Kathy, I can't really offer good advice, as I'd like both much, if I wore gold.

$9 together? If you can eat the cost and just know that you are giving a gift you think she'd like? I'd go for it. It's always a risk. Mom occasionally gives me post earring, which I don't often wear (because posts hang funny on me.) I'll get around to converting them eventually, but it's knowing she found something I'd like (sans post) that matters.

Hard to tell how big those first ones are Kathy--they might be too much for a 14 year old? Dunno. It IS likely at that age she'd go for quantity over quality, though I'd head for something middling on both scales rather than supercheap and plentiful?

On Studio 60, I wasn't super freaked out by the gyn office thing, but it is pretty weird. I was more freaked out by the whole "I'm falling in love with you thing", becuase THAT seemed more personal and intense and freakish. But then, I work mostly with women, and we've been known to get drunk and talk about all sorts of personal stuff, so...yeah.

Also on S60, with the New Orleans musicians, my only thought was "OK, I hope the people on the actual show are ACTUAL new orleans musicians? Cause that would be cool. Otherwise? It's kinda WRONG...

I'm presenting a paper in Houston at the tail end of my Spring Break (March 17), so I thought it might make sense to squeeze in a visit to San Antonio and Austin while there. So around March 12-15.

ETA: And congrats to your wife!

Hard to tell how big those first ones are Kathy--they might be too much for a 14 year old?

HAH! You didn't know me. Plus, I see big (tasteful) stuff on kids all the time.) I've gotten less huge earrings of late though I still have a few monstrous favorites. More issues of weight than anything else. Age. Sucks.

I like the first response better! We're a bit excited and a bit nervous.

Let me know if there's anything y'all need.

Kathy, what about a gift cert. to Claire's or something? Then she can decide quantity over quality. My best friend and I used to go to Claire's and get a buttload of earrings and then go home and trade, so maybe I'm projecting.

So around March 12-15.

SXSW! Sweet!

ETA: And congrats to your wife!

Thanks!

Let me know if there's anything y'all need.

Thanks! I will!

On Studio 60: I enjoyed the episode a lot.

I was somewhat annoyed by the fact that they don't seem to have a props department (or if they were all slaughtered in the warehouse collapse this went unmentioned) and that it took the head writer to come up with a way to fake snow... and that there was no pre-flaked coconut in all of California. It seems that all the props people in Los Angels have died along with all the experienced sketch writers who might want a TV on the hottest show EVAH. I fall in love with his shows and am utterly in line with his politics... but Sorkin's megalomania gets tiresome.

What we had of that sketch made me laugh out loud.

Danny going to the ObGyn didn't strike me as all that werid, she was freaked out and he's madly in love with her.

The musicians, it turns out are the real deal. Apparently they're beneficiaries of Tipitina's Foundation which aids musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina. [link] It didn't strike me so much as a tribute as an actual Spirit of Christmas gesture. Matt is running around talking about Santa and snow but these musicians are risking pissing off their bosses and union in order to help guys who are barely getting by -- I found it quite moving.

I shouldn't be surprised that there's an entire dogs playing poker website. It's the web. It's what it's for. I just forget that an actual person must have painted them, and that actual people like them.

Kathy, those are very pretty, but for a fourteen year old, I would think you could find something similar for more in the range you want to spend.

Trudy expressed my Studio 60 feelings much better than I did. Though the snow/coconut thing didn't bother me as I know nothing of fake snow, coconuts (ech!), or really LA for that matter.