Well, Hallelujah! I've got work! A six-week gig at SMSU doing clerical stuff full-time. Which may parlay into something a little more lengthy, who knows. Thank you to everybody who kept me in their prayers.

I bought a fountain to celebrate. I've been on the lookout for a decent fountain for about a year now. I have always been fascinated with running water -- brooks, streams, and fountains, so when these little table fountains came out, I was half-cynical about how precious some of them were, and half totally entranced. The problem is, the shape of most of the fountains I saw unnerved me. Either they were far too cutesy and cheap-looking (Jack and Jill climbing the hill or some such rot), or they were faintly (or not-so-faintly) phallic. Pyramids, or monoliths, or steep hills with weird round balls rolling on top, held in place in the spray: yick. Nothing natural, nothing that looked like it even slightly corresponded to what occurs in the outdoors -- which was what I wanted. Any fountains that resembled my ideal shape were way out of my price range. And, being a good postmodern girl, I don't want to pay an exorbitant price for my little indulgence in a fad.

Finally, almost by accident, I saw one in Pier 1 Imports while on the job hunt. It is square, framed with woven bamboo, and topped by a small pile of slabs that looks very natural. And it was a reasonable price, too. When I got the call about the job this morning, I decided to reward myself. So take it all around, I am a happy girl right now.