A call for victi… err, help. Yes, help.

[icarus]

Oi, gofficks!

First off: my name is Gabriel Morgan, and I’m disturbed little gothboy who grew up in NW Ohio and who is currently marooned in Bloomington by way of Nara, Japan.

(Nara, it must be said, was far preferable. No clubs in either place, but at least the sushi was sublime.)

Through a careful program of lies, bribery, blackmail, and black magick, I’ve managed to weasel my way into graduate school, ostensibly to study folklore, anthropology, blah blah blah, but in reality so I can go to clubs and spend far too much money on music and black lipstick and call it ‘research’. Traumatizing the students they are foolish enough to put in my charge is an added bonus. It’s a good life.

Specifically, what I’m doing right is writing my thesis on gothic body art. I’m looking at goth clothing, piercings, tats, makeup, hairstyles – anything and everything to do with getting up, getting scary, or gothing-up and going out. And I need your help.

I need to talk to as many goths in as many places as possible. I’m looking for some loverly gothic folk willing to sit down and talk to me about how pretty they are and how they get that way. For my part, I’m willing to come to you, where’er you may be, and buy you a nice glass of claret, or a pint of snakebite, or a tall latte, or a bite of lunch for putting up with my silly questions and taxing company. I’m getting the better deal, trust me.

So, please, if you’re willing to talk about yourself for a bit (and, if you’re like me, you hardly need an excuse), and willing to assist a poor gothboy-turned-scholar-in-need, send me an email and we’ll discuss specifics. You can get a hold of me at gabmorga<(at)>indiana.edu.

~ Gabriel.

[ManicQueen]

Hell-O and Welcome

[Homicidalheathen]

I am offeneded. I don't go around thinking I am pretty and am not such a shallow person that all I think about is black lipstick and heavy music. I like what I like because of life experiences.

You lie, cheat.....use black magic to get into college?

I worked my ass of for my associates you little shit.

I would never meet with you in public or anywhere.

Ha!

Welcome to the board anyway.

[Lilith]

hmph............... Welcome

Ummmmmm If you are interested in talking with Goths that have a more traditional family life feel free to PM me. Other wise i would probally be no use to your project. I am all about Family and Open minds and raising my kids that way mixed with a whole lotta YOU CANT ACT LIKE THAT and You Gotta Work to pay bills or gain the things you want ......etc......

[icarus]

I am offeneded.  I don't go around thinking I am pretty and am not such a shallow person that all I think about is black lipstick and heavy music.  I like what I like because of life experiences.

You lie, cheat.....use black magic to get into college?

I worked my ass of for my associates you little shit.

I would never meet with you in public or anywhere.

Ha!

Welcome to the board anyway.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not denying I'm a little shit, mind you, but the part of lying and black magick was all in good fun. If we can't laugh at ourselves, whom can we laugh at?

Despite the jocular tone of the first post, however, the research is quite serious. I think it's important that goths themselves have as much of a chance to talk about themselves as possible - otherwise, all we have are pompous disconnected academics and post-Columbine assholes writing the books, and I don't think that's what we want.

And thanks for the welcome.

~ Gabriel

[icarus]

hmph............... Welcome

Ummmmmm If you are interested in talking with Goths that have a more traditional family life feel free to PM me. Other wise i would probally be no use to your project.  I am all about Family and Open minds  and raising my kids that way mixed with a whole lotta YOU CANT ACT LIKE THAT and You Gotta Work to pay bills or gain the things you want ......etc......

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'd love to talk to everyone I can. I'll send off a PM tout suite.

