I've been focusing on the first instalment of the copywriting course this week and I seem to be making good progress. This part is really just an introduction and the writing exercises haven't been too strenuous. There is a send-in assignment at the end of the section, so that'll take a bit more time, and the next section should be arriving soon. I feel a heck of a lot more accomplishment doing this each day instead of just looking for jobs and hearing nothing back (which I continue to do nevertheless).

The tea order from Harney's came through on Monday - a Harney's 2-cup teapot, four tins of loose tea, and five samples. We've been working our way through that lot over the past few days and we'll probably have tasted one cup of each by the end of next week. I'll post my thoughts on each variety in a future journal entry.

Since my last post, we've watched American Wedding and Traffic. I thought American Wedding was a decent enough movie, with the usual gross-out moments and a few chuckles here and there, but I still think the first two American Pie movies were better. This time around Seann William Scott goes all-out to make the Stifler character even more obnoxious, and quite frankly it seems way overdone. Unless you're a fan of the series, you're probably better off giving this flick a miss!

Traffic, on the other hand, was superb and I'm not surprised it did so well at the Academy Awards. The cinematography (filters aplenty) and acting were top-notch, and the way the various plot-threads were woven together -- presenting the perspectives of the drug-lords, US and Mexican authorities, the accused drug-trafficker, and the rest -- really drew me in. It is rather slow-paced, though, and probably not for those who are looking for another action blockbuster. If you're after a good drama, then look no further.

The other day I finished reading the first issue of Argosy and found it most impressive. Argosy is an eclectic mix of mainstream and genre fiction, packaged in a slipcase and accompanied by a novella each issue. The whole package oozes quality, from the artwork on the slipcase and covers, to the high-quality fiction and design inside. This issue includes 7 stories, an illuminating (and long!) interview with Samuel R. Delany, and a new novella by Michael Moorcock: The Mystery of the Texas Twister. It even has ads for Gap, Lexus and Absolut Vodka!

My favourite stories in issue #1 of Argosy were Jeffrey Ford's A Night in the Tropics (a thrilling bar-room yarn), Caitlin R. Kiernan's Riding the White Bull (bizarre futuristic adventure), and Emily Raboteau's Rum and the Flesh (a short but great pirate story). Michael Moorcock's novella has a very pulpy feel to it and plenty of witty banter between the two English protagonists. It's a kind of alternate universe detective story, taking place in a world where airships are commonplace, and steam and electric power exist side-by-side. I was a little confused with some of the references (e.g. the multiverse, the metatemporal investigator), but I assume these would become clearer upon reading some of Moorcock's other work. It was a good yarn, in any case.

I forsee great things for Argosy and look forward to what comes next. Judging by the tantalizing glimpse of the next issue on the Argosy website, I may just have to sign-up for yet another fiction mag subscription...

2004 Stats:

Stories written:	1
Total submissions:	3
Total acceptances:	0
Total rejections:	2
Waiting for response:	3
Books read:	2
Fiction Mags/Chapbooks read:	6