I was at Epcot yesterday, and in front of the Chinese area, there were a bunch of guys (and a couple girls) who I will stereotype and call "Jock-type". Which of course is horrible of me to place them in a category like that, as especially to assume that all people of a certain "look" are a certain way.

More to the point though, they were everything that people stereotype about that group. Which pretty much means their true grouping would be in the "asshole" category.

What were they doing to deserve this title? They were taking a picture in front of China - and using their fingers to pull the sides of their eyes. I'm not sure if that's a good enough description, but hopefully people know what I'm taking about.

I'd never actually seen that it person - at least not since elementary school - and I was in a really small town who had never actually seen a Chinese person. On the other hand, these "people" were in the middle of a place dedicated to diversity, in an specific area devoted to China, surrounded by Chinese cast members!

I wanted bad things to happen to them. It was pointed out to me though, that bad things *were* happening to them, every single day that I had to wake up and be that ignorant and unaware of who they are and how they are perceived.

I'd still like to order a drone attack.

***

In other news, you have one more day until the deadline! http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/652241.html

Welcome to the Week That LJ Will Not Allow to End!

Hopefully you are taking advantage of LJ actually being up to get some work done! http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/652241.html

How is your weekend going?

What I was saying before we were so rudely interrupted, is that the deadline for Week 1 submissions is Monday, May 20th at 8pm EDT. http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/652241.html

I understand that there are still folks without a partner, now would be the time to correct that!

Don't just sit around complaining about Charles Clymer, actually *do* something - like post your entries! ;)

Hopefully everyone can check out the Idol Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/LJ-Idol/120173881339154?fref=ts which seems silly to update a social media page *about* a social media site. But in times like these when LJ goes totally wonky and I need to get a message out to the masses, that would be where I would post it. I also try to post links to Idol polls, so it's an easy way to "share" them, for those of you into such things.

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In other news: Mischief Managed. Let's just say that the special mini-seasons have served their intended purpose. Now it is a matter of timing!

So thank you to everyone who helped make this happen!

Hopefully, everyone is paired up and getting to work – but if you are not, it’s time to raise your hand and see who else is in need of a dance partner! We should have an even amount of people, so no one should be left sitting on the sidelines. http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/652241.html

Special note to Idol Veterans – most of you remember what it was like your first time through, so do your part and grab up a newbie to show them the ropes!
Special note to Newbies – use that rope to ultimately hang that veteran and grab your victory!

Special note to special notes: Remember to use your “inside voice” so that no one knows the plan!

You, yes you, can now buy the newest issue of Electric Velocipede for your Kindle at http://astore.amazon.com/li0cd-20/detail/B00CQAL240
Why would you want to do that? Because it features a new poem from our own lrig_rorrim and by buying it from the Idol Store, you literally are helping keep the lights on!

***

On a personal note, I’m currently $270.90 $260.90 from my ultimate goal. I knew that I was going to be coming in short. But it ended up being shorter due to not as many contestants signing up this time as I had allotted. On the other hand, it feels really, really close. Close enough that I’ve been dreaming about it for the last couple of nights. It feels like this is really going to happen – so thank you to everyone who has been a part of it! It is appreciated more than I can ever properly express.

Which is why I will eliminate you with a vengeance! ;)


Speaking of “sign ups” – I did announce that they would be open until 9 pm EDT TONIGHT so if you know someone who wants to get into the action, or are going “Man, I wish so-and-so would sign up so that I can do an Intersection with them!” now would be a very good time to do so!
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The new topics are up: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/652241.html and there is a discussion going on in the Results thread from last night http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/651977.html for people looking for Intersections partners! Feel free to keep using it and/or bring it over to the new Green Room(s)!
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Anyone who participated in Exhibit A who *did not* receive an email from me yesterday – please send me a note at clauderainsrm@gmail.com so that I can send you a copy of the Preliminary contract for the book! Things are starting to move on that, but I know that I probably missed some folks!

***

There are a lot of exciting things going on right now – thank you for being a part of it!

I try my best to give clues about a season so that I can blindside you and point back and say “I TOLD YOU it was coming!”

