Friday, December 23, 2011

Outfit Post and a New Pet!

Yesterday was the winter concert day for our Choirs at my school so, as tradition, everyone dressed up during the day; which is slightly ironic seeing as how we go to the concert in shorts and a T-shirt. (We wear robes, shorts and T-shirt underneath.) I'm really tired in this picture.
Hair Bow: DIY
Necklace Pendent: Post-Halloween sale at the local party store. (Party USA? Party America? Party World? Party City? Something like that.)--10$ about?
Blouse: Fan+Friend Garden--30$
Skirt: Fan+Friend Garden--30$
Corset: Iris Noir--35$
Two Pairs of Tights: Target, I didn't much like the black ones anymore, and the purple ripped as soon as I put them on so I made lovely ripped tights to layer.--10$ (Plus the service of the black ones when I still used them.)
Boots: Goodgoth/Demonia-- 65$

In other news, I got a new bird! His name is Gandy, he's a two year old Nanday Conure. He's very sweet and well socialized. Bit of a brat though when it comes to going back in his cage. Just a few training issues to sort out. I'm still working on getting a picture because he doesn't like to hold still but here's an example of what a Nanday Conure looks like:
Source


If you want to see more pretty pictures you can check here. It has one of my absolute favorite Nanday pictures. It's about half way down the page of a Conure named 'Ash' with his wing spread. Nandays really are, to me, one of the most beautiful parrots and I feel so lucky to have one.

A belated Yuletide Blessings to everyone, by the way.

Lastly I'd like to direct your attention to a blog post on my Alt.V blog. Read here.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

News!!

Short message post:
Sad to say I've been so busy lately I have no time to post but I have many plans for posts and will come back with blazing fingers.
Also, I'm adding another feathered companion to the family! That's always exciting. More updates on that adventure to come...

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Frills, Lace and Filthy Victorians

Source
Seeing as how the Filthy Victorians of 2012 are putting the final touches on their preparations for next year, I thought it all to perfect that I get to share with you a darling poem that my friend, Niccole wrote. It was introduced to me as "a Victorian era recipe poem" so that is the introduction I will pass on to you:

Frills, Lace and Broken Ribs

To make the perfect Victorian Era Pastry,
You must start out with both the wealthy
And the poor of the time period.
Divide them both into sections,
Mixing coal and dust into the poor
And lace and frills with the rich.
To the section of the poor,
Add a cup of disease, a dash of sorrow
And a whole lot of work for everyone.
When dealing with the wealthy,
Turn up your nose in a haughty way
So that you may fit in and deal
With all the parties and social gatherings.
Once done with that and posture is good,
Add a lot of broken ribs from corsets,
Sprinkle in some abuse from the men,
And add three and a half heaping cups of
Colored cloth, richly decorated to content.
Place in the oven for about an hour,
Take out to cool, placing a parasol above
So that the delicate outside will not burn.
Once cooled to touch with a gloved hand,
Spread literature in abundance over top,
Making sure to cover every last bit of wealth.
You need not worry about the poor getting any,
They are on the bottom, and will receive none.
Set on a lavishly decorated place on the table,
Letting it sit there for all to see and admire.

Friday, November 25, 2011

Ton The Ta Til Ote Ta Toux?

Source
 I did away with of the punctuation in the title. Forgive me as I don't speak french. It loosely means "Has the tea cured your cough?" Perfect title since I'm sick. I got sent home from school on Wednesday because I felt like I was going to pass out. (I apparently looked like it as well.) Thankfully I had the rest of the week off for Thanksgiving. It was nice to see family I normally only see once a year. Unfortunately I had to take a nap in the middle of the celebrating from being dizzy.
Now it seems to have grown into an annoying head-cold.
I was hoping to do a more thoughtful post, but my brain seems to have gone on vacation while exterminators rid my skull of it's cold. So my post is going to consist of pretty picture I found on Google images. Enjoy!
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Sunday, November 20, 2011

One in a Million

We are humans:
A one in a million chance.
We are a pesticide.
We are the pest.
We are locus;
We swarm over the land
On the earth and the moon,
A one in a million chance.

I don't remember exactly when I wrote this. It was after I learned about the odds of things turning out the way they did. I don't remember the exact odds, but they were rather large. I always mess with the punctuation on One in the Million.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Backward Footsteps: Old Poetry!

Well, to be precise, an old poem. I haven't been writing as much as a use to anymore so I thought I would go threw a bunch of old poems I wrote in middle school. I found this one, which I wrote in the seventh grade. I didn't know what to think of it so I thought I'd throw it to the masses. Devour at will! And leave comments!

What is a Monster? A Poem of Thought. 

