oh wow, congratulations to everyone going on, and to those leaving as well! - you're a great group, and it's been a pleasure to read and get to know you some.

I'm at work, but I'll make an official goodbye statement for everyone once I'm home. Because... Wow. Just wow at those names.

At this stage, any elimination is sobering. Sometimes I feel like those contestants on stage on "American Idol" in the final weeks, where they hug each other and cry.

Let me sincerely say that you will all be missed, but I am especially sad to see mstrobel go. I've enjoyed reading your travelogues and especially your playful mythological pieces.

Thanks so so much to the jury for saving me! I so appreciate this! I have had many work commitments for the past 2 weeks and really cranked out my entries, thus really uncertain as to how I felt about my writing. So i fully expected that I'd be saying goodbye. You guys are the best! Thanks again all of you!

oof.

This is totally hardcore-- some of my very favorite LJI writers out the game. :(

Stunned! Speechless!

Wow.

I told my husband and my sister-in-law about basric, and they were both stunned. The sister-in-law said "What?! I'm sad. She's one of the ones I've heard the most about."

*cries for armyandleg* You were a wonderful intersection partner, and I love your stuff. Go write more Hooba! ;)

Edited at 2012-06-22 12:10 am (UTC)

Um. Holy shitballs? I don't even know what to say to this.

Armyandleg, it's been great becoming friends this season and I wish you didn't have to go.
Mstrobel, how the heck is this even happening?

D: to both of you guys leaving. D:

Minnesattva, just... DUDE. I don't even.

To the rest of you, i don't know you quite as well but there's not one person on this list whose writing I haven't enjoyed at some point. It's been great getting to know you all a bit more.

Edited at 2012-06-22 12:22 am (UTC)

Well its been one hell of a ride.

I have met some incredible people, people who will be indelibly etched into my life, their stories, their homes, their pets, their families, their outlook on life.

How special is that? the sharing. Not only that but have 35 pieces to fiddle with, and re write. That should keep me busy.

I have loved reading...well all on the list I am leaving with!!, but probably basric and frecklestars have impacted due to similar experiences.

30 weeks is something I had not even dreamed of, after a shaky start (forgot to make it public) I was sure each week was the last.

With the pain and discomfort of my knee and the crappy revolting winter we are having, might need all my strength to get through anyway, so one less 'deadline' is a break for me.

TODAY I AM 73... whoopeedoo.... surgeon says he will let me know when I can have sex again, but he didn't say who with?

Bye and thanks for being a chunk of my life.

I'm surprised, not just because those out of the contest are great writers, but because I cast at least one vote for every one of them! (Also a little stunned at my own survival, to be honest.)

That's a heck of a goodbye list! I know I voted for at least some of them (I didn't get all the entries read, but I read at least one thing by everyone), it's sad to see y'all go, but you guys did GREAT!

I can't think who I said this to, but I totally did call it! I had a feeling before I'd even written anything that this would be my last week, because:
season 6 = week 34
season 7 = week 32
The next in this sequence is season 8 = week 30.

*insert creepy music*

I don't really have any sort of exit speech at the ready because right now I'm still too excited at FINALLY getting to be on the jury! :D It's also kind of thrilling seeing my name listed up there and I might bookmark this post or something. I love that delicious feeling that you all caught onto my evil secret (she's coasting by on entries written at the 11th hour! she's not taking this seriously at all!) and have now cast me out of the tower in only the rags I am wearing.

Also, Gary didn't force me to sign up this season. Gary in fact signed me up himself and then told me that I had the choice to either write and play, or not write and bye out. I look forward to not signing up next season and seeing what new trick he concocts ;)

Holy moly macaroni...

:boggle:

:boggle:

The fact that all of you made it this far is no small testament. Please remember that.

:GROUP HUG:

Well, damn.

Been a good run, though. I got more out of LJ Idol than I thought I would when I signed up on a whim an hour before the first deadline! I've written more consistently these, what, seven months than I have in years, which has put me in a good space for the book I'm writing. And I've been introduced to some amazing LJers.

I'll still be writing -- I've had this LJ for ten years -- please do keep reading if you like!

This has to be quick and I apologize. I just got home and I have to meet a friend for frozen yogurt soon. But these people seriously deserve some good words said about them.

armyandleg - What can I say? I love your world. I remember your week one entry and I can't say that about many people. You stood out early on as someone I knew I'd enjoy reading. You didn't let me down and I really will miss your stories. Please let me keep up with your world somehow? I have to know what goes on :)

basric - One thing I love about nonfiction is that you get to see a world that's entirely different from your own. I loved that about your pieces. I am a medical geek, love that sort of thing. Every week you brought us a dose of the trauma unit and showed us your unique world. Thank you for that. You are certainly a big name in this game, someone that everyone will always remember.

frecklestars - I didn't get to know you as well as some of the others, but you just have a beautiful way with words. You're poetic and deep every single week. I loved some of your quirky stories the most, like this week about the shaved head? As a person, you sound amazing. Thanks for showing that through your writing. You just have such a beautiful soul and it shines through.

jacq22 - You, my fine lady, are a true treasure as a human being. I am so thankful to have gotten to know you this season. Your comments make me smile. Your love of life shines through and you're so young at heart, I was shocked when I found out you were in your 70's. I hope to be like you someday, I really do. You're a beautiful person.

minnesattva - Another person I didn't get to know all that well, but I don't know if you remember it... I pegged you early on as a newbie to watch. Your story about the meteor from early this season? That story is one of my favorite's of the season. I knew with writing like that, you could go far.

mstrobel - Well you know I've always considered you one of my favorite people from Idol. Your fantasy and fairy tales deserve to be in a book. You're a talented writer and an amazing person who simply doesn't realize how amazing she is. Keep writing. Keep pushing that novel. You will go far <3

Reading this tribute you wrote so beautifully I teared up.

Thank you and endorse all you wrote about the others. Now have a date with some stitch removals....fun.

Noooooooooooooooooooooo!

It was actually a relief to go out in this type of vote that and RL is killing me.

I want to thank everyone who took the time to comment on my entries and especially those who offered strong critique of my writing--it made me a better writer.

And thank you to everyone who tick the vote for my entries all the way through week 29.

And last a shout out to our illustrious leader who loves to taunt but is a marshmallow inside. He puts up with a lot of drama from us. Yet he is always fair.

Good luck to everyone. I still be reading and voting when I can.

Sorry to see you out of it Jacqui! But so glad to hear that the surgery went well and you're home. :}

Oh man I am gonna miss this bunch. I thought my story was good this week, but to still be in the competition with basric, minnesativa and jacq22 no longer in the hunt is humbling.

I feel like I have to step up my game a lot to try to come close to creating the kind of power they did.

*HUGS to all that went* There are some really surprising names in this bunch, but I have to say that I will really especially miss frecklestars and jacq22. You guys stood out for me, and I am sad that you're out of the competition. But I think the jury will be fun, too, and at least we'll see all of you stick around!

Humbled because all I did seemed so little against the talent around me.

Good luck my 'on line' family, will watch from the sidelines.

Wow, I am surprised at some of those names! Also, I thought that for sure I'd be going this week with people able to cast so few votes.