• Name ;; Song // Peyton
  
  
• Age ;; 17
  
  
• Gender ;; female
  
  
• Strengths ;;
  
  
  
  • Perfectionist ;; I refuse to stop working on a project until I'm satisfied with the end result. I set high standards for myself and expect myself to meet (or exceed) them. I ask for opinions from others on what I've written or created so that I know what I can improve on. Both compliments and constructive criticism are great motivators for me.
  
  
  • Social ;; I enjoy being an active part on the site, from messaging others about plots or shared interests to joining open threads to being present in the cbox whenever I'm online. I like talking to people and making friends, although I'm fully aware that I can't let my friendships with particular members get in the way of performing staff duties with as little bias as possible.
  
  
  • Easy-Going ;; It takes quite a bit to get me angry. The little things don't bother me, and I'm willing to forgive and forget minor mishaps should the situation call for it. Seeing other people feeling upset, hurt, or angry makes me want to do whatever I can to return them to a happier state of existence. I'm quite easy to talk to, and I hardly consider myself intimidating.
  
  
  • Responsible ;; If you give me a job, I'll make sure it gets done (as long as I write it down so that I remember to do it). I like to think of myself as a trustworthy person. If someone asks for something to stay confidential, I don't spill the beans. I also consider myself mature for my age, but I still have the optimistic, happy-go-lucky demeanor of a five-year-old.
  
  
  
  
  
• Online Commitments ;; I'm semi-active on a couple of animal SIM sites (mostly Sonas and Flight Rising), but those are low-priority and will always come after Alcryst.
  
  
• Life Commitments ;;
  
  
  
  • High School / College Classes ;; 8:00 am - 3:30 pm on Mon/Wed/Fri & 7:30 am - 3:05 pm on Tues/Thurs ;; It's my senior year, so I'll also spend a lot of time in the evenings working on homework, unfortunately.
  
  
  • Show Choir ;; regular morning practices on weekdays as well as various evening and Saturday rehearsals ;; In the spring, I'll have all-day competitions on some Saturdays. The season ends late next March.
  
  
  • School Musical ;; 6:00 - 9:00 pm on many Mon/Tues/Thurs nights ;; The musical will be finished by mid-November, but it will take up considerable chunks of my evenings until then.
  
  
  • Volunteering ;; 4:30 - 7:00 pm every Wed ;; I volunteer at a local therapeutic riding program. The fall session lasts through the end of October, and the spring session will start next March or April.
  
  
  • Curfew ;; ~11:00 pm Sun-Fri ;; I don't have a strict curfew these days, but I do try to be off the computer by 11 pm on school nights so that I can get enough sleep for the next day.
    
  
  
  
• Other ;;
  
  

• Characters ;; Amalia Lisette Rylin Marione & Sankron Adryn Valkire Eldingar 
  
  
• Biographies ;; Amalia & Sankron
  
  
• Tracker ;; xxx (Although I have the thread created, I still have much work to do. However, it does show you the formatting style I tend to favor.)
  
  
• Establishments ;; Amalia's Stable (At this time, I just created the stable the other day, so I'll be putting the board together slowly over the next couple of weeks. Like the WIP tracker, it will give you a chance to see how I format and explain things.)
  
  
• Other ;;
  
  

• Ranks ;; Manager on Metaphysical
  
  
• Skill Set ;;
  
  
  
  • Grammar Knowledge ;; I like to think that I have rather extensive knowledge of grammar and of basic "do's and don't's" when it comes to writing. I scored a 36 on English and 34 on Reading when I took the ACT. I'm often the grammar police for my friends, calling them out on common grammar errors. This doesn't mean that I'll message people asking them to fix any little typo on every post they make. Rather, I apply my editing skills to my own posts, and I'm able to catch most typos. I always reread my posts before finalizing them. On Meta, I had started working on a grammar and writing guide, and I'd be interested in taking on a similar project here.
  
  
  • Art ;; I'm far from the most talented digital artist around, but I do make the occasional equine manip. I also enjoy coloring lineart and creating character designs. I'm more than willing to attempt to learn new techniques and improve my art skills should the site call for it.
  
  
  • Formatting ;; I do have a basic grasp of coding, as in I can code an individual post and make a posting table work, but I know relatively little about the codes that make the site as a whole look and function the way it does. I like to use codes and tables to make my posts aesthetically pleasing, and I've developed a style that I use fairly universally, though I'd be willing to learn or create a new style for use in staff posts.
  
