Don't consider it a wasted day. What you were doing was "Quilting Research". Who ever said quilting only encompasses actual sewing, cutting, etc? There are times when you must recharge your batteries, and I am willing to bet that a day spent going through old Quilting magazines has left you with tips, ideas and patterns you will use!
I don't consider anything "quilt related" to be wasted time. It's all a matter of perspective! ;-)!