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Tweak says, "Thank you, Doogie Howser."

Alex lives for the present (pastperfection) wrote in neeps,
@ 2018-03-02 20:12:00

Entry tags:

! ic/ooc, # montrose, ada olivier, alasdair maddock, alex winters, dani miracle, elektra yaxley, jason king, kenna mcleod, lennox campbell, mg mcgonagall, michael corner, roger davies

IC/OOC - Who's Ready to Meet Montrose's New PR Guy?

internalmemo Montrose Magpies Team PR Office
2 March 2000 TO: Montrose Staff and Players FROM: Montrose Magpies Team Office SUBJECT: Getting to Know You!
Hello, Magpies! No doubt, you have seen a new face around the offices, so I thought I'd send out a memo to briefly introduce myself. My name is Alex Winters, and I'll be taking over the Public Relations position from Aureliana effective immediately. She's agreed to stay on for a brief time as we transition her work to me, and I'm very excited to get started here! I'm sure all of you have appreciated the hard work she put in during the interim. A little about me: I was born in Scotland, but moved to America when I was really little, and grew up in Seattle, WA. I went to Ilvermorny- Go, Horned Serpents!- and then interned for a marketing firm in Manhattan before being hired on full time. This was my primary background- international corporate accounts- for nearly ten years, when I felt it was time for a change. But I'm not here to bore you with the details! I'd really like to get to know everyone here, but I know that everyone is busy with three upcoming matches this month, so I'm asking if you could please find the time to either schedule a time or just stop by my office for a brief 5-10 minute chat so I can get to know the team a little better. If you find you don't have time, or small talk just really isn't your thing, I've attached a brief form that includes some talking points you can also use if you wish. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you, and can't wait to see the Unbeatable Magpies in action again!

MADE BY TESSISAMESS···································

(Please feel free to use this post as an IC/OOC, or we can treat it like a journal if your staff member/team player prefers the written medium.)

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Re: Meetings

pastperfection
2018-03-03 10:52 pm UTC (link)

He grins at the joke, always appreciative of the use of a good pun, but it slides slowly from his face when confronted by Lex's sudden rant. He slowly put down his biro and set it and his notebook to one side before leaning forward, elbows resting on the tops of his thighs. "First thing's first," Alex says carefully, "as near as I can tell, none of that has affected your playing. It might affect your public image, but that's what I'm here for." A wry smile begins to tug at his mouth. "I mean, if I can bring the joys of the Magical Moo Mixer to the households of the world, I think I can turn your image around if you want to go that route."

He leans back again, spreading his hands wide. "And if that's not the direction you want to go, that's fine too. I'm here to work with you, not to put restrictions on you or to ask you to change. That's not my call. You- and the team- make the news, I just find a way to spin it."

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	Re: Meetings yaxlie 2018-03-03 10:56 pm UTC (link)
	Lex really doesn't know what to make of Alex, but smiles when he mentions the Magical Moo Mixer. "I saw one of those in a shop once - does it actually work? Nearly got it for my nephew.." She draws her legs up under her and gives him a look. "I.. I'm not sure which direction I want to go in?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Meetings

pastperfection
2018-03-03 11:56 pm UTC (link)

"Yes. It's just as obnoxious as it sounds, and Aureliana might have cursed your name had you actually gotten it for him, so it's probably better that you didn't." Alex grins at her, but then watches as she seems to fold up into herself. This went deep for her, that much was obvious. "And that's fine, it really is. I'm not asking for you to right now, or even any time soon. I'm here to work with you, not dictate timelines."

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	Re: Meetings yaxlie 2018-03-04 02:43 am UTC (link)
	"It's not that," Lex said, running a hand through her hair, the mooing milker forgotten. "It's just... in my ten years playing pro quidditch, no one has ever asked me that. I've always just been something to be managed or controlled." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Meetings

pastperfection
2018-03-04 03:54 am UTC (link)

Alex's brows knit together in a mix of concern and consternation. He leaned back and rubbed his lower lip with his finger, taking care with what he said next. "Lex, you are not a thing to be managed or controlled, and I'm very sorry you've ever been made to feel that way. There's no excuse for that." He paused briefly, and then continued. "If you ever get that from me, I want you to call me on it. Right away. I want to manage your image, not you."

