Just thought I would do a post different from the Goth Challenge that I've been mass reblogging on some days where I feel up to it (I'm caught up to the day I'm supposed to be at now, Day 22 is tomorrow). So what I've posted so far has helped me get a small feel for blogging, I just need to find the motivation to make some successful attempts at daily blogging, even if they're short posts about anything at all.

So what have I been doing with this summer... I've been working on two co-ops (also known as internships) to gain a certain amount of hours in order for me to graduate my program (I'll finish with a BAA in Illustration). My first internship is with a recording studio working with recording artists to create their album art and most recently merchandise. My second internship was with a writer. I was creating illustrations for his short stories and helping him with the layout of his writing blog. I am going to continue working the recording studio throughout the school year and beyond because it's just enough work that I feel I can still balance with school work.

I recently got a new kitty, named Pugsley. Pugsley is purring klutz of a cat that starts to fall over when you get into rubbing his neck (actually, he does fall over and sometimes off my bed). He also has stinky farts too :3. Pugsley would be my second black cat, Murdoch is my first black cat.
Here's a photo of the both of them (Murdoch is on the left, Pugsley on the right) :

-Nicole

Day 21 – What body mod do you have or have you considered?

Eyebrow, nose, snakebites, industrial(s), tattoos. I would do these but I haven't the patience for the healing time.

Day 20 – If you could dye your hair any colour what would it be?

A dark purple because it's one of my favourite colours.
I would dye my hair black but I haven't the patience to re-dye it every couple of weeks, it seems like I would be dying my hair more often if I dyed it black than I do with red.

Day 19 – Share beauty advise and take a photo of your make up.

The most make up I wear is on my eyebrows because I'm lacking in hair and that's the only thing I do daily and shows up in pictures of myself. On occasion, I do put on some eyeshadow but I'm hardly ever in the mood to do that.

Day 18 – Worst hair experience.

I don't really like to fuss much with my hair, I don't even dye my hair black. I stick with dying my hair red so I guess my worst hair experience(s) are when I don't feel like re-dying my hair because my roots are showing (like they currently are).

Day 17 – Your favourite Goth brand.

I don't actually care about 'brands', they're just a name to me. If I happen to pick out the same brand more than once at a thrift store, I have a tendency to keep an eye out for clothing made under that brand. I occasionally stumble across goth brands while I thrift shop.

Day 16 – What's the most casual you've ever dressed?

These days, I barely leave the house so sometimes I'm in my pyjamas all day and then change into a different pair of pyjamas. Or be half dressed in pyjama bottoms with a top I would wear to leave the house. Maybe I'll upload a picture of my pyjamas with black and orange bats on them :)

Actually, it appears that I have already uploaded the photo I was thinking of; here it is :)

Day 15 – Your favourite or most expensive item in your wardrobe.

Hrrmmm... That varies from time to time but I do love my striped stockings and this lacy skirt that I wear with leggings underneath. Also, a pair of black leg warmers with buttons that I got from the dollar store. I'm a large believer in shopping at thrift stores (like Value Village) because it's where I get some of my most often worn clothing and thrift store clothing what I grew up wearing as a child.
More pictures to come soon, I promise :)

The first image is more recent (by recent I mean like May of this year) and the second was taken in Summer 2009.

Day 14 – What was your best and worst DIY disaster.

I can't even begin to think of all the things I've made and have gotten rid of. I've got a kimono style sweater that I made a few years ago that I still own. I've made a couple simple skirts and dresses that only got a few wears out of them and then I got rid of them for whatever reason (I usually get rid of any clothing due to the kind of fabric it's made out of or how it fits on me).

Day 13 – What was your first band t-shirt?

Hrmmm... Probably the handmade Nine Inch Nails shirt I made (which I should take pictures of seeing how I still own it and wear it), then Marilyn Manson, and then Joy Division and Bauhaus. I don't wear t-shirts as much as I used to a few years ago.

Day 12 – What's your gothic inspiration?

Oh boy, a whole lot inspires me. I have a tumblr dedicated to some of my gothic inspirations at Atmospherical Skeletons. I love skeletons, bats, things that come in black (and purple), graveyards, halloween... my tumblr really has it all, go check it and follow me on tumblr :)

Day 11 – Is Goth a lifestyle for you?

It currently seems to be so. I'd like to see how long I'll keep with it, maybe the rest of my life.

Day 10 – What do you hate and love about the subculture?

Sorry about the brief posts but I don't like to expand very much unless I'm asked specifically.
What I love about the subculture is the atmosphere, acceptance, the music and clothing.
What I hate about the subculture is the elitism.

I swear I will expand on these posts once I'm done.

Day 9 – What genre of music do you dislike?

I like most music, some of what's on the radio gets on my nerves. I grew up listening to country, but I don't really listen to it these days. I also work with recording artists at a recording studio making their album art and promotion material so it's a guarantee that I'm going to hear stuff that I like and some stuff that's going to make me want to go deaf so I don't have to hear it again.
I'm not a particular fan of rap or hip hop but I'll give most music a chance, a large amount of the music I listen to is electronically based.