  
  
• Examples ;;
  
  
  
  • Grammar & Formatting ;; There are several examples of staff work that I've done on Meta, but since the site is in Maintenance Mode, I can't provide links. (But if you'd like to dig up some of the threads I've made, Brady, I do think you have access to the site, right?) There are also my characters' bios from this site, which are linked above and show my writing style. Plus there's this very post!
  
  
  • Art ;; 1 // 2 // 3
  
  
  
• Other ;;
  
  

DIRECTIONS ;; You are the only staff member online when the following scenarios occur in the cbox. In the designated field, explain how you would handle the situation specifically. Don't be vague. "I would politely ask them to take it to PM" is not an answer; I want the actual dialogue of what you would say and the exact actions you would take.

• Scenario 1 ;; A new member has said hello in the cbox. Three old members are also in the cbox, and they greet the newcomer happily, but then continue the conversation they were having before. The conversation is about their characters and an ongoing plot between them, making it a topic the newcomer cannot participate in. They aren't being ignored, but they do not post in the cbox because they are not being actively included. What do you do?
  
  
  • Response ;;
    
    
    
    • I would most likely start by asking the new member (we'll call them Jack) if he had plans for his first character (unless he already has a character made). As I learned about his character, I would attempt to match up one of my own characters with his, whether I simply commit to a meet-and-greet thread or start to develop a more in-depth plot with him.
    
    
    • If that conversation runs dry, I would then try to get the other three old members involved. Ideally, they would follow my lead and start throwing around some plot ideas. Additionally, I would make sure Jack knew about the plotting boards so that he could start to get involved that way.
    
    
    • If the other members are still having their own plot conversation and a plot-related conversation with Jack has run its course, I would talk about a different subject with him (assuming he still wanted to be active in the cbox and hadn't been overcome by a sudden urge to go post open threads and plot pages and all that). Again, the other members might join in our conversation, but they might not. Either way, if I'm doing my best to include Jack, he has someone to talk to and the old members don't have to feel as though I'm scolding them, which could cause some drama or tension.
    
    
    
    
    
• Scenario 2 ;; One of our most active members has just been dumped by her boyfriend and is very upset about it. She is complaining in the cbox, and it has been going on for a while. The conversation has been negative and gridlocked ever since. She's not being rude or inappropriate, but the things she has to say are depressing and comforting her isn't working. The other members have stopped responding as much. What do you do?
  
  
  • Response ;;
    
    
    
    • As it became clear the the other members were growing weary of hearing about her (we'll call her Jill) ex-boyfriend I would post in the cbox: "Jill, you're welcome to message me if you want someone to talk to. I'm not sure what advice I'll be able to give, but it might help for you to be able to write out your thoughts somewhere. Maybe it would be helpful to listen to music or distract yourself so that you can think about something else?" This would help draw the conversation out of the cbox as well as subtly hint that it's time for the subject in the cbox to change.
    
    
    • If she continued to talk about the breakup in the cbox, I would send her a PM saying: "Hi, Jill. I'm really sorry to hear about your breakup. <3 It sounds like you're having a tough time with it. Is there anything I can do to help?" Now I've taken the initiative to send her a PM, rather than just giving her the option to do it herself. It shows that my offer was a serious one and that I do want her to feel better. Knowing that she's found someone who cares might help convince her to use PMs to talk about the breakup rather than posting it in the cbox.
    
    
    • If she was still bringing a negative mood to the cbox, I might feel compelled to send her a more directly worded PM: "Hi again, Jill. I know that talking about your breakup might help you feel better, but I think the members in the cbox want to talk about something else now. They didn't want to change the topic while ignoring your messages though. I'm not sending this message to be rude, and I apologize if I've come off that way. Again, if you do want to talk to someone about the breakup, my inbox is always open. <3" I wouldn't directly ask her to change the topic through a cbox message; that would be inconsiderate of me and probably embarrassing or upsetting for Jill.
      
    
    
    
• Scenario 3 ;; One of the members is a bit power-hungry, and she goes out of her way to take power in any way she can, even in the smallest ways that some people might not notice. The offenses are too vague to get her in trouble but, when built on top of each other, they get annoying. Her most recent tactic has been to critique biographies in the cbox, but to do it in a way that makes her appear innocently helpful to avoid consequence. She has just informed another member that she found an error in their biography and has asked that member if they'd like her to point it out. What do you do?
  
