[Mekashef]

Name: Etienne Domingue
Age: 22
Place of Living: Sherbrooke.
Occupation: Student, Singer/songwriter.

What are your hobbies?
I don't usually think of myself as someone with hobbies -- I like to do a lot of things, often many of them simultaneously. Moreover, I'm becoming increasingly aware in recent years that everything we do can relate in some way to our bigger plans in life. In this sense I think it's possible to be dedicated without being obsessed; it's possible to practice a number of different disciplines all going in the same general direction.

Though in my case I'm not always sure what that direction is! I like to sing, of course -- to write poetry & music. To find inspiration I like to listen to music & read poetry in both French (my native language) & English. Poetry naturally extends into prose, as the boundaries between the two become extremely blurry after a certain point in literary history. & then I like to draw, mostly for the purpose of Poetic Terrorism, by which I mean: my effort to make existence a little less predictable.

Do you consider yourself 'down to earth' or more a type of philosopher? Philosophy seems a type of hobby of yours, even though you didn't mention it as one :)
To be honest I'd have to say I'm prone to philosophy on the rather abstract, metaphysical plane. Philosophy is very much a part of my life; I went to a Liberal Arts college & they really hammered it into us -- the skepticism, the tendency to analyze everything in syllogistic form... :P

How did you end up on Elftown?
My friends [Ilana],[taste the rainbow, punk]& [~Lady Morgana~] had all been on Elftown for some time before I first heard about it. I was already familiar with Elfwood, having discovered many amazing artists on there. So when my friends started talking about an online community somehow connected to Elfwood, they really piqued my curiosity & I had to try it. Before long I had had tons of challenging conversations with many interesting people.

What do you like most about fantasy: writing, images, reading etc.
When it comes to strict, orthodox "high-fantasy," I'd say I like the graphic art the best. Fantasy is a bit of an umbrella term though -- & I do read quite a bit of fiction which has been labeled "fantasy." I like fantasy stories that don't try to preach, as it were; stories that don't explain away the dragons without necessarily forcing you to believe in them. My favourite authors in this respect are H.P. Lovecraft & Neil Gaiman, for their matter-of-fact approach to the paranormal which really touches base with the Sublime. If I could write like that, I would -- but mostly I just try to keep the same kind of notions in mind when I compose.

[Mekashef] tells about his day:
(...) In the evening, I went to a festival, a sort of multi-cultural fair. I bought a minute Buddha carving, & ate some excellent churros.

Aren't you supposed to get a Buddha as a gift, without asking for it? :p
I didn't know about Buddhas having to be a gift. I do collect them. In fact, I collect deities, demi-gods, saints & other supernatural entitites. My collection is my pride & joy, & growing constantly.

If a buddha is given to you without you asking for it, it brings good luck ^^
I've got a tiny collection of things that are related to several religions. But I haven't found something yet that I can fully go for :)
How about you?
I don't really have any specific form of religiosity myself. I try to believe in everything. I am a walking heresy, in this respect. My "altar" -- the desk where I keep my collection -- is a testimony to my ecclectic taste. It has many Buddhas, a few traditional Chinese gods & beasts, as well as the Greek Asclepios & Athena, Vishnu, Ganesh, & some gargoyles. I'm looking into integrating Christian saints, as well as more feminine entities.
I think religion has much to offer, but there is also a great deal of foolishness there. I think that is partly why I have never really committed myself to any particular sect. I suppose that if anyone were to put a label on me, Noachide would fit, though perhaps a bit awkwardly. I find that simply believing -- in the wonders of the world & in the magic of all things -- makes sense of most things, & in this sense I don't think that any greater committment is necessary.

What is Noachide?
A Noachide can be many things. In the broadest sense, it is someone who believes in the One G-D. The notion comes from Judaism; according to certain interpretations of Genesis, the covenant between G-D & Noah (where the term "Noachide" comes from) is binding for all mortals, that is: Jews & Goyim alike. That covenant entails belief in the One G-D, & some basic moral principles which are generally deemed universal.

But you don't believe in Judaism? :)
I believe in Judaism to some extent, to the same extent that I believe all religions are attempts to reconcile ourselves with ourselves, & with the universe which is often our enemy.

You don't prefer it in some way?
I do prefer Judaism to some other religions that I have studied -- indeed, of all the traditions I have studied, Judaism probably the one I like the most, especially for the mystical side. However, I am not willing to concede it is the only religion.

