Wearing Black, the SPF levels and Victorian Trading Co.~~~

Hello Darklings,

Just the other day I heard an interesting news report.  It has to do with the color of clothing that you wear and skin cancer.

Protecting one's skin from the sun's harmful rays is always important, it prevents premature aging of the skin and lessens the possibility of skin cancer.  So wearing clothing is important, especially clothing that covers you as much as possible.

All my life I have never been a big fan of getting a tan, as a matter of fact I always thought that tanning one's self was very drying and damaging for the skin.  Now one does need to get a certain amount of time in the sun to help activate vitamin D, so very important for one's health and especially to avoid suffering depression in the Winter months. 

I have found that if I'm out in the sun say for a morning walk before 10 a.m. or after 3 p.m. I'm just fine, and I wear a hat, long sleeve shirts or T's and slacks.  I've found it to be very protective.

And frankly the idea of tanning beds or booths, even a spray on tan is totally ridiculous, extremely unhealthy and should be avoided like the plague.

But now with this new report, it seems the color of the clothing you wear is also important.  Colors can give you a certain amount of SPF protection and surprisingly white gives you only a protection level of 7 while green gives you a protection level of 10,  but it is dark blue and, our favorite color, Black that gives you an SPF protection level of 50,  yes Darklings 50!!!

And it makes sense.   If you have ever seen photo's of the desert tribesmen called Tuareg's all their protective clothing is either black, dark blue, dark red hardly any light colors and they live out in the sun blasting desert of the Sahara. 

Of course the type of weave and what the cloth is made from is also important, so wearing clothing that can also wick away sweat is essential.

Now if you are in a job in which you work nights then it is important to take vitamin D tablets as well to keep healthy.

So Darklings, wearing Black, Dark Blue, Dark Purple, and even Dark Dark Green is so in for Summer wear in your clothing.

And you'll never feel out of style, and if you want to wear white you can wear it for evenings or nights when you don't feel in such a dark mood.

And now for something completely different~~~~

Darklings I just got in the mail my Victorian Trading Company catalogue and already they have wonderful things for Halloween,  both cute, Gothic and Victorian, so much so that I'm going to have a hard time on what to order although there are a couple of pins I do admire, one of them perfect for Gothic romantic memento mori.  

Now I'm going to be mean and not tell you---so what you are going to have to do is go to their web site and peruse their wares and have fun. I have it posted on my Links section.  That way you can decide what would best fit your mood and your particular style.

I must go Darklings, nearby is being offered an Art and Wine Festival that is fun to attend and yes, I will be using my hat and parasol to protect my skin.

Later, Darklings

Elder Goth Gardening~~~

Well Darklings,

My friend who loves to garden has completed her design for me, it will include roses of the dark bloom variety, as well as bulb plants, but I told her I wanted the dark blooms, but she is insisting that I also include white blooms as well to help balance it out. 

Since she is following what was originally planted by my Great Aunt we are really recreating her garden but not so tangled and weedy,  we noticed that a lot of planting beds were raised and would tier down and we discovered that it saves a lot of back breaking problems, we also uncovered a pond with a waterfall that was over grown with bougainvillea and hidden from view,  the pond and waterfall are going to have to wait, but she could see that it was set up so that fish could swim in most of it but with a barrier to prevent them from going into where the pump for the waterfall would be, also behind it was a "ballcock" mechanism hooked up to a faucet, when the faucet is turned on the ballcock would work to allow more water when a certain amount had evaporated and it would bring it up to a certain level, much like the system in a toilet, simple, mechanical and practical.  The waterfall would aerate the water as well  but since chemicals are added to our drinking water it's hard to introduce goldfish to the water as it comes out of the faucet, she believes there is a way to avoid that and she's going to look into that further.

One type of fish she feels we should have is the mosquito fish that we can get free from out water company to avoid "west Nile" virus.  So we'll think on this for next year.

If an Elder Goth is lucky enough to have a garden what would one plant in it?  

Well it depends upon your theme, a garden should have a theme---there is a theme for plants from the Bible, plants from one's favoirte gothic novels, herbs from certain countries, a butterfly garden, a white garden, a grey garden, a dark garden, a witchy garden, a cemetery garden, a fantasy garden.

From what my friend and I can see, it appears that my Great Aunt was going for a Cemetery Garden,  she managed to find fencing from old cemeteries, even a few tombstones, which we think may have come from the "Wave Organ" in San Francisco many years ago, a few religious themes, even some fantastical bizarre statues,  and it seems that as we walk towards the pond, we step into a slighly different theme, so we'll keep that in our focus.

By having raised beds one can use either bricks, river rock, or jagged stones or carefully marbled stones, it depends upon what one can afford,  salvage is always good and my friend is big on salvage.

So first take into account what you can handle espeically if you have a difficult time getting around, 2nd decide on a theme, 3rd take into account water rates/costs and the best way to water your garden, 4th the layout of your property, 5th to what purpose do you want your garden to give back to you, 6th and of course your pocket book.

Now if you are in an apartment, then hopefully you'll have a balcony or small patio (if on the ground floor) and with that then it would have to be planters, but again decide on theme.   If your apartment building cannot provide you with any garden space, then at least every two weeks indulge in fresh flowers or set up a fake garden in one corner of your place with fake flowers and create your own indoor garden that will never wilt or need water, you can have a small waterfall to plug in just make sure it's on a space where it will not splash water or do water damage.  You can have indoors african violets in a variety of colors which will give a sense of freshness to your home, and caring for them can instill a sense of tranquility that one would find in a cemetery or meditation garden.

Avoid marijuana, it's too costly and it seems to cause fires and bring the police, something any Goth would prefere to avoid.

Later Darklings

Perfumes for the Elder Goth Part 2

Hello Darklings,

Well after all that “talk” about perfumes one of my friends presented me with a couple of questions:

Question 1:  

“If you have different perfumes or colognes for different occasions, where would you keep or display them?”

A good question---- it depends upon the style of your bedroom.  Now I say bedroom because keeping them in the bath room is not good because of the heat and moisture that would be involved.

So the best place would be either your bedroom, or if you are really lucky your dressing room.

But Alas, not everyone is lucky to have a dressing room unless one makes a lot of money, and can have a room for sleeping (or seduction) and another to hold your wardrobe as well as having enough space to dress in.  But life often does not present us with that luxury.

So to the Bedroom it must be.  If say during the week you are primarily going just to work then on your dressing table or vanity there should only be the perfume or cologne that you would use for work and also based on the season of the year as well.  That would be your primary location.

All the others can be either on a shelf or in an enclosed cabinet (which I prefer) away from Sunlight and heat.   The idea of it being in an enclosed cabinet is to prevent sunlight and air from changing or evaporating the perfume, but some people love to display them on a glass shelf away from the sunlight, like special jewels or magical potions. 

The choice of displays is based upon one’s preference for location, bedroom or dressing room style and of course the pocket book.

I myself have set aside a cabinet that was my Great-Aunt’s, that has a glass front, and a key lock, the shelves are made of glass to prevent any damage to wood and it has a mirror back to it so that they are displayed like prized jewels, and because they are in a darker corner of my (yes, I’m lucky) dressing room they are not subject to light. 

Some bottles are so attractive that I hate to throw them away, so in another part of my dressing room I have open glass shelves that display the empty perfume and cologne bottles that are unusual in shape and design, like one that is shaped like a woman’s body, another with a panther crouching on a rock, just to give you an idea.

A friend of mine has a very bizarre cabinet that she brought back from Africa that she uses to hold her perfumes, and considering that she also practices witchcraft and her whole house is very witchy it seems right.

Another friend just keeps a few bottles on her vanity dresser on a glass tray in her bedroom. 

So it is a matter of choice, cost and of course the number of scents that you have.

But remember Darklings, always make your perfumes be part of your “Aladdin’s cave of delights” and not stuffed into a junk drawer all crowded with unused things.

Question 2:

“You’ve given us a list of the types of perfumes out there, and when, where and what time of the year to wear them, but what would you call Goth Perfumes?”

Another good question; the reason why I didn’t say this is a Goth perfume or that one,  is based on what works well with you and what “tickles” your personal olfactory senses and most importantly where you work and socialize.

But based on just names of perfumes alone I’d start with Tabu, Passion, Poison, Opium, Shalimar those that I named in my first perfume article but then we have ones that are harder to find such as “Phantom” and “Espirt de Phantom”, “Premonition”,  “Jovan Musk” and “Jovan White Musk”,  “Forbidden Fruit”, “Insolence”, “Chypre”.

I rotate between Estee Lauder’s “Beautiful” for Spring/Summer at work and the Heavier Perfumes such as Elizabeth Taylor’s Passion in Fall/Winter for work and then switch to “Opium” when I’m out socializing; it is my own personal choice.

Now some people would say “but what if you are in a work environment where someone has a problem with perfumes”, well this is where I stand up for my rights and say “I have a right to wear what I desire”  I have rights too, but I have said that certain perfumes and men’s colognes should be banned, like “Carnation” or “Tuber Rose”, “Carnation” especially,  “Tuber Rose” and “Pacholouly” is fine if you are at a Goth Club but not at work, we are not “hippy-dippy-yippie”.

Now if you are in to dark alchemy there is a web site that I suggest you Darklings check out, and I will put their link also on my links section, it is Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab their web site is www.blackphoenixalchemylab.com/welcome.html  If you want really Dark Goth perfumes, they can have something to match your darkest, decadent mood.

Remember Darklings---Coco Chanel is said to have quipped “A woman should wear perfume wherever she wants to be kissed”

Later Darklings

Perfumes for the Elder Goth~~~

Shalimar, Opium, Passion, Tabu, all of these scents invoke a mental image of a particular desire within the mind of an Elder Goth----at least for me they do.

Tabu totally forbidden--- Passion, total desire for the one love---Shalimar, hedonistic delights----Opium, dark hidden dens of iniquity.

When you the male (or female) animal your olfactory nerves are stimulated is that what comes unbidden to your mind? When you, the female animal wear anyone of these scents is that what you wish to project? To be darkly dangerous and forbidden, to walk by and trigger those unresolved emotions in others?

That is what perfume should do, that is why selecting the right one for you is just as much a science, a chemistry experiment to provoke those images and feelings in others.

Not all perfumes work with an individual’s body chemistry, which is one thing I have discovered, what worked for me years ago, no longer works now because my body chemistry has changed.

That is why I love finding those little sample bottles that one sees for sale either prior to Mother’s Day or Christmas. The beauty of those sample bottles is you can try them without too much expense and if they don’t work, give them to your little nieces or little daughters or grand daughter when they do “Dress Up”. And not having children of my own I do have several great-nieces who think that I am the most wonderful Auntie in the world because of this.

So my Darklings what is this post all about? Well it is important to find a “signature” perfume or cologne that identifies you, one that works well with your body chemistry and yet projects via scent the mental and emotional image that you wish to put forth.

There are three broad theories of perfume use. One is that people employ it to mask body odors that they perceive as bad. The second is that some perfumes contain chemicals that mimic human pheromones—elusive, mysterious (and possibly mythical) substances believed by some to play a role in mating. The third is that people use it to heighten or fortify natural scent, and thus advertise sexual attractiveness or availability.

Centuries ago it was believed that bathing frequently was bad for one’s health, so you can imagined the bad smells in the Court of King Henry the 8th and his Daughter Queen Elizabeth the first, which is why many things including gloves would be impregnated with perfume, and perfumers were in serious competition with each other, something that continues to this day. Although I hope my Darklings you do bathe frequently, especially during the hot weather.

When the idea that “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” finally sunk into peoples brains did the use of perfumes become more to attract a mate. Or at least lead him down the path to his own destruction. (wink, wink).

Now a days scent is also used to create a state of mind for relaxation and calming, which is the subject of another post.

I won’t go into all the things about where scents come from and things like top, middle and base note of scents, I’ll leave that to those articles more knowledgeable than me.

But the idea of using perfume to disguise bad smells even in today’s world is not unusual For example is it said that Bad smells are not just a matter of poor hygiene. Illness and old age both bring characteristic odors of their own, and neither state makes people more attractive. Perfumes may spoof these messages. Hence the marketing of a new scent called Ageless Fantasy, by Harvey Prince, which claims its product disguises the “odor of ageing”, suggested to be caused by the breakdown of a particular fatty acid in the skin. Whether this is true I have no idea but having been in many a sick room, I remember my Grandma in her final illness wanted to have the scent of lavender around her, she said it made her calm and feel clean and all around her feel clean.

In the 1950s, a perfumer called Paul Jellinek noted that several ingredients of incense resembled scents of the human body. It was not until 2001, that Manfred Milinski and Claus Wedekind of the University of Bern wondered whether there was a correlation between the perfume a woman preferred and her own natural scent, surprisingly they found that there is.

Women, it seems, choose a scent that subconsciously matches their own body chemistry. In other words, they are advertising their own scent. Another implication, one researcher discovered is that it is probably best that people choose perfumes for themselves rather than for someone else.Years ago a woman was expected to have a signature scent. But now we are more likely to treat fragrance as an accessory, changing our perfume daily - or even more often - to suit our busy lives and shifting moods.

But too much choice can lead to confusion. If you're like most women, you have multiple perfume bottles cluttering your vanity table, taunting you with their silent demand, "Who do you want to be today?"

Catherine Helbig did a wonderful article about scents which I will abridge here for you to make it simple:
Citrus

Infused with the tangy essence of citrus fruits, these perfumes are lively and energetic. They are best enjoyed as a daytime delight, just the thing to wake you up in the morning before you've had that second coffee. Wear a citrus perfume to meet your girlfriends for brunch, brighten a baby shower, or ride your bicycle to the organic market.

Floral

Sweet and romantic, these scents are the "good girls" of the fragrance aisle. Florals are sometimes single note, but generally combine the scents of various flowers to create a classic feminine appeal. Spritz on a floral when you want to show off (or fake) your sweet-and-girly side -- when meeting your boyfriend's parents comes to mind. These scents are also appropriate at church, the ballet, or your best friend's wedding, especially if you've got your eye on an eligible groomsman.

Fruity

Like a cheerleader with a wicked side, fruity perfumes are fresh and spicy. These fragrances please the nose with the bright and familiar smells of apple, peach, berry, mango and other juicy fruits, often blended with florals to create a compelling aroma. Pretty without being overwhelming, these perfumes are ideal for a movie-and-dinner first date. Just apply sparingly. Sometimes these perfumes are referred to as Gourmand, were you just desire to eat something, but this would also include anything with the scent of Vanilla, Cinnamon or Basil.

Green

Smelling of fresh leaves and newly-mown grass, the green fragrances are a natural and energetic group. These scents tend toward the unisex, so are best left on the shelf when you're dressing to impress a hot date. Save them for daytime instead, when their sporty, modern appeal makes them a great fit for any casual or outdoor gathering. My personal note, be careful you don’t attract bees.

Oceanic

Oceanic perfumes are a modern invention, first appearing with Christian Dior's Dune in 1991. These scents use a blend of synthetic compounds to evoke natural aromas such as mountain air, ocean spray or clean linen. Crisp and fresh, they are an ideal choice for job interviews, when you want your perfume to say, "I'm clean, efficient and won't stink up the joint if hired."

Oriental

Think of oriental perfumes as the fragrance equivalent of cleavage and a killer pair of stilettos. Exotic and distinctly feminine, these sensual blends feature an earthy, animalistic base scent such as musk or ambergris, often combined with warm notes such as amber. (When combined with florals, these scents are called "florientals"). The effect is a bold yet mysterious perfume that makes a big entrance, tosses back a few martinis, and leaves with phone numbers in her pocket. Wear one when you want to seduce, whether it's a third date or just a rare night out without the kids.

O.K. Darklings if you in for seduction then these scents includes Elizabeth Taylor’s Black Pearls, Guerlain’s Shalimar, Givenchy’s Organza, Yves Saint Laurent’s Opium, Versace’s Crystal Noir



Spicy

Sugar and spice and everything nice, that's what these perfumes smell like. Uncap one and be transported to your mom's kitchen - if your mom was the type who baked cinnamon rolls and gingerbread from scratch. With notes of cloves, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and pepper, spicy perfumes are comforting and alluring in an old-fashioned way. Wear one to your next parent-teacher meeting, or at lunch with that handsome officemate who you wouldn't mind sharing pastry with.



Woody (Chypre)

Woody scents are built on base notes of bark and moss, conjuring winding forest paths. While more unisex than other fragrance categories, that's not to say these scents are masculine. They evoke a particular brand of no-nonsense femininity. Think Marion in Raiders of the Lost Ark, or Katharine Hepburn in any movie. This strong and classic appeal translates well to the corporate office, too. Wear one to your next performance review.

But one has to remember that when wearing an Oriental type of scent the heady mix of spices, amber, balsams and resins marks this type, suggestive of warmth and exotic sensuality but because of the group's rich, musky traits, these luxurious scents make the best statement in the winter. So avoid wearing these during the spring & summer months at work.

So Darklings, just as you have different styles of clothing for different occasions and seasons, you should also have a wardrobe of scents to match your moods and the season. Deciding which perfume to wear has a lot to do with personal preference and mood, but there are some tried-and-true rules for choosing scents that match different seasons and times.

Choose light florals and citrus scents for spring and summer. Heavier scents can be overpowering during the hotter days, especially when they mix with body sweat. Pick scents that are fresh and invigorating for the hottest days. Wearing citrus or a synthetic "ocean breeze" type of scent will actually make you feel cooler.

Experiment with lighter spicy notes in the autumn. Scents with cinnamon and spice undertones are warming but not overly heavy, perfect for cooler days. Choose heavier scents such as musk and spice for winter wear. Perfumes with Oriental notes such as sandalwood and patchouli work well for winter months.

Another thing is choosing a scent for an occasion.

Choose a sophisticated but light perfume for everyday and office wear. Many synthetic blends strike just the right note for a professional woman.

Be a little daring for dates and nights on the town. Experiment with perfumes that have an Oriental base such as musk or civet.

Suit your perfume to the season as well as the occasion. Choose lighter perfumes for warmer weather, and heavier notes for winter wear.

Wear sophisticated and romantic florals for weddings and special functions.

And not only for the occasion but also for your mood---- Pick up your spirits with a light, fresh floral scent or a citrus splash. Express your sensual side with a perfume based in woodsy and Oriental tones. Be playful with fruity scents. Enjoy the calming effects of lavender and vanilla.

And again I do need to reinforce this:

If you are feeling seductive? According to scientists, the most seductive perfumes are not the complex tones of musk and sandalwood. Instead, they say, wear vanilla, basil or cinnamon.

Avoid heavy, lush scents when the weather is warm. The heat can make them overpowering.

And most importantly Choose your perfume for office wear carefully. Avoid heavy, seductive perfumes and overly sweet floral perfumes. Both will make you appear less professional.

Wearable scents come in many different strengths. A perfume is not the same as a cologne, although it might smell the same and have the same proportions of essential oils. Knowing whether the scent that you own is a perfume or a cologne will help you determine the best way to wear it. There are various levels or strengths of scent all based on their durability from Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum to Eau de Cologne

Learn the different concentrations of essential oils in perfume, cologne and other types of scents. Perfume contains the highest concentration of essential oils to alcohol (about 30% by volume). Cologne contains the lowest (about 5% to 8%). Understand the price differences between perfume and cologne. Because perfume contains more essential oils and is more concentrated, it costs far more than cologne.

Perfume lasts longer than cologne. Because perfume is so highly concentrated, a few drops applied to pulse points and your skin will last for as long as 6 to 8 hours. Cologne needs to be renewed every 2 hours or so.

Apply more cologne than you would perfume. Cologne is designed to be splashed or sprayed on because of its low concentration of essential scent oils. Because of this, an 8-ounce bottle of cologne will not last as long as a 1-ounce bottle of perfume.

Cologne is a good choice if you are on a budget, but many perfumes are affordable luxuries. If you want to wear perfume but can't afford full-size bottles of it, shop around for perfume samples.

Remember there is a difference between perfume, eau de perfume, eau de toilette, and body splash. This is one of those cases where you get what you pay for - perfume may be expensive but a little will go a longer way than the same amount of body splash.

But as an Elder Goth what perfume should you wear? Whatever one suits your position and mood. I have been known to wear a seductive perfume to a wedding, and have met some very nice men along the way. But then I’m Devilish that way.

Later Darklings

Goth my Ride~~~~

Well Darklings,
One of the last vehicles that an elder Goth should ride in (with the exception of an ambulance) is a Hearse, unfortunately one is usually not aware that you are riding in a hearse unless you are a spirit or own a classic vintage hearse.

Which brings us to what type of car should an elder Goth drive, Hmmmm well it depends upon one’s pocket book and how strange one wants to be.

Frankly I’d love to own a Hearse, drive it around with a coffin in the back, just to freak out the “Muggles”. But buying, restoring and owning a Hearse is not an easy thing. You have to be a dedicated Hearse owner for such an undertaking.

To quote one Funeral Car owner:

“Having a funeral car is not easy, the hearse car is very big, and so you will have to adjust your self for driving a mini-van size car. It’s also hard to maneuver in u-turns and narrow roads. And it will take a long time to find big enough parking spaces. But you are a hearse driver, the deads can wait.


