Spotlight on Staff/Spotlight on Sirina

"Apparently, I enjoy being right a little too much." -- Sirina

SGM of Towns and Communities

I became a GM right around the time of the conversion from GS3 to GS4. I was part of the events QC team for several years, where I became known as the "serial comma ...". I did a substantial amount of room/shop/item QC for the 2004 Spitfire, the 2005 (and beyond!) Wavedancer, and several years’ worth of EG festivals. I also took over and ran the MHO program and ALAE. In addition to those things, I've been involved in training the last several groups of new GMs.

Some of my "inventions" as a novice coder have been the hairstyle items that change your features, the writeable journals, and the "wand bows" from Velathae/EG.

Last summer I was offered the opportunity to become the SGM of the Towns and Communities team and, after the initial shock wore off, I gladly accepted the position. I'm now supervising the most fantastic team of GameMasters EVAR, and my areas of oversight include towns, CHE, MHO, ALAE, Mentors, and a great deal of documentation.

Where were you born?

Kansas City, KS

Where do you currently live?

Kansas City, MO - clearly I'm a world traveler.

Do you have any pets/kids/both?

Besides my husband, we have 4 cats and a dog.

What is your current occupation?

I'm the Accounting Manager and Office Manager for the local branch of a global pharmaceutical development company.

What did you want to be while you were growing up?

A lot of things, and none of them were an accountant!

Favorite TV shows?

I've been watching the first season of "Dexter" via Netflix lately. Most other TV right now is background noise, though I have a secret cheesy love for "Don't Forget the Lyrics", and I do record Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert and watch them daily. I miss Heroes, 24, and Bones.

Favorite actors/actresses?

A lot of the same people from my teenage Tiger Beat days! They're strangely all middle-aged now... Johnny Depp, Keifer Sutherland, Will Smith, Leonardo DiCaprio.

Favorite musicians/bands?

I like a little of everything. Right now my iPod has a lot of folksy chick music and a lot of hard rock.

Favorite books/authors?

I read constantly - a lot of science fiction/fantasy, a good deal of contemporary literature, and recently a lot of "classics". If I picked a favorite this month, Jane Austen - next month - who knows?

Where did you go to college and what did you study?

I'm finally finishing my bachelor's degree (in developmental psychology) this year at the University of Kansas. I was "on a break"!

Favorite/least favorite job you've ever had?

Favorite - I hope is still to come, but this GMing gig isn't bad. Least favorite - working at a video store from which I was fired for not being "perky" enough.

Favorite hobbies?

Reading, playing games (electronic and otherwise), crocheting if I can keep the cats off the yarn. I love playing tennis, but haven't played in a long time, since no one else I hang with plays.

Favorite foods?

Just about anything my husband cooks. I'm a carnivore - love my steaks. And I have a major weakness for ice cream and coffee-flavored beverages. Coffee-flavored ice cream for the double whammy.

Favorite board games or computer games?

GemStone IV of course! Strategy games, RPGs, card games - I like trivia games too, but nobody likes to play with me. Apparently I enjoy being right a little too much.

Favorite sports/sports teams?

To watch, football and roller derby. To play, tennis and volleyball. I suppose my husband will bring the pain if I don't say that the Minnesota Vikings are my favorite team. :P

What would you do with a million dollars?

Quit my job and travel around the world. Then I'd like to open a small business - maybe a floral shop.

What three people past or present would you invite to dinner?

Emeril Lagasse, Ina Garten (the Barefoot Contessa), and Gordon Ramsay - it'd be a foodgasm, and they'd entertain me.

What is your favorite quote?

Picking a single favorite quote is impossible. The entire script for "Pulp Fiction"?

Name something you'd like to do before you die.

Travel extensively.

What's your favorite acronym?

Probably WTF - I use it entirely too much.

Who is your hero or heroine?

Wonder Woman - I even had her Underoos.

If you could have any musical group or artist, past or present, play at your birthday party, who would it be?

Nine Inch Nails isn't terribly festive, so maybe Fleetwood Mac (look it up kids!)

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Teleportation has always been appealing. I could be so much more productive if I wasn't always wasting time in the car.

And the Zobmondo question

Would you rather...

For a living, clean silverware from a truckstop using only your mouth...

Or...

For a living, clean golfballs from a public driving range with your mouth?

Most. Disgusting. Question. Ever. I'm fairly germ-phobic, while still being in the socially acceptable range. I guess I'd have to go with the golf balls - dirt is far preferable to other people's mouth germs. (Allow me the fantasy that it would just be "dirt" - OK?)

Co-Worker's Not-So-Candid Quotes

• "Best darn boss this side of awesome? Resounding yes! She offers the sugary wisdom on the top of my sundae ideas."

• "Sirina always has the players best interest at heart and strives to make their dreams, desires, and expectations a reality. She has the patients of a saint, the compassion of a mom, the firmness of a dad, the knowledge of a scholar, and the creativity of an artist."

• "She's my mentor. I've admired her from the moment I began working with her, and more than considering her a co-worker, I consider her a friend. She's taught me so much and will probably always be my go-to person for everything from QC questions to general advice (though she might not appreciate this as much as I do!)."

• "She's awesomesocks! A real pleasure to work with. She represents integrity to me."

• "Sirina is the queen of quality control and maintainer of GemStone's various cultures and clans, giving them breadth and depth."

• "You wish you were as awesome as Sirina, but you're not. Don't cry."

• "When I was hired for her team, I was a little bit OMG It's GM Sirina!!! Because she's someone I've admired and respected as a player. In the time I've been working with her, I've found her incredibly supportive, patient and encouraging. She's a great leader too."

• "Best SGM ever, I think she and I share a few neuron pathways. "