Feeling: Productive with a hint of butterflies

I've had a fair amount of drama, productive moments, and lord knows what else at the moment. I'm sorta dazed at the moment. Last week a beautiful vintage maxi dress arrived at my door with a few glaring flaws so I had a bit of a "verbal" sparring match with the seller but ultimately decided to keep it. The day I wore it out, the seams began coming apart and the hem came unstitched. The worst part was I was out with my mom and we couldn't go home, so I was left fearing my dress would fall apart around me. I haven't felt that vulnerable in many a moon.

I found some of my classmates from my school in Japan via Mixi (the Japanese myspace/facebook/wherever) and messaged them. I was unsure as to whether either was who I thought they were (names were strange) but both were! Today, though I stumbled upon Minma's public diary and he posted about my message to him. It was hard to read (literally). He seems to be a good storyteller. It kinda seemed like he was unhappy about it at first, but then when he says what the message says, he sounds like its a very good thing. At the end, I think he said that if I didn't accept his friend request, he won't come to America his whole life. Very puzzling. Then all the comments were from other classmates about me and one used the term, "yabai," which I'm used to being a bad thing, which wasn't nice to hear! So I sent him a message and got a few things off my chest I've needed to say for a long time; I apologized. It felt good but it's a little nerve-wracking--to wait for a response.

Sometimes collections sneak up on you. I've discussed this before. Some number of years before now, I was at an antique mall with my mom. I believe this was after I came home from Japan, because I vaguely remember looking for porcelain shoes for Okaasan, Sakino wasn't with us though so it would have to be after she went home. Maybe then, this took place in August of 2006. While looking for the shoes, I happened upon an absolutely breathtaking perfume bottle.

 The rod on the inside is to apply the perfume/oil. I love the gradient effect on the bottle itself. It didn't appear well in pictures. What made me love this even more is that it has a butterfly on it. Though by this time I had given up on my goal of pursuing entomology as a career, I have never quite given up my love of insects.

I apologize for this one being a little fuzzy. It's hard to shoot things which go up like this with a point and shoot. I think I got good detail on the rhinestones towards the bottom of the photo. Look at me, I cover my lack of knowledge about perfume bottles by talking about photography. Go me!

I never thought to collect perfume bottles. I don't really use perfume, so what would be the point? While shopping with Naomi about a month or two ago, she called me over to look at the hats at which time I saw this beauty

 I don't think it's very old, but how can you resist that beautiful dragonfly? I couldn't buy it then but I made sure that I returned for it when I had the money. Unlike the other, this one has a plastic stopper in it. Now for a detail shot--are you excited? You know I am!

Isn't the detailing on the wings just lovely? Not a whole lot to say here. So there you have it. It's a very meager collection as of now, but I think that for something as specific as this, I'm doing pretty well. When Amy returns from Switzerland this summer and we move in together, she promised to bring me some perfume oils as a souvenir. This will be the first time I've had anything to put in them (but not for lack of trying--I''ve very picky with scents).

Thanks for reading through this. I'm sorry if the phrasing is awkward in places, I've been writing Japanese all evening (and a lot of the afternoon) so I'm not all in my English speaking mind here. Thanks to everyone who reads, whether or not you comment or follow, I appreciate all of you.