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	Meetings yaxlie 2018-03-04 04:18 am UTC (link)
	Lex wasn't sure what to say to that so she just shrugged. "I'm a loose canon. It's understandable. I'm not good for publicity." She bit her lip. "Got any tea or anything stronger?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Meetings pastperfection 2018-03-04 07:10 am UTC (link)
	"Or maybe, just maybe, you just haven't found the right PR person," Alex replied with an easy grin. He chuckled at her request. "As it turns out, I happen to have a bottle of Elderflower wine on hand. I was going to take it home to have with dinner over the next few nights, but I don't see the harm in opening it now. You are done with practice now, right?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Meetings yaxlie 2018-03-04 07:19 am UTC (link)
	Lex returned the smile easily, feeling more at ease with Alex than she had with an Montrose PR person in years. "Hard to say no to that and yes, done with practice for today." She gave him a smile. "So, how about we start from the beginning? How is this supposed to work?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Meetings

pastperfection
2018-03-04 06:29 pm UTC (link)

After transfiguring a couple of wine glasses out of everyday objects on his desk, Alex poured them both half a glass and offered it to her. He took a sip after settling back in his seat, and glanced over his notes. He stopped and stared, and then let out a startled laugh. "This is entirely beside the point, but did you know we share a birthday? Small world. But back to your questions- you've already given me the bullet points of public perception about you, but what about you you? Getting to know you gives me a better understanding of the players and how you fit into the team: strengths, weaknesses, that kind of thing."

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Re: Meetings

yaxlie
2018-03-05 06:26 am UTC (link)

Lex took the glass with a smile. However she had expected this meeting to go, this was certainly not it.

"Well then, that's a fun coincidence. Cheers!" she said, raising her glass to his before taking a sip.

"What about me? Quidditch is my life. All I've ever wanted to do since I first saw my brother flying was play quidditch - and beater specifically. Beaters are like the glue. Sure it's not a glamorous position - I don't catch snitches, or make a 97% saving average , or score a century, but beaters are the one who protect the team. We keep them safe, and we make it possible for them to do their job. There's one game going on with the quaffles and the snitch, and another with the bludgers and we have to keep an eye on both."

She took a sip of wine. "My family wasn't too keen on my playing. It wasn't something appropriate for someone from our family to do, certainly not a girl. But I didn't really fit in with my family in some ways and I was determined to play, regardless."

"I'd always wanted to play for Montrose, but I didn't make it straight out of school... I started out with Appleby before making it onto Montrose. Maverick trained me my first few years with Montrose.. I tend to be a small package with a big punch... in terms of weaknesses, well, I'm not patient and I ahve a bit of a temper..."

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Re: Meetings

pastperfection
2018-03-06 02:00 pm UTC (link)

"I think it's great that you knew what you wanted and went after it despite your family's reservations. It's a hard thing, coming out from under the shadow of familial obligations." His own upbringing- while not nearly as insulated as most of the wizard born community in the UK seemed to be- had been exclusionary in its own right. He counted himself lucky to have unlearned a fair number of prejudices from his travels and extensive and diverse client base over the subsequent years. So while he might not have ever personally experienced the "pure blood" lifestyle, he could easily imagine it.

Alex made a few more notes as Lex spoke, and finally chuckled at the end. "Sometimes I think having a temper is a Beater prerequisite. I did some in school, but mostly played Chaser- though quodpot was definitely my drug of choice. But enough about me. Seems to me like you're a Montrose lifer. I understand you had a bit of a scare at the holiday break. Have you given any thought about what it is you might want to do if/when you retire- which I hope is no time soon?"

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Meetings

yaxlie
2018-03-07 02:45 am UTC (link)

"Given the current political climate... and my mother's role with the team... I think downplaying my family is probably the best thing right now."

She took another sip of the wine, smile at his comment. "I'd be willing to do an exhibition quodpot match or another sport. It's all about the challenge for me - pushing myself to be better."

She snorted. "I thought I was done for. And it wasn't even a good way to go." She bit her lip. "I thought about coaching or finding a league out of the country for has beens... or taking up racing my family's Aetheneans."

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Re: Meetings

pastperfection
2018-03-07 10:01 pm UTC (link)

"Oh, absolutely. It's not always possible, of course, but it's my job to minimise or mitigate whatever I can't keep out entirely." Alex tipped a silly little wink at her. "You should see my Spin the Press tap dance routine. Eat your heart out, Gene Kelly."

He remembered who he was talking to at the last second, and he offered Lex a slightly bashful smile. "Famous American No-maj actor and dancer," he explained. "You'd swear he was magical if you saw him."

After considering the possibility of actually playing Lex in a quodpot game (or any of the Magpies for that matter), he found the idea twisting in his stomach. "On second thought, let's not try for that particular challenge. There's a too real likelihood of death and dismemberment. Always more fun in theory than practice. And Merc and Shona might kill me themselves."

He leaned forward, about to warn her against self-negging when her last statement temporarily drove whatever he'd been about to say from his head. "Sorry, your family's what? Is that a type of broom?"

