Things that made me happy in October

I have been neglected the blog since uni has started this month, but I am not complaining. I had a lot of stuff to do aside from studies, like band practices and preparations for the wedding that kept me very motivated, so I can sum this month for lack of regular updating.

1. Celebrating my birthday was definitely a nice thing happening at the beginning of the month. I did nothing special, just went with Boris to devour sushi and we took a nice walk.

2. Going to the Return To The Batcave festival! Aside from meeting old and new friends, I got to listen to some incredible bands. A new band that I was happy to discover are Kandahar - a fine example of people coming from the hardcore scene interpreting post punk their own way. I was mind blown by the live show!
I was dying to see Wieze Fabryk, the Polish legend, and let me tell you it was a dream... they sounded exactly like the recording, with the meaty live sound as well, the songs were just perfect and I have discovered some new ones (my favorite has to be the ever so tribal Huk, I realized I was laughing throughout it because of how pagan the singing sounds).

Seeing 13th Chime was actually worth it. The guys kicked ass, and then I realized they actually sound a lot like PIL and it was so cool hearing this in contrast to all the new bands. Pogoing was going on through the Coffin Maker (I call it the Coffee Maker and tragically nobody caught on the joke despite my continuous attempts).

The festival as a whole had an amazing atmosphere, I am so glad we went!

attempted dirty mirror selfie, I couldn´t care less about capturing my outfit for the blog

3. Buying my first bass guitar was very spontaneous and satisfying. I have been borrowing a classic model from a friend for too long, and Boris and I were searching for second hand basses online for a while but to no avail (I had no idea about guitar models without him).

Then one day we accidentally saw that somebody was selling an Epiphone Thunderbird. We ran to grab it without thinking twice, as this was exactly what we´ve wanted. The bass is a beast, the sound is incredible and kind of plays on it´s own. I am more than happy to be playing such an iconic model.

4. Reading Tarot cards every wednesday at a queer bar has been making this and the previous month as well. I am having so much fun reading (and learning the craft better as I go on), sitting there with different people talking about their lives, not to mention meeting so many new and interesting people. I also sat down with queer refugees from Syria and Lebanon one night, and listening to one of their stories was fascinating but terrifying. Boris accompanies me to the bar sometimes in full cross-dressing and friends come by sometimes as well, the vibes are great. Not to mention tips coming my way more than ever, it´s nice to see more people coming.

5. Preparations for the wedding which will take place in the beginning of November has brought me "in the holiday spirit". Previously, the only thing I could give a damn about was seeing my parents and my little brother, Boris and mine´s best friend from Israel and our dearest from Copenhagen after such a long time of parting. The wedding and all the fuss everybody but me were making about it were left somewhere in the back of my mind.
But then, when the lady on the telephone from the restaurant we were booking for after the ceremony cheerfully congratulated me, and I actually sat my ass down to book a photographer, it began to sink into me, making my heart race each time I thought about greeting all out friends at the faithful day, drinking champagne and laughing, taking stupid photos where everyone would be looking pretty and satisfied (with the possibility of printing them out later), seeing my mother´s face after the ceremony, throwing the buke and shit.... 

And I realized I was freaking out. And so was Boris.

So I actually can´t wait, and pray that everything will go smoothly, and that we will actually have time to spend with each person that arrives especially for us from abroad for this occasion. 

Hope your month has been lovely as well. Until next time, probably with Wedding posts already.

N. Finsternis

Photos from Wrocław

Last weekend we went to Return To The Batcave festival, and before I write a post about the amazing bands, I would like to share a few photos from the amazing city. We have been to the city on the last year´s festival, but this time we have discovered a lot more, as we had more time.

The 4.5 hour bus ride was especially cool this time, because we have managed to take the front seats on the upper deck for the first time! We enjoyed the view:

We were very lucky with the weather, it was sunny and warm most of the time, unlike in Berlin where it´s rainy every day and suddenly feels more like winter!

Little gnomes are scattered everywhere around the city

And this is how we went back home lol:

Next post will be about the musical highlights from the festival. Stay tuned!

