"You like me! You really like me!"

 Thank you, Sylvie at Little Corp Goth Girl, for nominating me for the Liebster Award!  :-)

The Liebster award is given to fellow bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

DA RULZ:

1. Post the award on your blog.

2. Thank the blogger who presented this award and link back to their blog.

3. Write 11 random facts about yourself.

4. Nominate 11 bloggers who you feel deserve this award and who have fewer than 200 followers.

5. Answer 11 questions posted by the presenter and ask your nominees 11 questions.


11 Random Facts about Me:

1.  I'm ambidextrous.

2.  My first pet was a turtle named TB, and my mom actually had to have it put in our lease as there was a "no pets" rule in our apartment building.

3.  I can remember the words and music to a HUGE number of old advertising jingles, some as far back as the 1960s.  (They take up waaaaayyyy too much space in my brain!)

4.  I've studied German, French and Modern Persian, but can't speak or read any of them well.

5.  I collect special edition Barbie dolls.

6.  My all-time favorite TV series was "Babylon Five".  When it ended, I felt like all my friends had died.

7.  My all-time favorite authors are Agatha Christie and Terry Pratchett, maytheyrestinpeace.

8. When I was growing up, I was allergic to Christmas trees, but the allergy mysteriously went away as an adult.

9.  I used to bite my nails.

10. I have a small pile of human teeth (from a dentist's office) on my Ancient Mothers/Ancestors altar.  I've had them for years, but they still weird me out if I have to pick them up for some reason.  They're "dead" but the people they originally belonged to are probably still alive!  Is that weird, or what???

11.  I want them to play "Dust in the Wind" at my funeral as people are standing at my grave site.


My Nominees (sorry, there are supposed to be 11 but I don't read a lot of blogs right now):

1.  Goth Gardening

2.  The Gothic Embrace

3.  Little Corp Goth Girl

4.  Eternal Wynter 

5.  Insomniac's Attic

6.  The Gods Are Bored (I'm not sure how many followers she actually has, as it's not listed on her blog, but she claims to have only three...)


 LCGG's Questions:

1.  When and why did you start blogging?

I started THIS blog in March 2013, but I had a LiveJournal blog for a few years before that.  I started that one because I wanted a "diary" and I always have trouble keeping up written ones.  I started this one because I thought it might be fun, and I was also hoping to meet other goths and maybe get more involved in the scene. Not only have all these things happened, but I've also met non-goths who are totally awesome as well! 

2.  With MP3s and internet streaming, do you still buy CDs or DVDs?

I buy both DVDs and CDs.  I'm a technosaurus, I don't even know HOW to get or use those other things!

3.  How would you describe your style of dress?

That changes daily, depending on my mood, but it's all variations on different goth or goth-related styles, from Monster High logos to studs and spikes to Stevie Nicks' long flowing gowns.  Except on the days when it's not...  ;-)

4.  What religion or philosophy do you ascribe to?

I think of myself as a goth pagan/shamanic practitioner, but it's more a spiritual path I'm creating for myself, not a religion/philosophy per se.


5.  What are your favorite TV shows on the air right now?

I rarely watch TV these days, but when I do, it's usually either cartoons, "NCIS" or reruns of "The Simpsons".  I used to be a "Grimm" fan as well, but lost track a season or two ago.

6.  What other hobbies do you participate in, besides blogging?

Gardening, bellydance, reading, music, and participating in goth meetup events.


7.  If you participate in the arts, which ones do you participate in?  Are you a hobbyist or a professional?

I was a professional bellydancer for about 20 years, and also taught it out of my home.  Currently I write poetry and short stories; since I have been published in two different books (although not yet for pay, other than a free copy) and plan to continue publishing as often as possible, I guess I can call myself a professional.

8.  If a movie was being made about your life, which actor/actress would play you?

Just think of the most boring actress in the world, that would be her.  Seriously, I have NO idea.


9.  Choose one: Coffee or tea?

I've never drunk coffee (except for ice cream, not even just a taste), so definitely tea.

10.  What colors have you dyed your hair?

Just red so far, but I'm daring myself into trying purple, pink, and platinum white in the very near future.


11.  Introvert, extrovert, or ambivert?

YES.  All of the above.  They're just labels, but I'm not a jar.  ;-)


My 11 Questions for My Nominees:

1.  When and why did you start blogging?

2.  Do you have pets?  If so, how many and what are they?  (This does not include spouses or significant others.)

3.  If you were stranded for a year on a desert island, what band would you want to be stranded with you?

4.  What is the most important thing in your purse (or pockets, if you don't carry one)?

5.  What city do you consider to be "home", and why?

6.  Who is your favorite author?

7.  What item of clothing do you own the most of, and how many do you have?

8.  If you were a vehicle, what would you be?

9.  Can you name the person who originally said the (misquoted) title of this post, and the reason s/he said it?  (Yes, this is a silly trivia question!)

