February 2026 Newsletter

From Dan, Your Friend and Master Builder

Dear Friends,

February has been gentler. After the whirlwind start to the semester, I’ve been carving out deliberate space to destress, reset, and lean into projects that feel cosy and grounding.

Fig. 17.1: The Dreamzzz deer, easily my favorite little forest friend.

I’ve been spending more time playing with LEGO, and by far my favorite recent set has been Dreamzzz: Stable of Dream Creatures (71459). It features this adorable deer (Fig. 17.1), alongside a stable bursting with bright oranges, yellows, and greens. The entire build radiates warmth. Naturally, I immediately looked up alternate builds people have shared online: everything from turning the stable into a cottage to transforming it into a hobbit-style grass-covered nook. It’s been awe-inspiring to see the show come to life on my desk. And not only that, but the lego instructions have beautiful artwork of the characters `dreaming up' the set alongside you. The attention to detail is what keeps me addicted to the whole experience.

Fig. 17.2: Anikin the Manikin with her daisies.

Speaking of creative play, I gifted some LEGO daisies to Anikin the Manikin (Fig. 17.2). She loves them. However, she has made it very clear that flowers alone are not sufficient tribute. Apparently, she expects new garments soon so she can continue modeling my sewing experiments.

Fig. 17.3: Character sheet for Taylor, a bunny OC.

This month also brought a major personal victory. I’ve been stuck in a prolonged art block. But spending time at furry club art meetings gently forced me to confront it. So I did. I created a full character sheet for one of my old original characters (OCs) (Fig. 17.3). It felt like reopening a door I’d kept closed for too long.

Fig. 17.4: Sunset views during walks with my ma.

Walks with my ma have continued to be one of the most meaningful parts of my weeks. We talk about our lives, exchange advice and perspective, and sometimes pause entirely, letting conversation dissolve so we can just watch the sky shift colors (Fig. 17.4). Those quiet in-between moments feel just as important as the words.

Fig. 17.5: The upgraded 3D printing setup.

I also began scaling up some bigger projects. I reorganized my 3D printer area, adding shelves and giving everything room to breathe (Fig. 17.5). The enclosure tent helps keep things quieter and improves print reliability for materials that need climate stability. There’s something deeply satisfying about building infrastructure for future creativity.

I want to close this newsletter with a big announcement.

My newest paper is:

The E. Coli I Got from Jack in the Box at Midnight Saved My Life

This one is different. It’s not art history. It’s not human psychology. It’s about me. Of course, there’s research woven in (I couldn't resist) but at its heart, this is a life update that reaches beyond what a newsletter can hold.

To quote directly from the paper:

“If you’ve been through trials and tribulations, allow it to reset your perspective, and take another look on your priorities. That could be hobbies, friends or family, career goals, whatever drives your passion.”

And so I did.

Thank you all for being here. For reading. For witnessing. For existing alongside me in this strange and beautiful timeline.

I love all of you.