Removing all superstition from the mix, and relying only on good, hard science – I have no choice but to come to the conclusion that your votes angered the Gods, who did not want such a result to ever be posted.

So, ten minutes before the vote would have been final, they lashed out with a storm that knocked out my internet, and by appears to have fried by router (it’s no longer receiving or sending information, they couldn’t remote in last night in order to fix it. That will require someone coming out in person. On a holiday weekend.)

There are a few questions that I know you want to know:

(1) “How many people were going to be eliminated.” 7. Only because I set the cap at 8. Otherwise there could have been 9, maybe 10, depending on where I set the hypothetical maximum.
(2) “Was I one of them?” Yes. Yes, you were. ;) OK, that really depends on who is asking me. If you want to know, I’ll tell you in private.
(3) “Were any of those 7 people you, Gary, had on your “Yes” list?” 4 of them were. On the other hand, the rest of my “yes” list looks like what would have been the “top” of the poll. So, go figure… you people have *some* taste, I guess… :P
(4) “Can we find out where we would have ranked, in your usual vague terms?” Yes.
(5) “Can we find out where we would have ranked in Gary Only voting?” Yes. But be warned, you may not like the answer and if I start getting the endless follow up “BUT WHY????” I’m going to shut it down. Unless of course YOU are going to be cross examined for everything YOU didn’t vote for this week and every other week. I have a list. :D
(6) “Are you feeling cranky this morning, Gary?” Yes. Very much so. I’m sorry for lashing out like that. But it’s been a bad 12 hours or so.
(7) “When is the new topic being posted?” The appointment to get my internet back up is on Monday. I figure this is a sign from the Idol Gods that you are supposed to go out and enjoy your Memorial Day weekend with friends and family. The new topic will be posted late Monday.
(8) “That really sucks”. That’s not a question. But I do agree. I’d much rather be eliminating you people. ;)
(9) “Why does George Martin like saying “Number 9”? He just does.
(10) A special “Thank You”/kick to the hippie goes to spydielives who was able to post a message to you guys. I would have done it myself, if I could have. But I figured hearing about it through channels was far better than leaving you refreshing all night and getting frustrated!

Today is the last day for people to get in their votes for Contestant Only voting. So, if you are one of those slackers, you need to get on it! http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/570851.html

This is actually the first time in, well, I believe EVER that I ended up assembling my own actual list of where people would fall under “Gary Only Voting”, as opposed to just having it in my head.

While I was definitely pleased by the number of “yes” votes I had, there was quite a few signs of burn-out that I saw in even the strongest pieces, and some people that I think missed the mark. (Although it’s “missed the mark” compared to what I know they can do/when put side by side. They are still good pieces, amazingly enough) Some of those are still doing well in the voting (it’s not over yet), to which I have to say that my tastes have never entirely matched those of the voting public, regardless of who that public is…. I think it’s time for Gary Only Voting to become a “thing”! :P

(OK, probably not. But that doesn’t mean that I can’t continue to scare you with it!)

In a case of real life and Idol schedule matching up well, I have made a bit of adjustment to said schedule – to include something that’s never happened before. Some will like it – others will be really annoyed. Which means it’s just like every other thing that’s ever happened in Idol! ;)

All I can say now is that it’s coming in a couple of weeks. So those of you left standing at the end of this round, well… you might want to hold onto the handrail.

I spent most of yesterday finishing Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart. The last part of the book really got to me and really had me in a melancholy mood most of the day.

It's really good. But stirred up some stuff that needed to be processed.

Oddly enough, the main character is obsessed with books, in a world where they are relics. The fact that I checked this out of the library, due to the resurgence of it in my life, didn't escape me. Maybe I'm longing for that time as well.

After all, I practically grew up in a library! I was fortunate enough to be able to go to work with my Mom during my pre-school years, and even more fortunate that she was a librarian. So, I got to wander around the children's department all day, finding new friends on every shelf.

It's one those periods in your life that sticks with you forever.

I kept that love into adulthood, but - for whatever reason, it faded. I no longer felt a connection to that place.

