8th Elements Council - Voting

[Dm]

8 Councillors is a bit more practical - If there's need, two more can be arranged much like what we did with the Card Curator hiring, so let's not panic.

Spoiler for Applications:

Spoiler for SpikeSpiegel:

Hello Dm,

with this I officially want to apply for a seat in the Council. As you know, I'm an old but still a very active member of the community, a staff member, and I've enough knowledge about this forum to be an eligible Council member.

As in my current tasks, I'll try to do my best in case I'll be elected.

Thanks for your time, greetings.

SpikeSpiegel

Spoiler for ji412jo:

Hello

I would like to apply for council membership.

I am very active
I have been around the forums for a while
I am interested in making sure the community does not die.
I'll do what I can to make this community gets back to another peak like it once was.

Spoiler for Naesala:

Hello there everyone! I think I would be an excellent member for the elements council. And if my thoughts aren't enough proof, here are some reasons for my being included:
 

• I am and have been Brawlmaster since the first Brawl, meaning I have built, ran, and coordinated one of the largest events on the forum. I have experience working on big projects and getting them done fast as well as tweaking them to make them better. So, as a member of council, I could work on projects and try to develop them more quickly while maintaining quality, as well as fix older systems. Being Brawlmaster also means I have at least a decent understanding of all Non-PvP sections of the forums.
• I am very much active. While most of my time in chat is lurking and I don't post more than a few posts a day on average, I am on every single day unless something is making it impossible. I'm very committed to this community and want to see it grow.
• I have a lot of real-life free time. While other community members may be more active than me at times, they also may disappear when real life things crop up. Not to say that's bad, but what little job I have in real life takes up little, predictable time and there's not much else going on for me, so I would be able to spend free time working on council projects.
• I have ideas I'd like to try and implement as well as a desire to help those who have ideas to grow their ideas. Not having been on council before, I cannot say how much council gets involved in the ideas of non-council members, but hopefully with an active council we can work together to help ideas blossom.
• Finally, I am willing to learn. Many of my shortcomings in the community come from not knowing much about particular parts of the forum, like how to format posts well or anything PvP related. I want the opportunity to learn from my fellow council members so that I can in turn help them.

I won't lie and say I'm not without problems, but I hope that I can convince you all that I will be a dedicated and hard working member of council if you choose to vote me in. Thank you for considering me.

Spoiler for mrpaper:

I'll apply

Spoiler for Submachine:

Hello Dm and other Council members who may be reading this!

My first words are for Dm. It is exemplary how you managed all your staff positions without breaking under the pressure. You were not only Council, CO and TO, but you also volunteered to help with the Newsletter when there was noone else left to help. Now to lift the pressure from your shoulder a bit, I volunteer to stand by your side as a fellow Council member.

I know activity is the first thing you look in applicants, so I may or may not mention that I'm fairly active on the forum, however I'll be most active when summer ends, because summer is always full of unexpected work schedules and free time activities. ^^"
I already started some minor changes before I even knew that a new Councilship will be needed. Some examples:
Mentor Program: http://elementscommunity.org/forum/off-topic-discussions/mentor-program/
Forum Index 2.0: http://elementscommunity.org/forum/general-discussion/forum-index/msg1140444/#msg1140444
and also this: http://elementscommunity.org/forum/forum-games/unofficial-connect-4-games-2-0/
Because entertaining people is important if we want them to feel good on the forum.

That's really all I could say about myself. In case people vote on me, I'll do my best as Council member. If not, that's okay too, I guess. ^^" It's their choice.

Spoiler for theelkspeaks:

Hi, I’m theelkspeaks, or “elk” for short! I’m a very active member of the community – you can see me on chat and the forums nearly every day, and I participate in a variety of PVP and non-PVP events.  I joined the community in January of this year, and I’ve already become involved with a variety of events on the forums.  I participated in a season of BL, played in 7 weekly tournies, designed several card ideas in the CIA section, joined Forum Brawl, played Mafia and Connect 4 in forum games, and am currently participating in Sacrifice.

