April 2014
SAGS Notes & Letters Gruesome Twosome Shadow from The Raven Shadow from Macabre Marspuppy Founders Letter Birth of SAGS Beauty and Fashion Lessons in Ink Piercings, piercings everywhere !! Bubbling Cauldron Batty for cupcakes Black Rice Dark Icons Victoria Frances Celebrities Life in the womb of Amy Lee Support The Dark Veil of Depression Life’s Thorns Being who you are Poetry Shadows of the mind and soul The Eternal Moon –A Butcher Darkness – J de Beer Reviews Books Alexey Pehov – Shadow Prowler Movies The Mortal Instruments Pets Morbid Menageries The Shadow Shards of Shadow SAGS Communities SAGS Contact Details Classifieds
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Gruesome Twosome Shadow From The Raven
W elcome to the lair of the SAGS. As an
anthropologist I often wonder into the cultural and historical background of goth and I soon came to realise that it is irrelevant. To be goth is a norm. It is spectacular, meaningful and poetic and at the same time it has its darker traits. Being accepted is the biggest dream for anyone in the "alternative scene" and to be called goth almost seems like being categorised into a fallen minority who lives a life of constant judgement and discrimination. I however am proud to be a part of this fallen minority despite all the negative interactions I witness from the public. I hold my head up high, knowing that this growing culture will soon be like any other in the world. So we bring you The Shadow Magazine. A shadow never dies, can never be worn out, stabbed, burnt or oppressed. It is omnipresent and even if you cannot see it, elsewhere in the world other shadows exist. We are the shadows. Our thoughts and ideas are also shadows and our latest forum for sharing all these is now available.
- The Raven
"Those who dream by day are more cognisant of many things that escape those who dream by night." -Edgar Allen Poe T S
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Gruesome Twosome Shadow From Macabre Marspuppy “
t was a dark and stormy night” seems to be the stock introduction phrase for many things dark and gruesome and associated with anything alternative. Saying I’m somewhat intimidated by writing an introductory editor’s note for the first copy of SAGS’s The Shadow, is an understatement of epic proportions. Oh my goth, the pressure – I’m but a girl with a penchant for all things dark and dramatic... It is in the darkness and shadows where I shine brightest.
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A New Earth’s lyrics say “Deep inside you there’s a roaring fire that is not cooled by comfort or tamed by fear. A fire that burns in all things.” This is the way we feel about all things gothic here; passionate about our love of all things seen as different, macabre and even eccentric. A passion on wanting to educate every type of goth about each other as well as giving the world a look into OUR world... A passion for taking the stereotype of being gothic and turning it upside down. Where even the shadows have shadows – this is us and we hope you’ll find much comfort in your nonconformance, as we share news, knowledge and aim to entertain.
- Macabre Marspuppy
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Letter From The Founder Birth of SAGS
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ear readers
I would like to start off by welcoming you to the SAGS and The Shadow, it is most fortunate to have you with us.
You may have noticed that we have big plans that are currently under development. The SAGS has seemingly simple goals, but following the roots of these goals is not that simple. I have been working, tinkering, brainstorming and throwing ideas together for a few years now, and to be honest, the launch of the SAGS was unplanned and unscheduled. It simply happened through the courage I had received from a good friend. Our goal is straightforward; we want to unite the gothic culture in South Africa, bringing all types of goths together under one banner, thus forming our own society. We have various reasons accompanying this goal, such as friendship - not all of us are fortunate to have a friend in our area that shares our views or ideas. We usually hide from the human eye, yet we dress to impress, but yes it can be difficult to find company. Another point is to look at our youth or our baby goths; by us uniting we will be able to not only guide them but help them with life and the choices that are to follow in their lives as they come of age.
By uniting under one banner we will be able to accomplish so much more. We have all seen or heard of the fancy annual goth events that are hosted in other countries as the goth Treffen in Germany and the Louisiana Vampire Ball and those are just a few things we would like to accomplish in our own country. We plan to host our very own events. We have the people and we have the numbers - it might not seem that way, but that's because there's no structure or communication amongst us. –Pg 6
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Letter From The Founder Birth of SAGS - Continued That's something we as a society can change. We are currently planning a fully interactive web page along with its own forum and a proper gallery function where all the artists will be able to host and publish their works. With you, the reader, we can make this a success: we need you to communicate with us and inform us what you would like to accomplish with us. No two people are the same and that's one of the reasons we have different types of goths - we want you to express it. We want to offer something for everyone, but this means that again we will require you, the reader, to help us and inform us what it is that makes you YOU. We want the SAGS to be an interactive forum and not a formal business. We want to hear from you. We want to know your definition of goth. What life events and challenges are you dealing with? What have you achieved and what are you planning next? We are open minded people. Our being is a way of life, a style and a culture on its own with multiple subcultures, and we want to know about it all and only with your help are we able to. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and thank you in advance my fellow goths. May you find as much joy "here" as we do in putting here "here."