What really is a monster?
What deserves the title of “monster”?
Is it something that kills ruthlessly?
We kill all the time without a 2nd thought,
Yet we never seem call ourselves a monster.
Is it something that we don’t understand?
Something that we’re afraid of?
Perhaps we are the monsters
For not taking the time to understand that which is a mystery to us.
Why is it that we automatically despise a monster?
Is it because they might be more powerful then us?
Because they might be higher up on the food chain?
Perhaps it’s because we remember the struggle our ancestors went through to survive.
Kill or be killed,
Isn’t that right?
Yet does anyone stop to think that maybe if we quit killing so much,
We might stop being killed so often?
Does anyone stop to think that maybe if we quit looking for flaws in the world around us,
We’d find peace and acceptance within ourselves?
After all who gave us the right to decide what is right and what is wrong?
And who gave us the right to decide who is or is not a monster?
Why is it that we think we have the right to judge
When it is precisely that judging that denies us the individuality we all seem to crave.
 So what really is a monster?
A fragment of our imagination?
Or is it fear itself?
If we all believe that monsters are the enemy
And that they are something to be feared and despised,
Then aren’t we just hating ourselves?
For isn’t a monster created from our own opinion?
From our own mind?
So if there’s really anything to fear,
Shouldn’t it be how easy it is for others to use your mind against you?
Or should the real fear be how easy it is to use your mind as a weapon against yourself..?

One last plea for comments: I am getting ready to apply for an art school for my last two years of high school. I'm just filling out applications, writing essays and getting recommendations together. After the application goes it I have to go to an interview/audition and while I might not be totally sure at the moment what that will entail, I'm quite positive that any comments would be extremely helpful towards my writing. Which is what I'm applying for... Thank you!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

New Haircut and Goth Challenge Days 16-20

I spent all day-well, four hours- getting my hair dyed. My mum refuses to allow black dye in the house so we go somewhere so a nice lady can do it for us. I also decided at that time to chop most of my hair off. It's a bit messy in the picture I've posted below since I haven't messed with it.
Crappy picture, I know. I was tired. Bad lighting too.
With that picture, I'll also start off with some Goth Challenge questions:

Day 16: What's the Most Casual You've Ever Dressed?
I'll happily direct your attention to the picture above. That sweatshirt and a pair of jeans is my most casual outfit that I wear out and about.

Day 17: Your favourite Goth brand.
I don't know if I really have one. I like FanplusFriend Garden for skirts and blouses and Seven Deadly Sins or Lowbrow Art for T-shirts or tank tops, (both of which I find here). Otherwise I drift around and always look for new places and new things.


Day 18: Worst hair experience.
Straight bangs. 90% of the time covering my eyes because they grew to fast. I actually just deleted the last picture I had of them off my phone a few days ago since I didn't think I'd use it. Or want to. I just don't think they worked well on me. 

Day 19: Share beauty advise and take a photo of your make up.
Again, refer to the above picture. That is about as extensive as my make up will get on a normal basis. I have a more complex way of doing it on special occasions but for the most part this is what it is. Or less.
Advice:
  • Always use a sponge when applying foundation. 
  • To cover up acne, if yours is bothersome like mine, first apply coverup with a sponge, then foundation with another and if it need it, a small bit of extra foundation just on the certain area with a clean fingertip. (Note: This contradicts with the first bullet slightly, but when you use your fingertip it is slathered on a bit thicker. Note2: This is meant for liquid foundation.)
  • If you are using a lighter shade of make up than your actual skin color don't forget blending, or your neck. Otherwise you'll have a very obvious line. 
  • Clean up eyeliner with a Q-tip. At the same time, careful when cleaning it up with the same Q-tip so you don't end up adding more, although sometimes this gives a nice smokey effect. 
  • This just personally bothers me, but, when you put on mascara, put it on your whole eye lash, not just the tips, unless its a two toned look. I find the change in color very noticeable.
  • Be careful when applying powdery makeup so that you don't get speckled clothing.
Day 20: If you could dye your hair any colour what would it be?
Other colors, besides black, that I'd consider dying my hair would be purple or a grey-ish blue. Maybe not all of my hair, but part of it perhaps.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Celebrating Two Holidays With One Date: Samhain and Halloween

Picture link here
 This is my fourth year of celebrating both holidays and I've only done it semi-successfully once. If it was another time in my life it would perhaps be easier, but juggling both holidays and school hours never seems to go as planned.
To recap:
Year one worked, at the time my parents had given me the go ahead to explore religion, the month ended on a Friday so I celebrated Halloween and then on Saturday I did a simple ritual, researched about the holiday and made cookies, ect. I realized though in the later months that my parents didn't seem very comfortable with the religion change. They didn't want anything to do with it but they wouldn't limit my religious freedom.
I began to be more subtle about practicing and I think they decided that it was a phase that had passed. The second year, since I didn't really want to bring the religion back up and make them uncomfortable I celebrated Halloween only.
By the time October came along last year, I had a small group of people who I would do rituals with. We -of course- wanted to celebrate the holiday together. We planned to do it on Saturday, but last minute I cancelled. The plans were never really set in stone and I was going through a rough patch. Actually, I cancelled my Halloween plans as well, but then reset them very last minute.