I would love to be a member of the council, so that I can help more directly in keeping this community alive.  I love this community and want it to be all it can be.  I hope to promote the growth of events, both PVP and non-PVP, such as deckbuilding challenges, card design, and the addition of new long-term forum games.

I’m a person who works well with others, as my teammates on Whispers in the Dark can attest.  I was always there for my teammates to help us do the best we could do.  I maintained the unofficial standings for the BL and CL season for several months, even though I wasn’t participating in CL, because I thought it was a feature people in the event would want to have.  I’ve worked with many members of the community on various projects, helping Kuroaitou with his Master of Mafia spreadsheets, Naesala with the Brawl Standings documents, and working with Annele to create a card in the CCCombomaker #3 contest.

Finally, I’m open and receptive to criticism and critique.  In a community where pride and frustration flare up from time to time, I’ve consistently discussed my deck and card ideas with others from a place of openness to my own improvement.  During the arguments over open EtG, I tried to bring compromise and reconciliation to the two sides, and with the recent re-opening of the mentoring program, I’ve become the apprentice of a player I respect greatly in my continuing attempt to improve myself.  If and when tempers do flare up on the council, you can count on me to keep my cool and never let my pride get in the way of doing what is best for everyone. 

Spoiler for dark ripper:

Hello elements community,

     My name is dark ripper. I am an 18 years old boy who just finished high school and I hope to enter Biology university in order to become a Genetisist one day. I have been here since last October and I have been very active from the first moment I joined and intend to be a lot more active as I just finished high school and have a lot of free time! My forum post count has reached the amount of ~670 in these ~9 months I've been here, which shows how active I am.

     I have spent hours over hours in the forum blab chat discussing every kind of aspect that has occured. One thing that has been discussed a lot the last few months is the stale council and in general the inactivity of staffers that has to do with the inactivity of the former council. I believe the next council should be a combination of experience by older members and the passion of younger ones. As seen by former councils, inactive members are the ones that interfere with the proper operation of this organ, thus I believe there should be some positions for more active members than can learn from the older ones in order to give this help back to the community.

    I consider myself a responsible, passionate  and down-to-earth person with the ability to help at any time, about any subject, with any person. The time I have spent here, I have helped as much as I could by making threads like Pdials With Stats or helped in the last newsletter (Newsletter , entairtained by making threads like Matching elements with genres of music , welcomed people and helped them with any questions the may have(~100 posts in "introduce yourself" section) and of course trying to improve myself by learning the mechanics of the forums day by day, giving feedback wherever I am able to. I believe I have developed great relationships with many members as I am generally a cheerful person and always glad to talk and help, not only to solve problem but improve my self as well.

 I'm no good at selling my self but I think I would be a good addition to the next council. I wish to help as much as I can to ressurect this awesome community to its former glories and most of all, for all members around to have the most awesome time here.

Thanks a lot for your time.
-dripper

Spoiler for artimies7:

Hello 7^th Elements Council. No offense, but I want to replace one of you.

I'd be good at sorting out the problems of the forum. I'm a good problem solver and I'm very creative at finding solutions. When I really get to understand a problem, I can figure out what's making it clog and what's the real goal that we're trying to get at.
For instance. I've noticed, as have many of us, that some people are worried about inactivity around our forum. The really active vets leave and the new guys don't stay long. What's the problem? Let's break it down.

• People stay longer if they're invested in the forum, when they get into an event they enjoy or meet some nice friends.
• ^This suggests if we know and do what new guys would enjoy in the forum, they'll be more apt to stay.
• The way to the solution, then, is to find out (directly ask) new players what they'd enjoy around the forum.
• Solution time! Let's ask the COs and TOs (or one of their helpers) to make a habit of checking the Introductions threads, asking new members what they would want for community action. E.g. what sort of competition they would love or what they don't understand about deckbuilding to really be effective tourney-goers.
• Once we note down what a lot of people want, then we can find a good common point and focus on that for an event.

I believe this solution would help, with some tuning and a bit of luck. I also believe this method can fix a lot of other problems around here, and that I can be the guy to fix them. I've got a flexible schedule and a reasonable, civil attitude. Pick me for Council! I'd love to do it!