10.  What is your ideal social event?  (It does not have to be one already in existence, you can invent it.)

11.  If you could say/do whatever you wanted to people who make fun of or criticize you for being different from them, no holds barred, what would it be?


Have fun with it!!

April: "I'm SO Goth..."

This month's feature is a little on the weird side, but it's totally funny (at least to me) as it mixes two of my favorite things, the Grim Reaper and mummies:

(Buttercup Festival)

Hehehehehe!!!

The Vulture

Yesterday was a holiday in California, at least for those of us with state and federal jobs.  After lunch, Martin asked if I felt like going for a walk to a local park; it sounded good, so off we went.  Since it was sunny, he wore shorts and a tank top.  I, of course, was decked out in my gothy finery, complete with black parasol -- we WERE going for a stroll in the sun, after all!  There were only four other people there when we arrived; we passed the playground equipment and were wandering across the baseball diamond and back toward a small grove of eucalyptus trees when we noticed the vulture.

It was on the ground, all alone, in the middle of the sunny lawn, which was a bit odd as they usually hang out in groups.  It seemed to be very interested in something on the ground, and as we got closer, we realized it was having lunch -- and from the long, fluffy tail we could see each time it was picked up, we could tell that lunch was a squirrel, or  rather, what was left of one.

 

The vulture was a really beautiful bird, with dark, glossy feathers and a very bright red neck and head (much brighter than in this pic I found).  It looked really out of place in the middle of a children's park -- yet at the same time, it looked perfectly natural.  'In the midst of life, we are in death', and all that.  We were truly seeing the cycle of life and death, all in one small area.  As we watched, a quote from a poem about the Mesopotamian kingdom of the dead and its queen, Erishkegal, passed through my mind, and I spoke the words aloud:  

"Perfect are the ways of the Underworld."

Are We Becoming Eco-Jerks?

I have four living first cousins, but the only one I have any contact with is in prison.  He has been there for years and will probably be there for the rest of his life.  While I don't condone his reason for being there, he is still family, and he has contact with very few people on the outside, including most of our family.  He is also the only one of my cousins who corresponds with my mom on a regular basis, so he is definitely in my good books there. 

Recently, we discovered a mutual interest in Norse myths and history, and I remembered reading a book while I was in grad school that I thought he might enjoy.  Since he hasn't read it, I ordered a copy from a book store through Alibris.com.  Per prison regulations, I notified the seller that the book HAD to have a receipt/packing slip enclosed or they would not accept it.  They responded that they do not provide those because they are an 'eco-friendly' business, and if I wanted one I should print one out myself.  I replied and explained (again) that it HAD to be enclosed by the book store due to federal prison regulations, and that if they could not accommodate my request would they please cancel my order.  And they actually did cancel the order. The second book store I contacted also refused to include a packing slip; they didn't give a reason, but I assume it's the same.  I'm waiting now for a reply from Bookstore Number Three.

While I definitely do renew, reuse, and recycle whenever possible, including bringing my own bags to stores so they can 'save a plastic tree', I don't understand a mindset that is quite as rigid as these bookstores' owners apparently are.  I find it hard to believe that they would rather cancel an order and lose a customer than print a single piece of paper to comply with a federal regulation.

Am I wrong here?  Must we be so obsessed with doing what we consider to be "the right thing" that we can make absolutely NO exceptions?  I want to be eco-friendly, but I don't want to become an eco-jerk. 

Dracula for President; or, Why I Hate Politics

In view of the fact that pre-pre-election rumbling has now begun to be heard on the internet and in the news, I have decided to put this post out earlier than I had planned.  This is probably the only politically-themed post you will EVER read by me, so I suggest you either print it for posterity, or run away as quickly as possible...  And please note that these are MY PERSONAL OPINIONS.  I am not suggesting that I am "right" or that anyone else should agree with me, so please do not tell me I am wrong and should not feel this way.  If you do, I will probably send some very large bats to poop guano on your front doorstep.

I am not a politically-minded person.  I tend to avoid reading posts or watching news about politics as

much as I possibly can; I leave those for the people who care.  However, when countries with psychotic leaders, a relatively decent military, a developing nuclear program, and a history of attacking other countries start banging drums and dancing around bonfires while spewing hate at the USA, it does make me nervous.  Especially when our leaders don't seem to be too worried about it.  As I recall, a lot of political leaders, including those in the U.S., were pretty unconcerned when Hitler started doing that kind of thing in Germany back in the 1930s.

This brings me to voting.  I used to be an extremely conscientious voter.  I would read all the material they sent out, studying each proposition carefully before making my decisions.  We discussed the various pros and cons over dinner.  When Stuart turned 18, one of the wrapped gifts I gave him was a voter registration form (he was thrilled).  But I didn't vote in the last two elections.  Why?  Because the way I see it now, my vote doesn't really matter.

