INSERT THIS INTO YOUR PROFILE TO JOIN THE MOVEMENT:

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I am a supporter of the Sober Universe (SU)

I refuse to believe that JKR's recent revelations regarding post-DH ships are canon. I subscribe to the Sober Universe where we can use our imaginations to decide who ended up with who, and where my version is as true as yours.

JKR has given us a wonderful universe to play with, but she has finished writing the books. Either she should have given us a decent epilogue to DH, telling us what we wanted to know, rather than what we could have guessed, or she should have kept her ideas about post-DH events, ships and names to herself. It is my personal belief that if she had actually tried to write any of the ships that are now "canon" (particularly George/Angelina), she would see that they do not work.

I am aware that, by its very nature, fanfiction is not "canon", and cannot ever truly be canon. However, for those who showed enough respect to Jo Rowling to make every effort to keep their fics in line with her vision - some of her recent decisions have been rather disappointing. Had she included any or all of this information at the end of Deathly Hallows, that would have been wonderful - I'm sure many of us would have preferred a more fully complete edition of the Epilogue, which we were not afforded. I love the universe Jo gave us in first seven books (though perhaps a little less of the sixth, for those who know my works), but beyond hardback canon, the only canon I stick to, if it isn't AU, will be SU canon.

Join the SU movement. Copy and Paste this into your profile.

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New Topic - Story of the Week

Once a week a story will be posted by a member Sober Universe Staff (which, at the moment, is just me, but this will soon change). This will usually be me, but, if I am unable or unwilling to select a story, I'll assign another to do it for me. An additional topic to discuss the story of the week will be placed as well. All non-Story of the Week Posts at the Story of the Week will be promptly removed. Excessive posting and disregard for this rule will result in a warning and then, if deemed necessary, a SU forum banning.

Story of the Week Ratings:

K General Audiences

K+ General Audiences Plus (Contains some mild language or romantic references)

T Teen (13+)

T+ Teen (15+)

M Mature (Devoid of sexual content; M for violence only)

M+ Mature Plus (Contains sexual content; M for sexual descriptions and/or violence)

MA Mature Audience Only (Contains explicit sexual references, descriptions, gore, and/or extreme violence)

These are ratings for Sober Universe Fic of the Week only. They're to more precisely differentiate between ratings to make sure what you're reading isn't something you don't want to be.

Tuesday, January 22nd 2008

New Challenge - "A Box of Chocolates"; hosted by ToManyLetters, a Reviews Lounge challenge. For more detail visit the topic TML has created for the challenge.

Just wanted to let everyone know that. Participate everyone! =D

Banning/Suspension Policy

The following are grounds for banning/suspension:

1. Linking to sites with harmful, illegal, or pornographic content.

2. Insulting forum officers or forum participants with or without intent.

3. Disregard for thread rules. For example, posting off-topic in the Introduce Yourself thread or Notice Board, even after warnings. The Notice Board thread is for Moderator and Administrator use ONLY. The Introduce Yourself thread should be used ONLY for its prescribed use.

4. Spamming.

5. Harassment. This includes forcing or attempting to force people into discussing topics they have asked you not to.

6. Failure to follow forum officer instructions.

Depending on the severity of the action, a forum officer should do the following:

1. Offer a polite warning urging the offender to cease the offending action(s).

2. Offer a firm warning requesting the offender cease the offending action(s) with a warning of possible forum suspension or banning.

3. Forum suspension or banning.

Length of Forum Suspension policy:

1. A first-time offender shall be suspended for 24 hours.

2. A second-time offender shall be suspended for 7 days.

3. A third-time offender shall be suspended for one month.

4. A fourth-time offender shall be banned permanently from the forum.

More severe breaches of forum rules may be cause for more extended periods of suspension.

In preparation for my absence, RespiteChristopher has been added to the moderation team. Also, today, April 11, 2008, an additional invitation has been extended to another moderator, Mackgirl. By April 20th, a fifth and final person will be added to the moderation team. Moderation invitations are not a popularity vote and have already been decided (and have been for several weeks, actually). Please extend your congratulations to the new moderators as they arrive!

Thanks,

ToManyLetters

My hiatus has officially begun. I'll miss all of you!

Bye TML! Have a great experience...

Bye TML! I'll miss you.

Enjoy America's Finest City, TML. Don't forget to go to the beach lots and lots while you're there -- always worth it. See you when you get back!

General Disclaimer By Me(the real Gilly): Somebody *coughCharlicough* we all know and love 'hacked' my account and made quite a few changes on the SU. I'll fix anything major but if you come across posts with TML or anyone saying strange things that seem to have been edited by me, they weren't. There are too many for me to change everything back so sorry everyone! It will not happen again I promise.

Charli is starting to get on my nerves XD

I can't cope with everyone pretending to be everyone else.

I refuse to talk to anyone from now on unless they are really themselves!

We were doing so well until Katy had to go and get existential on us.

:-P

Christopher has to show off that he knows long words...

