Any profession, whether you’re a paperboy or a magazine publisher, is essentially about completing a series of tasks and coming back the next day to do them again. Too often though, we mistakenly emphasize achievements along the vertical path as evidence of our growth. Meditation on manhood and the pressure to be more or less of something continues an ever-going dialogue in gay culture. We talk with Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste (on cover) about breaking from routine to find inspiration. We also have a conversation with emerging painter Anthony Cudahy who talks about growth and trust in oneself as an artist. The submissions that poured in for this issue took a shift inward, toward a better understanding of oneself through reflection. Though we may not be personally delivering copies of Hello Mr. to you, like a paperboy, we understand what it takes to reach each of you in a meaningful way.
