Bats in the Belfry, Cats in the Attic

Disclaimer:   I do not claim to be an expert on low waste (or "zero waste") living —far from it . The purpose of this piece is to explore what it means to belong to the Goth subculture in the context of consumerism and making sustainable choices. There are many ways to live sustainably, but this piece will focus on reducing waste. This piece does not seek to shame or blame anyone but rather to challenge throw-away attitudes that dominate our world—and the modern Goth subculture—by offering another perspective. Respectful discussion in the comment section is welcomed.  W hen I hear the words "zero waste," I often think of people making videos to show off three months of trash fitting inside a little mason jar, their magical Whole Foods shopping trip, or even a tour of their impossibly-tiny capsule wardrobe. Search #zerowaste on Pinterest and you'll come up with pictures of tidy little beige pantries with uniform mason jars filled with chia seeds, nutri...

For the majority of the past ten years, I've wanted to say "good riddance" to that current year and hope for a better coming year. But even though this year did bring loss, change and sadness, it also brought me great joy. I've felt a deep sense of gratitude for this year. Here are ten big things that happened in 2018: I settled in to my job and house. Ryan and I started planning our wedding. Ryan's youngest brother was diagnosed with glioblastoma. He passed away in April.  I competed in a charity dance competition with a Waltz routine. We got married on July 21st in Thomas, WV (where I did my AmeriCorps service).  Reader, I married him. We had a "mini-moon" in Asheville, NC. I didn't have enough time off work for us to have a "real" honeymoon. We'll be planning a honeymoon for 2019.  Ryan's brother got married in September. Ryan's cousin got married in September as well. (2018 will be the Year of Weddings.) I...

I read Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte this year. I absolutely loved it. I loved every minute of reading it. Read the book if you get the chance.  I didn't plan very much this Halloween. I work full time and was leading ghost tours and doing other things most evenings. I knew that I wanted to dress up though. So, the weekend before Halloween, a thought dawned on me to go as Jane Eyre.  The only piece of the ensemble I had to buy was the skirt. You can't get a good view of it in the picture below, but it is a sumptuous black fabric. It's stiff, pleated and almost glows if the light hits it right. It was another serendipitous thrift store find, and I'll be sure to wear it again.  Saw this spider in my yard. It's nature's Halloween decoration. We decided not to go out Halloween night but instead continued watching a new Netflix series called The Haunting of Hill House.  A lot of the images from the show have stuck in my mind. We've just watched t...

I know "time flies" is a cliche, but it's exactly what I'm feeling. I was going to write about last year's Halloween, but then I remembered the Halloween on my mind actually happened two years ago! I'm too young for time to go by so fast. Yet it does.  Our Titania and Bottom costumes Today I find myself reminiscing about the Halloween when Ryan came to visit me in West Virginia, and we made the drive to the gorgeous, sprawling Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston. (Click the link for pictures and more information.) I had heard about this place for years as a paranormal investigator, not fully realizing it was so close to where I lived in the Mountain State.  It's one of those huge Gothic structures that dominates the landscape. The town of Weston itself needs some tender loving care. Although it is making progress, plenty of the buildings and homes are "blighted." But then you turn a corner and this magnificent former asylum str...

Finally people have stopped asking me, "What are your colors?" But now they're saying, "It's getting close! Are you ready?" I woke up a week and a half ago with tension in my temples and feeling like I couldn't get my heart rate down. I realized that it was probably wedding-planning stress. I've tried with all my might not to stress about the wedding, so much so that it's finally caught up with me, I suppose. But, I made sure to de-stress over the weekend last week and get done what I could with my week nights and this past weekend. What will be will be. I might be a married woman the next time I post here! That's an interesting thought considering I started this blog in high school. It's been less than a decade, but life has crammed so many changes into that short amount of time. When I began this blog, I was an inexperienced teenager, enthusiastic about the Goth subculture, searching for kinship with others who shared my interes...

Ryan's brother Owen in the hospital When someone close to you dies, it's never easy trying to recover. Even if you weren't so close with such person, you have to find a new way to live. You have to remind yourself that the person is no longer around. And that reality sometimes falls gently, while at other times it bursts in on your thoughts.  We lost Ryan's brother, Owen, over a month ago from complications with his brain tumor. The progress he made astounded his doctors. But the hemorrhage happened without warning. I've only known him for five years, and Ryan and I have lived out of state. Still, though, I would catch myself thinking, Next time we visit... But the next time we visit, he won't be there.  This experience of loss is different every time it happens. For example, when my grandmother died over four years ago, I had so much trouble coping. I tried my best to "be strong" because people told me to. But then I couldn't be s...

I'd say, "Wow, it's been a whole year since I've updated my blog! Where has the time gone?" but I don't think that would be genuine. I know it's been a year. On my long to-do list, blogging has been the very last item. Although, lately I find myself missing the semi-anonymous space and group of supportive followers to whom I could pour out my thoughts. So, I'll give a Reader's Digest update of all that's happened since February of 2017: I finished a tough year of service with AmeriCorps in West Virginia. I moved back to Atlanta to live with my then recently divorced parents until I could find a full time job. I did ghost tours and found a part time job making bubble tea. I found a full time job in my field! I started work in Communications in December. I moved into a house of my own. I'm making plans to get married to Ryan (finally). The wedding is in late July 2018.  Here's a more detailed account:  I led some ghost ...