Green Room - Week 18 - Day 7

[jenwithapen]

Heyo!

Tis my last day in Gary's shoes! Time sure flies when you're having fun! Are any of you as anticipatory, as I am, as to what new topics Gary has been stockpiling up his sleeves? You just know whatever it is, it's gonna be mischievous!

Gary doesn't even know this part, but I met him at a time in my life when... when I really needed something like Idol. It's always been such an amazing outlet, and I know I've told him a hundred times how much both he and the game mean to me, but... there really aren't adequate enough words.

I thought maybe we'd do something nice, today, like when your parents go away on vacation, and they come back to the living room all decked out in construction paper and streamer! If you wanna, take a day in the Green Room to let Gary (or anyone else you really appreciate in the community (boy, upon consideration, I'm not fishing, I swear! ;D) know what the game or the people mean to you? =D I'm sure, just like myself, you've already expressed it to Gary, but it might be nice to have something in one spot to look back on. =DDD

And, since it is my last post, it's my last chance to remind you, your topics are located here: https://therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1044767.html

Signing off from inside the ring,

Your pal, and sometime commentator, Jen!

Comments

[jenwithapen]

Alright, I'll go first!

** [[ G*A*R*Y ]] **

Hello doll! I just wanted to take a quick minute to thank you for EVERYTHING. Your humor sustains. Your cleverness challenges. Your concessions speak volumes from your heart! For as much as you're the cool guy, you're also a really incredible friend.

Thank you so much for always being here. For continuing to bring Idol year after year. I know how hard you work to make it memorable, charitable, loveable. I know there's an expense that comes to constantly maintaining the game. For that sacrifice you have our gratitude.

Love you, bud! You know if you ever need anything, I'll always be there!

[rayaso]

I'll go second, but first, I want to thank Jenwithapen for her great work as a relief-Gary.

You have put in so much work in creating and running Idol, especially for so many years. I have only been participating in the past 2-3 years (bad memory), but you have created a special community of people, all bound together by their willingness to take on the Idol challenge. This has been an oasis of civility as people try to encourage others in their writing. I have read so many marvelous entries. You have spent so many hours and so much effort, year after year, and the number of people who return is a tribute to what you have created.

[jenwithapen]

-SMISH- Thank you so much, hon! =DD It was so much fun, I almost feel guilty! ;D Like a really amazing dessert that you promise yourself you're not going to get at the restaurant, but when they wheel that cart closer.... ;)

This is lovely!

[dmousey]

Thank you Jen! For this week and for also giving us a chance to show Gary some appreciation. I've been here only three? I do know since 2014, or so the archives tell me!

I remember when I placed my first entry into the topic thread, and l was terrified it sucked. But it did ok in the polls. It helped that I was Alicia's (TheUn4giveables or something complicated like that! HaHa) mother, and everyone absorbed me into this wonderful writerly world.

I've learned so much about the craft, and the people here aren't half bad either! hehehehehe. I look forward to reading everyone's pieces and I do my best to comment on all of them even if it's a blurb. I know that's where I get my biggest encouragement or helpful critiques (never hurtful ones!).

I don't get to the green rooms much this year, My tremors are increasing and my CHF too. Plus takes me forever to write pieces!

I look forward to reading Gary's posts in morning. I wish I could support Idol more monetarily but ... yeah.

Gary, please don't change, you're a beacon in an otherwise dreary life, and my hubs said to tell you guys he appreciates you also.

Ps. He always refers to you as Gary the Snail (Sponge Bob's pet) hope you don't totally hate it. It is meant in humor and warmth.

D~~~

[jenwithapen]

ABSOLUTELY SMISH! I love this. SO MUCH (I'm all caps and flail ;D). Perfect! <3

[halfshellvenus]

It's been great having you here, Jen!

You and Maerhys are who urged me to give Idol a try way back in Season 8, and what a huge thing this has been for me. My experiment in writing non-fan-fiction really proved to have legs!

