth-friendly living. But no lectures, please, and skip the guilt.

* Oh, and make it look better--lighter, fresher, more modern. But don't go wild.

VT is a handbook for us, and it needs to be really easy to use. Hardly crazy requests, but no small thing to do.

It's now 120 days later, and we're so excited. We think we've succeeded, but we're dying to know if you agree. Call! Write! Email! We can't wait to hear from you!

And the editorial staff

Katrin Anderson Lisa Barley Robin Cheslock Alan Crawford Carla Davis Sandy Greeley Brenda Ladd Abe Longmire Liz Lusk Bill McKenney Shane Speer

COPYRIGHT 2004 Vegetarian Times, Inc. All rights reserved.
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning