Another Goth Marketing Ploy + Bats on my Feet!

Ok, how many times have you gotten the "You look like Abby from NCIS" remark? Strangely enough I haven't, because we can't wear spiked things to school, and people around here aren't into the habit of speaking to strangers. (It's more of an open glare.) However, I know a bunch of people have gotten this, and from stories I've heard it seems that no matter what you actually look like, if someone watches the show and you're wearing a choker they see this.

Now don't get me wrong. I love Abby. I love NCIS. But I can understand how annoying this could get. Best strategy here is probably just smile and nod. Right about now, you're probably wondering why I'm going on this tangent about Abby. I mean its just a TV show right? Well, this is why. (Brace yourselves.)

The CBS is selling "goth accessories".

Yep, that was the sound of every goth in the world gasping in horror. Why would they do this? Actually scratch that, its all for the money of course. But still, um, I'm pretty sure if I wanted to buy a choker I wouldn't look here...

Look at this, just look.

I'm fairly certain those things will be of questionable quality, and from the comments on their Facebook they've been getting one of these three responses.

• People informing us how hot they think she is, and how much they'd love to get in bed with her seems to be the number one choice... (Some things should be kept to yourself, or at least off of Facebook.)

• Then there's the overeager fangirls claiming they loooove her but they wouldn't wear any of it. (Good for you?)

• Finally, there's the people blatantly bashing the evilness of goth. (Which is always entertaining.)

The few goths that actually commented just recommended other places to buy accessories XD

Yeah, so I'm not sure how long they'll keep this up...I'm thinking sales won't be so great, (They might have a chance around Halloween...) but overall this whole thing is just funny.

Anyway, when I'm sad I tend to buy things. (NOT a healthy habit people) So yesterday I ended up purchasing these from Etsy.

Some cheesy fun to be had right there my friends.

Cat Update: He didn't make it.

I'm...I don't really know what to say. I've never had to bury a pet before (as my dogs are only about 6...). We found Greaser this morning on the side of the road. He was finally coming back to us, probably having been stuck in a tree or something, (He had a tendency to do that...) but it was dark and he didn't get out of the way of the car in time. We live near a busy street, so we knew the risks when we let him be an outdoor and indoor cat. I wasn't going to keep him locked up inside all the time if it made him miserable. Still, being prepared for it doesn't make it any easier.

I'm kind of past the bawling my eyes out stage and now everything just seems surreal. I don't think I've accepted the fact that he's gone yet. Now, I'm on to the therapeutic blogging. Hope you guys don't mind two weepy posts in a row. Feeling how sad it is to simply have a pet die makes me put it into perspective when I think of people that lose family members or friends. I was really young when I lost my grandpa so I don't have a very good memory of what that's like. My heart goes out to anyone that's had to say goodbye to people close to them.

 RIP Greaser

Kitty MIA

Well, I've got really, really bad news. My cat's been missing for 2 days now and I'm at the point where I want to curl up in the fetal position in my bed and bawl my eyes out.

We got him a year ago, an abandoned, stray kitten in a mechanic's garage. The people at the pet shop were calling him Greaser and the name kind of stuck. Yeah, he's hostile, and cranky, and enjoys biting my feet just to hear me yelp, but I love him. Despite his stuffed-animal molesting tendencies, ability to constantly get caught in my fishnets, and overall unfriendly attitude, he has moments where he lets you close and then he's the sweetest thing in the world. He sleeps in my bed, and even though I'm pretty sure he's been bringing in a few fleas it's going to feel wrong without him there to bully the dog out of his spot. If he's really gone I don't know what I'm going to do.

The problem is that he always comes back before dark, but he's been gone for a while and we have a pack of coyotes that roams around here at night. So the odds aren't looking very good.

Don't Mock Goths: Future's Bright for the Men and Women in Black

Right now I'm trying to distract myself from the sound of my shoes in the washer. "Shoes in the washer" you gasp? Fret not, its just an old pair of converse I found lying around that I thought I might spice up for casual days. Right now it sounds like...well I don't even know what it sounds like. Kind of like one of those full-fledged battles in The Lord of the Rings is being fought inside my house.

After those are done I'm going to go dye that black skirt like I said I would weeks ago and then I've got to finish shoving safety pins through my new jacket. Impressive DIY skills no? Seriously, I'm pretty useless when it comes to editing things though I do try. I'm learning how to sew a little at the moment which makes me extremely proud of myself. If you were as bad at practical things as I am you would understand. I'm pretty good at taking things apart though. Hehe...

Anyway, I was browsing the interwebz like I normally do when bored out of my skull, and I found a very interesting article called Don't Mock Goths: Future's bright for the men and women in black. It was certainly well-informed in most aspects and its nice to find something speaking positively of the subculture considering how much negativity there is. The article defends goths, saying that they're often very educated because of the value they place on learning (very true) and that many land good jobs. It goes on to give a brief explanation of the start of the movement and several "goth" bands. (THE CURE!! eep!) Overall it was a well-written, intelligent article with maybe only one or two minor flaws.

You can read the article  here

There's a similar one I also like, that I believe Amy over at Stripy Tights and Dark Delights might have posted a while ago, but here it is again just in case anyone missed it. I disagree with the suggestion that "punks grow out of it" because that's not necessarily true, but don't let that throw you off because its a pretty good article.

If there are any young gothlings like myself out there reading this, who have parents that are unsure or nervous about you getting into the scene, show them these articles. It might help put their minds at ease. Or will at least convince them you're not going out and sacrificing small children when the moon is full (I would hope).

On that cheery note I'll take my leave and leave you with a lovely picture~

By MorriganTheSink on Deviantart

Etsy Roundup ~ Skeletons (picture heavy)

By picture heavy, I mean almost this entire post is gonna be pics. But hey, you won't have to listen to me ramble as much! Aside from my usual commentary of course. ;)

So I love Etsy. Who doesn't? I especially love looking around for weird, one of a kind things. The kind of things that show up about 25 pages into your search. This time I went for good, cheesy, cliched fun and searched skeletons. Some of this stuff is rather cute :3

I didn't think my toes were that boney O.o

Halloween-y? Yes. But isn't it just adorable?

I want to try to make a pair of these...

kazlovesbats actually has a wonderful tutorial for them here

I'm actually buying this as soon as I'm not broke :3

Ok so I actually found this kinda creepy...but it's unique and deserves recognition XD!

I'm buying this too. Do you see the illusion?

    It's not like I'm gonna get pregnant ANY TIME SOON...

But this is either really scary or really sweet. I'm not sure.

These things are coming home with me. I must have them. <3

  
Well, I suppose that's it for now.
Don't any of you steal my Day of the Dead Dolls ^.^

Dark Sunshine Award!

I'm not sure how I missed this but OddGhoulOut nominated me for an award yesterday! Thank you so much! Head on over to her blog people!

Rules for the (Dark) Sunshine Award

• Post the award picture with a backlink to the person that nominated you
• Answer the questions posed to you
• Nominate ten or more bloggers

 Questions~

1) Favorite color? Black, Red, Silver, White (mostly as an accent)

2) Favorite animal? DRAGONS!!!! Of course they're real! Or cats :3

3) Favorite number? 4

4) Favorite Non-alcoholic drink? Mocha Frappachinos from Starbucks. Seriously, there's enough sugar in there to keep me going all day.

5) Facebook or Twitter? Facebook, the best way to creep on people.

6) My passion? BOOKS. Italicized, bolded, and underlined to emphasize. Also, writing, playing my oboe, and drawing fanart for assorted manga/anime.

7) Getting or giving presents? Both of course

8) Favorite pattern? Stripes! Half of the things in my wardrobe contain stripes of some sort. Also, I'm not sure if we're counting lace as a 'pattern' but I'm going to go ahead and say that too.

9) Favorite day of the week? Sunday because I get to be lazy.

10) Favorite flower? Carnations and Passion flowers

This is why I love Passion flowers. They're just so unique.

If I had a pet like this my life would be complete. *sigh*

Nomination Time!

1) Confessions of an Australian Goth

2) Bloggery of a Gothcat

3) Goth Mary Poppins

4) Goths in Hiding

5) Lifestyles of the Silly and Gothic

6) Kismet's Dreams: Fashion, DIY and Shopping

7) Gothically Yours...

8) Domesticated

9) A Bit of Black

10) The Gloom Generation

Cyanide and Happiness

I'm exhausted, but FCAT is over!
 

Now I've only got EOC exams and finals to study for... >.<

On the bright side, we get to pick our classes for next year soon! AP psych, ceramics and  photography have all filled up with upperclassmen so I have no idea what I'm going to do for my last elective...I wanted something fun and artsy dammit! If picking peoples' brains apart wasn't an option. We'll see how it goes, maybe I'll get lucky and there'll be an opening.

The middle school bands used the high school for their concert today, so I stayed behind to help out. I was squeeing all over the cute little bandlings! They're just so short and adorable. One of them was carrying a tuba almost his size...poor kid... I was surrounded by white tuxedo shirts and the whole time my brain kept shouting "Remember those? Remember how awful they were? Remember?" Oh nostalgia...

And the reactions? Priceless. Wide eyed looks and more than a few jaws dropping. My old band teacher's new greeting for me nowadays is "Megan, what are you wearing?" which irks me, but I deal. Normally my response is along the lines of "Um, clothes?" Which apparently she doesn't appreciate. As I was helping clean up, I swear I heard one of the 6th graders whisper to his friend "Look, its a goth!" Because apparently we're a species of wild animal? I've never been called an 'it' before but hey, there's a first time for everything.

 I don't necessarily like attention but I accepted the fact a long time ago that I'm going to get it. People are naturally curious. When they see something different or out of the ordinary, they stare. Rude? Yes. Expected? Well, that too. And I'll admit to doing the same thing. I'm guilty! Once, I saw this Lolita girl working at DSW shoes. I was too afraid to approach her and ask where she got her dress, so I ended up hiding behind a shoe rack and spying on her for half an hour. (I really need to work on my social skills don't I?)

So, negative attention. Most of us deal with it and it sucks. That's really all there is to say. But when I get positive attention it makes it that much more important to me. Most people don't appreciate alternative style, so when some stranger stops me to tell me they love my skirt or my boots or my outfit it makes me more happy than anything. Its not like they're telling me they like my Abercrombie shirt. (You know, the one everyone has, just in a different color?) They're telling me that they like my aesthetic for being what it is, different. That they don't mind someone being different and reflecting that in their look. And it makes me all fuzzy inside :3

My best friend sent me this comic to, well apparently to cheer me up after a long day. It did make me laugh... Nervously.

O.o"

Should I be scared? Should I run? She has a tendency to threaten people with pencils when irritated...or is that me? Heh...

Anyway, this webcomic is called Cyanide and Happiness and its the perfect combination of cynical humor and sadistic fun. You should check it out.

Outfit Post the First + Catching up on Supernatural

Well, its been a long day. FCAT (Otherwise known as Florida Children Are Tortured) began, which essentially means we sit in a classroom for a very long time and do nothing to further our education. It's really a pointless test. It's far too easy and it doesn't really reflect much except that we can read better than when we did in the 3rd grade. When you finish your test, pretty much the only thing you can do is attempt to sleep on those uncomfortable desks. (which is a whole lot harder than some people would make it seem) Plus, you're not allowed to read.

You heard me.

Not. Allowed. To read. After you've just turned in a reading test.

It makes me want to crawl in a hole and die.

Alright, excuse the melodrama, maybe its not that bad, but still. It makes me pretty cranky.  I apologize for any future snarkiness.

Good news though! I managed to figure out my phone-connecting-to-computer issues! Now you'll be seeing my not-so-photogenic self a whole lot more!

Awww you can't really see the bow-tie on my dress T.T

Dress~ Marshalls $10
Bolero~ Bealls $5
Boots~ I actually...don't....remember? ...alright I'm lying. They are from Hot Topic. Don't sue me.
Pentagram Necklace~ Christmas gift from my lovely parents.

So yeah, first outfit post! I've hit a blogging milestone! There's a sad, sad, sense of accomplishment that comes with that actually. Hopefully more to come but I'll probably forget to take pictures a lot ^.^

So I've been meaning to watch supernatural season 7 for ages and started recording it now, even though they're halfway through. I want to watch the ones I missed online, but with the shutting down of Megavideo (Why cruel world? WHY?) it's just been to hard to find anything >.<

I ended up watching this stray episode with no knowledge of the events so far and this is what I got. More blood, more angst, and more creepy human-flesh-devouring monsters. So, entertaining as usual. The demons are up to their normal murdering ways and...

*SPOILERS*

...there are things called Leviathans now? What concerns me the most is that they don't die. They're like shape-shifters on steroids. And I hated those things. I was a little irked with the show when Dean and Sam were framed again and then faked their deaths again. I mean, how many times can you pull that off? THEN because I was missing my favorite angel I went and looked up what happened to him. Castiel, you moron, how could you? Now look at the state you're in. Also, what's up with Lucifer tailing Sam and begging like a lost puppy? Its creeping me out.

*END SPOLIERS*

That show has managed to entertain me for so long and even though the plot has pretty much run dry I still enjoy it. A few of the episodes have actually managed to creep me out. Remember the stitched up doctor? The drowned boy? The little girl with the scalpel? Or the one that actually gave me nightmares, the one with the people in the walls. (In my house that would be entirely possible...)

Doctor Benton and I? We go way back.

that whole thing was just a way of saying this show is amazing and you should watch it. Before I go, you know the angel I mentioned? Castiel?

This guy?

Well some genius on Deviantart made the most adorable game with him. It involves clothes. And the removal of them. Its actually a dress-up game. Try it. I dare you.

Here it is :)

When I was an Awkward Emo Kid: Secrets Revealed

SO quick little post as I wait for my mom to get back from grocery shopping. We're making key-lime pie people! Can I get a hallelujah?

I was feeling a little reflective and started thinking about how I first became involved in the subculture, which officially wasn't really that long ago. I seem to have gone through the same cliched phases as lots of people on here. It was...oh, maybe 7th grade? I was still dressing more or less like everyone else because I didn't realize that there was even a way to dress differently. I was surrounded by Aeropostle and Hollister and that was that.

My friend had decided to be "daring" and had worn this bracelet with a double row of studs on it. My mind was blown. (Hey I see you laughing there, yes you in the back.) I asked her where she had gotten it and the next thing I knew she had gotten me the same one in blue.

She told me she had found it at Hot Topic and I decided I had to visit this magical place. (Go on, roll your eyes. I know you want to.) I fell in love, and started buying myself what was kind of like a goth-in-a-box kit, but was really more of an emo-in-a-box kit.

THEN I actually discovered emo. Oh boy, kill me now. I loved it because it was alternative and the hair was to die for. So I stocked up on skinny jeans, band shirts, and checkered patterns. I started listening to post-hardcore bands and lots of screamo. I pretty much lived in Hot Topic. There were some adventures in eyeliner and badly teased hair.

Don't get me wrong, I still like the style, I'm not gonna bash emos like so many others do. It's a legitimate style. (Or at least used to be) It works for some. It just wasn't for me. (Though my hair is still a little reminiscent of it and I might have a checkered wristband lying around somewhere reserved for fond memories.)

Next I had an unconscious mallgoth phase. I didn't realize I was a mallgoth but looking back...Dear lord was I one. Lets go down the list shall we?

• Marilyn Manson. I looooved Marilyn Manson. I still like Marilyn Manson. But not because he's oh so spooky. And by no means is he at the top of the list. Wanna hear more? Evanescence, Slipknot...sensing a pattern?   

• Tripp pants. Though I actually escaped this to some degree. I got a pair for christmas but they weren't the baggy kind and they ended up not fitting anyway! (thank god for small miracles)                                    

• Hot Topic. I already went over this but seriously...my closet still has too many things from that store that I cant cut up and use for DIY until I get more clothes.      

• Badly done eyeliner. This carried on through the emo stage but got worse because it was thicker. I should have listened to the not so subtle hints my mom dropped me. But then again, I'd never worn eyeliner before I started experimenting in alternative fashion. So I hadn't had much practice. I can at least honestly say I've never done crow makeup.

The funniest thing is that I had all the basic characteristics of a mallgoth while still denying that I was Goth. I had Not-a-goth syndrome. Part of the reason might have been that my friends kept telling me that I was Goth and I was so desperate to prove them wrong. I didn't like people classifying me as something. (Anyone hearing the "not a soup can" thing right now?)

Anyway to make a long story short I discovered Amy's Ultimate Goth Guide. I learned many marvelous things, discovered music that spoke to me and here I am. A babybat and proud. I'm not going to come out and say I'm an expert. Although the hours of internet browsing on the subject might have helped. But I'm learning and this blog is keeping track of that. Heck, maybe some other babybats will find this blog and it'll help them. I hope so. And I'm eternally grateful to all the more experienced people reading this and not abandoning me.

Goth is something I just don't see myself really ever growing out of, unlike emo. I love everything about the subculture-music, aesthetic, and views. I'm pretty sure my parents still think its a phase but when the fishnets, ruffles, and stompy boots stick around maybe they'll realize its here to stay. Just wait till I can afford to buy more pretty Victorian-esque things. They'll be looking at me like I've grown a second head XD

But that's enough nostalgia. How about something fun and unrelated to wrap this up? Make sure your volume is up.

P.s. Smosh is pretty popular right now so you might have seen it, but if you've ever played the Pokemon games as a kid, or heck even now, (guilty) then you should check out their "Pokemon in real life" video and you'll understand that everyone was just as frustrated as you. here you go

I'm going to go make some key-lime pie now. Be jealous. Be very jealous. 

Friday the 13th! And Jackets!

Happy Friday the 13th Everyone! :D This is gonna be a pretty short post actually because my relatives are visiting from Sweden...and I apparently need to socialize more? I'm in denial. So first things first...I bought a new jacket on Ebay. Yes, another one...you know those people that have a million pairs of shoes?

 Heh, well I'm the person that has a million jackets, and no use for them because of the intense, makeup-melting, goth-toasting heat down here. I don't really care though. Jackets are the best item of clothing in the world. (well, then there are corsets and boots and...I'll stop now...) But now I have another lovely item to add to my collection. *cue happy dance*

Here it is :3

Too bad I can't use it until next winter... *sigh*

There's also this one that I plan on buying.

Stripes! I love stripes!

Ebay is my best friend. Seriously. This is just so Beetlejuice-esque! (Because that's obviously a real word) I must have it. I just adore short jackets for some reason. Who am I kidding? I adore all kinds of jackets.

And Finally....

I would kill for this. I really would.

This beauty is found at lovechildboudoir's Etsy shop if anyone is interested. I just don't have the money. Everything in that shop is gorgeous but most of it is over my measly price limit.

On the subject of clothes, I wore a new dress to school today. None of my dresses are in "dress code" (meaning the shoulder straps must be four fingers across) so I haven't bothered. But I went shopping the other day and found a short-sleeved bolero and now I can wear them! I would put up a picture if my phone wasn't being stupid. I'll figure it out. I promise.

However at school I got a comment from a friend that made me stop in my tracks. She said that it was "weird" that I had been wearing so many skirts, and now a dress, because "Goths don't wear that. They only wear black jeans and stuff."
...
...
...
... when exactly did this happen? I didn't realize we were limited to pants. I'd obviously better go correct my wardrobe right away.

She didn't mean anything by it and I still love her to death but this lack of knowledge of the subculture sent me on a half hour long, detailed rant. She is now thoroughly educated. I'm not sure if she's thanking me. I just wonder where all these assumptions actually come from...