Spoiler for Blacksmith:

Hello readers. I'm an idealist and like most idealist I've got ideas how things should work and function. I do believe that I would be able to contribute to the council, I do believe that my knowledge about forum and elements will be needed. I really do like this community and therefore I feel I have to help to build it. By now most of you know that my activity is satisfying and that if I say I'll do something I don't back of and disappear.

Thank you for your time Reader, Blacks.

Spoiler for Krzysiekxd:

Dear Dm and the rest of the Council,

I would like to apply for a Coucil Member in order to serve the community as this is the very important part of my life.  It is my daily rouitine to log on and check what is going on on the forums. And as you may know I'm not only a passive forumer, but I look for ways to improve the forums and to give something to the community. Currently I'm making comic strips for our monthly Newsletter and I am going to continue doing so. Moreover, I organized two unofficial pvp tourneys as well as I have already applied for Card Curator as this is the part of the forum that interests me.

Furthermore, I take active part in forum life entering some competitions and events (1st place in last Brawl being the greatest success so far), replying to some topics or chatting with other community members.

Persistance, devotion, eagerness to help and improve the community and plenty of time for the forums are my main advantages that can help me in being a worthy coucil member, I only need to be given a try

Thanks in advance,

Krzysiekxd

Spoiler for ddevans96:

Greetings Dm1321 and the community,

I am ddevans. As should be evident, I'm writing this to express my interest in joining the 8th council.

I've served in three previous Councils - the 2nd, 3rd, and 5th. In addition, I have been a member of this community for over four years, I have served about two years as Warmaster and Tournament Organizer, I have at least moderate experience in essentially every section of the forum, and I have formed positive relationships with dozens of people here.

My interest in Council is not something such as an interest in power, or arrogance, or recognition. It is because of a devotion to the community I have so thoroughly enjoyed through some of the most difficult phases of my life. I'm ready and willing to do anything I can to enhance the health of the community, as I have in the past via staff work and other projects, until the community thrives again. I feel that being in Council is the best way for me to help uphold the spirit most of us are fond of.

I have faith that the community will choose their next representatives with care and unbiased thought, and I am hopeful to be among them, and excited for the opportunities that await if I am.

With sincerity,

                ~dd

Spoiler for Zawadx:

Why hello there! I’m Zawadx, and what follows is a textwall advocating myself as a candidate for the 8th Elements Council. Let the droning begin!

Firstly, I am extremely active on this forum; most of my awake hours I’m present in chat and stalking Unread Posts since My Last Visit. To be honest, I am addicted to this community. It has become one of my passions and I’m willing to invest time to make it better. Therefore, unless something bad happens, I am guaranteed to stick around and do my work.

Recently, I have been appointed as Trials Overseer, and I am trying my hardest in this position. I am collaborating with my fellow TrO CCCombomaker to deliver you an awesome 8th Trials, within a week of my appointment. And although it’s still ongoing, I hope it will display my dedication to this community. As a matter of fact this isn’t my first online staff position; I have served as a sub-forum moderator for the Ravenclaw House on www.hexrpg.com for a period of 16 months. I am no novice when it comes down to aspects like event organization, formatting and collaborating with my fellows.

However, what holds me back as a Council Member is the fact that I am a newbie. But it is also one of my merits. I might not remember the golden age of this community from a few years back, but I do know about the current period of stagnation. I can empathize with the other newbies on issues which veterans can’t. In my opinion Council needs one or two (active) newbies in its ranks; they would be the fresh blood who could come up with newer ideas to invigorate the community.

So yes, I am kinda self-obsessed. But I want to put my self-obsession-worthy skills at the community’s disposal. I assure you, a vote for me is a vote for someone who is active and willing to listen to what the rest of the community has to say. But in the end, all of the above is just what I have to say for myself. It’s what YOU think of me that matters. So I trust you will make a good decision for the community

Thanks for reading through my textwall of an application (though I must say it wasn’t THAT big) and I wish you the best of luck with your decision!