What does the mystical side of it entail? :)
Mystical Judaism, or Kabalah, is extremely complex. I couldn't possibly summarize it in a few words; in any case, that really wouldn't do as I am neither a Rabbi nor an expert scholar. I like how it is very... comprehensive. Jewish mysticism is more than a branch of Judaism -- it is a philosophical school which has a very broad perspective, & defines attitudes towards diverse topics such as linguistics, phenomenology & even the place of religion in society.

I was wondering, why you are able to write in Hebrew? It intruiged me when I saw your house the first time :)
I took some Biblical Hebrew courses at school, but my knowledge of the language is actually quite limited. I can read the Masoretic script (Biblical Hebrew with diacritic indications for pronounciation) but only very slowly, & even with a dictionary my understanding is rather fragmentary.

Otherwise I know a few snippets of conversational Hebrew. I wish we had a Modern Hebrew teacher at my university. Biblical Hebrew is much too archaic to apply to every day situations.

How were the graphics/pictures on your house made?
I draw all my preliminary sketches in pencil -- & then, because I'm an extremely messy person, I trace them using a lightbox. Then comes the scanning part when I'm really serious about getting a piece online. I've only recently started inking anything. My drawing style is extremely simplistic, even rather minimalistic. I did go to a Fine Arts high school, & I did spend hours learning all about proportions, perspective & shading -- but I'm not a genuine artist in that I have no inclination to take those things seriously. I also like to reproduce my art to share with the world, & use rather primitive technology in order to do so.

How often do you update your house?
Whenever I have a new piece to show, which is every week or so, sometimes more often, sometimes less.

What is it you do mostly on Elftown? (chat/build/wiki’s etc.)
Seriously? Check out people at random, & keep a close watch on my friends' houses. It's fascinating what people write on there: every house is alive with the personality of its owner. Sometimes it's not pretty at all, & it does make me wonder about the fate of civilization (or that of the English language). Every now & then, however, I stumble upon a genuine gem.

I am presently making my first image-intensive wiki. It's a lot of fun! It's a work in progress: HaMekashef's Petting Zoo.

The interview covers several days through several messages, this is [Mekashef]'s intruiging answer when I asked how he was doing this day:
I think I am doing well, however I do have this curse... Every Wednesday night something horrible happens & utterly ruins my mood. That's why I've taken refuge in this cozy little town for the evening. Hopefully Shabriri will leave me alone.

Is there a particular thing you like about Elftown, such as a specific wiki?
I like the fact that most people don't feel afraid of communicating with others regardless of the issue. I find it is impossible to be intimidating on Elftown. I wish that paranoid teenagers could get that into their heads: nobody is after your friends, so you don't have to threaten us. Either way, nobody is scared.

More concretely, I like some of the most eccentric wikis. I've been secretly stalking the White Rabbit Society, & I've recently discovered the wscfbs.

Is there a member whose house you really like yourself? Why do you like that house?
[~Lady Morgana~] always has gorgeous pictures of her own magnificient self on her House, & everything is always very neatly presented.

Have any critique/comments/suggestions/admiration etc. on a specific Elftown matter?
The wiki/Heddate format is, in my opinion, one of the most promising discoveries in the communications world since the Internet. I hope the world learns to treat it with more respect & use it to the full of its potential.

What is your message to all Elftowners?
I think it should be: don't be afraid to be authentic. I don't mean purposefully strange -- it is my sincere belief that anyone who deems himself misunderstood has probably very poor communication skills -- but be what you want to be within the limitations of what's possible. If everyone were to behave for the sake of their own ideals & intuitions instead of constantly following inept protocols, the world would be a better place. It sounds preachy & out of place, I know -- but I think on Elftown people affirm themselves, & in a sense I wish this were more the case in "real" life.

Can HaMekashef's Secrets be used for your interviewfeature? =)
Why, certainly.

Last:
Which picture of you can be used for Mainstreet?
Oh dear... I'm not exceedingly fond of photographs of myself. On doppelganger pictures there are many pictures of me singing with my band (I'm the one with the long hair & beard, dressed in black). Any one of those could be used. If none of those serve your purposes well, I can certainly hunt down some newer, better ones.



Credits
The interview with [Mekashef] was done by [Sunrose] and
edited into the mainstreet story by [Patri].
We would like to thank [Mekashef] for allowing us to interview and feature him!