Anyway, a final note. I used to play a game called AQWorlds. Anyone know it? I still go on occasionally, to indulge my inner nerd, but I just don't have the time to keep up with the constant updates. However, I always tune in every Friday the 13th. Wanna know why? Voltaire does a live thing with them! So I'll be spending the night listening to his wonderful sarcastic self. This makes me very happy.  *happy dance again*

I've been re-watching Buffy again so today I'll leave you with this amusing picture :3

New Book and Vampire Spotting

SO today I went to the school library expecting to pick up the usual murder mystery novel or, as I'm more prone to do, check out a book I've read a million times because I'm incapable of finding something good that isn't full of teenage angst and sparkling vampires.

I happened to look at the graphic novel section to find that they STILL haven't managed to include anything but Naruto and other well known shonen manga in their dismal selection. Not to say there's anything wrong with shonen. I like shonen. My favorite manga in the whole world is Rurouni Kenshin and I don't care what anyone else thinks, I'll defend it to the end. But they don't even have good shonen(or manga period). There is one copy of the fifth volume of Hellsing in there somewhere...which is awesome because, you know, Dracula, but other than that...nothing.

Anyhoo, I chanced upon a book sitting on one of the shelves called Jack the Ripper: Comprehensive A to Z. This just about made my day. It seems very informative and I believe it contains 16 essays on the numerous theories surrounding the story. I haven't started anything except the list of dates of important events pertaining to the case, but I'll let you know what I think when I'm done.

The only problem I have with learning about Jack the ripper (Or heck, even hearing him mentioned) is that I don't imagine someone like this...

Pretty convincing ripper if you ask me.

But as a result of watching Kuroshitsuji, I see this...

Black Butler's idea of the ripper...

Considering Grell is a flamboyantly gay, insane Shinigami(essentially a grim reaper) with a penchant for chainsaws and stalking handsome butlers you can see how my mind's image of our old friend Jack is somewhat changed. Don't get me wrong...I love Grell to death (I'm cosplaying him for Halloween actually) and this anime is littered with gothy undertones which makes me love it more....
but...
...
...
...let me give you one more image to sum up the extent of this "ripper's" personality...

Sometimes there are just no words.

So hopefully I'll be able to banish the thought of Grell from my mind and simply enjoy the contents of the book. Wish me luck! Now, this post is becoming filled with things of the Japanese persuasion which wasn't my intention. I might be a little obsessed ...let's move on shall we?

I spotted a vampire! Would you believe me if I said I saw Lestat at school? Well, not really but...close enough. We had students from Cambridge and Rollins visit. They held a series of mini debates in our auditorium (to prepare for a debate at a nearby college later that night on the "stand your ground" law.) The first guy from Cambridge was the spitting image of Lestat. I kid you not. What caught me was the hair. It was long and blonde and just screamed Lestat.

 We all remember Lestat's hair right?

I hope he didn't notice me staring in awe...
You could speak to the debate teams after school but I couldn't because I would have missed my bus. Its probably a good thing though... Not everybody would consider being compared to a homicidal (and charming!) vampire a compliment, and I think I might have gotten a few strange looks when time came to ask for a picture...

As for the actual debates, I got to see two of them. The first one was a little more personal as it dealt with dress code and freedom of expression. I was a little biased because I'm already against some of the rules at our school (No tanktops. You might see a *gasp* shoulder. Its not like we live in Florida or anything) so I agreed with Rollins though Cambridge probably argued the point better. The second one I saw had to do with cutting off foreign development money in order to secure more women's rights in the Middle East. Cambridge just wiped the floor with Rollins. Must have been some kind of vampire hypnosis. 

What I don't understand is how people can be so rude. I don't care if you're bored. Some of us are actually enjoying the debates, believe it or not, and your manners are a distraction to the people on stage and your fellow classmates. As a general rule here are some things not to do when in an audience...