I've met so many wonderful people through Idol, with Gary one of the biggest. He puts a lot of effort into this community, and all these stories that have resulted from it over the years... it's mind-boggling!

I met the wonderful whipchick (who has been absent of late) in S8, as well as the talented lrig_rorrim and kickthehobbit. java_fiend, who is here now as spilledink562, was in that season too. People think of him for his horror stories, but he's freakin' hilarious. I still relay to people his nonfiction story about a storm, his cats, and why he no longer drinks. ;)

So many more, and the sad thing is that most of them have just disappeared!

[hafnia]

Ha, this is what I get for deciding to drop in and see what Idol has been up to lately...

Suppose I have to leave my own comment, as well, but suffice to say I am glad to have met you, too.

(For those that are not aware: this is the dreamwidth handle of kickthehobbit. :) )

[halfshellvenus]

Hahaha-- it was serendipity all along!

Glad you're still checking up on things here .:D

[jenwithapen]

You know, sweety, truthfully? It's been one heck of a fun week! I loved every minute I spent with you guys!! =D

I SO remember encouraging you to join! I knew you'd come here and make some EPIC magic (and you have! I've spoken to individual writers here, and one thing is for sure! You... are loved!). -grin-

I remember Maer and I hopped into a private chat one day, and even though we were struggling with stuff in our home lives, seeing what we could do to get you involved was such a lovely thought! =)))

And then you came here and did EXACTLY what I thought you would. You got noticed. You got energized. You got a bit of freedom from you that we hadn't witnessed. =D

I'm so proud of you!

You've named off some of the most amazing people roaming these halls -- that's for sure! There are also some who are absent, which... I think we can always understand. I know how lucky I am to be

[halfshellvenus]

Wait, what? There was mutual scheming between you two?

This is some interesting news!

Though I'm sure glad the two of you prevailed. It's been an amazing experience. I just wish the two of you were around here more often. :D

[lrig_rorrim]

Aw geeeez, you made me blush. <3

Though we grumble and gripe and complain about intersections, I feel like those stressy weeks are some of the best memories - we work together and MAKE A THING and seeing how another person's brain (like yours!) works is always so much fun. I'm super grateful to know you and have written with you.

[halfshellvenus]

I don't love intersections, but you made them fun! That was such a neat collaborative process, and I'm still in awe of how fast you can rework an idea and write it all out as a new thing vs. my feeling like I'm usually poking things along with a stick.

I still remember our Jazz Club/tentacles combo. Who saw THAT coming? :D

[lrig_rorrim]

*grins* That was a fun one!

Editing and revising on the fly is something I learned in Idol for sure - it's so much easier to incorporate feedback right away rather than waiting. I let a piece sit in a drawer for a month and I'm baffled about what to do to improve it. Heh.

You poke things along with a stick prettttty darn quickly. It feels slower by comparison maybe, but I promise, you're plenty fast! :)

[hafnia]

Man, I come over to see what everyone's been up to and find out we're being nice to Gary? Dang! :P

All joking aside...

kickthehobbit here, and, well, yeah. Fine. Let's say nice things about Idol. ;P

Idol came into my life at the right time, I think. I was newly out of college, had just started grad school, and had no idea what I was doing with myself. I missed writing, didn't think that I'd have a chance to do much creative stuff again, and, well...yeah. Thanks to Gary and the community he fosters, I met a bunch of really talented people, managed to get over anxiety long enough to connect with them, made a bunch of friends I wouldn't otherwise have had, wrote a bunch of stuff I love, and kind of got...back on track, creatively-speaking.

Idol gave me a voice at a time when I felt voiceless. Grad school grinds you down, and there was a lot else going on in my personal life that I didn't feel like I had a safe outlet to talk about. Two years ago, during Season 10 (was it Season 10?), Idol gave me the ability to write about what was going on in my life in an indirect way, and begin processing a lot of what I had just gone through.

