[Note from the Owl Master: There MIGHT have been a slight overlap once again. I swear these owls are so eager to go out, we forget who got them and who didn't get the newsletter! So, if you have seven copies like I do, I'm sorry. They make good playthings for small children?]
Welcome to an overlapping issue of the Owl Post!!! Depending on the speed of our owls and how far they have to travel this time, you may get this while it's still January... God Speed Owls!!
There's quite a bit going on, in both Gryffindor and HOL. Don't be afraid to venture into the HOL forum every now and then, if you don't already go there. There's lots to do, from club forums and class discussions to general Harry Potter talk.
But enough idle chit chat! Time to get down to business.
A. Spice Girl Tryouts
B. Quadwizard Tournament
C. News from our Head of House
D. New Professors
E. Dorms
F. Paw Print
G. January House Awards
H. Drama Club
I. HOL Staff Announcements
J. New Class Sign-ups
K. Squibbler
L. New Contest!! With POINTS!!!!!!
M. Owl Post Website
N. Closing Thoughts
--------------------------
A. Spice Girl/Guy Tryouts
--------------------------
It's well known that we have an AMAZING Quidditch team. Did you know that our cheerleading squad is equally as fabulous? The Gryffindor Cheerleaders are a group of Gryffindor students that are here not only to support their house quidditch team but to improve and maintain the Gryffindor spirit. Their duty is not only to the Gryffindor Quidditch Team but to the whole Gryffindor house.
The captain of the squad is Tiffany Styles, and the co-captain is Lizzie Watson. The Special Spirit Squad is being led by Tawny Tonks. The Special Spirit Squad is a sub-division of the Spice Girls for those who want to raise the Gryffindor spirit, but are unable to attend games. Meetings are still required as are the monthly cheers.
Becoming a cheerleader is easy! Once you have passed the tryouts, you are to post 3 new cheers each month and attend the monthly meetings and games. They cheer in #grandstand on IRC. You must download IRC to become a cheerleader since this is where they have all of their meetings and games.
The Squad has fairly high expecations for its members. Every Spice member must be signed up for at least one class on HOL and must complete ALL homework. If you miss more than one month of class work, you will be suspended from the squad. The Spice Girls and Guys should set the example for other students. Class obligations come first. Remember, never take on more than you can handle. Guys are always welcomed to join! We need more of you so if you want to show house spirit, too, send in an application.
Are you interested? If so, fill out the following application and send this information to gryffspice@gmail.com
1. Name
2. Year
3. ID
4. Why you want to be a spice girl or guy
5. Two, 4 line cheers
You will receive a reply within two days with the second part of the try-outs. There will be three easy steps to trying out.
They are also looking for one more mascot. If you are interested send the above information, skipping question 4, to the same address with these additional questions.
1. Why do you want to be a mascot?
2. Are you creative, witty and spirited?
3. Can you attend games?
If you have any questions, email Tiffany Styles at tiffany.styles@gmail.com.
--------------------------
B. Quadwizard Tournament
--------------------------
Have you ever wanted an important job in HOL? Feel like you can't do anything worthwhile without being a prefect, JP, or something of the sort? Well, here's your chance to try out having an ALMIGHTY IMPORTANT JOB OF DOOM!!
All students--2nd year or above--are eligible to apply to be a judge for the Quadwizard Tournament.
Cynthia Stout and Emma Pacifica are proud to announce that HOL will play host to the first ever Quadwizard Tournament! Eternal glory and fame in the Halls of HOL awaits one HOL champion. One worthy champion from each house will be selected from the Goblet of Fire to compete in four insanely grueling and daunting tasks made to test their wizarding prowess and skill. The champion that completes the four tasks with the highest score and manages to survive each of them will be awarded the coveted Quadwizard Cup.
The Goblet will be open for champion applications for all HOL students starting on the twelfth day of February. Further details about the requirements for submitting your champion application, and the dates of the tasks that you must be able to commit to will be posted with those applications.
Before we bring the Goblet of Fire into the Great Hall a judging panel must first be selected. If you are interested in applying to be on the prestigious Quadwizard Judging panel please read the requirements below and send your application to quadwizard@gmail.com by midnight HOL time on February 8, 2006.
Requirements & Selection Process for Quad-Wizard Tournament Judges
- Must be a professor, prefect, or student (2nd year or above) (The initial panel will consist of one professor, one prefect, and one student (2nd year or above) from each house)
- Judges cannot compete in the tournament
- Those wishing to be judges must submit the completed application by midnight HOL time, February 8th (see below)
*For the final four QWT tasks, the most impartial judge from each house judging panel will be selected to judge on the QWT panel. (this is a total of four judges with representation from each house)
Application for Quad-Wizard Tournament Judges: Please send the following information to quadwizard@gmail.com by February 8th, midnight HOL time.
