I watch Big Bang Theory around the clock and today I lumbered all the way to Cambridge to look at crystals.  Weirdly colored crystals that may emit strange things that make me change my mind about science.

The science movie, what shall it be called?  Let’s call it “The Copenhagen Interpretations.”  Well, we’re not in Denmark but Niels Bohr, who was from there, coined an interpretation of quantum mechanics there.  And before you say anything, I got all of this from Wikipedia.

Anyway, so our fair Danish scientists visit Harvard in say, 1930 to talk to some of their brainiacs.  Now mind you, I am getting my physics wrong, but in this version of reality, I just play the location scout.  Their on their own as far as the physics itself goes.

Perhaps they meet in these buildings:

And they came across some administrative resistance in this building:

And they lived in Allston during their visit.  Like all geniuses:

Perhaps they wandered into this place on the night it got weird:

Maybe there will be more pieces to this puzzle.  Or I will rant about Borders.  I’m not sure what will happen yet.

Well, I don’t usually toot my own horn.  Actually, I don’t do it all.  I walk around with my high powered behemoth and I think to myself “how do these photos turn out the way they do?”  I mean honestly, I don’t spend a lot of time composing or deciding on anything.  I just kind of snap, snap, make sure the exposure is OK and keep snapping.

Of the sounds that make me happy in the world, there is the gentle lilt of a Scandinavian accent and the sound of me stepping the door after a hard day out in the battlefield that make me happy.  Throw in there the sound of the camera clicking.  I swear I keep my finger on the button just to hear it go off again and again.  Joy.

Anyway, such was the case with this set of photos.  I stood there, I thought “this is cool” and I kept shooting until I got what I wanted.  I got what I wanted:

I get what I want.

OK, so I guess it is time I admit this.  I spend a lot of time in Downtown Crossing.  From the beginning, this place appealed to me.  Of course it looks Old Timey and vintage and all the rest of it.  Not to mention the following:

1. An H&M, located next to…

2. A TJMaxx, which is located next to….

3. A DSW Shoe Warehouse that always seems to have Michael Kors shoes on deep discount which itself is near….

4. A Bath and Body Works.  They have this one conditioner, that is just magic to my hair.  I was never a fan of this store, but suddenly I go in there.  That in turn in next to…

5. Well, not directly next to, but Downtown Crossing features four CVS’s.  CVS is a magical, magical, magical place.  First, there are the cheap beauty products that I buy by the armload.  Then, there are the French pharmacy products, that I swear work better than the ones I have.  This is this stuff called Effeclare that my skin simply cries out for.  And it looks mighty fancy in the old bathroom. And the CVS used to be next to Borders, which as well all know is now gone.  They’ll be an entry.  A long one.

Now that I am through with my superficial rambling, let’s get down to brass tacks.  The real reason I like Downtown Crossing are the people.  First, there is the “does anybody have any spare change” man.  Lately he needs money to get back to Watertown.  Whatever.  I took his photo:

This fashion plate.  I’ve said this once and I’ll say this again.  Bill Cunningham is right.  The best fashion show is on the street. Always has been, always will be:

And the people always look interesting.  Really, really, really interesting:

Forget diamonds.  Wouldn’t you want to wear this on your lapel:

This one is downright enchanting:

Reds seem to be very on trend for this season:

These were beautiful as crystals, but I “improved” them.  I hope:

A City:

Crystalline:

And the final entry, something that made me automatically think of scarves, tiffany windows and the fact that whatever we do, we will never, ever, ever be as a good as natural itself:

No, I did not soup this one.  I just kept it natural, save for some sharpening.

I remember when I was a kid, my dad gave a book on different types of crystals, hoping that I would get interested in the science. Now the fact that I did nothing but stare at this book and marvel at how beautiful the crystals were probably explains why I never became a scientist.

 

 

Who lives in Book World?  The Book Man, of course:

Babies come with two heads instead of the standard one:

Cars have eyelashes:

People just don’t ride normal sized bikes:

Hallways look like this:

Mirrors make you look old, automatically:

Your skin turns blue:

Teeth get longer:

Have you ever seen so many piles of books in your life?:

I dug and dug and dug and dug and I found these two hanging out in all the books:

 

Blue is everywhere, not just on him: