First question. What's your name?
Eric. I like to tell everyone I was named after The Phantom of the Opera, rather than admiting my parents named me after Eric Clapton. :P

What are you currently up to? (School, work, play, etc.)
Currently failing college for the sake of Christ! lol jk, jk. I help actively in college ministry right now, and that along with my writings and personal studies, and activism in the community, I tend to not always leave time for school...



Tell us a little more about your ministry activity.
Well, after I found Christ while in high school(I came from a rather atheistic household), I was faced with what just about every modern man faces; the sheer hypocracy of the Church. But instead of giving up the faith in fear of being assoicated with fools and go back to Atheism, I resolved to strive to be that Christian that actually loves his neighbor and enemy.

So in college I joined a minsitry run by an ex-Marine and ex-drug addict that used to raid brothels in Mexico to fight the sex trade once he found Christ. We get together as friends and study scripture, and help out in the community. For a personal insterest, I'm also a fatherhood mentor volunteering at my local pregnancy care center to help prepare young dads in crisis to become respective and true fathers.

Tell us more about your writing.
I knew I wanted to be a writer, ever since I read The Hobbit in 4th grade. I didn't start until I was 14, writing fairy tales, poems, and tragedies. Since college, a lot of my poetry and wiritng I draw influences from the poetry of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, JRR Tolkien, and theology, but I actually draw a lot of inspiration for poetry from musical composers. When I'm at a deadend I'll read the lives of Wagner, Liszt, or Beethoven; though I can't play anything I love reading about musical theory, elements, and scores and a lot of my poems I try crafting in musical styles.

What do you like to do on Elftown?
I wish I could say I was as active as I was since 2004, but now I spend most of the time I get on hear just occassionally posting my poems and reading others', and randomly messaging people that happen to be from places I hold deep in my heart (like Romania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Lithuania, etc.,) with a million questions about their home, and reading [The Penguin Who Could Fly]'s diary like a devouted creep. :D

Any other favourite members here? (:
[kulianne], [Zacky Stardust], [cheybaby] and I go way, way back as some of the first and closest friends I ever made on here. [Consciously Unconscious] is the closest friend I have here now and is one heck of a good person to chat with. And [Manda Perfect Starlight] is one of the sweetest girls I'll ever know. :)

What's your favourite thing about the site?
Simply the beautiful fact that it exists. I kinda owe a lot to this site, if I don't sound over-dramatic. Let's just say I joined Elftown when I was a troubled, wee little 12-year-old lad, and ET was kinda the first ever community I felt a part of, and it was here that I grew so many strong relationships across the globe that helped me become who I am today. (that may sound exagerative. But hey, then again that may be your story, too.)

Do you have any suggestions on how to make it better?
To be quite honest, not really. I've enjoyed Elftown the way it is for years, and everything I fell in love with here has always been here. I'm just grateful [Hedda] and the others put this site together.


Now's your chance! What's your message to all your fellow Et-ers?
Live what your heart tells you is true, and stand for what you believe. You can't judge truth by the opinions of the masses, and you can't judge faith by it either. Faith and Truth go far greater together than the world likes to think. Jesus Christ and Socrates preached almost the same message. If you stand up for what you believe, trust me you'll find yourself just as offensive as either one.

And last but not least, what are two pictures of you we can use for your feature on Mainstreet?