LJ Idol: a writing rollercoaster with iffy brakes

It's the end of the line for our first round of Intersections of Season 8, and also "Not Bad Thursday".

Which means that you don't have much longer to read this week's entries and get your votes in!

We've got more great entries than Tarzan has "dirt stains": http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/552446.html
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What are the $10 Million chandeliers of your day, and what have been the $50 lampshades?

We’ve come to the end of the week, and unfortunately, that means that once again, it’s time to say goodbye.

It’s even more difficult when someone comes in through Second Chance, because you never know what they might have been doing at this point if they weren’t starting from standing still, and forced to catch up with people who are running.

But both of these writers are quite talented, and are going to very much be missed from the competition, but hopefully will be found in the halls of the Home Game.

Goodbye to robina1984 and yuniebaby! Congratulations for making it to this point, and thank you for all that you have brought to this competition.

Every once in awhile, I get to spotlight someone who has made it to an Important Idol milestone. This season has had more than any other so far, which makes sense - there are some people who show up, do their thing, get whatever they get out of the experience, and then wander away.

There are others who stay, and make Idol their home.

Obviously, you know my preference. ;)

When you hit 100 Weeks, it’s fair to say that you’re Home.

It’s a sign of season after season dedication, and just how well you’ve done every single time you’ve come out. Anyone who has tried to maintain that level of consistency over one season can attest that it’s difficult, going back to the well time and time again, and coming back for more (sometimes with multiple accounts!) that’s the sort of thing that kind of boggles the mind.

One of the unique features about Idol, that often gets lost for people coming in for the first time, is that this all started on my friends list. The people in the first season were my friends (well, and one friend of a friend).

Being able to say that with 9 people is easy. It gets more difficult with over 300. You just don’t get the one-on-one time or, in a lot of cases, the interest from some folks to connect. So, for them, I get to be “the guy in charge”.

With some cases though, I get to also be a friend. A friend who, in the game, will screw you over every single time and laugh while he is doing it, but a friend. :)

I like when that happens - unfortunately, this isn’t one of those times.

This 100 Weeks milestone has been achieved by some damned hippie foreigner who can’t seem to make up her mind about what made-up country, or even hemisphere she is living in - so she started populating one of her own.

“Congratulations”, or whatever, to theafaye!

You know the drill. Or should.

Last week,, you picked a partner and chose one of these two topics:

bridge
the straw that stirs the drink

This week you will pick A NEW PARTNER and do the one you didn’t do last time.

The deadline to link your entires back to this thread is Tuesday, April 10th at 8pm EDT

Note: the day/time. I’m giving you some extra time. I hope to see something extra in your work. :)

Good luck to everyone!

The best part of Idol is getting to meet me. I understand that.

But one of the OTHER best parts of taking part in Idol is getting to interact with so many different writers, with so many different backgrounds and viewpoints.

The first “intersection” is the easiest. People tend to grab someone that they already know. The second is a little more difficult. Although, most people already have relationships formed with at least two of their fellow competitiors. At this point, I would think that people would have them formed with everyone, but let’s be honest, I know that’s not the case.

My personal code, when it comes to Idol especially, is letting people make their own decisions. So, I’m not going to dictate who you pick. Other than saying that it can’t be the same person you worked with last time. The other wrinkle is that it can’t be someone who wrote the same topic as you did last time. That at least changes things up a little, and I hope it will make for some interesting pairings.

You know who you’ve been reading, and think that would be a great Intersection partner, someone who you can play off and bring the best out of each other’s work. It’s just a matter of finding the right fit. You have an extra day. But I’d suggest that you don’t squander it! The pairings tend to go in waves, if you want someone, I’d go out and grab them as soon as you can! Which is difficult advice when dealing with a roomful of introverts. But it’s the best way to get what you want, putting yourself out there to get it.

What are you looking for in an Intersection partner?