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Interview with Deb Plantagenet
Interviewed by LA Judge
This month long time VC Associate member Deborah Plantagenet shares her own personal insights with VC Magazine readers. While remaining a bit of mystery to those on the VC general e-list, Deb willingly shares her wealth of experience one-on-one and is never afraid to tell it like it is when needed.
LA: Greetings Deb - and thank you for being Miss December.
Deb: thank you for having me here.
LA: please tell the VC Magazine readers a bit about yourself.
Deb: Oh my. I'm a sanguine vampire. I can make do with psy, but after that it's all pretty much a desperate grab and being constantly low. I'm a grandmother, belly dancer, pagan, make jewelry, and I'm into historical re-creation. I also sew...and I can’t think of anything else
LA: You have been a VC member for quite a number of years, almost since its inception
Over all this time what do you find it is that keeps you here?
Deb: A few, yeah...there were also times when I was out of it for one reason or another. I think it's the basic premise, the idea of 'safe space' as well as informative place. I've also made some wonderful friends here over the years.
LA: That it is - the VC is one the few place that is spam / ad free these days and many folks make some life long friends here.
Deb: Well, I mean safe as in a safe place for a vampire to be just that and not have to hide.
LA: Although you have been a member here for so long, you also one of the VC Associate members that choose not to participate in the general e-list. Why is that?
Deb: For one thing the sheer volume of mail can be a lot to deal with. For another, there got to be too much drama. And I am not good with 'people'.
LA: That is understandable - often the new folks there get into much drama on minor topics - they miss the fact that discussion is the key.
Deb: Yeah.
LA: One of the ways you do assist folks is responding one on one - that is appreciated.
Deb: Thanks, I try and help where I think I can be of use, and I'm a lot better dealing with one single person.
LA: You are sanguinary - but without a regular donor - that must be rough.
Deb: Yeah. It....sucks. I wind up having to travel but there's not much else I can do
LA: Travel?
Deb: I do have one on the other end of the state...but it's a 12 hour drive or a $250 plane ticket to visit.
LA: Yikes! So how do you supplement your energy needs?
Deb: Well, I eat too much, I oversleep...and when I’m really, really low as I drive by, the streetlights will go out. Somehow, I seem to be able to unconsciously 'eat' electricity...go figure.
LA: Ok you brought up several very good points here. The food / low energy connection is one
Deb: Hungry vamp is not a happy vamp. Oh, I get sick, too.
LA: Many folks affected with vampirism confuse the bodily need for energy with the need for food - it is as if they are always hungry.
Deb: Well, it does lift your energy. Not the right way, of course
LA: There has been some studies that link low energy with over eating. Does it work for you like getting a sugar rush?
Deb: No, just makes it so I can concentrate a bit better.
LA: So it adds a level of focus?
Deb: Probably by bringing my blood sugar up a bit, I'm not sure.
LA: Hum interesting. Are there any other energy sources that you supplement with - I mean you live around many elemental sources - does that help?
Deb: Not a lot, no. Sorry, I know it's supposed to. Basically, I can keep going...but it isn't great.
LA: Being sanguinary is one of the hardest forms of an energy source - what advice do you have for others in that regard?
Deb: live in a city! Being in the boonies and a sang is the pits.
LA: Lol - yea a closer donor would definitely help I suppose.
Deb:I keep trying to move, but this year new Orleans got hit awfully hard, and my friend there hasn't got a place for me really and I just don't know where to go.
LA: As far as those "boonies' go - you are very removed from others affected with vampirism - how you do it as the lone vamp in a small town ?
Deb: Well, I have a few friends who know what I am, so they're supportive, other than that, I talk to other vampires online, and hang in there till I can spend a few days with my donor. You can get used to about anything, and learn to live with whatever you have to as long as it's not immediately life threatening.
LA: You are a mother and grandmother - is your family supportive of your vampirism?
Deb: My youngest daughter knows, none of the rest. She'd the cool one. Most of my family don't even know I’m a witch. And they won't talk about my donor...they are nice to him to his face, but horrified that we sleep together.
LA: Ah - then you are like many that cannot tell even other family members.
Deb: Yep.
LA: Do you feel it is their own misunderstand of what vampirism is really about - or something else that gets in the way? They are church every Sunday types.
Deb: Don't ask, don't tell...they'd think I was just completely off my rocker. I am, of course, but that’s beside the point!
LA: Lol - well we know you better that that here thank goodness.
Deb: Thanks
LA: you have many creative talents and are one of the contributing members to VC Magazine. How do you see your works there assisting the community?
Deb: Oh wow...I don't know, I guess by trying to show that I'm...harmless? normal? And that vampirism and therefore other vampires aren't necessarily dismal and Goth?
LA: All good ways.
Deb: That it's ok, and you can live your life, and live it in this world. I'm not sure that made a lot of sense.
LA: It does in that Zen kind of way. A couple years ago you wrote a hard reality check of an article called “No, Virginia, that's an old drunk in longjohns” …
Deb: Yeah…
LA: It put things in a very real perspective - talk about that if you would. That article is a classic.
Deb: Wrote that in response to all the people buying into such...tabloid craziness! I mean, my gods! there are so many vampires out there thinking White Wolf is REAL. That there are slayers around every corner...good grief.
LA: There always is a lot of that - people mixing reality with fiction that is
Deb: This is the same planet earth they’ve always lived on it HASN"T suddenly become TV! I worry about it, i really do. It's like the Rod Ferral mentality. You can’t just toss out reality.
LA: You are right and no wonder - that is one of the hardest things getting people to let go of the fiction.
Deb: I suppose it comes from discovering you've been badly wrong about ONE bit of 'reality' that turned out not to be and rather than going through things calmly and checking stuff out, they figure if vampires are 'real' then everything that comes with it in fiction is, too.
LA: You do some historical reenactments - how does that differ from all the fantasy that you see?
Deb: I suppose that'd be the beer and mud factors. Historical re-creation has an actual basis in fact. You KNOW there was, say, and England in 1250, and know some things about how it looked, and how people lived and you're out there in the real world, sleeping in a tent, and getting muddy..and drinking a few beers.
LA: That is a huge difference.
Deb: In fantasy fun cloudland, there is not mud.
LA: Lol that is very big difference – good point.
Deb: You don't get sunburned, the ground you're sleeping on isn’t hard, and you don't have to try and squish a hoop skirt into a port-a-pot.
LA: Oh man!
Deb: Yes, it's the difference between theatre and hallucinating.
LA: So how do you personally drag people back to reality?
Deb: Sometimes you can’t. Sometimes they think you're just being a jerk. But I try and get them to think it through.
LA: Wow again excellent points. Some are very rooted in fiction beliefs.
Deb: If that guy really is a 400-year-old vampire, then why is he so ignorant of history? Little things like that. If the ouiji board really was the key to the mysteries of the ages, don't you think everyone would use one all the time?
LA: Oh so true. So where do you see yourself in the next few years - still a VC member?
Deb: I hope so!
LA: So do I. Good to have you here.
Deb: Thanks...now I'm all blushing' an' stuff. I hope the VC is still here, and I still have a computer. And all of that.
LA: Thank you for being so candied here - a dose of reality is always needed.
Deb: Thanks. I'm afraid I'm not much good at fancy talk.
LA: Anything else you would like to add?
Deb: Good e'en, my Lady, 'twas most kind of you to allow me so much of your time. (Curtsies, trips over her skirt and falls on her nose.)
LA.: Lol - ah a classic ending. Thank you.
Deb: Medic........you're welcome.
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