User:DruidX

DruidX [more commonly known as 'Dru'], after having been intensely active for almost two years during which time she gained the nickname 'm00m4 Dru', has all but vanished from the forums, having been sucked into the Real World by something known as a Life including it's deadly additions: Work and a Mortgage. Occasionally, mostly during NaNoWriMo, she comes back as an avoidance technique from writing.

She currently lives in Dorset, UK, is married to Darkliquid and likes writing, coffee, internet radio and long lie-ins.

DruidX was the top poster of the year in 2004, with 2784 posts.

Articles she has written for spacefem

DruidX's answers to frequently asked questions

You can also find out more from DruidX's forum profile.

What is the origin of your username?

My 'official' title is Druid of the Children of the X.

The name was created while I was at my first Guide camp as a Guide, so I guess I'd be about 12 then. A lot of my patrol where very into the X files, and joking around like kids do, we decided we were all so obssesed, we'd become the 'Children of the X'. I own a huge poncho style camp blanket and one night we were sat by the camp fire, when I walked up with my arms in the 'sleeves' of my poncho and someone yelled out 'all hail the druid!' So when I got home I had my brother write it on my blanket so I'd never forget.

Years later, I was at another camp and someone asked me what the 'Druid of the X' on the back of it meant so the whole story came out again. It was around that time, as well, that my family got online, and I was searching for a handle for my first e-mail account, when my brother suggested it. And I have been DruidX ever since.

How did you get to spacefem.com?

It was while I was at Uni, back in 2002, that I first stumbled across spacefem in a search for XMMS skins for my newly installed Linux box. Foolishly, at that time, I never noticed the forums. Had I done so, I might have stayed at Uni, instead of wasting the last four years of my life. But 'twas not to be. Some time later, again in search of XMMS skins [having lost them previously] I found spacefem again. This time I stayed a while longer and checked out the rest of the site. Again, however, I still didn't find the forums [yes, I was very dense]. It was that last final time, that I actually noticed the forums, and from then on, I was hooked. I have never looked back since

Where is your user pic from, and what does it mean to you?

I made this avatar myself, because I couldn't find anything I liked. I think this avatar is a good reflection of me.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

My choices chop and change all the time. At various times in my life I have wated to be: A nurse; a hairdresser; a marine biologist; a meterologist; a re-enacter; a singer; a librarian; a shop owner; employed by Costa; a horse rider; proffesional game player; a historian; an archavist; a conservationist; employed by the Forrestry Commistion; a blacksmith... The list goes on.

What general things should we know about you?

I still haven't decided what to do with my life. I don't want to be a responsible adult.

I like a lot of different music, but right now anime music is my favouirte. I also have some odd tastes, such as electric folk [Steeleye Span], medieval [Medival Babes] and cheesy dance pop [Aqua].

I dislike wearing make-up, but I do like dressing up and going out, even if it's just to the pub or cinima. I like drinking. I like real ales, but beacuse of allergies, I can't drink that anymore. I am also partically fond of spirtis, my faviourites being port, Morgan's Spiced rum and tequila [from mexico - english import stuff is not nice]. I dislike whisky and gin. A lot.

I like reading sci-fi and fantasy, but don't really get enough time for that these days. I also like reading manga and western comics. My favourite authors include Neal Asher, Terry Prattchet, Terry Goodkind and Spider Robinson.

I like using linux even thought sometimes it confuses me. I like that it's free [as in beer] and that no one is forcing me to use cirtain applications. I like the range of choice there is aviable in terms of applications. I like going to meet my local Linux User Group. I like hearing Darkliquid talk about his work, even though I don't understand most of it. I'm not a coder, though some estranged part of my mind would like to be. I would like to contribute to the Free/ Libre Open Source Software community, and to that end I came up with the idea for OpenContribution.org.

I like watching Sci-Fi, detective shows [like Bones] and soft horror on TV. Currently I'm watching Lost, Bones, NCIS, Heroes, Supernatural and The Ghost Wisperer. I also like watching anime, but I haven't really had time for that lately. My faviourte anime is Cowboy Beebop. I wouldn't really consider myself a Trekkie or a Star Wars person, but I do like some aspects of both. I think my faviourite move though is Mystery Men.

I have asthma, and severe to medium intolerances to gluten, dairy, eggs, honey, soy, some meats, cats, some dogs, other furry or feathered creatures, tree pollen and grass pollen. These variously, bring me out in a rash, out in a fit of coughing [prolonged or otherwise], make me feel sick and bloated and make me feel like I'm going to die.

I also love writing, but again, haven't been doing much lately. I've taken an correspondance course in short story writing that took me 3 years to complet. I still haven't recived my overall grade, but never got less than a B [I can't decide if this is a refelection of my talent, or of how easy the course is]. I love participating in National Novel Writing Month, and hope to carry on doing so for many years to come. I mostly write sci-fi these days, mainly about a world I created called 'the MOW Files' and two characters who live there, Asuka Rakell and Gurn Tepper.

