So, before I begin I'd like to note I'm not a fan of doing this sort of thing because of how strongly it comes across as 'selling yourself' to the people reading. However, current circumstances equals needs must and I am not one to shirk from stepping outside my comfort zone to do what I think needs doing.
Brief introduction: A lot of you probably know me by now, either as "that old dude who came back all of a sudden" or as a long-term, almost original member of the region and the forums both. Due to my job, I've been rather remiss with my responsibilities here in the past, but that's not stopped me from partaking in (I think) three or four terms of the Underhusen in years gone by, nor did it prevent me from taking on and fulfilling the responsibilities of the Speaker Pro Tempore as the need arose.
All that aside, I work as a political analyst for a London based firm specialising in policy assessment and recommendations. It might be an overstatement to say I live and breath politics and legislative matters, but saying so wouldn't be that far off the mark. Trust me - my boss is an asshole.
My Platform: Wintreath as a region is going through an interesting, if not evolutionary, change at the moment. The proposals to move from a bicameral legislature to a unicameral open chamber legislative is a big step to make, but considering the community we have in the region I can only see it leading us on to greater things. However, as with all good things, a period of trial and error is required and I feel that my experiences working with politicians and law-makers in real life grants me a somewhat unique perspective on the changes we're hoping to make. I've already made some of my concerns clear in the relevant threads, but I have plans to address the concerns around the voting status of new citizens and how exactly things should be carried out within the proposed Open Storting.
As many of you may be aware, my focus has primarily been on the cultural aspects of our region. Promoting and enhancing the role-play element of our community can, in my mind, only help to foster ever closer bonds between our citizens, engaging them in fantastical worlds with gripping plot-lines and excellent characters across the board. Although this might be the last full term of the Underhusen before it and the Overhusen are merged into one chamber, I hope to at least begin making progress towards and laying the foundations of a House system that not only functions efficiently as an RP asset but also serves some roles outside of the cultural areas of our region. I have a lot planned in this regard, and it'd be great to hear people's feedback on my ideas once I put them out there.
The other reason I'm standing is a pretty simple one. Ever since joining Wintreath (my current and only region, likely for as long as I'm involved in NS and its related communities) I've greatly enjoyed my time here - we have a combination of crazy and normal, hilarious and by-the-book, over the top and reserved that makes for a varied and exciting community to be a part of. I've been here quite a while - my absences notwithstanding - and in that time everything I've seen has made me love what we have here. In the past I've served both as rank-and-file member and administrator of various other groups, some for five years or more, yet I feel a sense of kinship here which allows me to relax and be myself.
In the interests of extending that opportunity to as many people as possible, I've always been driven to give back to the community as much as I possibly can - be it maps, be it role-plays, be it chatting with everyone on the IRC or getting involved in the forums. In my previous stints as Skifra, a while back now, I nigh-singlehandedly legislated the foundation for our current court system and our Code of Criminal Laws. Along the way, I played a part in drafting and passing some of the most influential and far-reaching Acts that still define Wintreath as it is today.
My humblest wish, now as it always has been, is to give something back to this wonderful community. I might have been a figure of near mythical proportions to some (and let me tell you, that still comes as a shock to me even now), but to me I've always been just another citizen going around and making the most of the opportunities Wintreath has given me. In return, it's the least I can do to try and leave a positive mark on our wonderful region, and in some admittedly small way shape it for the better.
Focus: I've always been concerned with the mood and opinions of the majority of our citizenry. I'm not one for taking sides in disputes, but I am one to lend a listening ear when people need to vent or just talk about whatever. I like to try and understand, to put my finger on the beating pulse of the region and do my best to take that understanding and meld it into legislation that does not only what it needs to do, but what people
want it to do.
Beyond all of this, however, I'm just a guy who wants to do what he can to help. A lot of you know and trust me, and for that I say thank you, for I certainly haven't earned even half of the recognition I get here. But what it does, and what it continues to do, is drive me on to achieve even greater things for the region. Let me tell you, receiving the Wintreath Commendation and Paragonhood both have done much to remind me of all the region has done for me, of how the work I've done has been recognised. That's such a great feeling, to be rightfully recognised for the hard work you put into something, and it's my hope that in the future we'll be able to similarly reward many more of our members for their outstanding contributions to making Wintreath a wonderful, open and accepting place to settle.
For that to happen, however, we - right now, all of us and from this moment onwards - need to make sure that we are all giving the region our best, because it deserves nothing less from us after everything it has given us: a place to chill out and be ourselves, a place to argue and debate with the best of them and come away from it arm in arm laughing about our differences rather than hating one another for them, a place that says with a warm smile, "Come, make yourself at home."
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope to see you participate in the upcoming special elections regardless of how you decide to vote
If you have any questions you'd like me to answer, or issues you'd like to hear my thoughts on before you make up your mind on which way to vote, please just drop a line in this thread and I'll get back to you and hopefully put any fears to rest!