(For people who don't know me well: in three months I went through a devastating housefire, the end of a long-term relationship that I had finally admitted was toxic, and the death of my mother-figure.)

Idol gave me the space to process stuff. I'm doing a lot better than by rights I probably *should* be, thanks to it.

I think the best part is honestly how many people I've met through it. lrig_rorrim and gratefuladdict and talonkarrde are all people I met or reconnected with through Idol, and we've all met in person. :) Every time I'm in California, I make a point of saying hi to gratefuladdict and her husband, and I've stayed with them a handful of times. lrig_rorrim and gratefuladdict were the two people who got me to admit that YES, I did want to get together with my current partner, and gave me the impetus to ask him out, a year and a half ago. We're planning to get married next summer, and it's thanks to them. I don't think that would have happened without Idol. :D

So, uh, in a weird indirect way, Gary is responsible for my personal happiness. Strange, but...thanks, Gary. I appreciate everything you do here. :)

[jenwithapen]

THIS. IS. PERFECT!! THANK YOU! =D

"Idol gave me a voice at a time when I felt voiceless."

Jezu, not only a resounding YES! (sorry, I don't do that YAS thing! I'm entirely too old ;D), but your answer to this issue reads like modern day philosophy!

I am SO sorry to hear about the fire!! is there anything I can do to help? Anything you guys need that I can help by sending?? =/

I'm also so sorry to hear about your mom. =(( After all of this, I don't know how you're still standing (Elton, you're up! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHwVBirqD2s).

All these sorries, they also go to the toxic relationship, too, though it sounds like that change is more of a win than anything else! Probably a painful one, but pain is what helps us grow. Acknowledging the problems, facing them head-on, and making the difficult decision to move away from... well that's more bravery than most of us will EVER exhibit!

And I agree. The people this community pull in.. they're just so amazing! Salt of the Earth, intellectuals, and creative artists. Always impressive.

And, I leave you on that note with a little Mr. Rogers (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL3xSctTB5c). <3

[lrig_rorrim]

Hanging out in gratefuladdict's living room with you two was pretty darn delightful. (For the record: kickthehobbit / hafnia is really good at making pie. Mmmm pie.)

I only wish we all lived closer together so we could see each other more often. Thank goodness for The Intetnets bringing us together and keeping us together! <3

[fausts_dream]

Jen is one of my favoritest people I have yet to meet in person maybe someday.

[flipflop_diva]

Jumping in late, but thank you to Jen for hosting this week! I've been struggling to keep up with things so I haven't really commented much (although I do have a lot of TV feels so I might go comment on that one still!), but I've enjoyed reading everything!

And now to Gary ... It amazes me how much time and effort you devote to this crazy amazing project. It's so admirable and awesome, and I am in awe of everything you come up with season after season to keep it fun and interactive and just such a great place to meet people and share our writing with the world.

I heard about Idol a few seasons before I joined, because a few people on my flist were writing for it, but I was too much of a chicken to actually join. I wrote a lot of fanfic back then (I mean, I still do. Some things never change xD) but that somehow seems a lot safer. Writing about my own life or writing original stories that come from me — that's a lot harder and scarier to put out there in the world.

So the first time I played in Idol, I ended up bye-ing out somewhere past the top 100. Because again I was scared. Scared to be voted out, scared that I wasn't good enough to be part of this whole thing, scared that people wouldn't like what I had to say.

But then Idol came around again, and I told myself whatever happens, I was in. So I jumped in head-first that time, and it was amazing. I grew to know people (people who I missed when Idol ended). I let people know me. I showed my writing to the world and didn't hold back, and it was just this wonderful, freeing experience.

One of the interesting things for me personally about Idol is that the three seasons I've played have all been really different points in my life. The first season I was writing stories on trying to find a date on match.com. The second time I was married and had a miscarriage right when the season started, and writing about it and about trying to get pregnant again during the season helped me to process. And now this time, I had my daughter back when the season started, and this time, writing about the process to get her has helped me to record all the feelings and the struggles, and also it's something I hope someday to let her read.

