Today my Spring Break will officially start; my mother and I will be boarding a train headed for Seattle, WA. I will therefore have a legitimate excuse for not posting, rather than my usual laziness.
We have to drive for a few hours, then ride the train for six and a half. And I'm not allowed to fall asleep because I wear contacts. Dammit. But we have got some very good music (mine) and a variety of snacks.
And to read on the train I have Popular Science, Dracula (^.^) and Brave New World. Perhaps when I return there shall be a book review...
Hope you're all having a wonderful Spring Break and don't have anything to dread upon returning from this brief vacation.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Warped Tour 2011
In all, it was probably the largest congregation of metal fans in Oregon, with the odd tag-along friend (like me). There were amazing mohawks, combat boots, ripped jeans, jean jackets, piercings and far too many boys with saggy pants.
My only complaint was that we had to go with my mother. That in itself wasn't so bad, she does like some of the music and does not particularly mind the visual aspect of alternitive cultures, either. However, she would not let us mosh. A thousand curses.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Dystopian Utopia: A Slight Rant
Mainly, the difference between Utopia and Dystopia is that one is forced and one is voluntary. In a Utopian society, everyone cooperates, has everything they need and there is never any violence.In a Dystopia, everyone is made to cooperate, the government distributes what the people need and no violence is allowed. If only the mindset of a Utopia could be captured in a Dystopia... it would be Utopia.
Utopia is a word derived from Greek, meaning "No where". This has become more and more literal, as no one can find a utopian society, and they are quite difficult to realistically create in literature because of all the holes in the way they are built. The chief instability, of course, rests on human nature. Who wants to just take what they need when they can have everything they want? Yes, I'm sure there are the good few who are satisfied with their fair share, but for every one of them there must be ten who are not.
And then the mopey teenage-angst/anarchist/rebel point of view: we live in a dystopia. Well, sorry, but I can't see that as being true. In dystopias, the government is nearly always totalitarianist. I live in America, and while many think true dystopia isn't far away for us, it isn't here yet. For example, one girl told me that the government controls how many children we have, here in the USA. Um, no. Birth control? SO not how it is used. She had just one point; money. At some point, you reach the capacity for how many children you can support. Well, then you go on welfare. Or give the children away. Or eat them (heh heh, A Modest Proposal reference...)The government may influence every sphere of our lives, but they do not and will never totally control them, unless they want to wire us all up, change our brain chemistry and make us droids. They wouldn't do that, it's too easy. Who feels accomplished when they open a well-oiled, unlocked door? The only point of ruling something is to have someone to boss around. If there's no one to bend to your will, why do you rule?
But, I digress. The major difference between Utopia and Dystopia is the government. In a perfect Utopia, there is a sort of voluntary socialist anarchy, where no one rules, there is no violence and there is only love. And no currency or want. And no one talks to their children about before the Utopia was created, because there would always be that one rebel who sparked the idea to go back to struggling for what you want. In dystopia, the government is totalitarianist and quite often fascist after a fashion. No one talks to their children about the past because no one is allowed to remember it as it was (a la Farenheit 451 and 1984), and there is no currency because that might spark a feeling of superiority in a place where it did not belong, and there is no love except for the country because one might betray the country (and therefore government) to the best of one's ability if it furthered that noble cause, love.
Keep Goth and Carry On.
Utopia is a word derived from Greek, meaning "No where". This has become more and more literal, as no one can find a utopian society, and they are quite difficult to realistically create in literature because of all the holes in the way they are built. The chief instability, of course, rests on human nature. Who wants to just take what they need when they can have everything they want? Yes, I'm sure there are the good few who are satisfied with their fair share, but for every one of them there must be ten who are not.