Day 8 – What's your worst and best experience with non-Goths?

I haven't really had any good or bad experiences that really stand out to me with non- goths. I won't even begin to count the number of times I've been hit on because of my appearance (usually by older men in their late 20's to early 40's). I can recall this one day where these two children walked by me and one of them whispered loudly to their other friend "She's a goth". It made me smile a little. I can recall a second experience where I was walking by a group of 13-14 year olds who just shouted "freak" in my general direction -rolls eyes-.

Day 7 – Ten of your favourite goth bands.

In no particular order, with links to my favourite (or what the band is known for) songs from each band:

-The Birthday Massacre
The Birthday Massacre- Remember Me (Imagica Era)
-Siouxsie and the Banshees
Siouxsie & The Banshees- Dazzle
-IAMX
IAMX- The Great Shipwreck of Life
-The Cure
The Cure - Just Like Heaven
-Joy Division
Joy Division - Atmosphere
-Bauhaus
Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead (Original)
-:wumpscut:
Wumpscut - Angel
-Clan of Xymox
Clan of Xymox - Imagination
-Claire Voyant
Claire Voyant - Pieces
-Emilie Autumn
Emilie Autumn - Across the Sky

Day 6 – Hand write your favourite lyric and take a picture.

I'm not neglecting my blog, I've just been busy trying to get my co-op hours and motivation to do something productive these days. Like today is one of those days, at least I've applied to a few jobs (that pay money, not just experience) and getting back to blogging here.

So here's the challenge picture:

It's IAMX's "This Will Make You Love Again" (minus the last little bit of the song).

Day 5 – Is there a local Goth band or group in your area?

Well, I don't really venture out to clubs or concerts. I guess I could count any number of bands based in the Toronto area, like The Birthday Massacre and Ayria.

The Birthday Massacre happens to be one of my top favourites to listen to; but I currently feel that Imaginary Monsters was a little bit of a disappointment because when I finished listening to it the first time, I felt it seemed like it was a little rushed and not put together as well as it could have been but that's just my opinion at the current moment of Imaginary Monsters.

Day 4 – Name a stereotype or cliche you can relate to.

I don't relate to any specific stereotype or cliche because I'm all over the place. I probably can relate to perky goths to an extent (halloween everyday anyone?) and corp goth (keeping it a little formal).
I like wearing skulls, ankhs, striped stockings, and large amounts of black. I find vampires fascinating (Pre- Interview with a Vampire, althought I kind of like Interview, I don't like too much associated with that twilight series).
I'm sure there's more but I generally don't like to adhere to stereotypes, I like to break them sometimes :).

Day 3 – When did you come out the Goth closet?

I don't know if I exactly came out, it's more like it was a slow process of my wearing ridiculous amounts of black and listening to music that most people haven't heard of around where I live.

Day 2 – Share photos and experiences from your Baby Bat days.

I sadly do not have photos from when I was younger than 17 (I'm just guessing from judging from the photos I have on my computer) but I have a couple at least. I still have some of the clothing I was wearing in these photos. But these days, my clothing is a little more formal and should upload photos of me wearing my striped stockings I'm sometimes known for wearing :).

Not in any order here they are:



Day 1- How did you come across the subculture?

I've decided this is probably a good way to introduce myself, interest any potential followers :)
It's a month long challenge from http://julietslace.blogspot.com/2011/08/goth-challenge.html asking users explain their interest and why they're part of the ever growing goth subculture :)

Day 1 – How did you come across the subculture?
I came across the subculture when I was in grade 9, which would have made me about 13 at the time. I've been following the growth of this scene for almost 9 years (I'm almost 22) online. I've made my slow transition into the scene, starting with music and then doing a slow purging of non- black clothing from my wardrobe during high school. I'm making the slow process of including some colour in my wardrobe seeing that I do have to do things that require some sort of colour other than black clothing, like interviews and weddings.

I feel I could add more to this but I shall leave it as is.

Pictures :)

 Just though I'd start with a short post to give you an small idea of what I dress like on a daily basis. I'm going to attempt uploading posts a couple times a week and see where I go from there. The first picture was something I wore to go do laundry, the second was one of my no fuss outfits seeing that I do my work for a recording studio at home, and the third outfit was just a casual, not going very far from the house outfit.

I generally don't do introduction posts, I just get straight into posting and go from there. My name is Nicole, you can also call me Lirit if you feel inclined to do so. I have two tumblr blogs;  and  Feel free to follow both tumblrs if you'd like :)

You can also find/follow me at (and for my own future referencing);
Tumblr- http://liritarnauld.tumblr.com/ (My goth subculture related posts, I reblog images/ videos/ gifs/ etc. that inspire me)
Tumblr- http://nrconnors.tumblr.com/ (My illustration work).
YouTube- http://www.youtube.com/user/liritarnauld25?feature=mhee
Twitter- http://twitter.com/#!/nicole_connors
Society6- http://society6.com/NicoleConnors

-Nicole