Subject line: Judging Application
- HOL Name
- HOL ID & position/rank (i.e. Professor, prefect or student category with year)
- Time Zone
- Availability from February 12th to May 6th
- Essay: (100-300 words)
What qualifications and traits do you possess that would make you a fair and reputable judge for the Quad-Wizard Tournament? Please provide examples.
If you have any questions concerning the judging application, please send an email to quadwizard@gmail.com with a subject line of “judging inquiry” and Cynthia or Emma will answer your questions as promptly as possible.
We ask that any questions concerning champion applications are held until the champion application information is posted. This will ensure that the tournament stays on the appropriate timeline and it is highly likely that your questions will be answered when that post goes up.
--------------------------
C. News from our Head of House
--------------------------
Our most lovely and esteemed Head of House has posted the following news:
"Below are the names of the people who did not pass the Gryffindor FAQ quiz. I cannot tell you how important the FAQ is and how important it is for you to know how to find things on it and to read it. The staff of Gryff likens it to the HOL Handbook. You read it, like it, and love it.
For the majority of you who are on the list, maybe if you were to read the FAQ and pass it you would possibly be able to not ask so many questions because we have compiled to list to answer all and every possible question that any Gryffindor student might have. As a result for those of you who did not pass the test you will be fined 20 manes from your account. If you do not have 20 manes then I will take them from your bank account. If you still do not have any then I will put you at a negative balance and you will have to work your way back up to a positive balance.
We will offer this quiz again in the future and what I suggest is that you READ THE FAQ so that you can get aquainted with the ins and outs of Gryffindor and HOL."
To view the link of names, go to
http://www.gryff.net/cr/index.php?showtopic=4946.
--------------------------
D. New Gryffindor Professors
--------------------------
Please welcome Professor Wylie Weasley and Professor Bob Hiltmen to the Gryffindor staff team! The staff from the OP as well extends a congrats to Professor Weasley, who we all know has already done a lot for Gryffindor. We would like everyone to join us in giving Wylie a round of applause and joining us for butterbeer and sweets provided by our own sweetshop! Professor Hiltmen has decided to join our crazy house and be one of our house professors. He is new to HOL and will be teaching Magic of Web Design. Let's everyone give him a warm welcome and butterbeer.
--------------------------
E. Dorms
--------------------------
Just a friendly reminder that the dorms have been up since early January. They're very fun, and our team of designers has worked very hard on them. Here is how to move in:
1) Sign up for the Dorms at http://www.gryff.net/Dorms with your valid HOL name exactly as it appears here, on the CR
2) Read all threads in the Fat Lady's Frame on the Dorms
3) Once you're validated, complete your Character Description
4) Once your character description's completed, you can sign up for a dorm
--------------------------
F. Paw Print
--------------------------
Do you ever get bored? Have you exhausted all the threads in the common room and wonder what else you can read? We have a solution! Paw Print, our great house newspaper, just put up a new issue! Read it when you're bored, when you're busy, anytime, anywhere. On tap we have:
FREE BUTTERBEER (Announcements) - Of course, your all important Gryffindor Announcements.
That Thing That Guy Did (News) - We have a lot of articles this month for you to feast your eyes on. Among the top articles this month are: Obsessions With Validations and The Gryffindor War. Make sure to check them out!
Prose and Cons - Oh WOW. We actually got submissions for each section this month. While there is only one story, there are tons of poems and pictures! Go have a look see.
Neon Green Fluffy Bunnies from the Purple Lemon Zoo (Gossip) - Once again we bring our normal gossip line up to you. Have a great time reading!
Mane Topic - We decided to save your loading time this month, so we stepped away from the Prince of Tennis for this month. (Beware though, I believe Mira's planning a double feature for next month!) This Mane Topic has some very important warnings from the Ministry regarding Valentine's Day.
We hope that you enjoy reading, and of course, tell us if you loved it!
http://pawprint.gryff.net
--------------------------
G. January House Awards
--------------------------
The Awards Committee took a break this December. This lack of activity caused a whole lot of awards to be given in January! These FIVE indviduals are outstanding members of our house.
First of all, this person has been there for almost every Gryff on IRC in the past months. He is a great friend to us, and is truly a displaced lion. Therefore, we would like to present Squib Johnathan Myrie with the LionHeart Award.
Next up is someone who has proven himself as a capable Gryffindor in his early months here at HOL. He's enthusiastic, likes to help out, and has definitely made Gryffindor his home--he even moved into the Dorms early to claim his place in our great house! So, the Curious Kitten Award goes to Tanis Majere!