-MGR
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Beauty and Fashion Lessons in Ink
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n the modern gothic lifestyle it is often assumed that a person would have tattoos. It is one of the most prolific stereotypes in today’s gothic culture, but that is all it is: another stereotype. That said, it is also one of the most explored topics for gothic people in today’s world. I had the opportunity recently to have my second tattoo done. I thus decided to ask a few people about their choice of tattoos. Some said that they simply enjoy the feeling, others that the sound of the machine is hypnotic. Then there was my personal favourite: "because it looks pretty"! That statement was what made me decide to give you a Tattoo by dr Jade from Jaded Ink short tutorial on tattoos. As a child you probably drew on yourself. It is supposed to be bad for your skin, and you've probably heard all the scientific theories of how it can cause cancer - but stubbornly ignoring this together with your school teachers stern reprimands - you developed an acute desire to have some sort of design permanently etched on your body, since it then wouldn't wash off in any manner! The main thing to remember is that tattoos are permanent, unless it’s of the semi-permanent henna variety. Laser removal is expensive and may be very harmful to your healthnot to mention not always successful and rather painful. I'm obviously all for tattoos, but seeing as it is permanent, I refuse to have something on my body simply because "it looks pretty". It needs meaning and value - something significant. What other reasons would you have it on your body for until the end of your life? –Pg 11
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Beauty and Fashion Lessons in Ink - Continued I always tell people that the best way to choose a tattoo is to remember who you are, what you stand for and what you love most in life – your identity, philosophy and passions. Most certainly not the name of your lover or a silly tramp stamp. I personally have my ‘identity’ on my wrist; a Celtic cross as I am of Celtic descent. Also because I sign my artworks with a cross and at one stage my nickname was Chris Cross. My ‘philosophy’ is my most recently done tattoo, but blends well with my overall Celtic theme. It reads: "Light of eye, soft of touch. Speak ye little, listen ye much." I had it done using Elder Furthark script as the font. Tattoos aren't just a form of art, it is body art, something sacred that should be taken seriously. Take consideration into choosing what to ink into your skin. Ask yourself what it means to you? Will you regret this when you get older? Will you regret its size and its chosen location in years to come? Often people get themselves a small fish that with time passing amusingly morphs into a whale, or bucks morph into giraffes as peoples bodies age and very often sag or expand! When you have had it done don't let anyone tell you that you have made a mistake. They will more than likely say that 'your body is a temple and you should take care of it'. Sure your body might a temple, but have you EVER seen a temple that isn't somehow permanently decorated and adorned with amazing works of art? Come back to me with a better excuse for what makes body art so terrible next time please.
In the end our bodies all turn to dust. Tattoos may fade or scar with time, but its meaning to you as well as the memories of the experience can never be taken away and will remain with you for life.
-The Raven
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Beauty and Fashion Piercings, piercings Everywhere !!
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iercings: (noun) piercing 1.holes in parts of the body, typically other than the ears, made so as to wear rings, studs, or other jewellery in them. "She had piercings in her nose, eyebrow, and tongue.„ That is the definition of what piercings are according to google. Nowadays its more than safe to say Double Monroe above left upper lip that piercings are not only found on the female physique, but are in fact gaining more and more popularity with the male population- it is also no longer limited to ‘run of the mill’ piercings such as ‘nose, eyebrows and tongue’. Many of us are familiar with the age-old question ‘Why on earth do that to your body?’ accompanied by a horrified expression! So let’s see, why DO we pierce and what exactly is the history behind it? Humans have been piercing their bodies for a great deal of reasons since thousands of years ago! Research has shown that the majority of people pierce to express their individuality, some do so to celebrate a big life event or to overcome a traumatic one. Many do so simply for aesthetic value and also for sexual gratification. Our bodies are our biographies and temples and we choose to decorate them appropriately it seems. The oldest mummified body with pierced ears was discovered in Iceland and dates back 5300years – he had a stretched ear piercing of 7-11mm! Talk about trendsetting! After that, the rest as we say, is history. We at The Shadow will be edutaining all our readers in future issues regarding different types of piercings and stretches as well as tattoos and other body art – knowledge is power after all! Please feel free to contact us regarding any specific piercings or tattoo styles you’d like featured. -pg 13
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Beauty and Fashion Piercings, piercings Everywhere !!
-Continued
For the first issue we are focusing on a piercing that is not all too well known: the double Monroe. This is similar to the standard Monroe except that it is two Monroe’s placed next to each other. This makes it a bit less mainstream and more noticeable. Its name stems from its name sake, Marilyn Monroe, who had a beauty spot on the same location as this piercing(off-centre above the top lip to the left) – its sometimes also referred to as a Crayfish, Angel bites or Anti-bites.. It is a piercing that can be worn with rings, studs or even a combination of the two. Please remember with any new piercings that the correct aftercare is essential, otherwise severe complications can set in! Make sure you please follow the correct aftercare as prescribed, on all piercings All piercings featured is done by our resident official piercer, Cole Moebius from Jaded Ink in Fourways, Johannesburg. Please feel free to contact him regarding any work needed or advice on piercings. Their contact details are (011)658-1736 or theshop@jadedink.co.za or www.jadedink.co.za Painful pleasures to all darklings! Some piercing trivia! From the European Middle Ages, a superstitious belief that piercing one ear improved long-distance vision led to the practice among sailors and explorers. Sailors also pierced their ears in the belief that their earrings could pay for a Christian burial if their bodies washed up on shore. In some Pre-Columbian and North American cultures, labrets were seen as a status symbol. Nipple piercing may have been a sign of masculinity for the soldiers of Rome. A cross-cultural study published in 2011 found that individuals with piercings were likely to be involved in other forms of countercultural expression as well.