By driving the most gothic car in the world, you can expect the same remarks as you get from people who don’t like or understand the gothic subculture. Some of them doing it because they think that you are a real funeral driver, other will mock or look at you like a freak. The best way to deal with it is to scare them off. Tell them gothic things, like you love the smell of dead corpse instead the car air freshener, or that you are out for digging graves.


The funniest thing you can ever do is to tell them that you have a PhD = Professional Hearse Driver.”

I like that “PhD= Professional Hearse Driver”. Even a bumper sticker that says “My other car is a Hearse”, I really like that, it suits my perverse sense of humor.

The first thing one has to consider is income; owning a car, any kind of car is not cheap, monthly payments, upkeep, gasoline, insurance, licensing, smogging, cost of parking lots, garaging your vehicle, your own driver’s license. And a Hearse does use up a lot of gasoline.

Even if you buy your car 2nd hand or gently used, you have to take into account all those factors, plus any repairs not mentioned or covered by the previous owner.

I have a friend of mine who purchased 2nd hand a 1991 Camero convertible, it was a bit of a concern for her to buy a car nearly 20 years old, but there was something about it that she liked. The engine had been completely re-built 2 years previously and it had not been driven hard since the re-built, so she had her mechanic check it out from stem to stern, and yes there were a few things to fix, before it would be street legal, it was tested to see if it would pass smog and it would, and it was in need of serious paint and interior work, but her mechanic was comfortable with it.

So she purchased it upon her mechanics say so, she started with all the “things” to make it street legal and to insure it was running perfectly, the next thing she was debating was to have it painted, it was at one time a sort of funky maroon, but she had it taken down to the body, had body work done to it, including chroming the bumpers and such, then she had it painted black, several layers of black with a high gloss finish. (She had to re-register it with the new color), replaced the convertible cloth to black (it was white –more like dingy grey), but then the interior needed some serious thought.

She had the interior painted black with black leather type upholstery, but with the piping done in red, blood red. The carpeting was also in black, as well as the steering wheel and column, the gear shift handled needed to be replaced so she had it done with a chrome skull, the locking buttons were also chrome skulls. For some reason on the back bumper was a trailer hitch, but since she knew she wasn’t going to be towing anything she put a Skull on it with the eyes that light up when the brakes are applied.

Now she could have left the front grill as it was but instead she ordered a custom one made to look like a spider web and in one corner a spider but with the body made into the shape of a skull. By the way my friend is 55 years old, she laughs when she drives her car “The Black Widow” around. Frankly I love it. But her car is for around the local area, she has like me, a more basic car, a black Honda Civic, very dependable and reliable.

Some people would go with a Black BMW, and paint blue flames or put blue, or purple neon lights underneath, but it all depends upon the limitations or restrictions as placed by the local law. Don’t go so over the top that you could get pulled over.

As I said like my friend I do have a dependable black Honda Civic for long drives out of town, only because both she and I can afford to maintain two cars.

What is my Goth Car? I have a 1940 Ford Sedan, all in high gloss black, it’s interior is a very dark grey with maroon piping, I also found a pair of hanging vases that some of the limo cars that were used to transport the family to the cemetery would have had mounted in their interior, that was discontinued in the mid 1950’s so those were a find and I had them installed. The poor thing was a mess when I came across it over 30 years ago, it took 3 years of work and a lot of sacrificing and several 2nd jobs to get her restored. But it was worth it, when I park her I put up a sign that I found in an antique shop that said “Funeral Car”, no one touches it, because it looks incredibly other worldly. And in the vases I’ve put these beautiful fake white orchids that look incredibly real. Some of the looks I’ve gotten are really funny.

I have the original AM radio that works but I installed underneath a small cassette deck that plays tapes of funeral music or Gothic chants, so with a flick of a concealed switch I can go from radio to cassette in an instant.

Years ago I had hoped to be able to get my Grandmother’s car, a 1940 black Buick but she willed that to my brother, who takes very, Very good care of it, he and his wife are members of the Art Deco Society and love to dress up like a gangster and his Moll.

So when I came across the Ford at a price that was a steal I leaped at it.

Now your Goth car or van does not have to be painted Black, it can be the darkest possible blue or purple, even a blood red if you like, one older Goth that I know has her BMW with a white pearlized paint job, it gives the car a very ghostly otherworldly effect, and she has the interior all white, it had to be special ordered and she had the money to have it done. But remember as with any car you want to Goth up it all depends upon what sort of accessories you want to add to it, keeping in mind that it has to be street legal.

One younger Goth person I know has a Dodge panel Van, he fixed up the interior with black upholstery for the two front rider seats, in the back he has a couch that looks like an open coffin that one can sit in like a couch, along with beautiful hanging lights, that he puts candles in when it’s parked, it comes with a gothic style table, and includes a cooler than can run off a battery or portable generator to hold food and chilled white wine. It almost looks like a romantic gypsy caravan in a way; as part of his carry accessories, he has a customized E-Z up to extend the seating area to hold a portable gas bar-b-que if needed, or any extra chairs.

He uses it mostly for outdoor gatherings, like star gazing especially when the meteor showers are active in the sky. But sometimes he goes to outdoor pagan events and sets it up with the E-Z up tent and does tarot readings.

It’s painted Black but he has an image of a castle in the moonlight painted on one side and a mini-stain glass window mounted on the inside of his side door.

I have to admit that it’s hard to describe, one would have to see it to enjoy its sensuous interior.

Then we have to consider cars that were driven by the Munsters, I know there were two of them. Also we need to throw in Elvira’s convertible and the Batmobile and the Green Hornets’ Car and also the possessed car from that horrible horror film “The Car” (I mean the film was terrible but the car was just thrilling).

