A Conversation Between Two Community Leaders	
Written by Damien Daville & LA Judge	  
Wednesday, 14 September 2011 13:03
A Conversation Between Two Community Elders

So what happens when the Vampire Church founder & the VC Administrator by chance meet up in the VC chat room over virtual beers?

A no holds barred conversation ensues reminiscing about the past and the state of the community. I am sure a few heads will spin and egos will be bruised ….

but such as it is.

~

Damien = Damien Daville – Owner and Founder of the Vampire Church. Damien has been in the vampire communities since the early 1970’s and founded the Vampire Church online in 1994.

nodecaf = LA. Judge – Vampire Church Administrator. LA has been in the vampire communities since the mid 1970’s and has spent 10 years online with the VC.

nodecaf: You mean there are two of the better brains in the vampire community sitting in this room & no one wants to drop in and ask questions?

Damien: Apparently so…imagine that. It seems to be the norm on any given night.

nodecaf: Sad really.

Damien: Yes, given the number of registered members here.

nodecaf: - true. That I do not understand - why become a member if you do not participate?

Damien: It has been this way the whole time I have been doing this online.

nodecaf: Sad again.

Damien: I figure the site is informational more than anything else now.

nodecaf: You have given half your life to help making the online vampire community a reality.

Damien: Humm…yes it would seem that way. Add in some funds and I have had a swinging time of it. Wonder what I am even doing in here right now?

nodecaf: And instead of interacting in a community things are as static as an old BBS.

Damien: I suppose it is my chat room, since I set it up. So I should show up sometime. We have the technology, and people don’t use it.

nodecaf: Ya would think a few more of the 1600+ members would use it.

Damien: One would think, maybe I just have too much time on my hands…been on Facebook and here maintaining this site.

nodecaf: Sometimes that pisses me off - I cannot imagine what you feel.

Damien: I used to wonder where did I find the time? Now I am at my age thinking I don't care anymore.

nodecaf: To me it not time – it’s a matter of priority.

Damien: Yes…true there.

nodecaf: Do you think it is because many only "play" vampire & do not have the real energy need?

Damien: I have come to the conclusion that people like to "join" things, but do little more…the majority that is. And also true to a degree on your statement.

nodecaf: From what I see you are right. Man, when I was a vamp "kid" the info was not there - what I would have given for a place like the VC.

Damien: Amen there…same here. I had no idea what was going on energy wise when I was young.

nodecaf: That is part of what makes the VC so special to me.

Damien: And me as well. I have learned a lot from people who have passed through here.

nodecaf: I would have loved to have sat & picked an elders brain for an hour.

Damien: Same here. Little did I know why I liked emotional energy when I was a kid.

nodecaf: It would have saved me years of aggravation.

Damien: Go along with that.

nodecaf: I remember when I first came here - someone came to you upset because I could use negative energy.

Damien: Well...wasn't the first time for someone being upset with another…so much for egos.

nodecaf: They just had such a limited view of how energy could be used

Damien: Yep. Helps to open the mind, but I had experience in it, so I knew.

nodecaf: That is what I mean- the person had no experience – you, the elder in the community had the knowledge - it was experience speaking.

Damien: Well, I would like to think experience won out there, and not the bias.

nodecaf: That is what I do not get about folks now - they want to claim the knowledge without the experience.

Damien: It is just ego. To be “important” and I know more than you…makes ego feel “important”.

nodecaf: And you may be right – ego.

nodecaf: Have one from me.

Damien: Thank you, I am in the mood for another.

nodecaf: (lagging here)

Damien: Lol, haven't heard that term in a long time.

nodecaf: Lol - okay I guess I am showing my age.

Damien: Not what I meant. I just know I now feel mine.

nodecaf: I know what you meant - and yeah it is an older term - like k-line.

Damien: People like feeling important, not that I understand it.

nodecaf: Yeah, you have never promoted yourself - and I know you have had the opportunity.

Damien: I never saw a reason to, but I learned from the hate of other people who thought they should have that. Interesting experience for me.

nodecaf: It always seemed to me that hate was a battle for the biggest ego - gawd there was sooo much of that in the community from like 1995 to 2005 or so. There is still some. You were on kind of the front line of that - I only took minor heat.

Damien: Yes, exactly. I took a lot of BS and crap as founder of one of the largest groups on the subject.

nodecaf: I do not know how you did it or why you stayed. I mean some idiot even dedicated a website just to hating you.

Damien: Don't know why I did either, almost didn't. At first I didn't understand where that energy came from. Why would I subjugate myself to that? Never again.

nodecaf: Well I think the community is darn lucky you stayed. Did you every understand that hate? It was so deep & for no reason.

Damien: Not completely, I think when I rejected the fantasy concept and some of the lifestyle concept of vampirism, that was a part of it.

nodecaf: Yeah I understand that. I have taken my lumps on that one too. People want to play dress-up & Hollyweird Fangsmiths & fiction writers that claim to be “real” vamps do not help the issue.

Damien: Yes interestingly they do. I just don't get it. Maybe it is the glamour of the books and the movies that do it. Also it is an attention getter for those who need that.

nodecaf: I always think it was funny they teamed up. You knew one, I knew the other. In both cases the real offline community kept them away. They were not real - so they invented a fantasy world & folks bought it. PT Barnum said there is one born every minute.

Damien: They invented their own offline world, so true.

nodecaf: So sad - it was all based on a game & a fictional book.

Damien: Yeah, and books from people like Anne Rice, I cannot count how many times she was brought up in the early days. That was their world.

nodecaf: I used to wish there was no games, books or movies. Can you imagine?

Damien: And that would have made no difference on my life.

nodecaf: You are right about Rice - half the guys used to claim their “real” name was Lestat.

Damien: Yep, and the gals would claim Akasha.

nodecaf: The fact that you used your real name to me was just amazing - no fantasy - just reality.

Damien: Yes, imagine that.

nodecaf: When you asked me to join this community I thought long & hard about the real name issue. I knew people would give me BS - but reality won out. There was already too much fiction.

Damien: Yes indeed, and I thank you for being there all these years.

nodecaf: You are most welcome. It’s been hard sometimes - but worth it. I figure I am here because I am standing on the shoulders of elders that came before me in the community, 30-40 years ago. I need to make sure reality is passed on & I give back to the community.

Damien: And that you have done.

nodecaf: Well, with a LOT of help & resources from you - thank you.

Damien: Glad I could help, you have given back a lot that helped my efforts.

nodecaf: I am just always amazed at what you have done & continue to do. Cheers.

Damien: Thank you, and cheers to you.