- Macabre Marspuppy T S
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Bubbling Cauldron Batty for Cupcakes
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he vampire cupcake decoration is quite simple and the bat one is a bit more advanced. The method itself isn't difficult but the ingredients and equipment needed is not that commonplace, one would probably need to buy some of the required items from a cake decorating shop. The bats can also be made by rolling out marzipan or decorative icing(fondant) and cutting them out after tracing the outlines onto the icing.
Red Velvet Cupcake Recipe (makes 24) Ingredients
CUPCAKES
625ml (2.5 cups) cake flour 2.5ml (0.5 tsp) salt 60ml (4 TBS) cocoa powder 3 extra large eggs 250ml (1 cup) castor sugar 312ml (1.25 cups) oil 60ml (4 TBS) red food colouring 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla essence 250ml (1 cup) full cream milk 7.5 ml (1.5 tsp) bicarbonate of soda 5ml (1 tsp) lemon juice Paper muffin cups
-Pg 15
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Bubbling Cauldron Batty for Cupcakes - Continued ICING
250g (half a brick) white margarine at room temperature 1kg icing sugar, sieved 1ml baking powder 90ml (6 TBS) full cream milk 5ml (1tsp) vanilla essence
METHOD
1. Sieve flour, salt and cocoa powder together. Put to one side. 2. Beat the eggs and sugar with an electric beater until light yellow, for about 5 minutes. Stir in oil and beat for another 3 minutes. 3. Add food colouring and vanilla essence and mix well. 4. Add flour mixture, then the milk, to the egg mixture. 5. Whisk bicarbonate of soda and lemon juice together and add to the mixture. 6. Arrange paper muffin cups in a muffin pan and fill them 他 full with mixture. 7. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. 8. Let cupcakes cool completely. 9. To make icing: Cream margarine until soft, for about 5 minutes. 10. Mix the icing sugar and baking powder. Add about 1 cup of icing sugar to the margarine. 11. Add milk and vanilla essence to the margarine mixture. Beat with electric beater until fluffy. 12. Add more icing sugar a little at a time and keep beating until mixture is firm, for about 5 minutes. 13. Trim the tops of the cupcakes if necessary, then spread icing evenly over the cupcakes.
-Pg 16
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Bubbling Cauldron Batty for Cupcakes - Continued TO MAKE VAMPIRE BITES Red food colouring Small paintbrush or kebab stick
1. Use the back of a paintbrush or a kebab stick to make two small holes (about 4cm apart) in the icing of the cupcake, just deep enough to reach the cupcake itself. 2. Saturate the paintbrush with red food colouring and try to fill the holes, pulling the brush out and down slightly to create small channels in the icing for the colouring to run into – this creates the bloody fang bite wound effect.
TO MAKE BATS 1 egg white Icing sugar Black food colouring powder Silver food colouring powder Small paintbrush Clear alcohol Small piping bag No. 1 round and No. 3 round piping nozzles Wax paper
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Bubbling Cauldron Batty for Cupcakes - Continued 1. Make royal icing by whisking the egg white until light and frothy. 2. Add a teaspoonful of icing sugar at a time, mixing well each time. 3. Keep adding icing sugar until mixture has formed a consistency that will form a peak when a wooden spoon is pulled out of the icing. Keep mixture covered with a damp cloth while not in use. 4. Place wax paper over bat template and secure in place. Carefully pipe outline with No. 1 nozzle. Repeat for as many bats as you need. Let this dry completely before continuing.
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Print out and use outline!
5. Fill in the outlines with the No. 3 nozzle. Try to make the layer of icing fairly thick or the bats will be too fragile. Let this dry completely again before continuing. 6. Switch back to the No. 1 nozzle and pipe two small dots on each bat for eyes. 7. Once the eyes have dried completely, mix a small amount of food colouring powder with clear alcohol and use this to paint the bodies of the bats. Make the layers thin, and let each dry properly before adding another layer so as not to soften the icing. 8. Next, paint the eyes with silver. 9. Carefully lift each bat off the wax paper by gently curling the paper so the icing separates from it. 10. Place them onto your cupcakes and enjoy! -Angela Butcher
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Bubbling Cauldron BLACK Rice ?! elieve it or not, black rice, also known as purple- or forbidden rice, is a medium-grain rice that is simple to make and easy to use in many recipes. Once cooked, this rice turns a deep purple-blackish colour and has a nutty flavour with a soft texture. Varieties include but are not limited to Indonesian black rice and Thai jasmine black rice. Black rice is high in nutritional value and contains 18 amino acids, iron, zinc, copper, carotene and several important vitamins. The grain has a similar amount of fibre to brown rice. Unlike most types of rice, black rice does not cook well in a rice cooker. Also be aware that although the colour of cooked black rice is pretty, it may stain your ceramic or enamel cookware.