I also quite like doing crafts, but only get inspired to do it every once in a while. I particually like decorating boxes and doing cross-stich. In my time though, I've quilled, done parchment crafts, silk painted, glass painted, glass etched, made cards, done beadwork on a loom [and those are only the one's I can recall].

Darkliquid and I have been together almost 5 years, and we've lived together for 8 months now. We still haven't set a wedding date, but I'm steaming ahead planning it anyway.

I guess, in short, you could generally say I'm a geek, but with a few interesting faccets

Edit: I also feel like I've written more than everyone else added together

How do you generally stand on political issues?

I like to think I'm quite liberal - 'an it harm none' sort of thing - but I know there is a very wide conservative streak that runs through me. I tend to support the Liberal Democrats because they haven't had a chance in power yet and I think they would do a marginally less worse job of the other two parties.

What do you feel is your greatest achievement in life?

I think I'm one of those annoying people who's never happy with what she's got or done, so I doubt I'll ever have a 'Greatest Achivment'. Ask me again when I'm 60.

Describe any animals you live with.

I don't have any ATM, but in the near future I might be getting a ferret!

What are your favorite books of all time?

<i>Calahan's Key</i> by Spider Robinson. It's the first book by spider robinson I ever read, and I loved it so much, I read it in one day, then the next day I went back and read it again. It's so funny.

<i>The Broken God</i> by David Zindell. This is the first book in </i>A Requiem for Homom Sapiens</i>. Like Dark said, it's highly profound and the most vivid and emotionally stirring book I've ever read. I would encourage everyone to get their hands on a copy.

What kinds of music do you like?

I think I have a fairly ecclectic taste in music. My main genres are: Classical, Alt Pop /Indie, Jazz, Gothic, Folk Rock, Medieval and Anime/ Game.

I also like: Ska, Punk, Rock-n-Roll, Classic and Alt Rock, Dance, TV and Movie OSTs, Big Band, Accapela/ Barber Shop Quartets, Choral/ Welsh Male Voice Choirs, Brit Pop, Cletic/ Irish, Country, Jpop, Melodic Rock/ Metal and Easy Listening.

According to <a href="http://www.last.fm/user/DruidX/">Last.FM</a>, my top ten favorite artists are:
Blackmore's Night [Gothic/ Folk Rock]
Yoko Kanno [Anime]
Jamie Cullum [Jazz]
David Newman [Movie OST - Classical]
Hans Zimmer [Movie OST - Classical]
John Williams [Movie OST - Classical]
Enya [Easy Listening/ Celtic]
Steeleye Span [Folk Rock]
Dido [Alt Pop/ Indie/ Brit Pop]

Vannesa-Mae [Classical]

What do you like/not like to wear?

I love wearing comfortable clothes that still look kinda smart. I think my favorite outfit is: Old Navy jeans that my parent's got my from the US [because they just fit], a cute geeky baby-doll tee-shirt [either the [geek][/geek] one or the caffine molecule], walking boots and tight purple roll-neck swetter.

I think I have a very definate style that's slightly urban, slightly bohemian, all comfortable I don't think I'd like to wear anything that was too flashy or too 'fashion-y'

EDIT: The Old Navy Jeans have sucummbed to the final sleep. They are, very unfortunatly, unsalvigable

What is your gender?

Sex: female. Gender: female. Sexuality: Engaged to a male, but still bi-curious
EDIT: [b]Married to a male[/b]. Still bi-curious

list every job you've ever had, in any particular order

Institute of Terrestrial Ecology - Reaserch Assistant [Unpaid - work experience]

Local Free Paper - Paper Girl
Lush Cosmetics - Balistics Mould Washer/ Packer
Arne Conservation Group - Rhododendron Basher [unpaid]
Council Adult Social Services Provider - Clerk
Church Coffee Shop - Serving Person/ Dishwasher User/ General Helper [unpaid]
Mercom - Laptop/ Motherboard Repair Technician
Honeywell Analytics - Assembly Operator
DowsMeUp.com [E-Zine for students, now dead] - Advice Columist [unpaid]
Council Transport Services - School Crossing Patrol
Street Theater Production - Usher [unpaid]
Millets - Sales Person

Millets - Supervisor

What are your nicknames (on this forum, or in real life)?

I've been called auwa or Laurii [said in a cutsy tone] by a couple of freinds, but mostly I'm just Dru, on here and elsewhere in cyberspace. A couple of people call me in IRL too, but not so much. One mate always calls me DX when he sends me text messages. Oh I had someone call me Mulan before, but only for one day.