  
  • Response ;;
    
    
    
    • I would probably start handling this situation by PM-ing the power-hungry member (we'll call her Jane and the other member Sue). Saying something to her in the cbox could result in a messy conflict where everyone winds up getting upset. The message would say something like: "Hello, Jane! I realize that you're trying to help Sue improve her character's bio by pointing out an error, but the staff will always point out errors that need addressing before accepting a bio. If another member asks you to critique something they've written, then it's perfectly acceptable to tell the member about any mistakes they've made, but in order to avoid potentially offending or upsetting anyone, we ask that you don't critique character biographies or other posts. The exception to this would be if you are in a thread and another member posted something contradictory or confusing; then it would be okay to make the problem known so that the member can clarify what they meant. If you do spot an error in someone else's post that needs to be addressed, please point it out to a staff member via private message so that they can handle it in an official manner. Thank you!" It's always possible that Jane didn't realize she was doing something wrong in pointing out the mistake, so I would try to avoid claiming that she had any particular intention in doing so, especially a bad one. If she really is doing it to help the other member, I've given her a way to still help, but she would be doing so anonymously by messaging a staff member who could then decide how and if the situation needed handled.
    
    
    
    
    
    
• Scenario 4 ;; Two members are getting competitive in the cbox. They keep a "friendly" front, but it's clear there's some underlying tension building. It started when one member said her character was taller and thus the other member's character must be feeling intimidated. It escalated to a competition between rank, number of occupations, and even time spent on the site. They act as if they are joking, but it has made things awkward for everyone else. What do you do?
  
  
  • Response ;;
    
    
    
    • In this situation, I would only address it in the cbox if I was able to find a safe way to diffuse the "my horse is bigger than yours" game, such as saying "Your characters are both great, and they each excel in different areas." I would then offer a specific compliment to each character. This approach is fairly cheesy and probably wouldn't work well with some people. My method would change depending on who the two members are. I would also try to steer the cbox conversations down a different path, preferably something with little room for strongly differing opinions.
    
    
    • If the problem persists or if I felt as though I couldn't handle it properly in the cbox, I would start a group conversation over PM so that I could discuss the situation with both members. It would go something like this: "Hello, Jack and Jill! Friendly competition is good up to a point, but it seems to me as though the conversation in the cbox is getting a bit too heated. You both have great characters, each with their strong and weak points. I'm not trying to be the big bad staff member here, but I do have to try to help make the atmosphere of the site and the cbox a positive one. Should either of you wish to make a private comment or ask me a question, you're welcome to send a message with only me as the recipient. I've made this message a group one so that you know that you've both been contacted by a staff member with the same message. Additionally, if you'd like your characters to compete in a more official way, you can always make a thread together in the Cathartic Arena!*" (*This last sentence would only be included if I believed the members could avoid developing a harmful grudge should one character beat the other in an official fight.) This message makes note of the behavior I'm talking to the members about and why it needs to be addressed. I've also invited them to discuss with me if they don't understand why they were in the wrong. It's important to treat both members as part of the problem, rather than reprimanding one more than the other for whatever reason.
    
    
    
    
    
• Scenario 5 ;; One member is pressuring another member to post for her and it is the second time she has done it in the past few days. She asks the other member: "How is your reply coming?" in hopes of pushing her to post, taking a passive aggressive approach that seems to irritate the other member, who then says: "I haven't started yet." The pushy member replies: "Oh. I just wasn't sure because it's been a few days." Things are getting uncomfortable. What do you do?
  
  
  • Response ;;
    
    
    
    • My first step would be to hint to the impatient member (we'll use Jane again) that she should be more thoughtful when asking about another's progress in writing a reply. "Sometimes replies take a while to write. I know I'm not always in the state of mind to write a quality response." Implying that it's neither typical nor expected to not crank out five responses per day can both make the irritated member feel better and perhaps make Jane remember that she'll just have to wait a while longer.
    
    
    • In order to help keep Jane occupied, I would offer to participate in a thread with her. Should I feel overwhelmed with the threads I already have at the time, I would instead encourage her to start an open thread, post in the plotting board, or even create a new character. If she doesn't want to do any of those things, there's always advertising, participating in other contests, making art (if she's an artist), or any number of things. With a site as big as Alcryst, there's always something to do.
    
    
    
    
    
• Scenario 6 ;; A member is talking about her favorite character, who was originally made on a different site. Another curious member begins to question about this other site, which she then realizes she used to be a member on, too. The two begin to discuss the site, reminiscing. What do you do?
  
