Teaching teenagers about urban music

OK, so this was my first week teaching Intro to Music Production. It went really well on the grown up site, very engaged students who were happy to discuss options and alternatives and asked for help and advice. I think we all learned a lot Tuesday afternoon. This morning was a little different. 8 teenagers who didn't want to listen to a word I said, apart from to whine at me when their PC didn't make any noise; the equiptment is broken Miss, it's SH*T!. No dear you just have to set up your sound card preferences.

I got told how I should be teaching by 2 students and 3 left the class after an hour. Still, 1 is doing really well and I burned 3o mins of 9 tracks he'd done during taster sessions.

Ho Hum, We really must all try better next week. I'll let you know how things progress.

Rant about text messages

OK, this is where I know I'm getting really and grumpy. OMG I've turned into a grumpy old woman. We were all sitting on the sofa watching Charlie & Lola tonight when the letter box snaps. Little Miss rushes out to see what has been delivered and returns empty handed; a few minutes later it rattles again and again Little Miss rushes to look and returns empty handed. Goth Dad looks a while later to find a 'while you were out' card stuck half in and half out of the letter box. WE WERE IN!!!! The first rattle was their version of knocking on the door. We have a perfectly good bell that we can hear all over the house. Anyway, we had ordered some house crap as from this door to door catalogue thing as we are too lazy / busy to spend our weekends in DIY shops *shudder* and they had tried to deliver it. A text message conversation with the girl L quickly follows:

GM: "L, we were in! Please ring the doorbell next time. GM @ address"

L: "OK wot times wil ub in 2morrow :-)"

GM: "We will both be home from work by 5.30 and will be at home all evening. GM"

L: "Ok i wil pop bak afta 530 2mo.l"

I swear if she had replied "ta m8" I would have sought her out and strangled her.

I guess this is why I spend half my time teaching literacy in an IT class. It doesn't give me a huge amount of confidence in her business prowess!!!!!

I love technology, gadgets and fast communication devices, but if this is what text messaging is doing to the English language then I would quite cheerfully smash every last mobile phone.

**Goth Mum is going off for a lie down now**

Goth Mum gets let loose in London

I had a weekend, on my own, in London this weekend. OMG!!!!!

I was there working, I was on a course (more can be found on my lovely new blog ) but I had to go into the west end to buy a guilt present for Little Miss and I seemed to fall into H&M.

Now, here in Norfolk H&M is shite, with the WORST range of clothes, but I love the London stores, especially Knightsbridge, they have such good collections. In 15 minutres I went from this

to this....and all for £20, £8 for the very cute hat and £12 for the wool dress.

I'm sorry about the pics but they were taken in the changing room mirror.
So, I came home very happy, very tired and only a little bit poorer. I saw BritWitch for wine Dim Sums, Icecream and chats (all a girl really needs on a Saturday night) but unfortunately couldn't sleep in my lovely hotel room; no cat no Goth Dad, no Little Miss to check on before I slept. So 3 tablets and half a book later I guess I must have fallen alseep as I awoke at 6am with the lights and TV still on, go figure!


I am coming to the conclusion that my style revolves around a blck base of classic rock chick chic with appropriately goth accessories. Shoe research me need to happen.

Lovely stuff in Sainsbury's

I had a very un-Goth moment a week or so ago when I saw this outfit in my local Sainsbury's. I actually found myself thinking "oo that's nice, maybe I should buy it" O My Gosh. I can't believe I actually thought about it.

Having said that I did see some lovely bits for little Miss (pics below) and YAY the halloween stuff is in. This year I will be adding a pirate outfit to the dressing up box and have to check that her stipy tights all fit now.

Glamerous Goth Mum is inspired

I have decided to become inspired. My new mission is to search out fantastic fashions for goth girls on the high street.

I'm starting with Dorothy Perkins simply because Gok Wan is linked to them and he is my style icon.




I love this dress. I could wear it with leggings or jeans during the day and with gorgeous tights for a trip out.