And then the mopey teenage-angst/anarchist/rebel point of view: we live in a dystopia. Well, sorry, but I can't see that as being true. In dystopias, the government is nearly always totalitarianist. I live in America, and while many think true dystopia isn't far away for us, it isn't here yet. For example, one girl told me that the government controls how many children we have, here in the USA. Um, no. Birth control? SO not how it is used. She had just one point; money. At some point, you reach the capacity for how many children you can support. Well, then you go on welfare. Or give the children away. Or eat them (heh heh, A Modest Proposal reference...)The government may influence every sphere of our lives, but they do not and will never totally control them, unless they want to wire us all up, change our brain chemistry and make us droids. They wouldn't do that, it's too easy. Who feels accomplished when they open a well-oiled, unlocked door? The only point of ruling something is to have someone to boss around. If there's no one to bend to your will, why do you rule?
But, I digress. The major difference between Utopia and Dystopia is the government. In a perfect Utopia, there is a sort of voluntary socialist anarchy, where no one rules, there is no violence and there is only love. And no currency or want. And no one talks to their children about before the Utopia was created, because there would always be that one rebel who sparked the idea to go back to struggling for what you want. In dystopia, the government is totalitarianist and quite often fascist after a fashion. No one talks to their children about the past because no one is allowed to remember it as it was (a la Farenheit 451 and 1984), and there is no currency because that might spark a feeling of superiority in a place where it did not belong, and there is no love except for the country because one might betray the country (and therefore government) to the best of one's ability if it furthered that noble cause, love.
Keep Goth and Carry On.
ZOMG
Okay, I have three followers. I... am at a loss for words. Congratulations, you people have succeeded in doing the impossible: Rendering me speechless.
On a separate but related note, I am literally dragging my plans for World Domination out of the broom shed and dusting them off, oiling them up. Thirty six page views and three followers= power-crazed me waking up the neighbor lady with maniacal laughter and occasionally shouting "Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition!" Because in this instance, no one does. Hands up, whomever expected me to make a Monty Python reference just now. Yeah, yeah, put your hands back down, I can't actually see you through the computer screen.
Well, good luck tearing me away from my How-To-Run-A-Country-Or-The-Minds-Of-Others-101.... I think I'll build a dystopia... and then destroy it and you shall all herald me as your saviour! Muahahahahahha!!
Anyway, have a marvelous day!
On a separate but related note, I am literally dragging my plans for World Domination out of the broom shed and dusting them off, oiling them up. Thirty six page views and three followers= power-crazed me waking up the neighbor lady with maniacal laughter and occasionally shouting "Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition!" Because in this instance, no one does. Hands up, whomever expected me to make a Monty Python reference just now. Yeah, yeah, put your hands back down, I can't actually see you through the computer screen.
Well, good luck tearing me away from my How-To-Run-A-Country-Or-The-Minds-Of-Others-101.... I think I'll build a dystopia... and then destroy it and you shall all herald me as your saviour! Muahahahahahha!!
Anyway, have a marvelous day!
Friday, March 9, 2012
Repo! The Genetic Opera
I love this movie. A ridiculous amount. I sing the songs in the shower. I like the premise, the whole dystopia thing has always spoken to me. But I do like me a good ray of hope, especially in the form of a few strong female characters! Plus the costumes, and the songs, and everything else in this movie....
So much delightfully dark fun! And, it became the second movie to ever make me cry. Very emotional scene when Nathan dies... I was torn between 'dammit! >.<' and 'curses! ;_;' ended up swearing while crying... don't judge me!
To anyone who happens across this blog and has not seen the movie, I would highly recommend it. In fact, I would almost go so far as to attempt to force you to watch it over teh internets. But that would be creepy.
YOU MAY SKIP THIS NEXT BIT IF YOU WISH
-amusing personal story about this movie
My Friend (the same one who told me about The Devil's Carnival), Claire, and I, once had a week long discussion about the hottest character in the film. I was all for Shilo, or perhaps Blind Mag, but apparently she refuses to swing that way, even for super awesome Goth chicks, so we ended up arguing over the hottest guy. I thought Graverobber, but she went with Pavi... to which I eventually acquiesced, given his sexy semi-steampunk pants in the quasi-renaissance scene. You know, the one where he has a mirror and is arguing with his siblings (yes, that narrows it down.) My aunt, oddly enough, has seen this movie and thought Rotti. To which we replied: WTF?!?!?