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	Meetings yaxlie 2018-03-07 11:50 pm UTC (link)
	"Seems there plenty of those from what I've seen in the muggle films... still hard to believe those aren't magical," she said with a smile. "Aethonans. Flying horses. My family breeds them." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Meetings

pastperfection
2018-03-08 06:13 pm UTC (link)

"Right?" Alex grinned, suddenly excited since it seemed like Lex had at least a passing knowledge of Muggle movies. He only barely checked himself at the last possible second from launching into a few dozen questions about what kinds of movies she might have seen, because, well, time and place.

His eyes widened, though, as she explained. He vaguely remembered reading something about the Yaxleys being known for breeding something, but hasn't recalled what. "That... is so cool. Do you guys offer tours or anything? Has anyone ever come out to do a story about it? Could be an interesting piece for Seeker Weekly."

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Meetings

yaxlie
2018-03-09 03:36 am UTC (link)

Lex smiled, she didn't have a huge knowledge of muggle cinema, but she'd seen a handful of movies, mostly due to friendships with muggleborn quidditch players.

At Alex's enthusiasm for the flying horses, a soft look came over Lex's features, almost unheard of on the face of Montrose's star beater who was known for her brashness and being a bruiser on the pitch and a wildcard off. "I... I'm sure I could arrange a tour - or personally give you one. I mean, I grew up riding them and my father took me up on them before I ever sat on a broom."

There was a wistful look on her face, remembering the happy moments of riding Aethonans with her father when she was a child.

"A story? Er.. I don't think anyone's ever done one and there's been a lot of effort by my Mother - Una - to distance herself from my father and my father's family because of my Uncle Corban. I.. I wouldn't want to open the team up that might drag my family's past front and center. Montrose deserves better than that."

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Re: Meetings

pastperfection
2018-03-10 03:07 pm UTC (link)

For maybe the space of a breath, Alex was completely arrested by the expression on Lex's face. It caused him to draw in a sharp, but thankfully inaudible breath. "I-" he had to clear his throat, felt a flash of annoyance at himself- "I would really like that. Pardon the phrasing, but it sounds like you had a magical childhood."

He spread his hands out in a sign of acquiescence, inclining his head to her. "Understandable- although maybe we could still do something in the off season, just you and these amazing flying horses of yours. Nothing wrong with positive press if we frame it right and shop it around to the right outlets. But that's entirely up to you. In the meantime, I'll totally take you up on the tour gig."

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Meetings

yaxlie
2018-03-10 05:15 pm UTC (link)

"It was... something." She knew it wasn't perfect, growing up in the shadow of a war with her family's beliefs. She knew it was privileged too. "I'd be happy to give you a tour anytime though, maybe even take you up riding if you want," she said, giving him a bit of a challenging grin.

"As for the story, maybe in the summer," she agreed with a slight nod. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to have some positive Yaxley press. Hadn't that been what Ana wanted with her plans to have Lex and Micah in the park with children. "My sister had wanted to do some sort of positive spin story on me and Micah and we put her off.. it felt.... not like us. It's not that I mind the press, hell, normally I don't care one way or another what they say about me, but I don't want it to hurt Micah or Mel or Ana. Mel's got his career to worry about and even though Ana took Jamie's name, well, I wouldn't want to reflect badly on either of them."

She bit her lip. She hadn't mentioned her mother and that was... complicated. "You should know that I don't have the best relationship with my Mother, who's currently the face of Montrose ownership. It's civil and professional, but we've never seen eye to eye on things. And I think some people thing that I got my spot on Montrose because of my family, but all my stake in the team is frozen while I'm playing. Sometimes I hear things because of the family, but I try to keep them separate. My priority right now is on being a player."

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Meetings

pastperfection
2018-03-11 01:14 am UTC (link)

"Riding on a flying horse? Sign me up! I'll even sign a waiver." Alex grinned at her, both joking and completely serious- at least on part of that.

He regarded her for a moment, and then set his wine glass to one side and leaned toward her. "Lex, it's my job to make your lives easier when it comes to the press, not harder. If I ever ask you to do anything that you're not comfortable with, I want you to tell me, and- I promise you- I'll either back off or find a way to rework the situation so that you are comfortable. This is your narrative- I'm just here for the presentation factor. And that goes for your relationships too, both on and off the pitch, regardless of your connections or family ties with ownership. I'm going to tell as much or as little of your story as you want."

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	Re: Meetings yaxlie 2018-03-11 04:15 am UTC (link)
	Lex grinned. "Just let me know when. As long as it's not during a game or practice." She game him a look. "And you're not going to run off and quit when I do something impulsive?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Meetings pastperfection 2018-03-12 01:02 pm UTC (link)
	Alex's smile deepened."Wild Aetheneans couldn't drag me away." (Reply to this) (Parent)

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