This year I had big plans for Samhain. An all day Sunday celebration that I was planning with the same group from last year. We were going to meet around 11 in the morning, walk up to target and buy a dozen or two roses. We were then going to walk to a nearby cemetery and place them on the graves and have a picnic. Its something I do often with friends. I don't have any family graves nearby but I can at least respect others who might not get visited because they're so old. Then we were going to set up and do a ritual which tends to be a rather long process for us. We were going to end with one last event: a dumb supper.* Finally hanging out until everyone was able to get home for the night.
Lovely plans no?
Those plans aren't going to happen. For many different reasons, but mostly because we have no where to do it. When creating the plans I over looked the fact that most of the places we would originally do a ritual and such were destroyed or re-purposed because of the fire.
My parents also didn't want people over.
My Halloween plans on the other hand are the same as every year, hanging out with a very good friend of mine. We figured we'd watch movies and hand out candy. She's dressing up in costume where as I will just dress to my dark little hearts desire since I have to wear it to school.


In other news, 13 followers. <3 My favorite artfully imbalanced number.

*Completely silent, formal dinner to honor your ancestors.

Monday, October 17, 2011

DIY Jewelry

I've been meaning to do this post for a while. As pointed out in a previous post the one thing I can successfully DIY is jewelry. I made a bunch of jewelry to sell so I could get some money to put towards a new electric piano since the one I had growled at me and had a broken key...
The thing I love about jewelry is that it doesn't take much and you can use just about anything. It's also not very expensive and only need minimal sewing/tools/ect. I make things out of what I have so as of now I haven't needed to spend any money. Although I might buy clasps at some point.

I made this choker out of a dress that I never wore. The band comes from a corseted area of the dresses skirt. The cross was at the end of the chain and the chains were used as string to corset a different part of the dress. This was my first piece and I learned as I went along. Its actually fairly shabby work but I have a friend who fell in love with it so I sold it to her. I used thread and superglue to put things together.



This piece was my second attempt at a choker and was just as shabby. I didn't have white thread and had to use brown, which I stitched rather unevenly. But I've grown rather fond of the thing. It wears nicely. Its made from a silky black/silver rose print with spider web lace on top, white ribbon borders and a piece of petrified wood from a ring I had. The print is from an old shirt, the lace is from the previously mentioned dress, the ribbons are from an old flower girl dress. It hasn't been bought yet, and I'm sure I'll have a picture of me wearing it soon.

This is one of my favorite pieces. It was made from part of a broken necklace piece that I got from my aunt. The ring piece was filled in with black nail polish and super glue and the ring back itself was actually what held the petrified wood piece. This took me a long while to make and it was sold to another friend. I had to specially fit it to her hand but its complete with a clasp on the bracelet. Used metal/wire cutter and pliers.




This is another piece I am particularly fond of. It was given to a girl for her birthday. I got the watch from my aunt, who makes vintage jewelry and the ribbon was from the same flower girl dress as previously mentioned. It had a bunch of other half attached strings of pears or jewels that I took off and then cleaned off the glue. The clock didn't actually work but when I was using it I'd set the time of my next class so I could easily check to make sure I wouldn't be late.



This is a very simple yet pretty piece. It was made completely from a belt that a friend gave that broke. The cross was sewed on to the ribbon. It was almost sold but hasn't been yet. I haven't worn it myself much since I don't like to wear crosses.







Another piece made from the belt previously mentioned. Very simple necklace, just required a metal/wire cutter and pliers. Sold it to a friend.










Ditto last post, made from the belt, easy tools. Sold to a friend. The only difference is that this actually got a 'formal' clasp.











Anyway, that is just a few things I've made. I always wear the things at least once just to see how they hold up so I am sure they wont fall apart where ever they end up. So...go forth and don't waste old broken jewelry and clothing and such.

Home Sick

As in I stayed home sick. I haven't been feeling well since Friday. Ironically enough tomorrow is the last day of school for the week. However I've been spending the day with mashed potatoes, rice, tea and pumpkin scones. I've also equipped myself with three movies thanks to a recent post on The Walrus Room of top ten favorite movies, (Thank you Sarah! ^^). I've chosen Harold and Maude, Gypsy 83 and Benny and Joon.

On a side note, for those blogs who've been mentioned in my mess of posts; I don't much have a habit of asking before I reference peoples blogs in my post unless the whole post is about someone's blog which would be really unlikely... I'll always link to the blogs I reference. If you don't like it, say something and I'll pull it off; otherwise if you prefer to be asked just tell me and I'll make sure to next time. I'm still new to blogging and feeling out the rules.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Goth Challenge Days 10-15

Not my picture, but I've had it for a while and don't remember where I've gotten it.

