The autumn has been kinda slow. In the school we had some mind-numbingly boring things to do, and I also had a lack of inspiration with my works for some time. I blame the school atmosphere, because earlier this autumn in the working practice I was full of energy & wanted to do everything...
Anyway I made a waterphone (an really quirky instrument invented by richard waters), and I'm also building something like a marimba from copper pipe.

Soon the second working practice period starts, the smithy where I was supposed to go is unavailable, so I'll try to look for something connected to musical instruments instead. Gonna at least call some woodwind/brass repairshops next week.

I've had serious doubts about blacksmithing lately again. I just can't see how making more STUFF is going to make this world a better place, especially considering how material and energy intensive metalworking by heat is.
And I can't see making a living by building weird instruments either. But I'm sure I will work out something... I could be very happy doing the occasional temp job also, and just keep the crafts as a hobby, at least in the near future.

I'm still having these fantasies about moving to some quiet & peacful natural place, but the thing is that this might be one of those things that are better cherished as dreams only But time will tell. And we don't really have such wonderful places in Finland left anyway, the tree industry has basically decimated the country, there's less than 5% of old forest left in the whole country, and we don't have the same kind of old cultural landscapes than in rural Middle Ear... I mean Middle Europe either :/

Ahh, and also I'm so happy, I finally managed to squeeze some money for an used laptop, so now I can work with music almost everywhere I go... It's pissing me off that the new album is basically ready, but with the abysmal CD sales these days, no publisher is able to give me a deal that is very tempting. So I will just try to save some money and publish it myself I guess... Even with all the work of managing the distribution myself :/

I also read Tolkien's biography. It was very inspiring, despite having actually much more details into his personal life than I would have cared to know... But still I always cherish reading about the creative processes of the artists I respect. And it's good to know that Tolkien himself was the master of procastrination with his endless games of solitaire That's comforting when I'm spiting myself for my laziness the next time I'm collecting more magical equipment in dank caves for my Oblivion characted instead of being productive