This email interview was conducted through a series of five emails.
CVN: Tell us about your cybertown history and experience, please.
I first came to Cybertown in either 1998 or 1999, but that was under a different name and I soon left. My current exp is 12310.
I came back to Cybertown on March 15th, 2003 moving into Astrology in Inner Realms, where I soon became the Block Leader of Taurus. I moved into Angel's hood in Inner Realms soon after that, as it had an excellent Online roleplay game linked to the Hood. I was there for most of my time in Cybertown when I became the SND.(Senior Neighborhood Deputy) My wish was to take over after Angellro left CT to carry on her excellent work. Both the Hood and the RPG were her creations and I was honored to be part of it.
I never got the NL job there and so I took the position of NL for The Kingdoms where I have an online rpg linked to one of the blocks. The game is open to anyone whether they are part of the hood or not, they don't even have to reside in CT to play there. Though I have to admit, it is not my game. I am just part of it.
I have watched some changes in the hood since I came here and I am very proud to be part of that. I also have the privilege of having a very helpful team behind me including my CD.(Colony Deputy)
CVN: Tell us what you are willing to share about your Real Life outside of Cybertown.
I am willing to share most things about myself outside of Cybertown. I am 34 years old, but will be 35 on May 1st. Live in London UK! But I am from Scotland originaly. I support both Hearts of Midlothian and Newcastle United football clubs or Soccer teams to our American friends. I am an avid follower of Scotland as well{someone has to be}. I am terminally ill with HIV but I am pretty open about that. I was diagnosed HIV in June 98 after my Fiancée at the time fell really ill... and it transpired that she had full blown Aids. Unfortunately at the time she was also pregnant {something I don't want to dwell on too much here.}
My current status with the virus is not too bad. My Cd4 count is over 300 above the danger level and my viral load has come down slightly. So my natural immune system is still fighting for me. The only real noticable change due to the illness in the last year or so is chronic wieght loss.
Although I have had a few scares over the years with my health, I don't dwell on the Virus too much. I live each day as it comes and try to be the best person I can.
I am heavily involved in roleplay in real life as well: L.A.R.P {Live action roleplay} and tabletop roleplay both as a player and a storyteller.
My main influences in roleplay is World of Darkness, but like most players of my age I broke my teeth on both RuneQuest and Advanced Dungeon and Dragons II. I am an Alternative Goth {Cyber Goth}. My music influences span Marilyn Manson, MurderDolls to Gun n Roses, Metallica right over to the spectrum of EBM and Trance.
I have just recently began working on a book that coincides with the roleplay I have linked to the hood. My book is in the very early stages of work. In fact I have only just finished the first chapter. It is all about a vampire clan/family called the Dubchroi clan aka Blackhearts. The first book in the Chronicle will concentrate mainly on a vampire by the name of Nyasinth, who I happen to play in the rpg. The following books will concentrate on the other Dubhcrois. Some will be played by me, the others by friends, who have given me permission to use them as characters in my book.
Once I have finished the Dubhcrois and brought them up to the present day in the rpg settings, I will concentrate my efforts on some other clan or race from the rpg. As you can see, this venture is still in the early stages and this is my first real effort in writing books. I thank Gaia that I have four good muses, otherwise I don't think I would be able to achieve what I am trying to do.
Other interests involve Xtreme sports, Motorbikes-especially Kawasaki Ninjas in the color of purple. Although I would not turn my nose up at a F1, fireblade or a Hyabusa.
I am also a practicing Druid.
CVN: How has becoming a Druid affected your life?
How has becoming a Druid affected my life?;
That is a good question. Again one that could hold a multitude of answers. Being a Druid does not have an overall effect on anyone's way of life, I do not believe. Although I have no doubt in my mind that other Druids out there would disagree with this. That is fine as I understand that each person has to walk the path of their life and interpret the questions and problems that they face. As
well as come up with their own solutions to these problems. On that point it would only be logical to see that not all Druids will follow the same Ethos.
Druidism is not the same as main stream religions. We do not worship a single diety or dieties. Nor do we worship a God.
We worship the land, the Universe, the creatures. Generally we worship nature. {Gaia} We do not wish violence on others, but we will use it to protect ourselves and those we love.
We are not vegetarian or anything silly like that and we will kill animals to eat and even have been known to sacrifice animals, which I will do myself if I am out in the mountains and need to hunt in order to eat. I do not look at this in the morose way like you sometimes see on TV or in the movies. When I or we sacrifice an animal to Gaia it is like this: we will catch a Rabbit prepare it cook it and eat the meat. The rest of the creature will then be ritually buried and offered back to Gaia. This way we are replacing what we have stolen from the land and from Nature. We treat it with respect, while meeting our needs.
Unfortunately the main stream religions have blown our sacrifices all out of proportion just to make them look evil, so they can demolish the Pagan Faiths, the category my faith falls under.
I have only one thing to say to those who do follow christianity or any one of those other faiths that supress other beliefs: How can you say that your religion is the only Religion? Your ancestors are ones that made it. They made it from the pagan way of life and set of beliefs that can be dated back 1000s of years before any of the Religions people follow to this day?
Then we can look at all the major events in the christian church like easter and christmas for example. All are major events in the Pagan Calender. If our beliefs are so wrong then why do the christian faiths hang so much onto pagan festivities?
Anyway I am getting sidetracked again, Druidism, the path that I follow, believes that nothing that you do on your path of life is either right or wrong as long as you gain some of life's knowledge from it. {That doesn't mean I can go out and murder my brother}
Druidism means this: if I am faced with an obstacle in my life's journey I need to find a solution to my problem. I have 3 options: ignore it, mend it, or deal with it. Get past it somehow.
Only one of these is obviously correct, although which one, at which time! All are as good as the other at the end of the day for different problems. The answer? There is no wrong or right answer, as long as you learn from your exerience and use that knowledge when you face something similar later on in life. If not, then you learned nothing the first time round and need to follow that path in your life a little longer before advancing to any next step.
jdb: It is not appropriate to wear my news name, CVN, and answer. As a believing Christian I can give, must give an answer. History shows us that paganism was popular and the people liked the festivals, the panoply of all those gods and goddesses and were seeking banswers. Many rulers, priests and others did evil in their religion's name then. Not much has changed in that. It still happens. Having been converted, the early leaders of the church banned paganism-often by sword-then adapted the pagan holidays and placed other religious holidays in an effort to supress paganism. Christians today believe that Jesus Christ is the only pathway to heaven and salvation. We believe that the gift is free from God through Christ for the sincere asking (praying). I do not condemn. I sometimes wonder and have my doubts too. We are all seeking Truth with that capital T! I suspect we will all find out more when we die. Let's move on-or we can continue this with a forum discussion elsewhere *grin*
CVN: What makes Cybertown special for you?
What isn't there to like about Cybertown apart from the obligatory snert? I like everything: the atmosphere, the friendships that have come from being here, the myriad of diferences between the people here and all the interests that they have. I have learned more from ct than I have ever learned from life and education. I spend anything from 15 hrs to 30 hrs in a week in CT apart from hospital and stuff then it could be as little as 5 hours a week.
CVN thanks Goreblade for this interview and all the time and effort such stories involve. We wish him the best of luck with all his plans.
What Do You Think?
Please let us know your thoughts on this interview and whether you would like to see more of them! Send your comments to jdb_educator You can , of course, inbox me in Cybertown.