N. Finsternis

Halloween Tag

I was  tagged by the avant garde The Mutant Stomp Friends who knows how to brew the eerie and fashionable for this lovely Halloween tag.
The thing is, like every October, I couldn´t give a shit about Halloween since I grew up in Israel, and we do not celebrate it there. We do have our own Jewish costume holiday called Purim which is celebrated in Spring, but it´s not spooky.
But let´s give this a try:

THIRTEEN QUESTIONS HALLOWEEN TAG!!!

    

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FAVORITE HALLOWEEN SONG: I guess something rock/goth-abilly? It would sound appropriate. Or anything by The Ghastly Ones

WITCH OR VAMPIRE? Witch, because Samhain, which is perhaps the only reason for me to get into the holiday spirit. And because I read Tarot and practice I guess.

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FAVORITE THING ABOUT HALLOWEEN? I do not know, I do not care about it. But regarding costume holidays, I would suggest the ability to dress up like "myself" walking on the streets of my town in Israel in freedom and peace because nobody will curse me from their car window while driving me by, since I am wearing a "costume" (was still called a whore a couple of times though for wearing ripped tights, but that has nothing to do with the holiday, that´s just Israel for you).

Me and my brother, Purim 2012. He was a Zombie, I was myself.
We have a tradition in our family to take a costume picture on the lawn in front of the house. The holiday is happening in Spring, a time where everything is still green from Wintertime, is will be all burned-yellow by Summer.
Fun Fact: my brother is now 16 and is 2 head higher than me. No shit.

HALLOWEEN PARTY OR SCARY MOVIE MARATHON? Party, because booze and friends. Though I have never attended a costume party in my life, sounds uncomfortable with all the mess on you trying to dance or whatever.

SKELETONS OR ZOMBIES: Skeletons, I think zombies are overrated.

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                                 '---'

FAVORITE HALLOWEEN CANDY: Oh I have a good one- on Purim we have this triangle cookie with sweet poppy cream inside and it´s amazing. It is supposed to represent an ear because of the interesting story behind it.

Source

FAVORITE HALLOWEEN MOVIE: Edward Scissorhands.

FAVORITE HALLOWEEN COSTUME: Being able to look like a member of some kind of subculture without feeling anxious on the streets.

I have always helped my brother with his costumes. This is us in Purim 2011, and we are both dressed up as our babybat years.

FAVORITE HALLOWEEN STORE: We do not have them in Israel. Only toy stores sell accessories and stuff and it´s nice to look at, I used to buy my yearly black lipstick at those kind of sales, and was looking for studded bracelets when I was in my early teens.

JACK-O-LANTERNS, YES OR NO? Why not, they look nice and I love pumpkin.

                   /  /
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          ____   /   \  ,____
      ,_--    `\/_____\/     --_
    ,/         ,/ / \ \         `\

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   \    \  \/   \/   \/   \/  /   ,/
    `\_  \___________________/ ,_/
       `\_____\___\_/___/_____/

BATS OR BLACK CATS? Bats, I am allergic to cats.

IS HALLOWEEN YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY? I do NOT celebrate Halloween!!!! Purim was my favorite holiday though, always.

PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE OR HOT CHOCOLATE? I have tried my ever first PSL only last week, and it is so overrated. So I will go with hot chocolate. Or better- ribbos tea with honey :P

I need to tag 5 bloggers who probably have been tagged already. So tagt yourselves!!

So much for blast from the past! I am off to Wroclaw for 2 days of Return To The Batcave! Hope to see some of you there! Let´s have a blast!

N. Finsternis

Birthday pictures

I have turned 24 on the 5th this month. It was monday, so I didn´t do anything except to chill alone at home in the morning.

I sat by myself watching live gigs of A Perfect Circle with admiration and then listened to some Deftones. 

Then we went to stuff ourselves with sushi together with Boris in the afternoon. Then we had a nap lol. It was a very nice and relaxing day.

The next day I got sick and still am.

N. Finsternis