halloween is here
On the train back from Whitby yesterday I kept having all these thoughts about the idea of 'home,' more as a metaphysical or spiritual notion than a physical structure. What began as a list of questions turned into a poem about the sea. Go figure.
I feel a bit lost still being in the UK, as I'd planned on being home for Samhain this year. However, I think it'll work out nicely. I'm spending tonight with a friend, and then I'll have several hours by myself tomorrow to wander the streets and listen to music and write and think. I debated doing something uber-pagan like going up to Salisbury, but I might just visit the local pagan shop and get...I dunno. Something. Something spiritual and cool and just for me. Then a Halloween party tomorrow night, huzzah.
Whitby was pretty good. Not as good as last April, but then it'll never be as new and shiny as it was the first time. What I enjoyed the most was getting to hang out so much with Chandra, as well as finally trekking up to the Abbey on Saturday. I literally felt like twirling around up there. It was cold and grey and beautiful, and while there I got this overwhelming feeling of complete joy that the holidays are coming and I'm going to be home for them.
In regards to the gothy factor, the people were gorgeous, as always. However, there seemed to be a lot more mundanes and tourists this time than in April. On the day of the Gothic Lolita meet-up, Chandra and I got our picture taken several times by random normals on the street, and I must admit to feeling slightly conflicted about it. On one hand it's kind of nice to be recognized and appreciated for the effort one puts into one's appearance, and let's face it, we all enjoy a bit of attention now and then. However, I kind of thought that one of the main points of Whitby was to provide a place where goths could be themselves without worrying about gawkers and social 'norms.' I was dressed up that day to meet fellow Gothic Lolitas, not to be a tourist attraction. Ah well. You win some, you lose some.
Things I have learned from my most recent jaunt to WGW:
-It's okay to be pretentious as long as you can still laugh at yourself.
-Wearing nothing but lingerie does not help you convince people that you're shy.
-Mentioning that you live one hour away from Dollywood will always win you friends, especially among rock stars.
-Alcohol plus head trauma is a really bad mix that will result in tears.
-If someone has met you more than twice and still doesn't know your name, he definitely owes you a drink.
-You can get away with a plain outfit if you have fabulous hair.
-Some notions are best abandoned completely, even if it takes a literal hit to the head for that to sink in.
And now, an amusingly accurate goth quiz, courtesy of green_dreads:
You are an elitist bastard. You hate people that try too hard, actually you just hate people in general. You have excellent taste in alcohol, however, and probably have an excellent collection of classical and experimental music.
What kind of goth are you?
Created by ptocheia
Wow, talk about nail-on-head. Okay, enough with the faff. Halloween approaches!
I feel a bit lost still being in the UK, as I'd planned on being home for Samhain this year. However, I think it'll work out nicely. I'm spending tonight with a friend, and then I'll have several hours by myself tomorrow to wander the streets and listen to music and write and think. I debated doing something uber-pagan like going up to Salisbury, but I might just visit the local pagan shop and get...I dunno. Something. Something spiritual and cool and just for me. Then a Halloween party tomorrow night, huzzah.
Whitby was pretty good. Not as good as last April, but then it'll never be as new and shiny as it was the first time. What I enjoyed the most was getting to hang out so much with Chandra, as well as finally trekking up to the Abbey on Saturday. I literally felt like twirling around up there. It was cold and grey and beautiful, and while there I got this overwhelming feeling of complete joy that the holidays are coming and I'm going to be home for them.
In regards to the gothy factor, the people were gorgeous, as always. However, there seemed to be a lot more mundanes and tourists this time than in April. On the day of the Gothic Lolita meet-up, Chandra and I got our picture taken several times by random normals on the street, and I must admit to feeling slightly conflicted about it. On one hand it's kind of nice to be recognized and appreciated for the effort one puts into one's appearance, and let's face it, we all enjoy a bit of attention now and then. However, I kind of thought that one of the main points of Whitby was to provide a place where goths could be themselves without worrying about gawkers and social 'norms.' I was dressed up that day to meet fellow Gothic Lolitas, not to be a tourist attraction. Ah well. You win some, you lose some.
Things I have learned from my most recent jaunt to WGW:
-It's okay to be pretentious as long as you can still laugh at yourself.
-Wearing nothing but lingerie does not help you convince people that you're shy.
-Mentioning that you live one hour away from Dollywood will always win you friends, especially among rock stars.
-Alcohol plus head trauma is a really bad mix that will result in tears.
-If someone has met you more than twice and still doesn't know your name, he definitely owes you a drink.
-You can get away with a plain outfit if you have fabulous hair.
-Some notions are best abandoned completely, even if it takes a literal hit to the head for that to sink in.
And now, an amusingly accurate goth quiz, courtesy of green_dreads:
You are an elitist bastard. You hate people that try too hard, actually you just hate people in general. You have excellent taste in alcohol, however, and probably have an excellent collection of classical and experimental music.
What kind of goth are you?
Created by ptocheia
Wow, talk about nail-on-head. Okay, enough with the faff. Halloween approaches!