Have some Shilo :)
Slight Ranting
I realized the other day that I have a definite More-Gothic-Than-Thou complex. But only toward non-Goths. Toward other members of the Goth scene I am a painfully shy babybat. In this small town, it works out well in my favor, as I am one of maybe three actual Goths.
I do not like mallgoths, nor people who assume that because a band, person or movie is slightly alternative, it is automatically goth. I know I should try to kindly point these people in the direction of actual Goth, and I try to do so nicely, but my patience... it is wearing out.
Metal music, for example, is not goth, though there may some crossover amongst the fanbase. There is a reason that there is a whole other genre called metalheads.
Not that I have anything against doing something not specifically goth, of course, for example I love swimming, which doesn't go so well with complex styles meant to be put on ONE time and not taken off until the end of the day. I just don't like it when people assume that because they listen to say, Black Veil Brides, or wear black, they are goth. Or when people assume that because I'm goth I like metal music, piercings and am mopey.
I now feel that I perhaps have a horrible inability to explain things. Curses!
I do not like mallgoths, nor people who assume that because a band, person or movie is slightly alternative, it is automatically goth. I know I should try to kindly point these people in the direction of actual Goth, and I try to do so nicely, but my patience... it is wearing out.
Metal music, for example, is not goth, though there may some crossover amongst the fanbase. There is a reason that there is a whole other genre called metalheads.
Not that I have anything against doing something not specifically goth, of course, for example I love swimming, which doesn't go so well with complex styles meant to be put on ONE time and not taken off until the end of the day. I just don't like it when people assume that because they listen to say, Black Veil Brides, or wear black, they are goth. Or when people assume that because I'm goth I like metal music, piercings and am mopey.
I now feel that I perhaps have a horrible inability to explain things. Curses!
Sunday, March 4, 2012
World Dominion
Well, I now have a follower. And, apparently, twelve blogviews. Time to start up my plan to take over the world. *giggles* I've learned enough. Also, I'd probably hide a message or a beat (Doctor Who) in my messages to the world, and when I went to take power it'd be so natural to all of you to let me...
I'm kidding.
But, if I WERE to take power over the world, I would be posed with a tough question: is the black rose or foxglove our galactic plant? If it's the black rose, can we genetically engineer the bushes so they would be viable in the wild, for all the wandering Goths to pick and use as weapons in the sacking of Rome? XD
Would I mandate world-wide gothic fashion or music? Probably not. Would I take to calling the Abercrombie-wearing masses the Proles? Hells yeah. But then that would mean the future was in their hands... NEVER MIND *Don't go down that road, that way lies madness*
What about politics? What politics? I would have supreme power. While I would not be likely to build a dystopia, there would also be a distinct lack of utopia, given that I believe people need to suffer and complain to really be human. Or an animal for that matter; even a dog will snarl and squeal if you hurt it.
On the other hand, could I grow a black mustache and become Big Brother?
(the answer, by the way, is no, but I could hold a piece of my black wig across my face and pretend!)
Lesson to take from this post: though I am Vice President of two organizations and feature prominently in others, giving too much influence beyond my normal sphere is probably a bad plan... or should I run for president? So many questions...
I'm kidding.
But, if I WERE to take power over the world, I would be posed with a tough question: is the black rose or foxglove our galactic plant? If it's the black rose, can we genetically engineer the bushes so they would be viable in the wild, for all the wandering Goths to pick and use as weapons in the sacking of Rome? XD
Would I mandate world-wide gothic fashion or music? Probably not. Would I take to calling the Abercrombie-wearing masses the Proles? Hells yeah. But then that would mean the future was in their hands... NEVER MIND *Don't go down that road, that way lies madness*
What about politics? What politics? I would have supreme power. While I would not be likely to build a dystopia, there would also be a distinct lack of utopia, given that I believe people need to suffer and complain to really be human. Or an animal for that matter; even a dog will snarl and squeal if you hurt it.
On the other hand, could I grow a black mustache and become Big Brother?
