Interesting reader mail

[cupcake_goth]

This is one of the emails that turned up in the Gothic Charm School inbox this morning:

It was recently brought to my attention by way of a post on one of my forums that
you will be holding a tea party in a cemetery to celebrate your book release.

I just wanted to say that I think this is highly disrespectful and tacky. And before
you judge me to be some uptight soccer mom who came across your site, let me tell
you that I am in your target audience. I am into both romantic goth style and spent
a good number of years this way and also and into lolita street fashion. Your book
is something that I would have picked up in a store to keep on my bookshelf/coffee
table and encouraged my friends to buy as well. However I don't think I will be
doing anything of the sort. I am saddened to see that you show such little respect
for the people of the cemetery.

Hmmm. I need to double-check some of my sources, but from what I remember, the big public/non-churchyard cemeteries were, to some extent, intended as large public parks. Or at least, they were certainly treated that way for a very long time. I am planning on answering her, but like I said, I need to check my sources and do some more research.

Behind the cut-tag, my to-do list. Not terribly exciting, I realize, but good heavens, I need one.


- Laundry.
- Shorten one of the hoop skirts so it's the right length for under the stripy skirt mineke made me.
- Figure out what I'm wearing for the course of the NYC trip.
- Write an actual answering questions -type GCS post.
- Make sure all the ingredients are ready for tonight's dinner. (Cobb salad, which means oh right, I need to cook bacon.)
- DYE HAIR.
- Aspirin mask.
- EMAIL AGENT.
- Send Bluejay more fic links. (muah-ha-ha-ha!)
- Send thank you mail to Miss K. at Aromaleigh for mentioning the GCS book on her blog. DO NOT browse the Aromaleigh site, as I do not have spending money for makeup at the moment.
- Upper arm exercises. (Now if they'd just start showing some results soon, that would be lovely.)


::siiiiiiiiigh:: Don'wanna. Would rather nap, and watch movies with the Stroppy One.

Comments

[madamekat.livejournal.com]

I remember when I was looking for a cemetery to be married in, I came across similar sentiment. Managers of cemeteries informed me that their patrons would be appalled to see people celebrating life amongst the dead, that they would be insulted and angered. When I did finally find one that allowed it ...away from the graves in their chapel... I was instructed not to go near the graves at any point. Most people today have no idea that graveyards used to be a place families would come and picnic for the day.

Here is a historic cemetery in my area that understands cemeteries the way you and I do...http://www.thelaurelhillcemetery.org/index.php?flash=1

"Since the earliest days of Laurel Hill, the founders and managers of the Cemetery recognized the great potential for recreation that the rural, picturesque site held. Laurel Hill preceded New York’s Central Park by more than two decades, and was most certainly an inspiration for Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park. Picnics, strolls, carriage rides and sightseeing were popular pastimes in Laurel Hill’s early days, when “nearly 30,000 persons…entered the gates between April and December, 1848.” The site continues to remain a favored retreat for tourists, joggers, bicyclists, nature lovers, sketch artists and amateur photographers."

[lord-whimsy.livejournal.com]

http://lord-whimsy.livejournal.com/372269.html

[cupcake-goth.livejournal.com]

Heh, nice disclaimer at the end there. :)

[madamekat.livejournal.com]

I like you!

[snobahr.livejournal.com]

I wonder how those managers would feel if somebody came to them, wishing to have their wedding ceremony at the site of a family member already buried... hell, or has already purchased their plot and want to attend the wedding (and check on their investment in the afterlife)...?