Here are some links for Gothmobiles, they are mostly in the UK but it will give you an idea: www.lavenderpillow.co.uk/Goth_Motors.html/ and www.gothiclimousines.co.uk If nothing else it will give you ideas of what you can do.

For Hearse Clubs we have our original Grim Rides at www.grimrides.com and the Hearse Club www.hearseclub.com and well as www.phantomcoaches.org/

I’m going to put these several links on my side bar for you to easily find, just to give you Darklings some idea of how much you want to “Hearse or Goth Your Ride”.

Later Darklings.

How Does one Celebrate the 4th of July??

How Does an Elder Goth Survive the 4th of July?


Now Darklings, that is a good question.

For the 4th of July is a time of up-beat celebration, and one would think an Elder Goth is on the gloomy side, well yes and no.
If you are a Perky Elder Goth, then the 4th of July is fun, fun, fun and all the things associated with it is not a problem at all.

But for some of us the 4th of July can be a solemn occasion, sort of a wake in a way.

I know one Elder Goth who did this, she and the family went to the parade and always cheered the military units and the surviving veterans, and they saluted the honor guards. They applauded the various floats, the mounted horse units, marching units and bands, but they did not cheer nor applaud any political figure or any political cause, they remained respectfully quiet. This was their policy.

They wanted the parade in their mind to be one of remembrance their motto is “Home of the Free, Because of the Brave.” And policital candidates or causes (except for saving wildlife, animals and historic things) has no place in the parade according to their mind set.

They even put out a sign in front of their house decorated with flags, making that same statement.

After the parade they had a pre-packed picnic lunch ready to go and went to the cemetery where their relatives are buried, they put flowers, cleaned the graves if it needed it, and made sure those family members who served had flags. At one of the family graves they had a picnic lunch and spiritually invited their deceased members, they shared with their children stories about various members of the family so that the children would always feel they were still a part of their lives.

They would then return home, and towards evening, would fire up the bar-b-queue for hamburgers, and hot dogs, nothing fancy, except that the drinks would be dark cherry, or the Crystal light Raspberry drinks, the salad would be made with dark leafed lettuce, the fruits would be black and red plums and other dark fruits that would be available, there would be corn on the cob, followed by a berry pie. The idea was to use dark foods to always remember the dead.

Now fireworks are illegal mostly if they are Arial type like bottle rockets, but ones like volcanoes which are always set on a non-flammable surface they could use. They’d set them off with prayers of remembrance.
Another Elder Goth did her 4th of July bar-b-que using only the dark blue bunting with stars, she had power drinks that were blueberry, and of course the Crystal light raspberry,

But her Bar-b-que would be at night, and she had an extra advantage, where her home is one can see the professional fireworks every year. So her place is very popular.
For myself I’m a sort of Perky, Dark Romantic Elder Goth on the 4th of July. I go to the Parade nearby, getting there early is important for a good seat, but after it is over, I seek a quiet place to meditate and contemplate, there is this wonderful Catholic cemetery I go to that has lovely grounds, A city of the dead really, I take a small portable lunch with me and my portable music that I have programmed to play Gothic Chants, mostly the music of Hildegard of Bern I play it softly while I’m there, on small speakers, Belladonna was with me though all of this. Then after a few hours it’s time for us to go home.
In the evening, I sit out on the front porch, eating my dinner and watching the home grown fire works all illegal and eventually the police would show up someone would get a citation, then after the police leave they’d do it again, Belladonna I wasn’t sure would like the fireworks so on the advice of the Vet I carefully medicated her, and she slept through everything.

I do that now since most of my family is either dead or scattered to the far ends of this Nation.
When I was a child it was a wonderful time of family gatherings, family members would talk of things of the past, all of which I have carefully preserved, I learned how to do short hand in high school so I could literally write down the stories, then when I transcribed them if there were parts that I did not understand I could call the family member or ask them next time I saw them for clarification.
So among the merriment I’d gather the stories before they were lost. Which really is a good idea for you younger Goths.

My family of siblings are glad that I have done that, although there are some gaps in the history but I’ve been slowly filling them in.

So for 4th of July, well I would use it as a Happy Day of Remembrance.

Later Darklings

PEERS, UpDate and Goth Subculture, my views~~~

Hello Darklings,
Once again the weather is changeable, and sometimes it’s hard for me to tell if it’s warm or cold, especially when at my work office they have the air conditioner blasting for artic frost. I’m going to post several post’s this weekend only because my evenings have been mentally stimulating.

First an Update:
I’ve signed up for the PEERS Events--- This is the Period Events and Entertainment Re-creation Society. Their most famous event is the Le Bal Des Vampires which they hold either in October or early November (its early November this year), and has a tendency to sell out early.
I’ve had fun attending their Titanic Ball, their Film Noir Ball and several previous Vampire Balls.
Usually I just look at their web site but I finally succumbed to my Male friend’s blandishments and signed up to receive reminders. Each monthly dance has a theme, from Steampunk to Film Noir, to The Titanic to Pirates and a lot in-between.