• Yell across the room to friends. Whispering quietly to a friend seated next to you is not the same as waving your hands about your head and calling their name as loud as humanly possible. How could this not be distracting?

•  Continue to enter and exit the auditorium frequently. Ok I understand if you've got an urgent need to use the bathroom, we've all gotta pee at some point, but those doors were slamming nonstop and I know there weren't that many of us in there. Please for everyone elses sake, stay in or out.

•  Eat food. I love food as much as anyone else but crinkling chip bags are irritating to no end. You can't help but leave crumbs in the seats and then there are the people who just throw their wrappers on the ground. Someone does have to pick that up you know...

• This last one should be obvious but...don't be on your phone. Its beyond rude when the people on the stage should have your attention and you're babbling on about who broke up with who and how the guy on stage has "the sexiest British accent". (Technically wouldn't Americans have the "accent" anyway?)

Well I apologize for the mini-rant...
I hope you all have had a lovely day :)
Until next time~

Being stuck in Florida

Oh, where to begin?

 Its the freaking sunshine state after all. When you've only got two seasons, those being summer and January 14th, it makes it a little difficult to maintain your mostly monochrome wardrobe. I can tell you its around 90 degrees outside right now and I'm just about dying in a skirt and t-shirt (granted I've got two layers of fishnets and boots but that's beside the point.) All I can say is that when summer really comes around I'll be restricted to casual goth for a while. Three cheers for band shirts and shorts!
...
...
...Did anyone catch the sarcasm in that statement?

Besides the whole melting into a puddle thing there's also the fact that tan lines are unavoidable. I don't like being in the sun. Its burns! IT BURNS! I abhor having a tan. Always have. I don't care about being pale and goffic, but I'd like to avoid skin cancer.

This isn't what we're going for. 

Also, I'm naturally blond and haven't gotten around to dying my hair. (At the moment I'm thinking white) I've also got blue eyes, so Me + tan = instant Barbie. As a result the sun and I have declared war. And you know what??

 I'm losing.

The last issue I've got with this place is the crowd. I know I could have it worse. I've read about the horrible childhoods and bullying some of you have faced in your lives and I'm eternally grateful the extent of the harassment towards me has been limited to having the occasional "Satanist" and "Witch" thrown my way. 

First of all this shows their obvious ignorance of the religions those words are associated with and I advise that before they judge they should know what they're talking about. While I myself am an atheist, I know many people who consider themselves Satanists or Witches would be even more offended by the obvious misuse of the terms.

Being surrounded by obnoxious and ignorant people who also happen to also be devout/overeager Christians is not exactly the best environment for a developing gothling like myself. I do NOT have anything against Christians. My best friend is one. But I'm sure you all know the type I'm talking about. The ones that wave a cross and shout "Get back! BACK foul creature!"

I dread getting on the bus every morning and having the stares wash over me as they see what the "vampire" is wearing today. And going to a school of 3000+ people means the long walk across the courtyard every morning is extremely uncomfortable. 

If anyone else is having problems like mine all I can say is keep your head up. Don't let them know they're getting to you, they have no right to treat you like you're beneath them. Stay proud of your aesthetic, no matter what it might be. The people treating you badly now won't matter in the long run and I cannot stress this enough but always stay true to yourself.

But you know what? Its not all bad. Florida has one saving grace. DISNEY! And that my friends, comes around once a year, around the magical month of October. That's right... Halloween Horror Nights! One of the biggest Halloween events in the world and its just a short drive away. I've gone for the past two years and haven't been disappointed yet. I love horror movies and this is like living one. If you ever get the chance to go, do it.

We had someone come to our school to talk about what goes on behind the scenes yesterday. I just about cried when he said they throw it all away at the end. I would take some of that stuff. But we got to see the Caretaker have his makeup done and witnessed some of the scare tactics they use. I'm definitely going again this year (and already browsing the interwebz for hints as to the theme...) and I can honestly say there are few places I've had as much fun.

Let me end this post on a happy note by leaving a few photos from the 2010 event for you to enjoy. Unfortunately the people in the Scarezones aren't as impressive as the houses, and are really just to keep you entertained as you go across the park, but we can't use our cameras inside.