(the answer, by the way, is no, but I could hold a piece of my black wig across my face and pretend!)
Lesson to take from this post: though I am Vice President of two organizations and feature prominently in others, giving too much influence beyond my normal sphere is probably a bad plan... or should I run for president? So many questions...
Clothing Rant!
Here in Southern Oregon, or as I like to call it, smalltown USA, there are very few explicitly alternative (or alternatively inclined) shops. I therefore generally result to Goodwill and other thrift shops, and a fair amount of DIY, for my look.
However, there is one store, in a town 32 minutes away from mine, called Renaissance Rose, which is a very nice place, with pieces by Living Dead Souls and similar brands, some independent lables, and a hodge-podge of things for the differently-minded individual, with a large costume section, steampunk area and goth corner.
I get all my fishnets there, my wigs and occasionally a fun pair of socks, and an on-sale shirt or skirt. Unfortunately, they can be and often are VERY expensive. To me, at least. I have only about eighty dollars monthly at my disposal for clothes, dinners and other odds-and-ends. Living at home, this isn't so bad. Unless my wardrobe becomes severely limited, as it has been recently by a teacher's unwillingness to allow modestly-worn corsets (the rant is heating up), in which case I need to buy a couple shirts and gifts for my brother's thirteenth birthday, and all the little things I normally take care of. This stretches my budget almost beyond the limits.
Thank god I saved some money from last month, otherwise I would not be able to afford the nicer Goth shirts desired to expand my wardrobe. Really, it was stretch my dollar and invest in some nice shirts or wear ripped skinny jeans and obscure T-shirts. Not that I have anything against such a look, but having very few other options would drive me crazy(ier than I already am).
I have never once bought a piece by any 'Goth' name brand, sheerly because of the price. Offline, sure. My boots are Demonia. So are most of my shoes, now that I think of it, but I got them all on sale or for less than usually expected. I never buy clothes offline, since lots of things that should be my size sit oddly on my frame and I can't trust the blasted sizing charts.
So, to sum up the rant, WHY must Goth clothes be so expensive?
I think I'll just buy some fabric and patterns...
However, there is one store, in a town 32 minutes away from mine, called Renaissance Rose, which is a very nice place, with pieces by Living Dead Souls and similar brands, some independent lables, and a hodge-podge of things for the differently-minded individual, with a large costume section, steampunk area and goth corner.
I get all my fishnets there, my wigs and occasionally a fun pair of socks, and an on-sale shirt or skirt. Unfortunately, they can be and often are VERY expensive. To me, at least. I have only about eighty dollars monthly at my disposal for clothes, dinners and other odds-and-ends. Living at home, this isn't so bad. Unless my wardrobe becomes severely limited, as it has been recently by a teacher's unwillingness to allow modestly-worn corsets (the rant is heating up), in which case I need to buy a couple shirts and gifts for my brother's thirteenth birthday, and all the little things I normally take care of. This stretches my budget almost beyond the limits.
Thank god I saved some money from last month, otherwise I would not be able to afford the nicer Goth shirts desired to expand my wardrobe. Really, it was stretch my dollar and invest in some nice shirts or wear ripped skinny jeans and obscure T-shirts. Not that I have anything against such a look, but having very few other options would drive me crazy(ier than I already am).
I have never once bought a piece by any 'Goth' name brand, sheerly because of the price. Offline, sure. My boots are Demonia. So are most of my shoes, now that I think of it, but I got them all on sale or for less than usually expected. I never buy clothes offline, since lots of things that should be my size sit oddly on my frame and I can't trust the blasted sizing charts.
So, to sum up the rant, WHY must Goth clothes be so expensive?
I think I'll just buy some fabric and patterns...
Friday, March 2, 2012
Music: Emilie Autumn
Is it just me, or does Emilie Autumn rock? I particularly enjoyed her songs "Opheliac" "Juliet" and "Thank God I'm Pretty", though I have not yet chosen a favorite album. Mostly because I haven't actually got time to sit down and listen to each one of them all the way through.