So Darklings if you want to go dancing and show off your finery check out the dance events offered by PEERS I’ll have their link set up soon www.peers.org/

And yes, I do have a Male Admirer, he is a retired police officer, I mentioned him as a friend in an earlier post and we remained friends every since. Having finally put in nearly 35 years of police work, he continues to work part time as a private investigator, focusing mostly on missing children. He worked for a period of time with youth counselors dealing with children in drug and abusive families, even studying the pagan religion as well as the Goth sub-culture,

Doyle has been a friend of mine during and since college, widowed with grown children who have left the nest, and fortunately in these troubled times all are doing well, even if they had to do some belt tightening. On occasion he’s baby-sat Belladonna, when my other friend hasn’t been available and it’s too late to have her kenneled.

He says he likes “the little rat” and she likes him so that is all to the good. He enjoys dressing up in period clothing although he prefers the 1940-50’s film noir period. He even found a police uniform from the 1950’s as well as badges from that time period. It seems to suit him and he puts up with my gothicness, personally I think he had a secret crush on Morticia Addams.

Besides having restored two vintage cars and maintaining them, his other favorite hobby is photography especially night shots of some of our older buildings that have been around for a long time, to give that “film noir” look. He has a nice collection of old time cameras; he still prefers film but has been working with digital and Photoshop.

Speaking of Goth sub-culture, some of you have asked me more specifics about being Goth; all I can say is that it is not the same for each person.

For myself, I understand and deal with the dark side of life, not just its morbidity but that it is there for us to understand goodness and light, I’ve even immersed myself in understanding the symbols used in old cemeteries and graveyards, the symbols sometimes speaks more than what little is carved on a tombstone.
I’m not necessarily into the Goth bands or music, but darkly written classical pieces, I enjoy horror movies and television shows, including Johnny Depp’s version of “Dark Shadows” because it’s so “tongue in cheek” and delightfully morbid at the same time.

I think the best way is to provide you with a link or two that might help you understand this subculture, which some people say took off in 1979 mostly with the music scene, frankly I believe it started much sooner before Bauhaus recorded “Bela Lugosi’s Dead”.

A lot of the morbid thoughts of angst may have started with Blatty’s book “The Exorcist”, the feeling of possible defeat against an evil entity, the “Darkness itself” so to speak. I would have to say that is the tip of the ice berg.

But I feel that the Television Soap Opera “Dark Shadows” was a precursor to the 20th century take on the romantic, tragic feeling of gothicness, especially as portrayed by Jonathan Frid, giving the spin of the tragic vampire, I’m inclined to say that “Dark Shadows” paved the pathway; but it was Anne Rice’s re-working of the vampire myth with the tragic and self-flagellating hero of her book, the Vampire Louis in “Interview with a Vampire” published in 1976.

It quickly shifted to the hedonistic protagonist/ anti-hero Lestate who reveled in his Vampirism, pushed the envelop and really had no conscience or care of the adverse reactions to his selfish actions. He simply did things because it amused him. Much like Satanists of today and bygone years, this was continued in Rice’s two sequels in 1985 and 1988 “Lestat” and “Queen of the Damned.”

To the point that it became darkly romantic, or reactionary, to have this power to inflict one’s will upon another, and to revel in gloom and misery, which reflected much of the teenagers’ questions about life in and of itself.

This was the very thing that my Father and Grandmother warned me about some years before, to not give away my own self-empowerment.

When I say reactionary, it is because almost for every “light movement” that is too “pie-in-the-sky” it will have an opposite creation. I feel that this may have come about as a reaction to the “Summer of Love” aka Woodstock, and flower power and feel good feelings and Luv, Luv, Luv. I sensed that the Goth movement was a way of saying “Wake UP People!! You’re acting like Lemmings about to go over the cliff!!!”

I noticed that on television during the late 60’s and into the 70’s there were a number of made-for-T.V. movies dealing with the occult themes of evil and darkness, two especially which I remember with the actor Louis Jourdan, titled “Fear No Evil” (1969) and “Ritual of Evil” (1970), before Anne Rice’s books came out.

Let me explain this further, take for example the author Edgar Allen Poe, to quote wikipedia “ Poe's best known fiction works are Gothic, a genre he followed to appease the public taste. His most recurring themes deal with questions of death, including its physical signs, the effects of decomposition, concerns of premature burial, the reanimation of the dead, and mourning. Many of his works are generally considered part of the dark romanticism genre, a literary reaction to transcendentalism, which Poe strongly disliked. He referred to followers of the movement as "Frog-Pondians" after the pond on Boston Common. and ridiculed their writings as "metaphor-run mad," lapsing into "obscurity for obscurity's sake" or "mysticism for mysticism's sake." Poe once wrote in a letter to Thomas Holley Chivers that he did not dislike Transcendentalists, "only the pretenders and sophists among them."”

In many ways I am like that but a combination of the dark romanticism with a touch of transcendentalism, but I make it a point to never deceive myself, I always remember that there are people out there to harm and deceive you.

To explain it further I cannot, at least in relationship to myself, except what has and had worked for me and what goes on in my mind before the word “Goth” was referred to as a “sub-culture”.

In that case for the modern interpretation I recommend these two web sites: www.gothicsubculture.com/ another is www.goth.net/

For an excellent overview I also recommend www.religioustolerance.org/goth.htm/ I feel that this web site gives an unbiased view of what it is and isn’t.

I will post these same links on my side bar for easy reference.

Another thing is that there is the possibility that for some of our younger persons there may have been a touch of psychotic mental illness that they have not grown out of, sort of remained “stuck there” like the shooter’s of Columbine, no one noticed the evil lurking within their own high school society so other students simply rejected them the eventual shooters, or felt frustrated with them and gave up.

