LJ Idol: a writing rollercoaster with iffy brakes

""Don't forget what happened to the man who got everything he ever wanted... he lived happily ever after" - Willy Wonka"

My Facebook Memories reminded me that I posted this in 2012. Looking at now serves as a reminder that "everything you have ever wanted" is a goal post that tends to shift with time - and the nature of perspective in general.

The amount of time that has passed since I moved in with Cynthia is the same amount that I was single and living over the ice cream shop. Which doesn't seem possible. So much changed in that period, so much happened. But small changes happen over time as well, shifting perspectives and changing your life. Those big moments stand out, but the lasting change tends to come when you aren't looking for it.

Not to reveal too much about what's up my sleeve, but I think that's true of people's time in Idol as well - there's the big moments that draw in your attention, the drama of the eliminations that keeps it, but until you step back, you don't tend to notice just how far you've come. You don't notice the progress in your own writing that's happened from sheer repetition and keeping to a schedule. You don't fully appreciate the relationships you've formed.

When I get depressed or discouraged, I try to take that step back and assess. Not just with Idol, but life in general. Because sometimes the "everything you want" of the moment pales in comparison to what you've been able to achieve when you weren't really paying attention to the momentum.

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If you are a current contestant - remember to get your votes in!
https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1149750.html

Happy Almost-Friday!

Apparently, the State of Florida is now considered one of the main epicenters of coronavirus in THE WORLD!

I knew we could do it! I had faith in our leadership from the national government down to local authorities, to make this happen. If anyone could pull off the impossible, I knew it would be Florida!

Now it's just a matter of if we can hold onto this honor. I wouldn't count us out!

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YOU shouldn't be counting anyone out quite yet either - current contestants need to be getting their votes in to me: https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1149750.html I already have a few of those, but I'd like to see votes from all 14 of you!

I've also already started to get Gatekeeper votes and there are early patterns emerging. But again, I know the general tastes of people who haven't sent their votes in and that can easily shift.

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Seeing the Gatekeepers perspectives on Idol is always interesting, and fills me with both excitement and nerves. I kind of got into that yesterday. But feel like I need to say it again! You've been in Season 11 since it started in September. I've been living with it since toward the end of the Literary Prize Fight mini season.
The next mini season and a kid's mini season are currently occupying a lot of my brain... but this moment is great because it helps bring the full focus back to the moment at hand. We all get to collectively take that breath, even as we hold it, before things get crazy and we race to the finale.

I hope you can find something good in this momentary pause in the action to reflect on just how far we all have come and figure out how to get to that next step as we move forward.

The wait is on! https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1149750.html

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On the COVID front -
We've had some recent positive results in the extended family that we are watching closely (one is in the hospital) - as well as someone a lot closer having direct exposure to someone else with a positive result. So that's a waiting game as well. I've had the sniffles for last couple of days. Normally I'd blame seasonal allergies, but right now it's "OMG! It's coronavirus!!!" :)
(Note - it's highly doubtful that I have it. My levels of exposure have been minimal, and it's literally just a sniffle. But I know how people can worry...)

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There was something I left out in my Gatekeeper email. I actually didn't think about it until after I sent it, and now I've had some time to think about it, it's really a remarkable stat that I will probably end up mentioning over and over again from now until the end of the competition -

We started with 131 contestants this season.

That little voice in the back of my head (of course) has been looking at that and telling me how much I suck and how the I might as well give up... because that's what that little voice does. It gives you the worse perspective.

The perspective that I've gained over the course of this season is that Livejournal is "dead." Everyone says so.
There are people who refuse to come here for various reasons, some completely legit and some just because people have decided that they just want to post what they had for dinner. :)

With all of that in mind - sure, it's not as big of a season as most of the "modern" Idol seasons - BUT I still was able to get 131 people to show up (a couple of those were alts, but let's just use that number because I don't feel like looking it up. It would still be in the 120s) - 131 people showed up and the vast majority of them wrote something. Maybe they didn't last long - but they wrote something. They brought something new into the world.

That doesn't suck. That's remarkable. It's worth celebrating.

Thank you.

This is the best week ever.

Why?

Because I am eliminating ALL OF YOU!

It's not the finale. But I'm getting rid of everybody.

But you still have hope. You CAN be saved.

Or rather, at least 9 of you can be saved. Season 1 of LJ Idol started with 9 contestants. It's only fitting that Season 11 should kick off the drive to the finish with 9 as well.

1 of you is going to be saved by the Jury.

3 of you are going to saved by Contestant Only voting. So if you are a current contestant, get your votes into me by Monday, July 13th at 8pm EDT.
https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1147684.html

5 of you are going to be saved by THE GATEKEEPERS.

Yes, this is also a Gatekeeper round.