Now, some of you may not have noticed, but the Gryffindor Awards Committee REALLY doesn't like giving awards to either staff for doing their jobs or to the same people over and over. However, someone in particular, despite falling into BOTH of those aforementioned categories, has really caught our eyes this month. Sure, she's a prefect, so it's her job to help out around Gryff. However, she's constantly looking for more ways to pitch in, does SO MUCH around Gryff in general, and has been acting as the Staff Liason to the Newbies this year. So, we think she deserves some recognition for her hard work and helpfulness. So, despite having already been recognised with Gryff's greatest award, we would like to present MISSA MATZ with the Nimbus 2001 Award.
Finally, last year Gryffindor invented a new award to present to people that we want to say "thank you" to for just being in Gryff and brightening our days. They have a certain something that we can't quite place our finger on that just makes Gryff better than it was without them. This month's winner is someone that the Gryff staff--and a lot of students, too--enjoy harassing. He puts up with more than any human being should, and laughs right through it. He makes a lot of people's days better with a nice smile from something he says or does. Plus, he puts up with me deeming him a Prune, or changing his middle name to Marie... Or us turning him into pop singers... or... yeah, you get the point. So, we would like to present Eddie Marie Valon with the Fellytone Award.
--------------------------
H. Drama Club
--------------------------
I have no idea what to write here lol.
--------------------------
I. HOL Staff Announcements
--------------------------
The Head Office is pleased to announce that Professor Anya Chutney has been invited (and she has accepted!) to join in the madness fun of serving as a Deputy Headmistress of HOL. Congratulations to Anya!!
Also, the Head Office has asked Slytherin Lalaith Lomion and Hufflepuff Cosmo Brown to serve as Head Students!
--------------------------
J. New Class Sign-ups
--------------------------
If you haven't signed up for a class (or two) yet for this quarter, you're in luck!
All new one-term and two-term classes have been added to the Classes list that can be found http://hol.org.uk/office/classes-hol.php?yearnow=2006
Each Professor has the option as to when their class sign-ups will close, up until such time as all will close for the term. Some of them are still open, so go sign-up!!
--------------------------
K. Squibbler
--------------------------
The Squibbler has put out a new issue (their third)! This paper is techncially a class, and is a delightful little read. In this issue, They sit down with the Minister of Magic, check up on the security at Azkaban, and demystify something the Muggles call 'video games'.
http://www.hol.org.uk/squibbler/
--------------------------
L. New Contest!! With POINTS!!!!!!
--------------------------
One of our OP staffers discovered this little contest while searching for news. You can get a lot of points and it looks very interesting. The Luna Lovegood’s "Archeology Today" Expedition, which is open until February 24th, is being sponsered by Professor Angelus Darklost and members of the HOL Medieval & Renaissance Society.
Premise: You’ve gone on an archeological expedition with Luna Lovegood and have uncovered a large collection of Wizarding items that date back to the Middle Ages and Renaissance (ie: pre-1600 CE). Many of these items have long been lost to the Wizarding world, and their uses are not fully understood. Your goal, as the discovering archeologist, is to write up an analysis of the object and speculate on its uses during the Middle Ages and Renaissance.
Contest Guidelines: Only ONE submission per person. Your submission must include a "scientific" journal article about the object you have discovered during this archeological dig. Include as much information about when and where the object would have been used, how it would have been used, and any "known" magical properties about the object. You may also include a photograph of the actual object, or a scale-model of the object, with your article. [[Hint: Visuals usually get a better response from voters.]] All submissions are to be sent to Prof. Angelus Darklost at angelus.darklost@gmail.com
A panel of HOL MARS members and Student Committee members have been selected to sort through and evaluate all entries on: 1) uniqueness, 2) creativity, 3) functionality, and 4) "accuracy" of the discovered objects. The panel will select the top ten discovered objects, where the populace of HOL will be able to vote for the best archeological find.
This contest opens January 23, 2006 and will accept submissions through February 24, 2006. The judges will then select the Top Ten Choices, and a poll will be posted to the Main HOL Forum in early- to mid-March for public voting. There will be a ONE WEEK voting time, at which time the winners will be announced.
[[Fine Print: The top three articles will be forwarded to the staff of the Ravenclaw newsletter, Alte Sententiam, for publication.]]
First Place: 50 points
Second Place: 35 points
Third Place: 25 points
Top Ten Placement: 10 points
All Entries: 5 points
For more information and clarification questions/comments, go to
http://hol.org.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=14142.
--------------------------
M. Owl Post Website
--------------------------
Did you know that all issues of the OP are archived on gryff.net? If you didn't get an issue, or recieved so many copies that you deleted every single one one of them, then this site is for you!
--------------------------
N. Closing Thoughts
--------------------------
Good luck in winter term! Remember to do your class homework. It's easy and fun, and earns us points! We are about 5,000 points ahead of Slytherin but 6,000 points behind Ravenclaw. Only YOU can help us bridge the gap!!