The fire and now school work is making me loose touch with my blog, so I'll be doing the goth challenge is large chunks so I get a chance to finish it. In other news, 11 followers! <3

Day 10: What do you hate and love about the subculture?
I love all the obvious, the music, the clothing, the art, ectect. I also love the sense of community that builds whether it be over the internet or in clubs or when you pass another goth on the street and they just get it. Well, I'm not sure about that last one since I know of no other goths around here, but I've heard lovely tales of such things.
I hate the things that come with being gothified; the insults, the attention, the people that glare at you awkwardly or the people who run up wanting to touch you and your clothes. However I also know that these things come when you dress to your dark little hearts content. But hate is a strong word. I'd much prefer "Dislike in a deep, dark and undying sort of way."

Day 11: Is goth a lifestyle for you?
Yes and no. I've heard a lot of people say that although they haven't always considered themselves goth they've had the traits ever since they were really little but then later they found the subculture and the world exploded in rainbows and unicorns, hurrah, hurrah. Since I fall into this group I feel it is a lifestyle. However right next to my goth world I've got my horsey world and I personally have trouble mixing the two. So it depends on the day.

Day 12: What's your gothic inspiration?
I get inspiration from books, movies, pictures, ideas and day to day things. But I'll tell you one story:
I was going through one of those depressed teenager phases a few years ago and I started getting called "that depressed goth girl" which turned into "why would anyone want to be goth if they have to be all depressed all the time?" I didn't understand why it was okay for a mainstream teenager to have a down time but not me and I was getting frustrated and tired of filling the old stereotype. However I had my reasons for being down and it took me a while to be ready to let them go. Then I started watching NCIS and I saw how happy Abby was and decided I wanted to be happy and cheerful too.
There you are, small inspiration moment.

Day 13: What was your first band t-shirt?
My very first band shirt was for Bullet for my Valentine which I listened to during my baby bat and just out of my baby bat days. When I quit listening to them I got rid of the shirts (yes, plural, I had three). I didn't get another band t-shirt until recently when I got a Dresden Dolls T-shirt and sweatshirt from my mother.

Day 14: Whats was your best and worst DIY disaster?
I'll keep this short. The only thing I can successfully DIY is jewelry. Anything else is a disaster.

Day 15: What is your favorite or most expensive item in your wardrobe?
It's probably a toss up between my petticoat from Fan+Friend Garden or my underbust corset from Iris Noir.

Now I have a question for any other equestrian goths out there. Do the worlds mix for you? 
 

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Lets All be Happy

Picture found here.
 I keep running across people who tell me that they'd love to put a dramatic flare to their clothing, but that they are far to nervous or shy about others reactions to do so. I think this is horrible and that people should wear whatever makes them happy.
I also know about nervousness when it comes to wearing something new around a new group of people. At the end of the last school year I decided I wanted to veer off from my jeans and a T-shirt tenancies and get more skirts, ruffles, lace, ect. So right as summer started I got myself a few skirts, blouses and a petticoat. Even though I made friends with my petticoat over the summer, the idea of trying to get the poof throughout the school day where I will undoubtedly draw attention, was daunting.
Here's a few tips on how to survive introducing dramatic changes into your wardrobe:
  • If you are meeting someone for the first time wear a look from your new change and don't worry one bit! They'll form their first impression with the new outfit so how would they know if you dressed any differently in the past? 
  • If you are wearing a new outfit for the first time around a group of people who already know you, such as friends at school, try to wear it right after a break. The first day of school is the best for gothlings because people tend to reinvent themselves over the summer. 
  • If you are working and unsure if your boss will be happy with the change, integrate the change slowly and see how your superiors react. 
  • Be confident! Like the way you look. Confidence looks good on everyone, so check yourself. Go in front of a mirror and look at your reflection. Are you smiling? Subconsciously posing? Being happy with what your wearing and the way you look is far more important than what others might or might not think. 
  • Still dress appropriately!  If its negative six degrees (That's negative 21 degrees for you centigrade folk) then wear a jacket.
When I wore my lovely get-up to school I had a fairly positive experience. I did draw a lot of attention but mostly compliments which are always good to get now and then. Of course you always get a few grumble/snickering folk but they were relatively easy to ignore. The most uncomfortable part of my day was probably that the corset I was wearing was putting pressure on my back as I put it on in a rush. I also learned to important lessons: it is hard to fit a poofy skirt in a desk and when you walk pasts desks with paper on them you have the risk of sweeping them off if the desk is low enough. 
To my friends amusement, and slight dismay, a few days later I wore a lighter pair of jeans with a bright green sweatshirt since I was feeling sick and lazy.

