u/always-so-exhausted

More photos in comments. I love how much movement these spaghetti chains give!

Its size, shape and weight distribution is great for absentmindedly rolling around in my hand. It looks like a real tektite to me though it’s almost all opaque to light (except for at the very edges that look like an olive-y brown with a strong flashlight). Any thoughts on where it’s from? It looks like an indochinite to me. Some still photos are in the comments.

Dioptase from Congo. It’s so hard to capture all the details: the sparkling “sugar” druzy, the vibrant shades of green, the clarity on some of these crystals, the teeny clear crystals scattered all around.

I think the powder blue on the underside is shattuckite? It’s very crumbly and comes off (too easily, I discovered).

I’m almost positive the clear crystals are quartz. Btw, check out the second to last photo to see the tiny little double-terminated crystal just causally perched amidst the deep. I only discovered it while taking photos!

Went for the first time earlier this week!

First of all, Claire Leyden is probably my new favorite Christine. Holy WOW. The voice, the presence! Incredible.

I was so incredibly impressed with sheer logistics of the production. It worked so smoothly going from room to room and up and down so many steps. My spouse commented that Masquerade is what Disney hopes their experiences are like. (OK, it doesn’t sound like a big compliment when written out but she meant it to be a huge compliment.)

I went to the original Broadway production dozen+ times over 30 years, a couple of touring shows and watched/listened to countless bootlegs… and I was a little concerned that I wouldn’t like this new(fangled) staging. And to be honest, I found it a bit chintzy at times — I especially missed the lush original costumes. And the music didn’t have the same visceral impact it usually does… but that was because I was so busy taking in EVERYTHING ELSE. Which is not a bad thing, just different.

I noticed that the cast makes such a huge effort to interact with as many people as possible but I felt like we got super lucky with interactions this past Tuesday. If I go a dozen more times, I don’t think I’d get as lucky. Between my spouse and I, we experienced:

- Before the dance lesson, Madame Giry complimented my porcelain face/mask brooch and asked me if I made it (alas no, but it was thrifted!)

- One of the Masquerade dancers took me by the hand to lead me into the room

- Prompted by Piangi to shout “Bravo” after his name was mentioned

- Handed a rose to throw to Christine after Think of Me

- While on the balcony watching young Phantom in the cage being introduced and taunted, the Phantom cut in between my spouse and I. He put his arm around me and had me trapped between the balcony railing and himself for what felt like half a minute. I was acutely aware that a spotlight was on him (and therefore also on me). What does one DO in that situation? All I could think is that teenage me would’ve died happy on the spot, haha. Whatever cologne/aftershave/deodorant the dude uses was a bit strong and lingered for awhile. (Again, teenage me would’ve died. Middle age me thought about folks with scent sensitivities.)

- Prima Donna: my spouse got a note!! And was also asked by either Andre or Firmin if her company was hiring; as we were exiting, he said “So I’ll see you tomorrow [at the new job]!” Carlotta pinched my chin and Firmin and I had a brief exchange (I forget about what now)

- There were also a bunch of smaller incidental “interactions”, like being touched by an actor, having their costumes sweep by me, being led by an actor (not a butler) to a seat, direct eye contact, etc.

My spouse and I made no efforts to be in certain positions in a room and did not jockey for attention, or otherwise try to initiate interaction with the actors. We just went with the flow and were astonished at how special we were made to feel. (Goodness, they must all touch and talk to so many people every day.)

I only have tomorrow night left in NYC and I’m tempted to go again to try to see Hugh Panaro. He was my favorite Phantom and one that I’d try to catch on Broadway in ye olde days at the Majestic. I feel guilty because I wanted to spend more time with my mom while here… but I would hate to miss him in this.

This gives me joy at a challenging time in my life.

[accidentally typed “loop” in the title🤦🏻‍♀️]

Went to the Benitoite Mining Company in Coalinga, CA for my birthday. I have a small pile of raw blueschist/natrolite that I plan to etch to reveal the benitoite underneath but this is a specimen that I’m keeping intact to display. You can’t really see the benitoite under regular light but I love this piece.

The last 4 photos show the benitoite fluorescing a bright blue under 255nm UV. (I need to figure out how to take better photos in the dark!)

I’m planning on moving out of California this year, so it felt important that I find a specimen of this state gemstone that is pretty much only mined in San Benito county.

Bought a bunch of vintage Czech glass beads, which included uranium (as well as cadmium) beads that glow under UV light.

Made about 90% of them because I’d rather buy strand of beads and have something to keep my hands busy when watching TV than to spend the same amount of money on a premade bracelet.

Also my wrists are smaller than average so one strand is usually enough to make a bracelet for myself, make one to sell/gift and still have some beads leftover to combine into other pieces. :)

Passed through San Juan Bautista on my way to the public benitoite mine in Coalinga and had to check out the local rock shop. I regret not getting more.

I’m trying to destash and I can’t decide which of my 2 Indian scolecites to keep! Which one would you keep?

I love that it allows light to filter through! The left side has chatoyancy but I couldn’t capture it well in the photos.

(Please forgive the AI background removal on the second photo. I accidentally took it with some personal info in the background. The stone was not manipulated in any way!)