~ Gabriel

[Daevion]

Through a careful program of lies, bribery, blackmail, and black magick, I’ve managed to weasel my way into graduate school, ostensibly to study folklore, anthropology, blah blah blah, but in reality so I can go to clubs and spend far too much money on music and black lipstick and call it ‘research’.  Traumatizing the students they are foolish enough to put in my charge is an added bonus.  It’s a good life.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I like him already...this is my kinda of scu...I mean gawth

[phee]

Hey

[Crazed Vampyress]

this may sound odd but i still cringe when i hear phrases like "you goths".... i began dressing and behaving the way i do long, long before i knew there was a 'category' for it. sure i was the only one of my friends heavy black eyeliner and who dared put black or bloodred nailpolish on when it wasnt around Halloween... but they never said 'youre a freak' any more than i did when one became a cheerleader or another went to sci-fi conventions. it wasnt until i was older and moved towisconsin and later here to michigan that people would tell me im "one of those goths" it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I just dress in a way i find attractive. I paint and decorate in a way that reflects my personality, like most people do. I think people with similar tastes naturally get along so of course i love CC. in the end, i guess im 'a goth', but i still hate the label.... like i have to choose. be a 'girl' or a 'goth' ?? doesnt that just sound ridiculous....? we're all people!

[Daevion]

"You goths".....so did you cringe yet?

[Onyx]

Welcome.

I can't help but wonder - can't you just post your questions on here? It'd be a hell of a lot easier for both you and us.

?

[icarus]

this may sound odd but i still cringe when i hear phrases like "you goths"....

To be clear, it's 'us goths'. I've been dying my hair black and smoking Sampoernas and wearing skirts and all the rest for more than ten years now (sigh) and it's not likely to stop anytime soon.

in the end, i guess im 'a goth', but i still hate the label.... like i have to choose. be a 'girl' or a 'goth' ?? doesnt that just sound ridiculous....? we're all people!

Heheh, you've obviously never met a few of my ex-es.

Seriously, it's a fair point, but I've personally never minded the term 'goth'. If you are going to be labelled, and humans find it necessary to label almost everything, you might as well label yourself. And all of us dress the way we dress, listen to what we listen to, and act the way we act because that's the way we want to do all of those things - but we all also do it with a knowledge of what everyone else is doing around us.

That's my view, though. Have a different one? Let me interview you so I can put it down for posterity. This is all about goths talking about these things.

~ Gabriel

[icarus]

Welcome.

I can't help but wonder - can't you just post your questions on here?  It'd be a hell of a lot easier for both you and us.

I really, really, really hate questionnaires. They are inaccurate and soulless. They are the tools of those who would reduce beautiful idiosyncracy to mindless statistics.

How much better to sit and chat, have a cup of coffee, talk about the things that are important to you (rather than the things that are important to me), have the freedom to wander off topic and back on, react to each other, grin and roll your eyes?

So much of communication is nonverbal, and I'd hate to miss that. I hope you understand.

[Onyx]

I really, really, really hate questionnaires.  They are inaccurate and soulless.  They are the tools of those who would reduce beautiful idiosyncracy to mindless statistics.

How much better to sit and chat, have a cup of coffee, talk about the things that are important to you (rather than the things that are important to me), have the freedom to wander off topic and back on, react to each other, grin and roll your eyes? 

So much of communication is nonverbal, and I'd hate to miss that.  I hope you understand.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, I have to admit I had you tagged as just another guy trolling for chicks or perhaps pretty gothbois on all the gothy boards, but now that I read what you have posted, this explanation makes sense.

and if you are only trolling for chicks and/or gothbois, I must compliment you on the very elegant post

Good luck with the study.

[icarus]

Well, I have to admit I had you tagged as just another guy trolling for chicks or perhaps pretty gothbois on all the gothy boards, but now that I read what you have posted, this explanation makes sense.   

Do people actually do this? Jesus.

and if you are only trolling for chicks and/or gothbois, I must compliment you on the very elegant post

Not I. I've been married to a beautiful gothic waif for six years now. She's brilliant, ever so demure, and would gouge my privates out with a sharpened spoon if my research ever turned into something less-than-professional. I imagine my graduate committee would then take turns kicking me in the ribs with pointyboots.