 O.o

Anyone else notice her heart was on the wrong side?

This friendly skeleton skipped down the scarezone with us :D

The chainsaw squad. A hand-selected group of elites that get to run around, swing weapons, and terrorize the general public.

Of Musical things

Ok so first of all....Eep! I have a follower! This news just brightened a considerably crappy day. With the whole getting up before the sun and whatnot, and then having to endure a particularly confusing math class, (which should be wiped from the face of this EARTH) my mysterious headache has just disappeared. I should probably wipe this grin off my face before my brother walks by and asks what's wrong with me. But seriously, thank you :)

Anyhoo lately I've been going through the slow process of sorting and listening to all the bands on my ever-growing list of music. A few hours work and its not looking any smaller than when I started. BUT I did realize that when I had started listening to Stolen Babies way back when (and by that I mean a few months ago) I hadn't finished going through their music because I had been interrupted.

 I quickly corrected that mistake. Could you argue that their music is goth? Yes, definitely. But you could do that with lots of "goth" bands. And come on, some of the so called "goth" bands have been trying to reject the label for ages. Also, I'm not one of those overeager people who limit themselves to only liking extremely gawth things.  Honestly, while I think they tend to flow over several genres the thing that catches me with this band is the dark cabaret influence. I LOVE dark cabaret.

So while I'm sure many people have heard of / listen to them here's the first song I ever discovered by them. Its still one of my favorites :)

On the subject of musicians I was creeping on Voltaire (something I tend to do a lot...) and to quote from his Facebook he's been

"offered the opportunity to audition for the lead role in a remake of my favorite horror movie."

Unfortunately he can't tell us more at the moment but this makes me pretty happy. Voltaire in a movie? I think he'd be amazing :D 


And finally, I thought I'd share my most recent Etsy purchase. I bought this lovely choker from scarletrabbit and I'm looking forward to wearing it :)

Feeling Thrifty

When people hear the words "thrift store" there's generally two reactions. There are people like my mom, who shudder at the thought and completely refuse to consider shopping there. And then the people like my dad, who jump at the chance to find something interesting. Honestly, I love the fact that you can find so many unique pieces in thrift stores. I mean, please don't go to the smelly, crowded little shop with the moth eaten clothes. You probably won't find anything there. Seriously. 

But then there are places like Dechoes in Orlando. Extremely 80s and filled with clothing either completely hideous or absolutely amazing. I could spend hours in there going through every single piece of clothing they have. (My dad certainly wouldn't complain. They have a DJ playing music and he gets free drinks.) This shop is the right kind of thrift/vintage store. It's affordable and you're guaranteed to find something you like there.

And here's what I found while digging around yesterday...

A fabulous tartan skirt~ $7

 

and an amazing jacket~ $5

please excuse the boxes....we're renovating...

my house doesn't exactly resemble a house at the moment.

I also managed to find this pretty flowy skirt with a gorgeous lace detail but I need to get a hold of some black dye. White isn't exactly my color...

Some tips for thrift shopping

1) If you know what you're looking for you'll have a much easier time. A good store will have their merchandise sorted by type and size, maybe even color. Having a plan will keep you from feeling overwhelmed by the sea of clothes.

2) Don't feel limited by the color of the clothing or a minor flaw. There's always dye (granted, make sure the fabric can be dyed) and to fix a small tear you don't have to be adept at sewing. Ugly adornments can be easily removed and zippers can be replaced.

3) Don't just shop in the size you normally are. Clothes vary. Especially vintage ones. I'm a small sometimes and sometimes I'm an extra large. 

4) Try everything on. Even if you only like it a little. You never know what might surprise you. I've tried several things on I wasn't sure about on the rack and ended up loving them on. 

5) Bring a someone with you. Sometimes a second opinion is nice to have. You don't want to end up buying something you thought you liked only to hate it when you get home and try it on again.

I hope that helps. Now get out there and shop.