Doyle said to me in regards to that event, that it wasn’t the Goth subculture, it was the shooters themselves, they were “mentally sick”, there was more psychological reasons as well far beyond what I can explain here. He told me that he has seen that although Goth culture focuses on the darker side of life and many people believe that the Goth culture to be antisocial, he has found many of them to be very involved in positive organizations to make a positive change in the universe as a reaction to their own feelings of morbidity, to be very artistic and articulate, nothing like the Columbine shooters.


.Nikki Foster Wrote an excellent blurb about what is Goth and I include it here even though it talks mostly about the music scene----

“Goth means many things to many people, and there is constant discussion even within the Goth community about what is and is not Goth. Basically, Goth can refer to both a genre of post-punk music with a dark or gloomy sound and subject matter, and the subculture that grew out of that music. Goth has many influences, including the Gothic fiction of the 18th and 19th centuries and the horror movies of the early 20th century. Those who identify as Goth typically have a love for the color black and for all things morbid, but they are a very diverse group of people.


Goth music began as an offshoot of punk and new wave genres in the late 1970s and flourished in the 1980s. Different pieces of music characterized as Goth may sound quite different, some melodic and ethereal, and others more driving and frenetic, but they are all generally downbeat and dramatic. The lyrical component of Goth music is extremely important. It can be characterized as introspective and depressive and is often full of macabre imagery and literary and religious allusions.


It is often difficult to label certain bands as Goth, since Goths as a group tend to reject labels. Many bands that heavily influenced both visual and acoustic elements of the Goth aesthetic, including The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Sisters of Mercy, do not identify themselves as Goth and find the term limiting.


While the Goth subculture is centered around music, there are other important elements. Goths often stand out because of their fashion. Black is the dominant color, though other dark shades, such as purple, gray, and blood red, also feature heavily. White, though less commonly seen, can also be a gothic color, due to its dramatic look and its evocation of a burial shroud. Black make-up, nail polish, and heavily teased hair are popular for both male and female Goths.


Much Goth fashion, following the aesthetic of Gothic literature and music, hearkens back to another era, particularly Victorian and Renaissance styles. Religious symbols such as crosses and ankhs feature in many Goth outfits as well. Personal expression is valued in Goth culture, so many Goths play with the conventions of Goth fashion to suit their own personal style.


Goth is more an aesthetic than an ideology, and there is no single religious or political stance that can be said to be typical of the culture. Goths tend to be tolerant of others and to focus their attention inwards rather than outwards. Though Goths often have an ill-deserved reputation for being violent or dangerously anti-social, most are creative, thoughtful, and passive, if pessimistic, individuals.”

My Doyle believes this description to be pretty accurate, although I feel that it more describes the feelings of the early 19th century “Dark romanticism” so I’m inclined to say that being a Goth is also being darkly romantic with all the angst that it has.

But for me why do I say I am Goth?

Because I am also attracted to the “Dark Side of Life”, I’ve always felt that nothing is always sunshine and lollipops. By studying and understanding the Dark Side it has made me stronger in facing things, and very leery about those organizations or cults that offer perfect peace or life because there is no such thing, there has to be struggle if one wants to spiritually grow.

For me it is to also accept what is and has to be because it is the balance of light and dark.
If one wants to eat one needs to kill and I don’t mean just animals, we kill vegetables as well when we cut them, rip them out of the ground and cook them, so we kill to live, even animals do the same, rabbit eats grass, wolf eats rabbit, wolf gets sick and dies and is eaten by micro organism which feeds the soil which the growing grass feeds on.

My Dad use to say “Praise the Lord, but ya better pass that ammunition!” He made it through World War II, and he saw “Hell”. When we were involved in Vietnam he told me that “they”, meaning the government is not prepared to deal with the “devils that are trapped in the men’s souls”, and he was right.

Now we call it “PTS” or Post Traumatic Stress syndrome. Talking to my Father helped him and it helped me; the more we talked the more I knew Darkness, its various aspects and he slowly crawled out into the light. He had my Mother and his Mother-in-law (Grandma) to help him and then I slowly took over without realizing it.

He said that the steadfastness of my Mother helped him, that and talking to his priest who was also a war survivor. That was another reason I became Goth. Now I do it with Doyle, to help him with some of his “demons”.

To be a true elder Goth you have to know and understand the Darkness, to know that as we become more and more populated there will be more and more human evils brought into the world, and we Elder Goths have to bring in both understanding, healing and yes “light” into the world, by understanding the darkness, we have to bring fun and light into it to prevent it from swallowing you up.

It cannot all be “Maybury, R.F.D.”, but Maybury is the light within the darkness that surrounds it.

I think in the future I will devote a special page as to what might be Goth, although it is as elusive as trying to find a unicorn or capturing smoke.

Later Darklings.

Idea's for future posts~~~~

Hello Darklings,

 Besides what I usually post about my thoughts and life growing up, I'm trying to think of other subjects to comment upon being an Elder Goth, and please remember Darklings, when I'm saying "Elder" I mean 60 years old.

One thought is what type of car or ride should and Elder Goth have---besides the ubiquitous Buicks.
Another is types of wines (I nevah drink Vine).

Music, books, movies, etc.

But I'm going to ask you my Darklings, what is on your mind?

If you are an older, elder Goth, what questions do you have?

 You can post your questions on the comments section, But please keep it CLEAN. I will not put up with improper, vulgar questions or graphic ones, or jokes.

In my next post I will talk about cars---I own two, but I met up with the owner of a Vintage (1950's) Hearse, and she does have fun driving it around.

Later, Darklings.