Elizabeth Martin
OOC
| Game | Journal | Portrayed By |
|---|---|---|
| Silver Springs | lizbrarian | Shelley Hennig |
Basic Stats
Full Name: Elizabeth Sarah Martin
Nickname(s): Liz
Gender: Female
Age: 28
Date of Birth: January 5, 1990
Zodiac: Capricorn
Sexuality: Straight
Relationship Status: Single
Place of Birth: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Current Residence: Silver Springs apt 402, Washington, D.C.
Occupation: Librarian
Pet: None
Family
Father: Andrew Martin (housekeeping/janitorial @ hospital; 55)
Mother: Rebecca Martin (née TBD; administration @ hospital; 54)
Brother: Thomas Martin (deceased)
Uncle: Robert Martin (surgeon; 58)
Aunt: Laura Martin (née TBD; housewife; 54)
Cousin: Lydia Martin (33)
Cousin: Mary Martin (28)
History
Elizabeth is the oldest child of Andrew and Rebecca Martin, younger brother Thomas only a couple years younger than her. Growing up in Lancaster, she never had a particularly cushy life: while both her parents were employed at the hospital (like the majority of the people there), they weren't doctors. Andrew worked in housekeeping/janitorial, and Rebecca was in administration. But they still earned enough between the two of them to provide for their children, even if they did have to often shunt Liz and Tommy off to friends and family while they worked.
Liz learned early on how to be self-sufficient and also took on a role of taking care of her brother, despite the closeness of their ages. She learned to cook, while also learning how to stretch food out to make it last longer or go into more meals. She learned to mend her and her brother's clothes, in addition to doing the laundry and keeping the house neat. It was really sexist (but then, it was the 90s), but while Liz learned all those things, Tommy learned how to fix the plumbing and wiring in their house, and how to maintain the car so that it could go longer between visits to the mechanic.
Her dad's older brother, Robert, was the more successful of the two. He also worked at the hospital, but as a general surgeon. His wife Laura was a stay-at-home mom to their two girls, Lydia and Mary. Liz grew up jealous of her cousins and their easy life, but also loving every moment that she and her brother got to spend at their cousins' house. Lydia, the oldest, liked to boss the younger three around, but Liz didn't mind being told what to do, she even enjoyed participating in the "productions" that Lydia would create and make them all put on.
Throughout her years at school, Liz floated along, unfocused on her future. Unlike most of her family and friends, she had no real passion to drive her, she was too focused on keeping the house run smoothly while her parents worked, and she got a part-time job at the local library as soon as she was old enough. She managed decent grades, but homework often fell to the wayside so her grades were never stellar. She applied to a few colleges, and while she got a couple of acceptances, she didn't get any scholarships and didn't want to be buried under student loan debt when she didn't even know what she wanted to go to college for. So after she graduated, her part-time job at the library became full-time, and she took a class here and there at the local community college toward an associate degree in library science.
While she longed to get out of Lancaster and see the rest of the world (or even just more of the country), she felt obligated to stay and continue helping her parents and her brother, and she just couldn't gather up the drive and determination to quit her job, pack up, and move somewhere else. Why give up a perfectly good job just to go somewhere else where she wouldn't know what to do? She probably would have stayed in Lancaster forever if not for the events of Halloween night. Liz was driving home from a friend's Halloween party when her car died. While she knew how to change tires and check the oil, that was about the extent of her car knowledge. So she called Tommy and asked him to come help. He never arrived to help his sister, because a drunk driver ran a red light and plowed into the driver's side of his car.
Even though her brother's death wasn't her fault, Liz was still wracked with guilt over it. He wouldn't have been out driving if she hadn't called him. Lancaster no longer felt like home, and now more than ever she wanted to get out of there and go somewhere else. When she read about the Silver Springs apartment building that would be opening in Washington, D.C., which would include a library in the building, Liz found the perfect place to go. She applied for the job of librarian, and also signed a lease for an apartment in the building. She would finally go somewhere new, where she wasn't reminded at every turn of her brother.
Personality
Liz is resourceful and adaptable. She's not exactly MacGuyver, but she can usually figure out how to fix something or rig something up to do the work needed until she can afford to buy whatever it is she needs. She doesn't buy things on a whim, she's used to putting a lot of thought into what she's going to spend her money on. She's a hard worker and tends not to ask for help (though she offers her help freely). But she's also jealous: jealous of those who have easier lives because they come from money, those who know what their passion is and can pursue it. She longs for the easy life that money could bring, and also for a passion or purpose so she stops floating through life.
She is also very nurturing and motherly. It definitely stems from helping take care of her brother when they were younger. Her favorite part of working in the library (aside from being able to read on the clock and consider it "research") is helping young children find books they'll love. She wants a family of her own one day, though she would like to see more of the world before settling down with kids (even though she knows that travel probably isn't in her future, she still dreams). She also takes care of her friends, making them chicken noodle soup when they're sick, checking in on them regularly, helping with anything they need. She's not a doormat, though, she does things for others from her heart, not because she's asked.
If you're on time, you're late. Liz is very punctual, often arriving earlier than the agreed-upon time. People being late without at least calling or texting to say they're late is one of her biggest pet peeves: everyone has a cell phone, there's no reason you can't let someone know if you're running late, it's just rude. But she's also realistic: she knows that things can pop up that can't be planned for. Even the best-laid plans can go awry. Her tendency to be realistic is also why she's never (before now) actually picked up and moved: why leave a good job without another one already lined up?
She's also an amateur photographer. It's not something she would pursue as a career, but she enjoys taking pictures and capturing moments in time. Otherwise, she's rather escapist: from a young age she read books to travel to faraway places and live different lives. She enjoys watching movies that allow for escapsim, too. Anything that will let her imagine, if only for a few hours, that she could live a different life.
Appearance
Liz tends to keep her dark hair short, and usually at least partly pulled back. She doesn't have much jewelry, just a few small pieces (a couple necklaces, a few pairs of earrings), nothing too large or "on trend." Her fashion sense on a whole is generally more classic casual than trendy, she just doesn't really see the point in constantly spending money on clothes that are going to be out of style in a few months. She is most likely to be found in jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers, except when she's working, in which case she tends to wear nicer blouses and either slacks or skirts with modest, plain heels. Likewise, she doesn't wear much makeup: usually just a bit of eyeliner and lipstick, maybe mascara if she's feeling daring.
When she talks, it tends to be deliberate, she isn't particularly prone to prattling or rambling. She talks with her hands a lot, gesturing as she speaks. When she's nervous, she may babble a bit, and will also fidget with her clothes, jewelry, fingers, etc. She's a horrible liar, eyes darting away and voice becoming hesitant as she hurries to figure out a reasonable-sounding lie.