So after making a short story long, thank you, Gary, for this place. For giving us an opportunity to share ourselves with the world and connecting us all together. It's amazing and I hope it continues long into the future <3

[lrig_rorrim]

That Gary guy, man, what is there to say? He's so good at forming communities he practically does it accidentally - walking down the sidewalk a colony forms in his shadow, a commune of hippies against kicking spontaneously comes together waiting for the bus behind him, and a far-flung group of writers... well, I won't say that was accidental, because the care and thought he's put into building all of this is just spectacular. It takes time, it takes good ideas, it takes effort, and it takes a personality that's stubborn as heck but also willing to listen and communicate and bend to make something like this. And it's great.

And because of Gary, there are so many more words in the world, and so many more connections between people. I've met and made some lifelong friends in this wacky weird space that Gary inspired and we've all come together to sustain and continue and shape and create. I'm super grateful for all those connections, and all those words, too! I had literally never finished a short story before I started playing idol. Starting was easy. Middling was middling hard. Finishing? Bah, impossible. Turns out what I needed was deadlines and prompts and insane pressure and maybe a bit of peer pressure too. It's part of the magic mix. My friends here inspired me to take risks, to try new things, to play, to speak up and out, to make things I wouldn't have made and never imagined myself making. Y'all are great. <3

[halfshellvenus]

I had literally never finished a short story before I started playing idol.

What? WHAT?

Wow, I would never have guessed that! Well, thank goodness you tried it out then. You have such a fabulous imagination, and it needed to be shared!

How is the Minotaur's Daughter doing these days? Any publishers for it?

[lrig_rorrim]

Yeeeeep never finished one. Now I've got literally hundreds of stories in some state of done or another.

I'm actually working on expanding the Minotaur's Daughter piece and doing it as either a webcomic or a piece of interactive fiction. I have plaaaaans for that story. *grins*

[halfshellvenus]

*glee* I loved that story.

I just want to see it OUT there, in all its glory. And then you could expand on it into either of those two directions (think of the intriguing story itself, and then the extra detours into weirdness you could add in the interactive form that might tend to be distractions in a straightforward telling!)

Wow I think I just advocated for the "Let's do BOTH!" choice. BUT... there's something so unexpected and aching and timeless about that short story that I think it deserves to become known as a piece of literature in addition to any other form you might want to play with. Because who but you would write THAT story? Nobody!

[lrig_rorrim]

I did shop it around, but I think it might be a little too much of a beginning without progression to get picked up most places. (On the other hand, there are always more markets... hmm....)

[tatdatcm]

I'm kind of like the quiet kid at the back of the classroom, paying attention but not generally speaking up. I came into Idol through a friend in the Sims community who kept talking about it. I wanted to try my hand at writing and it seemed like a good fit. Those first seasons I participated in were an outlet for a mother of teenagers with troubles so foreign to me that I had no idea what I was doing.

I discovered a community of kind, supportive, and diverse people that I've never found an equal to in real life.

Gary, thank you so very much for putting in all the time and effort to running all the seasons and mini-seasons (it seems like I've been around for more mini-seasons than full ones). Your dedication to all of us hippies is appreciated. Even when you kick us.

[bleodswean]

I've thoroughly enjoyed your posts this week, jenwithapen! It's lovely to sit down at the compie in the morning with a cuppa and read such uplifting words. I'm STILL thinking about that almost-ride ya'all took!

And I LOVE Idol!!! Love love love it. And G is the main reason its so amazing so I must love him too! G you're one of the hardest working cats I've ever had the pleasure of watching work - and it is a pleasure. You're a scheming, thought-provoking, challenging guy and your game has provided some of the most fun I've had these past handful of years.

I'm grateful to you and to all the Idol writers/readers. Because of Idol I have hundreds of stories, because of Idol I've been published, because of Idol words have taken on new meanings for me.

Always an adventure here!