No, there's not much about me here - I'm generally a very private person when it comes to Offline life, so don't expect many direct personal tidbits here.

Name: SphynxCat / SphynxCatVP

Contact Information:
-- LiveJournal: SphynxCat_News
-- Email: Use the feedback page.
-- IRC: DalNet - "SphynxCatVP" or some status indicator variant starting with "Sphynx-"

About me and my role in the online vampire community:
I am SphynxCatVP, generally just "SphynxCat" or "Sphynx" in conversation. I am over 40, and while I'm considered a community 'elder', I prefer to call myself the 'community old fart' instead because I believe "elder" is often overused. I have, however, been part of the online community since 1998, having been a channel operator in the IRC channel #sanguinarius on Dalnet pretty much since it's inception, and still am to this day. This website - which went online in 1999 - was originally an outreach of my work in the channel, as a place to put answers to topics frequently brought up in channel. Over the years it has expanded to provide differing viewpoints and information that may possibly be relevant, and I also maintain Sanguinarius' IRC pages sub-site now as well. (If you are curious, you can see Sanguinarius' comments on my contributions to her site alone over here. If you land at the top of the page, just scroll down until you see my nick.)

I tend to be very plain-speaking, and don't believe in using 3 paragraphs to say what can be said in one or two sentences. It is one of the many reasons I don't "play politics" within the community - having to read through other people's double-speak is a pain in the arse.

Several of my articles have been reposted on various websites within the community due to their usefulness, and a few have even made it into other people's printed books at this point - I'm a contributing author in both Michelle Belanger's Vampires In Their Own Words (2007), and in LadyCG's Practical Vampyrism for Modern Vampyres (2005), as well as a having a mini-review of my site appearing in the appendix of Michelle Belanger's Psychic Vampire Codex (2004) and being mentioned in Vampires Today (2009) by Joseph Laycock.

I was one of several people who provided input into the vampire section on the Religious Tolerance website, as well as providing input behind the scenes with one of the producers for the National Geographic "Taboo: Blood Rites" segment back in 2004. (National Geographic has since done at least one more vampire documentary, along with newer major documentaries by A&E, History channel, and others - we've become quite mainstream, it seems, and not being stuck next to the "psycho killer of the moment" segments anymore is a refreshing - and welcome! - change.)

While I have no formal medical training, I firmly believe that the only individual best able to maintain one's health on a day to day basis is oneself, and this can only be accomplished by reading and learning as much medical information as is practical for one's situation. (There is no law stating that you cannot LEARN medicine - only that you cannot PRACTICE medicine as a doctor or other medical practitioner without a license!) Many health issues within the vampire community are ones that I recognize as health issues that may be mitigated or eliminated with proper nutrition and health (most of these health issues have nothing to do with vampirism!) and I strive to make people aware of this, and what steps they can take to achieve this on their own.

History of the online vampire community itself
These articles will give you an overview that's valid up to approximately 2001:

Anonymous: The Vampire Community
Sanguinarius: Beginning to the Present Time
Vyrdolak: Communing With Vampires

Since 2001 there have been many things happening (for which there aren't a lot of "community history" articles written yet) - the rise and fall of lifestyler "houses" for example, the change in emphasis on a lot of sites from blooddrinking vampirism to psi/psy vampirism, changes in the sort of people to go on television, several in-person gatherings have been scheduled on a semi-regular basis, forums also went from single boards to multi-section systems (EZboard, Yuku, phpBB, etc.) caused by DiscServer (now "yourwebapps.com") essentially turning a blind eye to spammers and trolls across the entire system. Along with all the obligatory drama explosions any subculture goes through. :)

Statement of purpose:
I promote the idea that every individual should be able to think for themselves, and make up their own mind when it comes to seeking out real vampire information, without depending on organized groups. I provide medical and nutritional information - as well as the more usual fare in the community - because I also believe people need to take a wholistic view towards their health and well-being, since a healthy vampire has a much BETTER chance of keeping things under control.

This website is not designed to encourage or promote the "practice" of vampirism to anyone who is not a real vampire. However, whether you ultimately believe vampires exist or not, I recognize that some people will engage in vampire-like activity anyway, even if they shouldn't be or don't need to. I provide the information that I do so that regardless of circumstances, people can handle things safely, sanely, and responsibly.

However, anyone experiencing new health-related issues or something they consider "vampiric symptoms" should *always* see their doctor and verify that the new issues or symptoms are not related to a more mundane - and either treatable or cureable - disease or condition, or perhaps something as simple as the normal changes that accompany puberty (for the teens). Do not consider information on this site as a substitute for professional medical opinions or advice. I can research, and present the results of my research (with appropriate reference links), however I am NOT a trained medical person - there are many areas of information where trained medical staff will have better first-hand knowledge than I will ever have, just based on their experiences.

Favorite quote:
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."
-- Robert Heinlein

Worst Habit:
Expecting people to understand - and follow - the basics of 'Netiquette when online. I complain about people being idiots and trolls more often than I complain about people simply being ignorant - ignorance can be cured. I realize people have labeled me a "cranky old grouch" (or other unfit-for-polite-company words) as a result, but I don't believe it's too much to ask people to behave with decency and courtesy in public - after all, parents expect the same thing from their kids as a step towards learning to deal with other people. :) I also expect people to learn how to spell WITHOUT relying on "internet shortcuts."

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