Athon Xen ~ born from disgust with the hypocracy of religion and all that breeds hate and loathing, insanity and fear.
WARNING: I can be very irrereverant and a sarcastic prick at times. Please try not to take it personally. I find many of the topics up for conversation here very enjoyable and informative, but...I will call bullshit bullshit as I see it. Life is too short too get my blood pressure elevated over egos and silliness. VR is fun. Let's keep it that way. Peace...now on to the profile.
Biography:
I've been a musician for about 20 years and during this time I was a Paramedic for 10 of them and a Navy Combat Corpsman (USNR/FMF) for four of the ten as well. I've witnessed the passing of life, the taking of a last breath and the final beat of a heart more times than I care to remember. I have also kept death at bay for some to live another day. I have helped bring a life into the world and I have seen, smelled and touched the aftermath of the WTC attacks. I am not a sad or bitter soul. I love life and the people that I share it with. I have learned to live in the moment, pause and take a mental snap shot and reflect. When I reach my final moments I will reflect without regret. That is my goal.
So, I raise my children with honesty, reality and information. I own my actions and accept the consequences and I wish for people to do the same.
I listen to everything including Classical, Jazz Fusion, Rock and Metal. I was influenced by Yngwie Mamlsteen and his clones in the 80's. I am also an artist working on a dual degree. I love meeting new and interesting people and networking with other artists and musicians.
Music:
I recorded a full length CD with my band in 2004 and did some cool stuff because of it: played Hollywood, CA for 2 weeks including The Cat Club, The Joint, Club Vodka (@ Club 7969) and the Whiskey A Go-go, supported a national active rock radio campaign, which has always been a dream of mine. The first track from the CD got some airplay nationwide from a national active rock radio campaign we did with Howard Rosen (Former VP of Casablanca Records, Promoter for Hoobastank & The Killers) and ended up in a regular rotation on XM Satellite Radio the last three quarters of 2005. I didn't have a clue until I received my first royalty check from BMI.
I like it here...In the warmth of embracing darkness...
Required reading:
Vampires, The Occult Truth (Konstantinos) - good info on vamps and vampire myths.
Sanguinomicon (Fr. Sebstiaan)
Drawing Down The Moon (Adler)
Background image © A. Xen 2007.
Miscellaneous:
Ratings - I rate based on how much I learn about the person from the content of the profile.
Dislikes - Poor use of the English language. It's 21st century please use spell check. Yes I know we all make random typos. I can't stand IM slang and straight up illiteracy.
3 Senseless Sins
Dogmatism
Through some twist of fate, western society has come to regard dogmatic faith as a virtue. To hold an idea as true despite all evidence to the contrary is an abdication of reason. Convictions are the end of knowledge, not the beginning; they are the enemy of truth more than lies.
Apathy
There can be no logical argument against apathy. If you don't care about anything then that is pretty much the end of the story. If you don't care about leading a meaningless life, then surely apathy is the key.
Hypocrisy
Our beliefs are expressed through our behaviour, most explicitly through speech acts (e.g. "It's going to rain tomorrow."), but they also underlay every action we commit. When our actions reflect inconsistent beliefs we are guilty of hypocrisy. Although unavoidable to some extent (there is simply not enough time to consciously check each action and its consequences against every belief before executing it), every effort should be made to avoid major inconsistencies because they undermine our values, goals and plans. Often hypocrisy goes unnoticed because the connections between beliefs and actions are subtle. How many of us would denounce animal testing yet at the same time not think twice about taking medicine? That is why we must constantly examine and re-evaluate our behaviour and the beliefs it reflects.
The 3 Virian Virtues
Reason
No other system of thought in history has proven more effective. If truth is the goal, rationality is the way. A good Virion will endeavor to hold a consistent set of beliefs and act in accordance with those beliefs. Think critically, act rationally.
Empathy
If anything, the ability to see from another's perspective is what sets humans apart from the rest of the animals. It is the basis of many of the qualities that we hold in highest regard: kindness, charity, mercy, welfare, forgiveness. Far from being irrational, empathy confers a distinct advantage in any social situation. It provides a foundation for promises, contracts, and deals. To a large extent it is the glue that binds society.
Vision
Vision is the name I give to the quality of possessing a perspective that goes well beyond the individual in terms of space and time. All too often people make perfectly rational decisions which turn out to be bad because they were framed with too limited a scope. They fail to consider the real consequences (meaning) of their actions.
(©Church of Virus)
Other stuff:
I'm a card carrying member of the NRA.
I'm happily married and have two beautiful daughters.
I have a boxer and three frikkin' cats.
I'd rather be camping or fishing or shooting stuff.
I don't hunt. I eat what I catch. I would hunt if I needed to for survival.
I enjoy fine wine, imported beer and Kentucky bourbon.
I love Sushi and Sashimi.
I'm usually lurking.
Favorite new word: Feckin...It's Irish ya filthy bastards!
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