So, you wear what you want, without fear, so you can be happy at least with yourself and I'll wear what I want for the same reasons; and if we get discriminatory blows we will vent with the utmost humor before going on our merry little way. Deal?

    Friday, September 9, 2011

    I'm home!!! And Goth Challenge Day 9

    Victoria Frances (source)
    I'm home!!! A week before I was suppose to be! Which is great after getting wireless and then having it repealed a day later. So...

    Day 9: What genre of music do you dislike?
    I don't completely dislike any specific genre of music. There are certain aspects to songs that I dislike more than others though. For example, I prefer to have a strong melody so I am not so fond of songs that have more screaming or speaking than singing. I also prefer songs with hidden meaning or clever references; especially if they reference classic literature.  But since I am friends with all sorts of people I have learned to like all sorts of music. I just have what artists make it on my music player and those who do not.

    Bad news:
    Leonardo Shakespeare Catapult Rat (Leo, my pet rat-- for those who have forgotten), passed away a few days ago. It was heartbreaking, a horrid end to the first day of the school year and just an over all sucky day. He was around three years old. Which is very old for rats. We also fear he had to high of CO2 intake when he was waiting to be rescued by firemen as well. He was clever and cleverly lazy as he got older. Because of the rash I started to develop whilst holding him, I have decided that rodents are not good pets for me. (This happened before with Guinea Pigs when I was younger.) RIP Leo. </3

    Thursday, September 1, 2011

    Up in Flames

    Not my picture. News channel picture.
     The alarm was loud, blaring, but not the alarm that usually sounded. It was high pitched, like a computer with a cranked volume had a serious error and I immediately closed from the website I was on. It took me a few moments to realize it was coming from the apartment building and not from my computer. My mum had come from her room and was in the process of putting on her shoes with the intent to try and figure out where the sound was coming from.
    All of a sudden there was a pounding on the door followed by "Get up! This is real, you have to get out! There's a fire!" That was when the panic set in. I screamed to my father to hurry, causing a small argument that was ended with another neighbor pounding on our door.
    Mum slipped the harness on our dog, who was at her feet. The cats were hidden and we were forced to leave without any of our other pets. We followed the stream of our neighbors, all pounding on the doors they passed. There were no flames or smoke. Just a bunch of terrified people who didn't know if they were ever going to see their stuff again.
    We left the building and merged with the people who had already gotten out.
    It took us a while to see the flames but they were already impressive. The end apartments had already be engulfed in flames that topped on the roof. The apartment building is in four sections. We were in the third. But people were going back to their apartments to get the animals they left and I turned my attention to keeping a deaf, collarless dog from wandering off while the owner went to get her cat. The fire has spread quickly over the roof and we knew it'd be to risky to go get our pets. A flaming piece of the building fell of and onto the sidewalk making everyone jump even though we were far away.
    As the officers and fire fighters finally arrived we wandered to the front and towards the other buildings, safe and out of the way. Flames and smoke were starting on the second section, getting closer and closer to my apartment. For a while all I could see was smoke coming from close by where my apartment was. I was horrified, not knowing if I'd have a home to go back to and fearing all my pets were dead.
    I felt like it took forever for the flames to get put out. No one could tell us what was going on and everyone was just standing around.
    Finally the Red Cross was able to give us some sense of direction and we were able to put our pets on a list to get rescued. I couldn't stand waiting around until I learned whether they were alive or dead so my grandparents took me to pick up some things at Walmart since we were staying with them for the night. I went in the store with my dog... barefoot.
    In the end we were lucky. My apartment is fine. My pets are all alive. But our life is on hold while we wait to be able to move back into our home. We're staying in the building across from ours, in the half moved out apartment of a family member. Every morning we wake up and see the damage. I jump at every alarm. I wake up at every noise. We can't move back for a couple of weeks which means that I'll be starting school away from home. We can go back to the apartment and pick things up but it seems like something is always missing.
    But today I was able to get a fragile WiFi signal. So the blog is back up, which should prove to be some entertainment. Posts might not be as wonderful as they would be if I had...my house... but it's something.
    No one died in the fire; no one was even seriously injured. But a few pets were lost. Half the building is destroyed, thirty homes are unlivable. And I can't help but think that we might not have left in time if it wasn't for the people who took the time to warn us. I can't thank them enough. Nor the firemen, the Red Cross, the Army Surplus, and the staff at the apartment complex.
    My heart goes out to those who lost everything and I wish them luck in starting over.
    What it use to look like...


    And for the record, the fire was started on a deck by either a cigarette or a candle flame. One small mistake. Please be careful for your sake and for the sake of those around you.

    Monday, August 22, 2011

    Goth Challenge: Day 8, Among Other Things

    It's not even the start of the school year yet and I'm already sick of homework. Well not quite. But I am almost done and thus decided to take a break from it today. I apologize ahead of time if this post seems a bit scattered and unfocused. I doubt I'll get to post for the next few days or the week depending on how much homework I do at one time.