You are Christopher, aren't you?

Ask my shrink

I CAN'T STAND THIS EITHER!!! I'm totally lost, what with Charli being Cuba, then RKC, then RKC being Charli, Turtle being SCV... GAH!!!

AND I'm in one of my cranky/hyper-active states, which isn't good. Da-n those Spring viruses and stupid stupid... other things.

But how do I know if your shrink is really your shrink or just pretending?

Off to go out for a drink with my DH, who I'm pretty certain is actually himself.

Enjoy, Katy.

Bye TML and good luck.

I can't stand when everyone switches accounts either, it just gets to confusing.

Don't know if it's good etiquette for me to post this myself, but I'm going to anyway.

TML has asked me to be a mod here, and I have accepted.

Awesome. Welcome to the team!

Woohoo! Right on, Katy.

Thanks Gilly and Christopher.

WOOT for Bad Mum :)

I must say, awesome mod team TML has regrouped here :)

Thanks Defier.

Congrats Katy!!

Thanks mackgirl!

Tomorrow, early morning, I leave for the MTC - IE: I'm not just on hiatus, but actually gone as well. To ensure that things run smoothly whilst I'm away, I've set-up the following:

• RespiteChristopher is the de facto administrator in my absence. High-end decisions will go through him. Mackgirl, Princess Gillybean, and Bad Mum are standard moderators.

• The American moderators (RespiteChristopher and Mackgirl) have been PMed with my mailing addresses whilst I'm away. If you would like to talk with me through the snail mail, you can contact them for that information. (Respite and Mackgirl - please PM this information to trustworthy members only. Do not post it on any of the forum threads on this or any other forum.) Respite, you many also want to use this method of contact for keeping me informed as to what's going on here at the SU.

• Nonsense threads need to be deleted immediately. If it isn't consistent with a professional-looking forum, it doesn't belong here. I'll let Respite be the judge of threads whilst I'm away. MODERATORS - Please to not hand over your passwords to non-moderators as this causes a security issue.

• In the event of the necessity of new moderation or administrative action, RespiteChristopher can request administrative control through the snail mail. It's going to be slow - but it can happen.

• I'll miss you all a great deal - be sure to write!

Bye TML and good luck! I have recieved the addresses and while do as you have asked with them.

Hi. I like notices...

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am officially on haitus for an undetermined amount of time. Early this morning, one of my sisters and her boyfriend were in a car accident. They had both been drinking and her boyfriend, who was driving, lost control of the car around a curve causing them to hit one tree, and then a second one. My sister was pronounced dead on the scene, her boyfriend is in the Intisive Care Unit. We haven't heard how he is, since he was the one driving the car he is under arrest and there is a police guard on his room that as of this morning wouldn't even let his mom in since he was over the age 21. My sister was 22.

While I might get on the board from time to time, I won't be updating any of my stories or reading anyone's at the moment. Katy, this is espicially for you, as much as I love B&B I won't be able to read it any further.

Please keep my family in your prayers, it's going to take everything we have to pull through this.

Oh, God, mackgirl, I am SO sorry! You are in my prayers, for sure. Take care, sweetie!

There are seriously no words, Mackgirl.

My thoughts and prayers during this time. I'm so sorry, so very sorry and you have my deepest sympathies.

My condolences in this moment of tragedy. Sadly, words aren't enough...

You and your family will definitely be in my thoughts and prayers mackgirl. My condolescences.

-choke- Mackgirl...I honestly don't know what to say. I don't post here very often and I didn't know you very well, but we've spoken enough that I know what an awesome person you are. I'm so, so sorry. -hug-

Thinking of you, Mackgirl. I'm so sorry for your loss.

I'm so sorry, and I really hope you know that we're all with you right now.

I'm so, so sorry. I can't even begin to imagine what that feels like. I'll keep you in my prayers. Take care.

I am so sorry, mackgirl.

Thoughts and prayers for you and your family.

I can't even begin to imagine what you must be going through.

I'll keep you in my prayers.

I'm so sorry for you and your family, you will certainly be in my prayers.

You and your family are in my thoughts, mackgirl. To lose a relative will always be a tragedy, and I'm sure (knowing you) that your sister is a beautiful person, and will be sorely missed. I'm so sorry.

Oh gosh - I'm sorry mackgirl. Saying sorry doesn't seem to be enough, but you and your family are in my thoughts x

I just wanted to get on and thank everyone for their support for myself and my family. I wish I could pm you all individually, and I most likely still will but it will take time since I have gotten so many pm's from people not to mention those of you who have posted on the boards. Thank you again.

Mackgirl, thanks for this. It's good to hear from you -- really. Be well.

Good to hear from you, mackgirl. You and your family continue to be in my thoughts and prayers. Take care of yourself.

Hey guys, hate me later, but as I am a card-carrying member of the " 'cause I said so" school of message-board moderation:

There's a new politics thread on the board. Please keep the politics talk there.

Grazie.

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