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Washing and preparing the rice for cooking Step 1 Measure out two cups of water for every one cup of rice. Remember that the rice will double in volume once cooked. Step 2 Rinse the rice two or three times. Place in a bowl and run it under cold water. Rub the rice through your hands. Let it sit a while, then strain. Repeat this process two or three times. Doing this will remove most surface starches. Step 3 Cover the rice in water one more time. Let it sit in the water overnight. Doing this will ensure that your rice does not clump. If you don't have the time, you can cook the rice after you have completed step 2. –Pg 19
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Bubbling Cauldron BLACK Rice ?! - Continued Boiling the rice(finally!) Step 1 Pour your measured out cups of water into a large pot. Add the rice to the water. Do not turn the stove top on until both the water and the rice are in the pot. *If desired, you can cook it in stock (chicken, beef, vegetable etc.) rather than water. The stock will give the rice a saltier taste. Most recipes state that you should have 1 cup of stock for every 1/2 cup of black rice.* Step 2 Bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and leave to simmer for 20 to 35 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Step 3 Turn off the heat and leave the pot to sit for 15 minutes. Do not stir. Step 4 Fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains and serve with a dish of your choice. –Pg 20
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Bubbling Cauldron BLACK Rice ?! - Continued Different ways of cooking and serving black rice - Use in cold salads. Black rice is a healthy substitute for noodles and white rice. If you are planning on making a cold pasta or Asian-fusion salad for a BBQ, party or sporting event, why don’t you try replacing the pasta with black rice? (Always make sure that the rice is fully cooked before adding other ingredients.) - Add it to stuffing - it is also an easy and delicious way to make stuffing. Cook the rice fully and then combine it with bread crumbs, herbs, spices and celery like you would when making normal stuffing. Place the stuffing in your turkey or chicken and then bake it as you would usually. Your guests at Thanksgiving and Christmas will be begging for more. - Eat it as a side dish with your favourite meat, fish or poultry dish. You can also add different herbs and spices to give black rice some exciting flavours. Don’t be afraid to play around and create some different palatepleasing combinations. - Make black rice into a dessert. Next time you think about making rice pudding, use black rice! Combine the rice with cream, sugar, and cinnamon for a delicious after dinner treat. Try adding different fruits too!
Source and image - http://wikihow.com and www.gatheratthetable.com .
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Dark Icons Victoria Frances
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ictoria Frances was born in Valencia, Spain, on October 25 1982. She attended the Polytechnic University of Valencia, where she studied Fine Arts at the Facultad de Bellas Artes de San Carlos. She started out as an illustrator designing book covers and other pieces. Her illustrations and sketches resemble the surreal world of gothic romanticism. Influenced by preRaphaelite paintings as well as the works of Luis Royo and Gerald Brom, Victoria specifically chose characters that represented a symbolic, magical and ancient world. All the sufferings of the outcasts of this world are portrayed in dark castles and mansions complete with flickering lights, with the well-defined influence of Goethe, Edgar Allan Poe, Baudelaire and even Bram Stoker.
Favole, her first illustrated book, is the remembrance of three cities, Verona, Venice and Genoa. Soon after, Favole 2 and 3 followed, gaining her even more success.