Maybe it was falling in love with a woman who loves the library as much as I used to - or maybe it was just getting to spend some time there that was enough to rekindle it. Maybe it just the right time to come back into the fold of people who come in for something other than to ask how to turn on the computer! ;)

Whatever it was, I'm glad that it happened, and I hope that it will continue.

The next two books in my stack: I Am an Executioner: Love Stories from Rajesh Parameswaran and Long Way Back:A Novel by Brendan Halpin

(for those following the "books that Gary might be recommending, but check back with him later, after he has read them")

Thank you to all the numerous librarians out there in Idol-land. I know you are many. Thank you for continuing to fight the good fight.

***

For those who want to "fight the good fight" in Idol - the contestant only poll is still open, and still very much anyone's game: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/570851.html so, if you are a current contestant, you should get over there and select your favorites, and send that list to me!

If you had contestant only vote on your card for this week, congratulations! Put a star next to your name.

All current contestants need to email a list of their favorites (no limit) to me at clauderainsrm@gmail.com by Thursday, May 24th at 8pm EDT
So make sure to get out there and read everything http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/569110.html and cast your votes for your favorites! If you aren't a current contestant, your way to participate in this is reading and commenting! After all, people love the support regardless of it being a potential vote!

We will be losing a minimum of three and a maximum of eight!

Good luck to everyone!

Sometimes life slaps you harder than Will Smith would. But hopefully, this weekend went better than that for you!

You do have the topic due today after all! http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/569110.html
The Work Room is still open for people who need extra help: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/569578.html
And the Home Game thread is still open for people who want to push it over the top! http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/569864.html

Personally, I had a fantastic weekend. Which means that I will be taking it out on you! Because someone should be miserable! ;D
That's how it works, right?

They said it would never happen.

They claimed that it couldn't.

But, no.

It happened. It's REAL.

You don't even know the full impact of what it is, but it is something that will continue to haunt your existence until your dying days.

It's the Weekend Edition of Green Room for Week 28! It's here. It's NOW.

It's the biggest happening since that last big thing that happened. You know the one. It's easily that big. Maybe bigger.

It's the place you can go if you want to know that the topic post is located at http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/569110.html
It's the place to go to find the Work Room: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/569578.html
It is also the place to discover where the Home Game thread is! http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/569864.html

Because that's the shit that is going down, RIGHT NOW!

***

What's going on in your neck of the woods?

People have asked for a Home Game thread for “Walking on Egg Shells”.

This is the thread.

If you are no longer in the competition/never were in the first place and want to write on this, go ahead and link your entry back here!

If you get the chance today, go over and listen/read to the Goodbyes posted by the two people who left us this week. http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/569026.html
Even if you don’t get the chance, go do it anyway. They definitely have set a new level for class.

Saying that you are going to keep your cool, and go out with your head high, understanding just what the experience has been about, is one thing, being able to pull it off is a completely different animal. They pull it off, like wings on a Man-Bat being tortured.

Last night also featured the new topic: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/569110.html

And, of course, a new Work Room – where people are hard at work freaking out. ;) http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/569578.html

Ah, the sound of hair being torn out in the morning…. ;)

The topic has been posted, http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/569110.html
so now it’s time to get to work again!

I gave you an extra day (well, the end of Survivor did. But I’ll take credit for it) so you have a little extra time to hone your entries into what you want them to be.

I’m still seeing some formatting issues - really small type that makes it difficult to read, formatting that just goes wonky, people forgetting to unlock their posts so people can read them. You know, little things that could end up costing. We are so deep in this now that anything like that could very well end your run.

Which would be a shame because I happen to think you are the strongest Top 40 to date. I’m hoping that you will be the strongest Top 30...20... and so on! :)

There is still a way to go, but the end is within sight for those with a telescope handy! ;)

It is Week 28!

Time to really get out there and stop

Walking on Egg Shells

Unless of course that’s the topic. Which, it is.

So, I don’t know what to tell you, other than your deadline to link your entry back to this thread is Monday, May 21st at 8pm EDT and to bring your A-game! (Which, if you’re not, at this point, I don’t know what to think!!)