    Day 8: What's your worst and best experience with non-goths?
    As I mentioned earlier, I've had this answer planned out for a while. My best and worse experiences are both very recent since it has only been recently that I've made my outfits more dramatic.
    My best took place at the Farmer's Market and the surrounding stores. First I was complimented by a young woman who loved my outfit and had to know where I got my clothes because they were a style that she wore as well. And secondly I was complimented by these two elderly ladies who thought it was great that I was wearing what I like and not what was the norm.
    My worst experience is continuous. It's with my father, ever time he rolls his eyes and doesn't want to go somewhere with me because of how I dress. Or every time he 'subtly' tells me to wear 'something normal.' And every time he encourages me to dress in a way that makes me happy and then goes "Seriously? You're wearing that? Why?"That is why the compliments I before mentioned mean so much to me.
    But I have found the cure for confidence injured by family members to disapprove. Go to the mirror. Do you like how you look? Does it make you smile? Then you dress right.

    Now that's answered, Last Weeks Riding Lesson:
    It was amazing. I rode a horse named Yukon. He is very tall but has a very smooth stride. I sat his canter, which felt like a good feat despite the fact that he's ridiculously smooth. I also fully cantered my first course. Well, attempted to anyway. The point was that I was instructed to fully canter the course. It's nice to know that you are improving, you know?


    Other Things:
    To end my wall of text, I thought I'd add a picture to the start of my posts on whether it will be about the Goth world or the Horse world. Pictures are fun. =)
    I've also been writing a list of topics as I think of them since I haven't been able to post as much. One of the things on my list is a "Poem/Writings of the Week (Day?)" type o' deal. Where I'd post a work of mine and you'd review it. I'm sure it'll be everything from cheesy sadness to a school project where you'd get a B. This is for a few reasons:
    • To improve my writing. 
    • A chance for me to hear some different opinions (Does that count as improving writing?)
    • I'm applying for an art school soon (for writing) and I know they require examples as a sort of an audition. I won't find out until after I send it my application about what exactly I'll need to send it but I'd like to have a few things on hand.
    Would anyone be interested in that? I was also thinking of outfit posts... And online store reviews since I apparently know my way around fairly well. Or so I've been told. That is all for this messy post though.



    Wednesday, August 17, 2011

    Goth Challenge: Day 7

    This (should) be my last post for the next week or so. I have just a small bit of time left to finish homework before school starts. And then I have to complete forms and essays and stuff for a school I'm applying to. I can't believe the summer went so fast!
    Anyway day seven,
    Ten of your favorite goth bands. 

    1)
    Siouxsie and the Banshees: "Godmother of goth" I had a...very slight... obsession with the band after I spent months with only "Face to Face" on my player. Still love that song. But The Passenger is my favorite and one of my all time favorite songs that I go back to when I'm feeling down. I also recommend Carousel, Candyman, Cities in Dust, Peek-A-Boo, Spellbound, Christine...all the rest? Yeah? Okay.

    2)
    I:Scintilla: My... reoccurring obsession? This is another band where I could say I love just about every song. Lovely lyrics, strong beat. My favorites include Face the Kill, The Bells, Cursive Eye, Capsella Bursa Pastoris and Salt of Stones. Fun music to hop on your bed and dance to when no one is watching in my opinion. =P

    3)
    Emilie Autumn: Great music, both lyrical and instrumental, great poetry. Syringe is one of my favorites along with Manic Depression, Strange Device, The Art of Suicide, ect. She had a concert in my state in February and I couldn't go. I didn't meet the age requirement. How suckish is that? Heard the concerts are amazing. x.x

    4)
    The Dresden Dolls: The first song I heard from them was Coin Operated Boy. It also has a great music video. It is currently the band I use to not freak out on the way to my riding lessons. This is also one of the few bands that my mother likes and will not complain about having to listen to in the car. Favorites include Sex Changes, Coin Operated Boy, Girl Anachronism, Night Reconnaissance, and a few others. 

    5)
    Hannah Fury: I love the haunting melodies and vocals. I am fond of most of her songs but my favorites include Carousel, The Necklace Marie Antoinette and Let it Show. This song and after my list gets a bit mixed up as far as in order of favorites. It took me forever to get her music on my player. I'd listen to songs and then forget.

    6)
    The Cruxshadows: A few months ago I got a few more more CDs by them as well as a few other bands. I didn't, however, listen to the songs because I was more preoccupied with the songs from the other bands. I just recently stumbled across the song in the video "A Stranger Moment" whilst having my player on random as I cleaned. I absolutely adore this song. My other favorites include Sophia, Winterborn, Memorare, Elissa, ect.