Her most recent work includes: El Corazon de Arlene (Arlene's Heart) in 2008 - a metaphor for hope in the shape of a fable. Lyrically and suggestively painted it's a visual poem of fascinating sensuous gothic beauty. In 2009, her first volume of Misty Circus was presented at the Salon Del Comic de Barcelona; a collection of books filled with magic about the indulgent world of travelling circuses. At the end of that same year Dark Sanctuary was also published. –Pg 22 T S
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Dark Icons Victoria Frances - Continued Witches Night is the title of the second volume of Misty Circus and was published in 2010. The continuation of a plot that will take you to a Pagan witches' Sabbath, beyond the medieval night of Samhain. In 2011, came the publication of Internal Favole, a compilation of the three volumes. The Lament of the Ocean is Victoria's most recent work- an illustrated story told through the obscure songs of mermaids. As the 'greats' sum up her vision near perfectly: “It is a strange world, a sad world, a world full of miseries, and woes, and troubles... Bleeding hearts, and dry bones of the churchyard and tears that burn as they fall- all dance together to the music that he makes with that smileless mouth of his. Ah, we men and women are like ropes drawn tight with strain that pull us different ways. Then tears come, and like the rain on the ropes, they brace us up, until perhaps the strain becomes too great and we break. But king Laugh, he comes like the sunshine, and he eases off the strain again, and we bear to go on with our labour, what it may be.” -Bram Stoker, Dracula
“ Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.” -Edgar Allan Poe “ An artist is an artist only because of his exquisite sense of beauty, a sense which shows him intoxicating pleasures, but which at the same time implies and contains an equally exquisite sense of all deformities and all disproportion.” -Charles Baudelaire
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Celebrities Life in the womb of Amy Lee New Essence to Evanescence
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he Gothic rock icon Amy Lee(real name “Amy Lynn Hartzlerr”) has been a lasting member of the band Evanescence. Its our greatest pleasure to kick our first issue off by writing a small article on both her and the band. Amy Lynn Hartzler
She has taken the world by storm since the appearance of their first album “Fallen” and the instant hit song Bring me to life. This singer and songwriter, along with the band Evanescence has been nominated for several awards. They had the good fortune of also winning several of those awards, such as two ECHO awards, two Grammy awards, one World Wide Music award, two Teen Choice awards and one Revolver Golden Gods award. Besides for writing and singing she also enjoys designing her own fashionable clothing such as been seen in the Going Under music video. Although she has nothing planned music wise for this year thus far, we’re all pretty sure when she does start planning she will deliver another work of art. –Pg 25
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Celebrities Life in the womb of Amy Lee New Essence to Evanescence -Continued As a great start to this year she has announced that she and hubby Josh Hartzler are expecting their first child, so that extended break she was talking about might just be what she needs. We’re eager to find out if the baby will be a boy or a girl... From all of us at SAGS, congratulations to Amy and Josh with the baby on the way ,may it be a prosperous year filled with joy and love.
-MGR
TWITTER FEEDS @amyleeEV:
19 Jan “OK I can’t keep it a secret anymore-I’ve been working on a very special project for 2014- A BABY! Josh and I are expecting! I’m so happy!”
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Support The Dark Veil of Depression
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adness is when you have had your heart broken or you feel a sense of great loss. You might even cry, punch it out or talk to someone who understands. Depression is something entirely different. It is a clinical mental disorder in which the sufferer has a complete imbalance of happy juice in the brain. For most depressed and bipolar people it is something that always lurks in the shadows of their minds, ready to pounce periodically. It’s been likened to having a heavy dark veil pulled over your life and everything you love and care for and about– the veil feeling utterly out of reach, leaving you unable to lift it and pull it off again. This in turn leads you to feel even more emptiness, despair and isolation. It’s a vicious emotional cycle. You will need your friends more at a time like this, especially when people are often tempted to isolate themselves from the outside world during a depressive episode. What you probably need to remind yourself of most during this period is that it isn't something you can control or have caused, and it isn't your fault you have it. Bear that in mind and the weight on your shoulders should already become somewhat lighter. I myself had an unusual experience that triggered a bit of an epiphany. During a heavy migraine, I felt myself slip into a darker and darker mental space, the feeling still looming as I write this article. I strongly considered taking more than just my migraine cocktail and to perhaps also raid the medicine box for pills, then sitting in the shower and just leaving the world and this life behind. I would probably have been dead now if my brother hadn’t found me lying on the floor reading an assortment of pill packets and inserts. The very next day at work, I hyperventilated, but luckily my colleagues were quick in assisting me. I opened up to them for the first time ever, expecting them to say things like “you'll be fine” and ‘just pull yourself together man”, or “get over it and get back to work”, which are often the responses by people who simply don’t understand depression and other mental illnesses. To my surprise they ended up sending me home, arranging help for me and giving me contact details of people I could talk to about this. Not that I needed validation, but the mere fact that they knew and also understood that depression is an actual medical disorder, and didn’t just brusquely dismiss my experience as I’d expected them to, made me realise that the world might actually be more educated on this topic than I had originally assumed.
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Support The Dark Veil of Depression Bipolar disorder and depression are two of the world's most common mental diseases. You can have depression through genetics, but it’s mostly caused by past traumatic experiences and situational stress. This makes me appreciate the fact that it is treatable. One could actually live a very healthy and fulfilling life if it is correctly diagnosed and treated by medication and also counselling in some cases. It’s vital to start treatment before you come to a phase in your life where suicide becomes an option or great consideration. There are ways to make a preliminary diagnosis on suffering from depression yourself. Here are a few warning signs and symptoms: Anxiety and feelings of panic This can be a neurological issue all on its own, but generally when a person feels random bursts of unexplained anxiety it is a symptom of depression. Feelings of helplessness and lacking control These are especially applicable to those who are still undiagnosed. Blank stares Often the individual just gazes blankly into space, seemingly lost in their thoughts. A case of “the lights are on, but nobody’s home”. These deep thoughts can be so regular that they may even occur in mid-conversation. This symptom usually applies to the more severely depressed person.
