When I studied abroad in Japan my American friends nicknamed me "paparazzi hentai." The name quickly passed on to our Japanese friends as well as people began to notice a camera was permanently glued to my hand. It was a dream just to be in Japan and I wanted to capture every minute of it that I could. I was predominantly using a simple Canon Powershot, but occasionally brought out my father's old Pentax. No one was really safe from my lens; I loved snapping candid portraits of friends and strangers. While there I found a camera charm necklace at one store; it seemed like the perfect souvenir for my trip. Of course I was on a rather tight student budget then and the price seemed a bit out of my range, so I visited the store several times, pawing at it before I finally bought it. I wore it quite a bit for several years before it broke one day, so now the pieces sit in the bottom of an old jewelry box--unwearable but I'm not ready to dispose it of yet. So, I was rather pleased when I spied this very similar necklace. It brought back a lot of pleasant memories and stirred up my wanderlust.
Some days it feels as if we skipped past spring and fell into summer's arms. But the humidity isn't as oppressive it will become and the trees are only beginning to bloom. How fun it is to cross a field and notice new tiny buds among the green patches of clover and grass. I'm eager to shed my layers, but it's early yet--spring is a fickle creature.
Rookie Mag has showcased the most magical editorials lately; it really makes me wish Rookie was around when I was younger (although I didn't buy magazines and lacked computer competency when I was young!). Dinosaur Jr photographed by Eleanor Hardwick is definitely a new favorite.
Sometimes the things you see or read become as permanent as those childhood scars that still linger on your knees. Dead Poets Society is one of those films with the power to mark you, but perhaps only if you open yourself up to it. Like many fantastic poems or paintings of yesteryear, a modern audience reads or observes these classic creations with a yawn (aside: I once had a friend tell me all black and white films were boring to her, she just couldn't be entertained without color). 
Dead Poets Society, screencaps by me
For as many photographs as I capture in nature, I'm not much of an outdoors person (as my wardrobe should attest). I do enjoy being outside, but I get annoyed with bug bites, sunburns, and lack the motivation for most hikes. Still, it's hard to imagine living so far away from a patch of wilderness to not be able to immerse myself in. It's even a common theme in my favorite poems, novels, and movies: the peace and solace a quiet meadow walk might offer. Perhaps I too find my "wasted spirits renewed" after a short time outside in the evening, as Wordsworth said. I might be moving to a city this spring and it makes my solitary moments by the James River even more cherished.
I've done map posts before (even a post on dresses made from maps), so as soon as I saw theese vintage map dresses by the annex, I knew I had to share. I'm still searching for my own wearable map dress though...
This sweater reminds me of Charlie Brown comics, which is always a positive association. Cartoon prints really are happening in so many collections right now, so perhaps the next interpretation is merely to dress like your favorite cartoon character? Minnie Mouse is already quite popular in that regard. Anyway, just a rather simple outfit for a rainy day. We're having a warm front lately--I'm so excited to see the trees begin to bloom.
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