Spoiler for RootRanger:

Hello. I suppose I should introduce myself to those who don't know me. I've been around since 2010 and done a few things in my time here. I could tell you about my PvP experience - but what good does that do as a council member? Instead, I'll use this time to talk about all the games and events I've hosted over the last three years. It started in the summer of 2011 with Elimination, a 20-player forum game that went for 16 rounds. My next game was Ropes, which had 19 players and just as many rounds. Last summer, I hosted Elements Mafia 32, which drew 25 players. As for PvP Events, I hosted Raise the Stakes in August 2011. I'll admit there were a few problems with the event - the deckbuilding rules were too restrictive and the event was too rushed - but I learned from my mistakes. I'm currently hosting an event called Sacrifice. There are 32 players who signed up, and almost all of the matches are being played.

I haven't just been here for a long time. I've contributed to the forum through my games and events. The Elements Council is another opportunity for me to add to the community. Having competed in Tournaments, Leagues, Events, War, and Trials, I will do all that I can to make these events and competitions the best they can possibly be, run by the most qualified players the forum has to offer.

And lastly, for what it's worth, I'm the one behind the legendary ragequit deck, It's a Trap! I've also made some pretty awesome April Fool's Day jokes - Armedilgo Wars and 24-Card Decks. Even if you don't pay any attention to PvP or Forum Games, at least vote for me because of the Armedilgos.

Spoiler for Fippe94:

Hi, Fippe94 here

So yeah, I was thinking I would apply for Council, although I have no real idea what to write here XD I would love to be part of the council though, since I really like this community!

I am very active, and I log into the forum almost every day, same with chat.

Current/Past 'achievements'/whatever if you'd like to know:
I am currently hosting the forum game The Witch's Game
I am one of the 'lead developers' for openEtG
Currently hosting tournaments for said game.
Also made a tournament 'deck legality checker' for said game/tournament, but which can easily be used for Elements tournaments as well.

I'd like to believe that I know what I'm doing, and I can assure you that you will not be disappointed. Any questions about anything, just ask.

Spoiler for Drake_XIV:

A bit last minute, but I guess why not try.

I understand that I've been inactive for a better part of the last year that has led to me neglecting roles delegated to my previously held positions. However, I am back and hopefully for good. At least for the length of a Council term.

I've been a member of the forums for a considerable amount of time and am among the most active members [ignoring the year long absence]. That said, I've become familiar with a good number of faces around the forums. For those that I'm not, I look forward to getting better acquainted. In either case, it would be a good position in helping determine those fit for staff positions.

Also, I previously had a stint as a Card Curator in an effort to help the CI&A boards, which I frequent. However, I found myself unable to keep up as my own school load piled up. But, now, with the semester done and the next not coming for a while, I feel I can make a more comfortable return to the forums and hopefully another position in a community that I want to help thrive. And although biased, that does include doing what I can reviving and improving the CI&A.

It's completely understandable for me not to get enlisted after my absence. But I'd still like to try to keep this community healthy and active. It's the least I could do to make up to a community I've once failed.

Spoiler for majofa:

Dear voters,

Hello, I'm majofa.

I've been around for a long, long time and have been on Council for quite a while. I'm applying to Council to continue helping out the community wherever possible... and if I'm reelected, I look forward to working with the new Council members and helping them with their ideas for improving the community. I have a lot of experience in the Council and think that having a few old members with a bunch of new ones would work out the best (so Dm1321, you better apply too!!).

It'll be a fact that some of the newly elected Council members will burn out after a few weeks, but I can assure you, I'll still be here.

Hoping to get a few votes ,
majofa

Spoiler for CrockettRocket:

      I want to help the community, and being a council member it is specifically your job to create new ideas to help the community and try to set them in motion (preferably with a group, which I have no problem working with people.)

   

Examples of me working with people, specifically elements forum people

     I'm currently working on a project with blacksmith and dripper to help the community and working with kuro+elk to create a master of mafia/games updated thread. They've already done a pretty good job while I was at camp, and right now Im finding the participants, winners, and seeing how well the game blew over for the unnumbered mafia. I also was on a 3-man-team-PVP group, I did rather bad in that but not due to inactivity or anything like that, no I simply just lost most of my matches is all. Good thing we just wanted to have fun really. I entered in brawl and won, and if it wasnt for me, I can say my team wouldnt have won (provided they didn't cover my tasks or have a replacement that did my tasks) because we won with a 1 point difference of 2nd place. XD. (Don't take the whole "my team wouldn't have won without me" thing too seriously... tis' be a joke.) Ive also worked with a lot of people in the witches game 3 to reveal mysteries.