Inability to concentrate and emotional outbursts Disturbing flare up’s of emotions that seem unusual or inappropriate for certain situations. These can both be signs of depression or symptoms of bipolar disorder, especially if the outbursts involve anger or frustration. Crying Please note that not all depressed people cry- in fact they seldom do. In most cases random sobbing sessions indicates the severity of the disorder, this applies especially when the feeling of helplessness kicks in. Crying is also a good sign. The depressed person would usually only cry if they are fighting the illness. We will be looking at bipolar disorder more closely in our next issue, as well as the effects suicide has on the loved ones left behind afterwards. If you would like to share your experience with a mental disorder, please do send us an email at lifesthorns.sags@gmail.com - You may just get more help than you expected and there is also the option of connecting with people in similar situations and circumstances. Remember that you are NOT alone!
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Support L I f e ’s
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by
Thorns
Discrimination t some point in our life we all have been discriminated against various means which all led to different endings.
A few examples of discrimination we’re dealing with would be verbal and physical along with religious remarks… All which lead to unwanted happenings. We’re called Satanists, evil, devil worshippers, suicidal and another misunderstood word "emo“ Why? Because of how we choose to dress? The make up? Our way of life? Thus leading to us being tagged as things most of us never even remotely thought of doing. Most of us are pacifists and peaceful by nature but alas the saying goes "if ye want peace, better ye prepare for war" and this is true. Discrimination will never stop, not even when every human being is the same. Its in human nature to act this way and there are things we can do to lesson it although it will depend alas it will depend on the situation of the person. For those who are fortunate to have fellow goth friends. Pack travel is used by goths as a way of self defence for safety is in numbers... The bare honest truth is that once you choose to express yourself in "our style", prepare yourself for the harsh worlds cruelty - it is how it is unfortunately and its not likely to change. Forms of discrimination and abuse can't be controlled and sadly it will happen when we enter public areas and places. It is unfair and it is uncalled for but take a look people!, look at life and how things are? We can't wait it out or hide away in our homes, we have to face the words "what does not kill you, makes you stronger". This quote serves true but yet it can sometimes be difficult to maintain composure. The times when we feel like drowning from this cruel world’s actions, we must take into consideration that the night is darkest before dawn...it is when we are at our lowest that true courage is born.. To be goth is to grow a thick skin... My darklings, when in doubt, talk to someone not just for help, but to lower your emotional build ups... In today's life we have many "issues" to deal with - for some its school, further studying or bullied, and for others its discrimination, problems in the workplace and acceptance in society amongst many other thorns in life... Should you feel the need to discuss something feel free to mail us at lifesthorns@gmail.com
-tBR
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Support Being Who You Are
By The Don
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ust like most of you fellow goths out there, I was raised in a "normal" family, one that didn't understand or even know the word "goth". I myself at an early age in my life never knew that.. As people we are all different and unique, some of us more so than others. I was such a person, concerning my interests, hobbies and my way of thinking and expression... My music was unique among my populace, my taste in art, literature, films and my way of expression even more so it was a truly unique view which most didn't care to understand.
“living a lie is not living at all�
For me, the way I presented myself in the beginning was not only frowned upon, but it was looked down upon and criticism was always in the surrounding areas. When it came to work and the working environment where you had to look and be respectable, especially when your profession is in the line of quality control, I had to choose, give up who I am, or improvise on the situation. That led to the importing of my Corporate goth image, style and lifestyle. at first it was a big change, but one that in a short time I grew fond of. We have all faced and still face bad reception amongst many other actions, remarks and condescending criticism, but this is not what I'll be discussing in this article. In the last few years, I have been working on finding what my role in life is, the reason I'm on earth and the way that I am. –Pg 30
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Support Being Who You Are -Continued Most of my answers came from a deeply religious experience. Psychology is a passion of mine. I mainly dug into it as a self help basis, but I have been most fortunate to help several others that had been battling with problems and situations. I can add that most of them can be described as goth or "outsiders" and in time this proved to me that I am where I need to be and that I'm on the right path. While trying to find my "destiny", I have walked quite a few paths with one foot always treading the dark Gothic road, with the other on "normal" ground... I faced many challenges but in the end it proved to me that I am who and what I am... I should be proud that I am aware of this knowledge and I can use it to help others. Here where I am today I have a fairly great confirmation of what my purpose in life is. For me to partake in my purpose I had to accept my role in life. I had to accept who I am and what I am... without being ashamed of it, for there is nothing to be ashamed of when you are true to yourself - living a lie is not living at all. This ladies and gentleman is a brief story of me and how I know what you are going through. I am what I am, and what I am is all I need.
-The Don
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“I am what I am, and what I am is all I need.�
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Poetry Shadows of the mind and soul
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eel free to mail us your poetry at poetry.sags@gmail.com for possible publications in future issues!
The Eternal Moon
By A Butcher
Steal the life and make it your own From darkest blood and palest bone Drink the essence that you might Live to see another night Again, to hear the painted stars Sing their starry tales from afar And the chanting forest, you’ll never tire Of listening to that whispering choir But again to see your Goddess arise Her silver skirts light up the skies There She stands, the Wicked Moon, Her bloated body a bloody maroon! All hail, the glorious Queen of the Night Who bathes the land in Her life-giving light! Her terrible beauty for which you so long, The only reason you choose to go on. Her rule is short-lived as night quickly fades, When pagan daylight sacrilegiously invades. And you, with the darkness, will disappear, As the end of her savage reign draws near. As you lie, like the dead, in your gravelike bed, She sings to you still, inside your head, You dream of the sacrifice you’ll procure; Sweet and dark, blood spilt for Her. As evening creeps, the time is soon, She waits, your Queen, the Eternal Moon.