    7)
    The Sisters of Mercy: More hauntish vocals. Been fond of them for a while. One of the bands my father doesn't complain about. Favorites include Lucretia, My Reflection, This Corrosion, Dominion, ect... I'm running out of things to say on these little paragraphs. x.x How many times can I say "Love them" in one post before my computer bursts into flames?

    8)
    Bauhaus: Classic, love them. Good? Good. There is a few classics on my list. Another band my father doesn't complain about. Favorite songs are Honeymoon Croon, Bela Lugosi's Dead (Oooh, surprising... ), Slice of Life (My First Favorite) and Who Killed Mr. Moonlight. You know that time when I got more Cruxshadows music and didn't listen to them all? It's a deja vu moment. 

    9)
    Joy Division: The vocals in my opinion are very unique sounding. I didn't like them at first, the appreciation for their music came over time and after watching the movie Control. I actually have that movie on it's way to my house so I can watch it again. They are the final of the three bands my father will listen to without complaint. My favorites include Transmission, Love Will Tear us Apart Again, She in Parties and Shadowplay.

    10)
    Faith and the Muse:  What can I say? I like haunting melodies and lyrics. The Chorus of The Furies is currently my favorite song. I have a few others but my writing brain is running out of steam. Sorry dears. Early morning.

    On a final side note, it's awesome-tastic to have some followers. Even if it is like... five...



    Monday, August 15, 2011

    Goth Challenge: Day 5 and 6

    Another double day, you ask? Why yes, another one. This serves to purposes. One: To distract me from the homework I was given for over the summer and must have finished before the first day of school. Two: To get me further along in the challenge because things get frantic for me once school goes back in session.
    Plus (I suppose this is reason number three...) these two posts are ridiculously short. Thus when put together, they create a better sized post. Oh, wait, I have a reason four. I want to get to the eight day before I forget the post I absent-mindedly planned out while reading other blog's day eights.

    Day 5: Is there a local goth band or group in your area?
    In my town? Pfft. No. I live in the town of mainstream rich folk, in the apartments of 'I wish I was rich' folk. Okay, so that might not be totally true, but from what I witness, this is how it is. Now my area seems to have quite a bit of an alternative side. But I won't admit to being immediately knowledgeable about any band. But if you would like to see the bands that are supposedly around I would check out this website. 

    Day 6: Hand write your favorite lyric and take a picture.
    I was very uncertain on what song to do for this. My favorite son is The Passenger by Siouxsie and the Banshees; and I have a ton of songs from a ton of artists with lyrics that I think is ingenious, clever, amusing, beautiful and just plain passionate. But I finally settled on a simple song with simpler lyrics because it has personal significance. So, I present to you in my messy handwriting, I Want My Innocence Back, by Emilie Autumn.

    Pets and Zoos

    That...one itty bitty little comment about Zombi yesterday gave me the idea of a post about the animals I share my house with. Pictures too!
    Well, on most of them. I'll start off with the only one to be picture-less.

    Leonardo Shakespeare Catapult Rat: My pet rat, he is brown and white. Usually called Leo, his name is terribly long because for the time I had him, I could not stick with one name. Named originally after Leonardo Da Vinci. He is very clever, and it is annoying. But in the later months he is finally succumbing to old age is I can't keep his weight up no matter how much food I give him. And even now that he's slowed down, I still can't get a decent picture.
    Casper: I have had Casper forever. Well, not forever. But since before the summer after fourth grade. I got her as a gift of some sort. Her name was stolen from another kid who had gotten a dog the same time. The kid came into class and shared that they had gotten a puppy that they named Casper and I decided that the name would be very fitting for my new pet as well since I couldn't for the life of me decide what to name her.

    Zombi: Our newest addition to the house, she was my birthday present for this year of 2011. We got her from the humane society and she was seven in a half to eight months old. She is just about a year now. She is black but she has a white patch right under her neck (As seen in picture), another in between her front legs (Which we call her bikini top) and another big patch on her stomach that we call her diaper patch. She has green eyes, hence her name and this picture doesn't do them justice.

    Maxx: Maxx was named after the dog in The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. The cartoon version was my favorite movie when we got him. I was four or five at the time. We got him as a kitten from a ranch and he has grown up as big as a barn cat would be expected to. Although he's a chicken and jumps at every little noise. He's been very patient and accepting with the new kitten who is a ditzy mess. But he's still the baby of the family.

    Jack: Named after Jack Sparrow, he is a Yorkshire Terrier. We got him as a puppy five years ago. He's a dork. A clever dork though. I taught him a bunch of tricks when we first got him. But he isn't very fond of people and only likes the dogs he met as a puppy. We had these families around town that would scream every time they saw a dog and run the other direction and kids use to throw stuff at him so he has become a very guarded dog. Very obedient though. And cute.