  
  • Response ;;
    
    
    
    • In my opinion, this is one of the easier situations to handle. There's a rule beneath the cbox that says "don't discuss other sites." I would gently remind the members of that rule. "Hey guys (include their names), the cbox rules ask that you don't discuss other sites. We'd love to have you stay in the cbox with us, but I'd really appreciate if you could talk about (insert site name) over PM. Thanks! About your character, (first member), do you have any plot ideas for him/her?" This tells both members that they're not being kicked out of the cbox, but their specific conversation should be carried out elsewhere. I go on to encourage a change of topic by returning to the member's character and asking some relevant question.
    
    
    
    
    
• Scenario 7 ;; A guest is in the cbox and asking questions. They are inquiring about something you don't know the answer to. A member jumps in and gives the answer but you aren't sure if they're correct, even though they're acting certain. What do you do?
  
  
  • Response ;;
    
    
    
    • We'll call the member Jack for this scenario. I would say: "Thanks for answering, Jack! I think I know what thread addresses your question, Guest, so I'll go take a look so that I can confirm what Jack said." I don't want to tell Jack that it wasn't his job to answer the question, but I still need to make sure the guest is getting the right information.
    
    
    • If Jack is right, I'll say so in the cbox and thank him again for his help.
    
    
    • If something in Jack's answer wasn't right (or perhaps he was completely wrong), I would post either a direct quote or a link to the correct information. Again, I would thank Jack for being so helpful and paying attention to the guest's question. If it seems as though he is upset about giving the wrong answer, I would send him a PM telling him that he oughtn't feel bad and that he didn't do anything wrong; he simply recalled some information incorrectly, and that's hardly the end of the world.
    
    
    
    
    
• Scenario 8 ;; Someone has just used an inappropriate word in the cbox, prompting the censored message "CENSOREDWORD" to pop up in their message. They take it as a complete joke, laughing that it censored that word and the manner that it was censored in. What do you do?
  
  
  • Response ;;
    
    
    
    • I think the best way to take care of this scenario would be to offer a calm explanation: "Our admins determine which words are censored in the cbox. The rules state 'Please avoid using offensive terms, whether they are considered curse words or not, such as rude terms for homosexuality, female parts, those of another race, mental disabilities, etc. Using such a term OOC, and sometimes even IC, may result in suspension from the site depending on the severity. Prejudice, racism, and other forms of intolerant behavior is completely unacceptable.' Such offensive terms are censored in the cbox as a reminder that it's against site rules to use them, and there will be consequences if you choose to use such words. Some offensive terms are used often in conversations, but this doesn't make them any less offensive. I hope you understand, and if you have any questions about this rule, I encourage you to message me." Quoting site rules can be very helpful; it shows that I'm not just making this stuff up. It also reminds the member that using these words can get them in trouble and that there is a reason that they are being censored.
    
    
    
    
    
• Scenario 9 ;; A member is complaining that no one has bought anything from their shop yet in the cbox. It is both annoying to other members and a vague form of soliciting, as it is an indirect way of pushing other members to buy from their shop through sympathy. What do you do?
  
  
  • Response ;;
    
    
    
    • In order to address the issue, I would suggest that she create some sort of sale or special offer at her store. Another suggestion would be to purchase an advertisement space on the first page. This addresses her comment while encouraging her to do something about it rather than try to win sympathy.
    
    
    • Should she keep mentioning her shop and its lack of sales, I would send her a PM reminding her of the "no soliciting" rule. As long as she's not blatantly breaking the rule, it would be improper of me to call her out publicly. However, she's less likely to try to attempt a vague form of solicitation in the future if she's made aware that she should avoid doing so.
    
    
    
    
    
• Scenario 10 ;; The conversation in the cbox has turned to sex. The members are recounting their first time, and it isn't inappropriate and follows the rules of Alcryst. However, another member becomes uncomfortable and makes a dramatic message in the cbox about how they dislike the conversation topic. On one hand, their discomfort needs to be accommodated, even if they handled the situation incorrectly, but on the other hand, the members are not breaking any rules with their discussion. What do you do?
  
  
  • Response ;;
    
    
    
    • If the members realize that they're making another member uncomfortable and decide to stop their conversation, that would certainly be ideal. But if they don't, I probably wouldn't interfere unless it started to cross a line. If it's only one member who's bothered, I would send them a message: "Hi, (member)! I'm sorry that the cbox conversation is making you uncomfortable. They aren't breaking site rules, so I won't step in and ask them to change topics unless their conversation starts to get out of hand. In the meantime, I'll gladly talk to you either over PM or on AIM. :) Turning off the sound on the cbox will help you not read the messages, and if you'd like, I can let you know when the subject has changed." I would then start a conversation either with whatever we were talking about before the topic turned to sex or ask the member a question to get a conversation going.
    
    
    
    
    
• Other ;;