die another day

Ok, so I'm lame. I don't get around to seeing movies until they are just about to leave the theater. The last time I stood in line for opening night was for Star Wars. The original. The first time.

Despite numerous plot holes big enough to drive an Aston-Martin through, and rather silly pseudotechnology, it was perfect Bond, shaken, not stirred, and who can quibble with a successful formula? My only beef was with the theme music, which in my opinion was easily the absolute worst Bond theme music ever. I had a hard time staying in my seat during the opening credits, and I bolted at the end instead of staying through the closing credits.

I never thought I'd say this -- I never thought anyone would say this -- but Madonna should stick to acting.

more rambling on my profeshunal riting career

Happy good email day -- two messages from magazine editors with happy good news.

Last month I sold a short article to Sailing. The editor returned my email quickly during the query phase, but after I sent the article I heard nothing for two weeks. I finally emailed her again, and got a short note three days later that it would run in the February issue, but no information on the most important question: pay! But this afternoon's message brought the welcome news that I'll get $100 on publication. Woohoo.

Then I got a go-ahead on a query to Wild Outdoor World, a children's science magazine I did an article for a couple months ago. That will be another couple hundred words, and another hundred dollars.

I'm still not making enough money writing to really support myself. Part of it is because it's easier to "break in", as they say, with short articles for specific departments, rather than with features, and short articles don't bring in as much money. On the other hand, short articles are easier to research and write. On the other hand, more short articles mean more work querying. Hmm.

Part of it is because I'm not bombarding the world with 5 queries a day (I started out with a 3/week goal, but have been sadly lax this past month). Part of that is that my best market has a 2-month turnaround and I don't want to bombard them too heavily while I wait. Part of it is because I'm lazy. Well, okay, most of it is because I'm lazy.

But good news helps light a fire under my lazy butt, anyway. Positive feedback, and all that. And nothing says positive feedback like a check in the mail!