According to Gok I should be wearing these jeans.

I'm in the process of putting together my own Goth Mum style guide, it'll be fun.

Now I just need to get into town.....

Go and find some beautiful clothes here.

Watching TV in a busy household

OK I'll admit it, the Goth Mum Castle is a bit weird (ok that's a given), but we don't have a TV. TheMadScientist had this HUGE monitor for his PC before we were married and watched TV on a PC card. This has stuck. Currently TMS is sitting across the room from me (v comfy on the sofa with my laptop warming my legs - less fleas than the cat!)putting the final touches to a physics paper of finding planets (don't ask me I have no idea). This means that no mater that Lost in Austen is on in 15 mins. I'm not going to get to watch the TV.


Also, I usually have work to do in the evenings and you can guarentee that the one thing you want to watch will be on over bedtime. So I have a 2 pronged attack. The first is a PVR, much more reliable that getting the PC to record and you get a cute little TV guide thing you can pick what you want from. Kinda like Sky + without the subscription. The second picks up when my memory fails me, frequently, or on the rare occaision that two things are on. Streaming video on the internet. I love it. Temper tantrum brewing because we have missed the Number Jacks? No problem, call up the BBC iPlayer and you have 4 or five to choose from. I missed the first Lost in Austen so I spent a very happy hour on ITV's catch up. Channel 4 and Five both have services too but you need to pay for some of their content (which means installing a player / downloader)

So I'm off now to try and work out when Lost in Austen will be alailable on catch up.

Sensible(ish) clothes for Goth Mum

I have a dilemma. I find it really difficult to find appropriate clothes to go out in during the day to do normal stuff. For the rare night out I have a wardrobe full of lace and leather, corsets and pointy shoes and during the working day I have my 'Corporate Goth' uniform of black suit, black boots, black/purple shirt (you get the picture). This week I am at home; the angel that is my child minder is taking a well deserved holiday, and I am doing Mummy stuff (more on that later). So what does the stylish Goth about town wear to take the Gothling to nursery?

I am SO over velvet and PVC for the school run seems a little extreme. Today, for example, I am wearing blue jeans, a black t-shirt (with a Black Wytch Stout pic on the front) and I wore boots and a grey fluffy cyber jacket out. Not really very Goth but it was the best I could do and still be able to chase small person around the garden.


I went into our local Goth Boutique recently and found one skirt that was at all suitable for 'day wear', ie it would cover my modesty if I bent over and wasn't made of leather, satin, lace or velvet. Unfortunately it was made for a stick insect to wear, also known as a 15 yr old. I am pear shaped. I have curves and wobbly bits. I'm not fat and I really find it depressing when I try on a Large sized skirt and it does't even do up over my thighs (I kid you not).

So I shall continue to buy whatever the high street has (in black) and hope that I can maintain my Gothness while retaining some level of appropriate dress in the face of being old(er) and often covered in snot and Play Doh!

(all suggestions gratefully recieved)

Holidaying in Hell

I have just got back from a week at a Haven Holiday camp. I really don't know what posessed us but we thought it would be a good idea. Well, I spent most of the week heavily medicated as the beds tripped off my back and I had to wear my headphones in teh club house with Bauhaus etc trickling into my ears so I couln't hear the cheesy pop that was always present.

We had a great, if cold, Bank Holiday Monday at a huge multi period re-enactment event where GothMum and Little Pickle (+ Daddy) did Ancient Greeks, Plantagenet knights and general Medeval merriment. I have a fab, if very unflattering, photo of us being Hopite warriors (that's Greeks to you all) and lille Miss is now obsessed with all things ancient and pointy.

The only thing that saved me from Discomgoogolation was the 3G on my phone that let me get my mail and hook up with my friends on Facebook, oh and Bacardi, red wine and chocolate!

Work is a blessed relief and once I've had a few more pills and a decent massage I'll be right as ninepence!