Examples of ideas I have to improve the forums

     One example I have is I'd plan on talking with the applicants of each new hiring position even if they send in an application to hear more about what they have to say, why, and/or expand on anything they said in their application. The more information you can receive from someone is always helpful to get a better feel for who they are as a person along with their experiences.

Activeness

     My time zone is GMT-4 so I probably won't be on after midnight-7AM. During school Im not on for 6AM-5PM. However, besides those school hours, if I have a notice of something ahead of time, then I can be on during any hour. I've often set up and online alarm clock for elements tournies, and the last tournament I entered in was actually being hosted at 6 AM for me, which I didn't even set an alarm clock for but was able to stay up all the way throughout. My time period is very factual if need be and I usually come on during the afternoon more so then morning. I like to try to check the forums every 3 hours if I can and whenever I get back from going somewhere.

Have a good day everyone! And congratulations to all those who get picked by the community.

Spoiler for Dm1321:

If you think you can still get something from this teenager with a terrible personality that does not do any of his staff work - Go ahead.

As previously said, feel free to say who you voted for and discuss about applications... in a civilized manner.

[Calambar]

Voted I can only say I didn't vote for myself

[dark ripper]

May the 8 people,  that will serve the community as it deserves, be elected.

Good luck to all!

[mrpaper]

Good luck to all potential council members!

[SpikeSpiegel]

Good luck to all!

#vote4spike
#yesweekend

[Drake_XIV]

> tmw you don't vote for yourself

[Naesala]

Good luck to everyone involved.

[Zawadx]

Voted. Trust me, it was NOT an easy decision. Anyways, good luck to everyone!

[andretimpa]

Voted

3 newbs, 3 actives, 2 that have experience too.

[Submachine]

I voted after a long thinking. I explain some of them:

Spike, Blacksmith and ddevans already showed me that they are faithful and willing members of our community, not to mention that they are fairly active and 2 of them even returned back from a Farewell. That's how strong their relation is with us.

Naesala also got my vote, because she is one of the friendliest persons in our community, and not only she would calm down occurent clashes among council members, but she already has ideas and proved worthyness showed as a Brawlmaster.

Those people who barely even reply PMs or I know that they have bigger commitments than their time can allow didn't get my votes this time, even though I know they would have other merits in discussed position.

Furthermore, I only voted on 7 people, because my 8th vote will always belong to Higurashi, who is apparently not on the list.

*edit: fixed they to their

[andretimpa]

I voted after a long thinking. I explain some of them:

Spike, Blacksmith and ddevans already showed me that they are faithful and willing members of our community, not to mention that they are fairly active and 2 of them even returned back from a Farewell. That's how strong their relation is with us.

Naesala also got my vote, because she is one of the friendliest persons in our community, and not only she would calm down occurent clashes among council members, but she already has ideas and proved worthyness showed as a Brawlmaster.

Those people who barely even reply PMs or I know that they have bigger commitments than they time can allow didn't get my votes this time, even though I know they would have other merits in discussed position.

Furthermore, I only voted on 7 people, because my 8th vote will always belong to Higurashi, who is apparently not on the list.

Higs and anti have a "Get in the council for free" card

[Dm]

I voted after a long thinking. I explain some of them:

Spike, Blacksmith and ddevans already showed me that they are faithful and willing members of our community, not to mention that they are fairly active and 2 of them even returned back from a Farewell. That's how strong their relation is with us.

Naesala also got my vote, because she is one of the friendliest persons in our community, and not only she would calm down occurent clashes among council members, but she already has ideas and proved worthyness showed as a Brawlmaster.

Those people who barely even reply PMs or I know that they have bigger commitments than they time can allow didn't get my votes this time, even though I know they would have other merits in discussed position.

Furthermore, I only voted on 7 people, because my 8th vote will always belong to Higurashi, who is apparently not on the list.

Nor does she need to be as admins will always be a part of council.