I can honestly say that there is no doubt in my mind that gave plenty of warning, as clear back as the tail end of Exhibit A when I would throw out references to Project Runway. Their last season was a huge inspiration for me on how I wanted to start this one.

I promised that there would be a twist on an “old favorite” and that it would be revealed as early as Week 1.

I didn’t lie. All of these things were completely true.

Last season of Project Runway was “the teams edition”, where people worked together creating fashion. Which is perfect, because (as they stated frequently) people in fashion *do* end up working on teams to create lines of clothing.

In writing, it’s not a “team” in the traditional sense but you do develop a collaboration with your beta readers (both official and the “hey, can you read this?” friend that we all have)

Which is why we are starting this season off right, with an INTERSECTION.

Last week you selected someone to write about - this week you are selecting someone to write WITH. You are both writing your own separate entry - Your pieces can tie in with each other anyway you want. Have fun with it.

Keeping in mind that all of the topics this season have come from YOU and your fellow contestants - so if you love them, I selected them from those sent in, and if you don’t, then you can blame them!

There are two topics. One of you will write one of them, your partner will write the other:

They are: You Gave Everything You Possibly Could
and
Chillin' Like a Villain

Select your partner and post your the links to your entries here by Thursday, May 16th at 9pm EDT

Have fun!

Reminder: That Topic posts are for posting links to entries. You may declare your pairs, once you have them. But please edit your comments to include your links. Feel free to use either the current Green Room or the Results Week 0 post to find a partner: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/651977.html

The Zeroth poll of Exhibit B is behind us.

Literally.

Try not to look, because we don’t want to let it know that we are onto it. Just be ready to run...

No one was eliminated, but I do believe that I promised that there could be something special in store. *checks* Yep, I did.

I’m pretty that most Idol veterans will know what is coming now. :)

I was prepared to hand out something to the contestant with the fewest amount of votes. However, there is a tie.

So instead, I will hand out a total of THREE Immunity necklaces (one a piece), that can only be used on someone else. That’s right, the person can’t use them to save themselves, but as long as they are in the competition, they have just become your new best friend, if you have a bad week, they can keep you alive in this game! They can give it to someone at any time, up until an hour before the poll closes, from now until the Top 25!

Who are they?

Congratulations to dreamwriteremmy, kajel and malruniel11 !

Things are just starting to get interesting!

Tonight is the night you have been waiting for: The How I Met Your Mother Season Finale!!

Oh, and a poll also comes to a close as well http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/650703.html which means that the Week 1 topic will be posted tonight as well. Hopefully people are more excited about that than the Survivor producers were of talking about why Brandon Hantz was banned from the finale.

Also, I am holding Sign-ups open until TOMORROW AT 9PM EDT. So if you have been wavering and thinking you want to play, but haven’t signed up – or know someone who has, this is your time to step up!

We watched Poltergeist last night. It was the first time in years that I'd seen it (and the 9-year old had never seen it), and I had forgotten that it all boils down to one important lesson: Demons want friends too. Why couldn't they have just let that little girl hang out with her friend the demon, and all of those spirits?

Some parents are just greedy!

It got pretty creepy when I went on Wikipedia to find out what happened with the sequels, and found out what happened to the two girls!

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Speaking of horrible things happening, there is a poll going on:http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/650703.html

and there is still time to sign up: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/648417.html

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Oh, and Happy Mother's Day! Idol appreciates all the Mothers out there who messed their kids up to the point that they decided "I'm going to do that Idol thing!"

You know that your life has changed for the better when your evening is spent making a giant sheet fort in the middle of the living room!

OK, sure, MY life didn't change that much. I would have probably have been doing that on my own regardless!

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What about YOUR life? Or rather, your life in this game? Granted, the poll isn't going to eliminate anyone, but it could have repercussions! So make sure you get out and vote! http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/650703.html

What entries have you seen that especially caught your eye? I'm especially interested in the ones you liked that don't seem to have gotten the support you believe that they should have!

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Oh, and of course the Sign-Ups are still open! http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/648417.html This train is going to rocket out of the gate and turn upside down a couple times, so if there is someone who wants to get on-board, now would be the perfect time to do so!