Hello? I have good news?

After taking just a few days off posting, I can now tell all my traffic comes from one place: Two Body Problem.  Thank you!  When I update, I go to the top of her blogroll, and people come over.

So, the good news.  The husband FINALLY was able to send out some letters (three to be exact) and he's already heard back from two of them.  Ones a definite no (doesn't have the funding for another scientist) and the other said, "Cool! I know you! Let me get back to you in a prompt manner, but you sound cool!"  This is all very new and exciting, this promptness of communication.  Husband was flabbergasted.

AND luckily, the one that didn't have a job for him was in Madison, WI.  I hear this  place is very cold and the people eat snow and cheese. I like the latter part, but I wasn't made for the former.  I was really looking forward to meeting Joanne from A Mathematician's Wife.  Or, well, asking if she ever wanted to meet up.

Columbus, Ohio, I hear, does have the cold, but it doesn't sound as terribly wintry as Wisconsin. I'm deluding myself before doing the research.  It's cold here in the Ozarks right now, but not terrible.  I am still riding my bike to work, but we rarely have to deal with snow.

I made three small sculptures to give as Christmas presents, and I think I should post some pictures on here.  I don't think the people who I'm giving them to know about this blog, so I think we're safe!  A friend of mine who is building his own portfolio in photography has agreed to take some real pictures of them, which I'll post when they get done. For now, you'll have to do with mine.

Saturn and 63 moons

Trashy park (idea slightly stolen from D. Hayde)

And that's Moon.  The moon. I haven't figured it out yet. Maybe something like The Little Prince?

I'm really just looking for any reason to drill a hole in something.

I feel kind of bad about art-type gifts.  I am not an artist, but I like to make things.  I often give hand-made gifts.  But this time I am experimenting in something I've always wanted to try: sculpture.  And specifically on a very small scale.    So, I'm essentially giving people my experiments, and that doesn't sit right with me.  I feel like something is wrong if a handmade gift wasn't made initially with the person in mind.  Feels kind of dirty.   I don't think the gifts are badly made or my "seconds", but I feel like I am being dishonest.  Giving these as gifts gave me the motivation to try new things, so I think I should stop overthinking it.  I wonder if other artists have these thoughts about giving art as gifts.  I have a few paintings done by friends that they gave to me as a gift, but I didn't see any conflict in their faces.