    Einstein: Finally, my mother's demon.. erms.. bird... The evil..ahem, clever talking Blue Front Amazon. We don't always get along, but she is amusing in her own way. We first thought she was a boy, thus the name Einstein. But she is a girly and very protective over her cage. She loves my mother and my father. She does not like me or any other pets. She is absolutely terrified of Casper and she enjoys playing fetch. As it, she throws, you fetch.


    Well, there is my arsenal of pets. Next is the best of the pictures I took at the zoo and conservatory I went to last week:







    Please don't use my pictures without my permission... as always...



    Goth Challenge Day 3 and 4

    Two posts in one day? How dare I, you ask? Well, I'm starting this post at 11:45 in the evening. And will probably finish after midnight, thus being the next day and meaning I have the right to doing two posts. Good? Good.

    Day 3: When did you come out of the goth closet?
    This is a tricky question. I was never really in a closet about my gothic interests. I learned about the subculture and became apart of it, and throughout it all I would tell anyone who asked about it. But at the same time, I didn't go around announcing it.
    On the other hand, my parents noticed my new interests. Mostly about my new clothing. I don't remember talking to much to my dad about it, I figured he'd be cool with it because he is a heavy metal, headbanging lover. But I talked to my mum. She didn't know much about the subculture and it made her a bit uncomfortable. So after explaining it to her a few times and still getting an uncomfortable vibe from her, I made a last ditch attempt and gave her the link to the Gothic Charm School website. After reading through it, not only did my mother become more at ease, she also decided that she adored Jillian Venters style of writing and still reads the website to this day. I suppose I owe the Lady of the Manners a thank you.

    Day 4: Name a stereotype or cliche you can relate to.
    Oh dear... Well, here is a list. Just remember you asked for it!

    I love Halloween. Seriously, love it. It is a day to dress even more eccentric and to hang out all night with friends where you may, or may not get free candy. What is possibly better than that? Plus it is in October, which is a month with an incredible feeling in the air in my opinion.
    Picnics in Cemeteries. I find cemeteries to be beautiful places of in my opinion, rarely appreciated art. A lot of thought is put into a loved one's headstone. I also like to visit old graves that maybe don't get visited much anymore. I am also known to go with friends to the stores nearby the cemetery I go to and buy a dozen or two roses which we pass out to mostly children's graves and then have a picnic.
    Tim Burton fan. I shouldn't have to explain why his movies are awesome.
    Swooning over Poe and Shakespeare. Adore the writing of both. My favorites of the two? Hamlet and Annabel Lee.
    Horror Fan. Although I find horror movies becoming more and more disappointing, I do enjoy watching them. I enjoy horror stories as well.
    I have written my share of gloomy poetry with more that will probably come. I love bats, skulls, coffins, Death Mints, spider webs, rats, cats and yes, my cat is even black AND her name is Zombi.

    I will leave the list at that.

    Saturday, August 13, 2011

    Goth Challenge: Day 2

    Share photos and experiences from your Baby Bat days
    Sadly, I do not have any pictures that go back to my seventh grade baby bat days. I actually don't have any pictures that go more then a year back. Except for this picture:
    Horse's name is Rizzo
     But that is a riding picture and was taken the summer after I found out what goth was really about. But this was back when I had blonde hair! I've had black hair for years now.The next most recent picture I have was taken a few months later when I had gotten my second corset and a skirt:
    I considered this my first really gothy outfit. Unfortunately, I lost the necklace and the corset and skirt became stuck under the title of funeral outfit for all the funerals I've had. My next picture was taken last summer while I visited Washington DC. It has only been recently that I have made my wardrobe more dramatic, so this picture was still back when I was always in jeans and a T-shirt.
    The picture is crappy but that was when I still wore eyeliner. When the next school year started I became to lazy in the mornings to bother. Another thing, you will always see me in the black choker and my S.O.P.H.I.E bracelet. Even back when I was blonde. I got the choker from a very good friend upon the last time we saw each other and I got the bracelet shortly after finding out about the tragedy. I've worn both ever since I've gotten them, although I lost the first bracelet I got and replaced it. Here is a picture taken a month after I returned from DC:
    This was a join up after a round penning session with a horse named Red. The join up is the most incredible feeling in the whole world. This is one of my very favorite memories. But I think I look very young in this picture. After that summer I went through a straight bang phase and I don't have pictures from it as I wasn't terribly fond of it. This summer I got a bunch of money together and went on an online shopping spree to give my wardrobe a dramatic flare. This is what I look like these days, I just took this picture a month or so ago:
    I'm still recovering from my straight bangs and yes, even in this picture am I wearing the choker and bracelet. So I suppose it really depends on what definition of Baby Bat you go on. If you mean someone who really doesn't know the subculture, then these pictures are after that stage. But if you think of a Baby Bat just as a young goth, then these pictures fit.


    Please don't take any of my pictures without my permission.