Good luck with the study.

Thank you.

~ Gabriel

[Lilith]

I'd love to talk to everyone I can.  I'll send off a PM tout suite.

~ Gabriel

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It just seemd in your description you were looking for the stero typical Goth, which i am not by any means. Anyhow looking forward to talk with you.

[Crazed Vampyress]

"You goths".....so did you cringe yet?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

:doh

i guess i never hear goths running around saying 'goths'

the only people i hear use the word mean it like a bad thing, which has totally affected my reaction to the word.

i need to just let it go....

[Lilith]

:doh

i guess i never hear goths running around saying 'goths'

the only people i hear use the word mean it like a bad thing, which has totally affected my reaction to the word.

i need to just let it go....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I hate to here my kids comming home saying XX Called me Goth.... I usually ask him well what else would you call yourself and he agrees and i explain to him when someo ne tries hard to insult you with a term they think is rude, yet you find it not, The insult looses it point value and means nothing, and he should say thank you that exactly what i was going for!

Just how i handle this when it comes to the kids.......

Perhaps not letting it go when it comes to those who mean it as a bad thing but finding a fondness for those who use it as a Term of enderment would work well....

[Crazed Vampyress]

I think that is exactly it. i just never had the exposure to people used the term in a fond or even neutral way. my friends just accepted it and said "yeah that's kim... so what?" and everyone else i heard use the term was more like "oh *frown* you're one of those gothic people?" Ugh!!!!

This is actually the first place ive heard the term used otherwise so regularly.

haha, i guess y'all got to be my free therepy... workin out the issues and whatnot...

:grin

HERE is a really good example of what i meant by the term being used in a singular way: (i've also posted this as an independant topic, so you might have already seen it)

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/10/21/vitale.suspect/index.html

[Lilith]

I think that is exactly it. i just never had the exposure to people used the term in a fond or even neutral way. my friends just accepted it and said "yeah that's kim... so what?" and everyone else i heard use the term was more like "oh *frown* you're one of those gothic people?" Ugh!!!! 

This is actually the first place ive heard the term used otherwise so regularly.

haha, i guess y'all got to be my free therepy...   workin out the issues and whatnot...

:grin

HERE is a really good example of what i meant by the term being used in a singular way:  (i've also posted this as an independant topic, so you might have already seen it)

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/10/21/vitale.suspect/index.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes i saw the topic and in those cases the label upsets me to no end, its not reall y the label so much but The fact they lead every one to believe the Crime was commited because of the boys Label and they never seem to point out other Labels when other types of people commit a similar Crime. Part of the reason why i end up seeing and speaking with my childs princaple so often if anything is Odd i go on in and talk with her.... she labels My son and my Self a "free Spirit" and she "never wants tot squash it" LOL she is a great Princeaple, told me when my son becomes famous to remind him of of his roots, looking to boost the school funds for budget but a wonderful thought none the less......

DGN is Free therapy for me too BTW.....

[Crazed Vampyress]

Yes i saw the topic and in those cases the label upsets me to no end, its not reall y the label so much but The fact they lead every one to believe the Crime was commited because of the boys Label and they never seem to point out other Labels when other types of people commit a similar Crime.  Part of the reason why i end up seeing and speaking with my childs princaple so often if anything is Odd i go on in and talk with her.... she  labels My son and my Self  a "free Spirit"  and she "never wants tot squash it" LOL she is a great Princeaple, told me when my son becomes famous to remind him of of his roots, looking to boost the school funds for budget but a wonderful thought none the less......

DGN is Free therapy for me too BTW.....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

coolies

[icarus]

Thanks muchly to you kind folk who've agreed to be interviewed. I promise the process will be completely painless and relatively bloodless.

(insert evil cackle)

Of course, if a few more of you beautiful people would consent to an interview, my life would complete (and my research would be better off, too). Don't make me beg. Or, if you do, please don't tape it.

~ Gabriel