I know that most people don't techincally classify her as Goth music, but what do I care? I like her outfits and her sound both quite a lot.
I hear she's in a new movie, something to do with the people from Repo! The Genetic Opera (so says my school friend who likes to mindlessly surf the web and tells me what she finds. I love her to death, though, and she keeps me updated). I honestly don't know much about the movie, I think it was called The Devil's Carnival. Anything having to do with the Repo! people and Emilie Autumn both, I will doubtlessly end up watching.
I can't honestly say I actually actively keep up with Emilie Autumn, as I don't tend to obsess over the artists or bands whose music I like. I do know, however, that she has a new show/album coming, called "Fight Like A Girl", I believe. I hope I get to hear it!
| Goth inspired, at least |
I know that most people don't techincally classify her as Goth music, but what do I care? I like her outfits and her sound both quite a lot.
I hear she's in a new movie, something to do with the people from Repo! The Genetic Opera (so says my school friend who likes to mindlessly surf the web and tells me what she finds. I love her to death, though, and she keeps me updated). I honestly don't know much about the movie, I think it was called The Devil's Carnival. Anything having to do with the Repo! people and Emilie Autumn both, I will doubtlessly end up watching.
I can't honestly say I actually actively keep up with Emilie Autumn, as I don't tend to obsess over the artists or bands whose music I like. I do know, however, that she has a new show/album coming, called "Fight Like A Girl", I believe. I hope I get to hear it!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Guest Speaker at School: Badass Idiot
*Ah, another blasted corset-less day of high school over with. Then dragged to the dentist. All right, All right, I've still got my spirits up. What do you mean, college? Why must you give me so much homework?*
Clad all in black and white stripes today, I ventured into the world of small town high school, and found the expected amount of annoyances, tempered as usual by the classes themselves.
Today, for History of Spying, we went to see a guest speaker, and he talked about his time in Russia. Apparently he was in the service of the government, and KGB were watching him (and he knew they were). One night, with his friend (who was staying in the same hotel) this guy goes to call his friend back in America on a pay phone, so that thier conversation wouldn't be heard by the KGB guys who have a tap on the room phone.
As they walk past the car where the KGB agents are sitting, the speaker and his friend decide to 'screw with them.'
At this point, I pause and look at the unassuming man in the blue sweater, pacing nervously as he talks to a group of perhaps 50 high schoolers. It is hard to reconcile the image of the man in front of me with the utter baddass, James-Bond esque deciding spontaneously to screw around with KGB agents, just for the hell of it.
If I did not have to go to college now, I would spend more time saluting this guy. Long story short, they pretty much teased the KGB agents and let them know surreptiously that they knew the KGB was following them. That takes some courage. And a bit of stupidity. And, in all likihood, a ton of boredom.
Reccomendation for the night: Screw with Russian intelligence agents. (Not really. Please don't.)
Clad all in black and white stripes today, I ventured into the world of small town high school, and found the expected amount of annoyances, tempered as usual by the classes themselves.
Today, for History of Spying, we went to see a guest speaker, and he talked about his time in Russia. Apparently he was in the service of the government, and KGB were watching him (and he knew they were). One night, with his friend (who was staying in the same hotel) this guy goes to call his friend back in America on a pay phone, so that thier conversation wouldn't be heard by the KGB guys who have a tap on the room phone.
As they walk past the car where the KGB agents are sitting, the speaker and his friend decide to 'screw with them.'
At this point, I pause and look at the unassuming man in the blue sweater, pacing nervously as he talks to a group of perhaps 50 high schoolers. It is hard to reconcile the image of the man in front of me with the utter baddass, James-Bond esque deciding spontaneously to screw around with KGB agents, just for the hell of it.
If I did not have to go to college now, I would spend more time saluting this guy. Long story short, they pretty much teased the KGB agents and let them know surreptiously that they knew the KGB was following them. That takes some courage. And a bit of stupidity. And, in all likihood, a ton of boredom.
Reccomendation for the night: Screw with Russian intelligence agents. (Not really. Please don't.)
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