Some say it's stalking - I say it's love.

So I saw this thing at a art fair by my house. I originally saw it on Saturday, and I wanted it. Is 'it' a he or a she?

Reactions have been mixed.

Personally, I think it's a she.

But I digress.

I wanted to buy this on Saturday. But art is discretionary. I did a bit of bargaining. I thought about how little I get for myself. And then I thought of all the places my money needed to be spent.

And then I walked away.

On Sunday, I took my regular walkies. I timed my walk so that I'd be at the art show at the exact moment when it opened for the day. I brought my checkbook, fully intending to buy this interesting treasure.

I noticed s/he had not been purchased, but again, I walked away.

College next year for one kid. Senior pictures. Lord, those are expensive.

Mr. Fabulous and I ran a few errands later on Sunday, and we drove past the art show, still in progress.

He knew how much I wanted this freaky thing. He said, "just tell me to turn or go straight."

I said, "turn."

So after having done some personal internal negotiations and a bit of art-stalking, I bought this for myself. It's the first thing I've purchased for the sole purpose of my own enjoyment for a very long time.

Here's what s/he looks like from another angle.

Last night, Mr. Fabulous and I were sitting on the couch, admiring my new acquisition.

We both agreed that it was a steal. The cost, when balanced by the time it must have taken the artist to come up with the idea, acquire the parts and actually make this piece was definitely worth what I paid.

I think it's interesting that I tend to gravitate toward art that's created out of things that were originally created with a completely different intention.

Such is the case with my newest acquisition.

The body is an old muffler, The hair is a thick chain. The eyes move; I'm not sure what they were used for originally, but I think they came from an old car. The head turns. The fingers are nails, bent ever-so expressively.

Sure, sure. There are a whole lot of other places my money could have been spent.

But I'm so glad bought it, even though it fell in the Want vs Need category.

It seems I'm still falling lock-step into appreciating the beauty of all things recycled.

Maybe that's the justification I can use to validate my purchase.

Or maybe it's okay just to appreciate this thing that I bought, just for myself, that I completely enjoy.

I asked for suggestions via my facebook page on what to name this thing.

My South Dakota friend Christine offered up the name Gladys. Christine has a very colorful, dramatic, borderline disgusting story about an inanimate object she fondly referred to as Gladys.

In both of their memories, this thing I stalked for the better part of the weekend has a new name.