Now, before you (legitimately) explode over that statement, let me explain my point of view.  I live in California, and we have a serious economic problem here: it's called "bonds".  For those who may not know what bonds are in this context, basically they are loans that the voters agree to get now (for schools, road improvements, or whatever) that have to be paid back in ten, twenty or thirty years, using state tax money.  This means that the people who vote for the bonds frequently do not have to pay them back; instead, their children and/or grandchildren do, by paying higher taxes.  I have voted "No" on almost every bond measure that has been put on the ballot since I've been old enough to vote (that means almost 35 years), yet almost every one has passed.  In the last election, there was at least one bond on the ballot that was designed to pay off an old bond that has come due!  It's like when you max out a credit card, then get another credit card with a special introductory fee to "pay" the first one off with; you're not really paying it back, just changing lenders, because you don't have the money to pay it back.  This is what California is doing now.  I am fed up with robbing Peter to pay Paul, as the saying goes.  

Another pet peeve of mine is that if you don't vote for a Democrat or a Republican, especially for a major office (like the President), your candidate is almost guaranteed not to get elected.  Why have a multiparty system if only the same two parties EVER win?  For years I clung to the idea that if enough people started voting for candidates from other parties, eventually one would win, and the "curse" would be broken, but that has never happened, and it doesn't seem likely that it ever will, probably  because not enough people are willing to vote outside the two "socially approved" parties.  And don't even get me started on pork barreling!  I'm fed up with all this hypocrisy.  In fact, I'm fed up with the whole political mess in general.  And the only way I feel I can voice this is by not voting.

So, unless I find out that Dracula is running for President, don't expect to see me in a polling place any time soon.  And no, I would NOT vote for Dracula... unless, of course, his only real opposition was a Republican.  ;-)

March: "I'm SO Goth..."

Okay, this one is truly frightening...  Can black clothes fade THAT badly?????  Possibly because they were never washed (like their faces).  And unlike their hair, which has obviously been washed waaaaay TOO much. 




This is the kind of thing we 50+ goths have nightmares about!!!

Releasing the Darkness

I subscribe to a website called "The Daily OM".  Every day I receive an inspirational message from them, and every once in a while I receive one that is truly exceptional.  Today I received one of those, and I would like to share it with you.  The title of this particular message is "Relating to the Negative: The Danger of Repression".  Out of respect for copyright, the link for the full message is here.

It opens this way:

"For the last several years, there has been a lot of focus on the power of positive thinking. Many people have come to misinterpret this wisdom to mean that it is not okay to have a bad mood or a negative thought or feeling."

This is more or less the way I was raised, that it's better to be positive, and of course, that IS a good thing.  However, I interpreted it to mean that I should never get angry, never be negative, and never express my negativity, especially if it would make someone else feel bad.  That is NOT a good thing; it wasn't then, and it isn't now.  Unfortunately, a lot of people try to live this way.

What I believe, and what this message tells me, is that it's okay (REALLY okay!) to have negative feelings and bad days, to feel anger, sadness, and all that stuff that so many of us are taught is wrong or dangerous to have in our lives.  Without the negative, we would never know what it is to feel happiness or positive feelings, because we would always feel the same.  Where's the fun in that???   

A case in point:  I just got back this last Monday from the latest crisis at my mom's.  She had fallen out of bed and had to go the hospital for stitches in her leg.  I was there for basically six days.  I also have a new position at work, and it's causing me a fair amount of stress as I try to learn it and DO it at the same time.  Last night, I did laundry, and while drying I discovered that I was missing one of my favorite socks (bright green with black skull-and-crossbones all over them).  I had worn them at my mom's, so I knew I had put both in the wash.  I went through every single wet piece of clothing, shaking them and peering into them to make sure the sock wasn't stuck inside something.  Then I came totally unglued, sobbing and screaming -- I even smacked the wall!  Poor Martin went outside to the laundry room twice, checking to see if I had dropped it in there or on the way.  (We have a dryer, but not a washer, so we use the complex laundry for washing, then take our clothes home to dry.)  How embarrassing when I discovered the sock in the dryer the third time I checked it!  I could NOT believe that I had fallen apart like that over a SOCK!  

But the fact is that, after expressing my negativity in that way, I actually felt better.  It wasn't really the missing sock that upset me, it was the built-up tension and fear from dealing with my mom's accident, and the built-up stress of my new job, and the fact that I had to be strong and in control for both.  I needed to be able to express my anger and frustration so that I could release the darkness and continue to function in an appropriate way.  

We need our negative feelings and thoughts, our bad moods and our anger, and we need the ability to express them in ways that release the garbage they produce from our souls.  Otherwise, we become like capped volcanoes, with the negativity building up inside us until, like Vesuvius, it explodes with such a vengeance that it buries us alive.