For those who have never experienced this before - every season I hand select a group of judges to read the entries and vote for their favorites. Some are former contestants. Some have never even heard of LJ Idol until I asked them to be judges, which means that this is their very first exposure to your work. With them - your first impression is going to be what is going to save you/doom you to eternal damnation. (I assume that's where the Jury is located, somewhere with a nice amount of eternal damnation)

This should be fun! Or torture. One of those things is going to be happening.

I'm not saying that this is the most important deadline of your life. But I AM saying that it's the most important deadline (so far) of Season 11 of LJ Idol. https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1147684.html

and thus, most likely it is the most important deadline of your life.

It's TONIGHT. So get those entries in.

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I know you have probably been up all night drinking and celebrating the most recent Spirit award - https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1149223.html

Which I totally understand. But hopefully you will get it together for long enough to actually create something remarkable. I know you guys, you are certainly capable of producing some fantastic work. I have faith in you! So get to it before I start kicking you!


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While you wait, check out a recent Home Game entry: https://hangedkay.livejournal.com/8325.html

When you think of Season 11, you probably think "it came down to a single vote."

Because that has been what has marked so many of our weeks over the course of the last few months.

The Spirit Award was no different.

Until that final vote came in, I was actually trying to figure out what I would do in case of a tie.

But that last vote DID come in, and the person who was ultimately judged to be the Spirit of the Season, the person who embodies not only what this season is about, but what LJ Idol is about... and oh yeah, the winner of a $50 Amazon gift card from the friends of kathrynrose

congratulations to

karmasoup!!!

When I came up with the Spirit of LJ Idol award in Season 2, it was a way for people to celebrate one of their own. A prize completely separate from winning the game - awarded by their peers.

After Kate passed away, seeing how the community had been there for her over the years, and how she had been there for them, it only made sense to name this after her.

There are 14 years of Spirits, each with their own unique legacy on the community. Welcome to that club karmasoup.

That extended weekend Green Room may have been the first one in our 14 year history without a single comment.

Not sure what I should be reading into that, so I'm going to assume people were just busy writing https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1147684.html (due tomorrow night) , and those not currently in the competition are busy trying to decide who should be getting their votes for the Spirit Award - https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1147223.html (Voting closes tonight!!!)

Of course, there was also a ton of comments in the Work Room, so maybe everyone was just partying over there!

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How was your weekend?

Florida coronavirus cases have exploded, as I'm sure you've seen on the news. So I really didn't do much of anything.

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Seriously though, get in your Spirit votes. It's really really close between four contestants, but given how many are eligible to win it, and how many people haven't voted yet - it's anyone's game. I want to make sure folks are getting their ballots in for who they feel embodies this season and makes this a better place.

Happy 4th of July Eve!

None of you are 'Mericans, so you don't know our traditions or history.

But every 4th of July Eve, people send me cookies. It's an ancient way of getting good luck for the coming year.

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Another way of getting good luck is posting your entry: https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1147684.html There are a couple entries already there when I'm posting this, so you can save time and go read ahead!

If though, you are someone still struggling for ideas - you should head on over to the Work Room; https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1147939.html


Also, and I can't stress this one enough - I am still accepting ballots for the Spirit Award! This is given out to the person each season that is "what this community/season is all about."

So please take the time to honor one of your own! Right now the ballots are light, but the votes are really tight. So if there is someone you want to honor, it's a good time to step up and make sure your voice is heard!

I saw someone respond to a post with a meme that stated "The dumbest comment on the internet today belongs to YOU."

I'll admit, I was pretty jealous. I've said a lot of stupid things on the internet, but I've never said THE WORST/dumbest/most ignorant thing on the internet. Or, if I have, I've never been rewarded with it.

I think I would print it out and frame it so that I could remember what those 15 minutes of fame were like. The internet has a ton of comments, to be called out by what I assume is a panel of experts, for a noteworthy achievement like that must be a dream come true.

One day, perhaps, if I keep trying hard enough - I will achieve my goal. But until then, I have to just enjoy that I'm posting what is clearly the worst Green Room of the day. Also the best.

You have work to do, so I hope you are busy -
You have a new topic: https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1147684.html and the Work Room that goes with it to bounce around ideas: https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1147939.html


There is also the Spirit Award: https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1147223.html I received a rush of ballots the first day, but since then it's dropped off. Remember, if you were a contestant at any point during Season 11, you are eligible to vote! It's a great way of honoring the people who made this season special for you!

Welcome to July.

As originally mapped out, we should have been ending within the next week or so. But I'm enjoying this extra time that I'm getting to spend with you, and hopefully the real life delays over the course of the season ended up being a net positive (game wise. Very little is a "net positive" in terms of the pandemic) for you.

When it's all said and done, hopefully there will be more enjoyment than grumbling. That's always the plan at least. :)

***

There was an elimination last night: https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1147539.html so make sure to go over and say Goodbye.

There was a new Topic: https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1147684.html

and Work Room: https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1147939.html

and of course the voting for the Kathrynrose Spirit of Idol Award is also open right now - https://therealljidol.livejournal.com/1147223.html so please take the time to send in your ballot.