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.

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...

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.

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.

Goth Challenge: Day 1

From Juliet's Lace, if you didn't know. I thought it'd be a fun kick off to the blog.

How did you come across the subculture?
Well I first came in contact with the subculture when I was a little tag-a-long to one. But at that age I didn't much understand what exactly a subculture was. When I next came across the subculture I was in the sixth. I met this new girl in school who was a stereotypical school-label 'goth'. But my curiosity was instantly piqued. I started doing some internet research and ran into a good deal of misinforming websites that started the beginning of my Baby Bat days.
Ironically enough the girl stripped herself of her 'goth' title as her phase ended over the summer.

Not such an exciting start I'm afraid.

Let's Talk Real Horses

I am exhausted. But I am pulling myself to the keyboard to tell a little about how my lesson went today.
So as I previously said, I went an hour early to clean my saddle. I just got my saddle not so long ago. I'm know at least two other people have owned it before me, but its not so shabby and really comfortable. Unfortunately,  when you oil a saddle, it makes the leather darker. But my leathers are brand new and thus are very light compared to the saddle.

My Saddle After Cleaning

 So my saddle cleaning bucket contains (A bucket, obviously) two towels, a washcloth, two sponges, soap, and oil. If you were wondering. So I dragged my saddle out to the wooden fence outside, in the hot weather and cleaned and oiled it and my leathers. Sadly, as you can see, my leathers are still a few shades lighter than my saddle. I finished in a good time frame because I didn't have to wait long before I could find out which horse I was riding and start getting ready.
While I was getting my horse prepared I noticed he was grumpy, he has in fact, been grumpy for a few weeks. My instructor question about his grumpiness and I replied and she showed me how to handle it. She gave him a kick and told me to hit him, grabbing a crop if I needed it.* He was much nicer getting ready after that.
The lesson itself was mostly tough, repetitive, flat work. By this I mean no jumps. But I did get to jump a bit at the end. I was the only one, which is a proud moment. Not the jumping, the being more forward in my class. For a good portion of my riding I have ridden with people who are much more advanced. Its not fun always being the under dog so I enjoy my moments of top dog-ness. It very good lesson. I hadn't eaten dinner so I got tired and hungry, but it was good.
After the lesson, getting the horses put away was much more dramatic. See, I rode my lesson with Girl 1 and Girl 2. Girl 1 was riding a horse that she didn't particularly like. I happen to be fond of that horse, but such is relationships. She kept coming over and ogling the horse I was riding like he was the perfect angel. But as I was getting his equipment off, he was being a bully. I tried to cheer him up but when I was pushed a bit to hard I smacked him hard* and told him to knock it off. Girl 1, Girl 2 and Girl 1's sister looked at me like I was the worst person in the whole world. Because I had yelled at the perfect angel. Awkward. Anyway, I told my instructor that he was being mean and I smacked him and she was all "Good for you."
But it was overall a good, long day of horseness, followed by Wendy's. In other news, I'm going to the zoo tomorrow!

*All these methods does not hurt the horse. Horses are big animals of muscle. You can get fairly tough to a horse and it will still be comparative to a fly. Especially the jumping horses. The methods are used not to hurt the horse but to remind them that you are higher in the "herd" than they are. If they tried to do that in the wild to another horse, they would get bit and/or separated from the rest of the herd until they behaved. It was very important to stop this horses habit because he was threatening to bite. A biting school horse is very dangerous for both the stable and it's riders. On another note, this horse was not lashing out because of pain or discomfort. He was just being a bully and trying to get higher in the "herd" hierarchy.  I promise no horses were harmed in todays lesson. The only thing hurt was maybe an ego. Like a teenager who was told no.

Its Thursday!!!

Thursdays are my favorite day of the week because they are the day that I have my riding lesson. Although it is also my busiest day of the week. It takes me about an hour to get ready (Yes, I will admit to being one of those people who take forever to get ready in the morning.), 20 minutes to drive to the stable, five minutes of waiting around and finding what horse I'm riding, ten minutes to get ready (We only get ten minutes, if it takes longer it cuts into our lesson and is our fault), we get a bit of time to warm up while everyone and the instructor finishes getting ready and gets into the arena, the lesson goes for about an hour overall though. Then at least 20 minutes to get them back in their stalls after the lesson, which is a longer process during the summer because they get extra sweaty and need to be cooled down; and another twenty minutes to drive back home, IF we don't get stuck behind a billion bikers or find the train chugging along the tracks we have to cross.
So maybe that only equals up to four hours, but when you take into consideration that the actual lesson is only one hour, its fairly extensive. Actually, today I'm leaving an hour early so I can clean my saddle before my lesson, but that's for a post later in the day when I'll give you all the treats of my lesson.

Right now, I actually wanted to talk about these puppeteers I just recently stumbled across. Or rather, the puppets themselves. The play is called "War Horse" and the puppets are life sized, ride-able, horses. It started in the UK (Leave it to them to come up with something amazing) and is been running for four years. I'm fairly sure that it took six years to prepare. It is spreading throughout the world though. 
The horses are extremely life like and seem to have personalities. I didn't even really pay attention or notice the puppeteers while I watched different videos! The main way the puppeteers do it is by making the puppets breath. Basil Jones, the co-founder of Handspring says, "You have to believe that even though someone is sitting right at the back of the auditorium, they can see the puppet breathing."

 I think this especially has appeal to me because a life-size, ride-able horse that you didn't have to feed or clean up after (Or board at a stable) was my childhood dream. It didn't even have to have a team of puppeteers moving it. I use to try to get my parents to get me the life-sized horses that tack stores would display their equipment on. These days I wouldn't have much use for that. But I would absolutely love to see this play!

Here is the article I stumbled across, I took the quote from there. And the have another video which is also fun to watch.
Here is a you tube video of a foal scene in the play. I love how the foal has straight wooden legs that can't bend, it reminds me of how wobbly foals actually are.
There are also tons more videos about this around.

Pleased to Meet You!

Hello Dears!
I never know where to start with blogs so I just thought I'd do a bit of an opening post for the it. My name is Ophelia. I love purple, ruffles, lace, shiny things, cameos, art, literature, music, piano, Zombi (My kitten), and I find great sport in convincing horses to go over jumps that they could just as easily go around.
I'm a Hunter/Jumper. I've only been riding for three years but I plan on making a career out of it when I reach that point in my life. I don't own a horse either, that's another thing I wish to someday do...
This is a more personal blog that I plan to run parallel with the blog I use on my website www.Alternativevoices.us.
That's it for now anyway, more fun posts up ahead.