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Poetry Shadows of the mind and soul
Continued
DARKNESS
By J de Beer
Daily, my soul is disturbed by darkness; The rain of heaviness my only hope. Yearning for peace, trying to cope, Submitting, trying rather to embrace the blackness. In the deepest corner of the forest of my soul; It is the birth of the hope of light. Suddenly clinging to the hope of a goal. There is the dim flicker of a lone dark candle in sight. The fears of all the midnights, only darkness; My soul once again yearns to be consumed by blackness. ...Then springs forth the fountain of red...Of life...Of blood. My heart and mind being run over like a flood. Now the light forces back the darkness, My soul now down to the flicker of that dim light. One thought returns with more life than death: Light always drives out the darkness. A new day always starts in the blackness of darkness. Now I embrace darkness... Knowing that the dim flicker of the candle will always... ...replace my old friend, the darkness. T S
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Reviews Shadow Prowler by Alexey Pehov Like a hellhound on a scent... … “Night is the best time for my kind.” – Shadow Harold
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his remarkable series of novels from Russian author Alexey Pehov consists of 3 books, namely Chronicles of Siala; Shadow Prowler, Shadow Chaser and Shadow Blizzard.
The first of the trilogy, Shadow Prowler, plays off in a city called Avendoom. The main character is Harold(better known as Shadow Harold), who is a thief by profession. He discovers that he is marked and destined for greater happenings in life. Armed with a crossbow, miscellaneous alchemical weapons and magic, he stumbles onto a path he knows little of. A dark and evil force (the Nameless One) has gathered his army consisting of giants, ogres, demons and many more to fall under his command. In the meantime, Harold and his feeble army consisting of goblins, dark elves and the king’s selected garrison shows courage and determination, ready to overthrow the Nameless One’s forces. From arch mages to the King’s goblin jester, Alexey gives a fantastic start to the Chronicles of Siala with great humour, gut splitting gore and violence. The storyline is gripping and for the fantasy freaks it’s VERY hard to put these books down. Each and every chapter ends in a way that compels you to turn to the next page.
-Jean Marks T S
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Reviews The Mortal Instruments City of Bones (2013) Director: Harald Zwart Starring: Jamie Campbell Bower, Jemima West, Kevin Zegers, Lily Collins, Robert Sheehan, Lena Headey, Jonathan Rhys Meyers Budget: $60 million. Box office: $90,565,421 Genre: Fantasy
A teenage girl is thrust into a supernatural world featuring a
handsome, sullen young man who competes with her lovestruck best friend for her affections. No, I'm not talking about Twilight. This 2-hour long production based on the first book in Cassandra Clare's series of six teen fantasy novels takes us into a dark world of angels and demons, vampires and werewolves, and a secret order that protects the mortal world from these evil entities. Not a bad formula for a film, if it weren't for the raging hormones and bad acting.
There's nothing wrong with romance, but in this case the struggle against evil takes a back seat to the angst-ridden love triangle. The story feels rushed, and the tone inconsistent. Though the special effects and settings are breathtaking, the rest is fairly predictable and painfully clichĂŠd. Recommended for under 16-year-olds, unless the Twilight type films are to your liking. - Angela Butcher
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Pets Morbid Menageries
P ets: almost everyone has one at least once in their lifetime.
For some they are interesting specimens to study and admire; for others they are close companions. We, who enjoy the darker things in life, are no different. Do our out-of-the-ordinary lifestyles call for out-of-the-ordinary pets? Let's have a look at some of the eerier creatures out there to love and look after(and we are not referring to us).
Snakes For most folks, snakes are dreadful, dangerous things... but there are some who appreciate their silent grace and beautifully painted scales. Boas, pythons, and some smaller varieties are most common as pets. They are low-maintenance and don't require a lot of space; however, your sublime serpent is to be enjoyed with the eyes more than with the hands. People looking for affection and acknowledgment from a pet should consider another option.
-Pg 36
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Pets Morbid Menageries -Continued Spiders These eight-legged predators haunt old and abandoned places... as well as the abodes of those who care for them as pets! In just about any pet shop one will find tarantulas of all shapes, sizes, and colours for sale. Expensive and exotic, their beauty and longevity are ample rewards for spiderlovers. Like snakes, minimal space is required, as well as minimal attention - frequent handling is discouraged. Rats Rattus Norvegicus (or brown rat) is native to Norway, and is now the common domesticated breed for pet rats. Rats are social animals and are happiest when in a group of two or more. Highly intelligent and attention-loving, your little plague-bearers are able to learn their names as well as simple tricks. They are inexpensive to care for but need a lot of attention as well as daily free-range run and play time. They love investigating their surroundings, often in the form of a bite, so be prepared and don’t be alarmed when this happens! Wolves/Wolf-dogs Who wouldn't want a magnificent tamed wolf as a pet? Unfortunately pure wolves are extremely rare as pets, but in the past have been successfully bred with dog breeds such as Huskies and German Shepherds to create hybrids. These hybrids retain much of their wild ancestors’ characteristics, both in physical appearance as well as in their behaviour, and are extremely difficult to train. If not socialized properly at a young age, their wolf instincts can cause them to become aggressive and dangerous. Only the most dedicated handlers with an extensive knowledge of animal behaviour are able to successfully raise their wolf-dogs to be intelligent, loyal and beautiful pets. –Pg 37
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Pets Morbid Menageries -Continued Crows/Ravens These carrion birds are handsome and symbolic, and make intriguing pets. Like parrots, they can be taught to speak and imitate sounds; unlike parrots, however, they need substantial space(even the largest macaw cage lacks the necessary space for a raven or crow). A human skull for a perch is also compulsory. Owls and Bats Owls are mysterious and elusive in the wild; silent as ghosts in flight. If you want one for yourself, you may as well forget it. Special permits are needed to be able to keep an owl- even owl sanctuaries need these to operate- and indigenous species are illegal to buy or sell as pets. Owls are expensive to feed and cannot be kept in a cage. Unfortunate as it is, owls as pets work best in the movies. The same goes for keeping bats as pets. Again, it is illegal in South Africa to keep local species in captivity, because of the rabies threat. It is however possible to build or purchase bat nest boxes to place in trees outside your home for them to freely inhabit. Cats and Dogs Lastly, for those who would prefer something more familiar over some exotic creepy-crawly, cats and dogs will always be the ideal choice. What about a formidable pure black German Shepherd as your personal bodyguard? Or a coal-coloured Persian cat to lounge about and look pretty all day? Any breed of cat or dog has the potential to become your very own hellhound/hellcat; at the end of the day, it's up to you to decide what breed would suit you as individual best.
-Angela Butcher
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The Shadow Shards of Shadow ~SURVIVING THE CORPORATE WORLD~ Corporate goth survival strategies Courtesy of the corporategoth.net
~ANCIENT TATTOO RECIPE~ Tattooing recipe from 6 A.D. Rome Courtesy of Aetius, Roman physician
• Always take advantage of stereotypes that work in your favour and play along. • Know , and never cross, the boundaries of tolerance in appearance for your specific profession. • Check how others dress in the company before interviewing. • Wean them in-establish mutual respect and then slowly show your true colors (or in this case, lack of colors!). • Maintain a professional stance. Dress and act appropriately for meetings. Sometimes you need to make sacrifices to stay ahead. • To help make sure you are taken seriously, try to make your first contact via e-mail or phone. • Dress in a manner that is comfortable for your coworkers (within reason). Compromise enough to establish a good working relationship with your coworkers. • Speak to your HR representative and learn your rights! Technically I can dress in drag (as long as it is something a woman could wear to work), and legally they can't say anything to me. Of course that does not mean they won't figure out another reason to fire me! So know your rights and also the limitations to those rights.
•1 Lb. Egyptian pine wood bark •2 Ounces corroded bronze, ground with vinegar • 2 ounces of gall (insect egg deposits) •1 ounce vitriol (iron sulphate)
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Mix well and sift. Soak powder in 2 parts water and 1 park leek juice. Wash skin to be tattooed with leek juice. Prick design with needles until blood is drawn. Rub in the ink. YOU MIGHT BE GOTH HICK IF… •Your casket is on cinder blocks in your driveway. •You name your child after your dog, and they're both named "Enigma". •You think Dolly Parton should be the lead singer for Switchblade Symphony. •Your coffin is lined with a velvet Confederate flag. •You smoke cloves in a corn cob pipe. •You dye your sheep black. •Your bull's nose is pierced six times. •Even your teeth are black. •Your rooster crows at moonrise. •You have spent your life perfecting black corn. •Your coffin has side- mounted spitoon. •Your granny crochets your fishnets. •Your favorite comic is Johnny the Homicidal Tractor. •You have an Elvira pinup in your outhouse. •You get up at 4 A.M. Every morning to collect eggs from the raven coop. •You and your pit bull share the spiked collar. (Taken from the Goth bible.)
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SAGS Contact Details
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Classifieds Voodoo Eyes
https://www.facebook.com /pages/Eye-VooDooContactLenses/222880087876497
eye.voodoo69@gmail.com
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Classifieds Voodoo Eyes
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Classifieds
J
aded Ink, situated in Fourways Johannesburg is the OFFICIAL South African Gothic Society’s Tattoo and Piercing parlour (With surprise give aways at surprise times!) Something to look forward to is articles about different tattoo styles and artists MONTHLY as well as FAQ section, so send in those requests!
Shop 38 The Buzz Shopping Centre, Cnr Nerine and Witkoppen Road, Fourways
Tel: 011 658 1736 www.jadedink.co.za
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theshop@jadedink.ca.za
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