Green Room

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

Welcome to another Green Room!

Obviously this is the place to talk about whatever you want to talk about, but I had a conversation the other day that I thought was worth throwing out there to get your opinion.

Over the last couple of weeks I've been letting contestants pick the topics, to keep things interesting and to get more people directly involved in the process.

So far I've been focusing on people that I *don't know*, and haven't had any previous interaction with, to keep things fair and quite frankly, in order to actually meet them and get a better idea of who they are and how their thought process works. (as much as you can get from an email and a selection of a topic at least.)

But it was brought up to me that this is unfair to the people I *do* know. That I might be penalizing them by keeping them out of the running for selecting topics.

I don't want to penalize people for knowing me, that fact that they have to know me is penalty enough! *g*

But I also want to make sure I am hearing some new voices who might not, under ordinary circumstances, be heard from.

Any thoughts? Suggestions?

Comments

[sera-bella.livejournal.com]

Why not put up a poll where people can give you topic ideas, then pick from the ones submitted. It would give everyone a chance to participate, or not participate if they wish. It would also give you a list to work from for the remainder of the season as well.

[spydielives.livejournal.com]

I like this idea!

An alternative would be a screened comment entry. That way participants do not get a preview of potential topics to come.

[oceansedge.livejournal.com]

How about a simple draw straws.... toss all the names you haven't used yet in a hat and draw out one or two names...

Simple. Fair.

I mean sure you COULD cheat, but if the leader of the game cheats then there really is NO point.

It's just a LiveJournal contest, and nothing really at stake, so I can't see why anyone would think you wouldn't be fair if you said "this is how I'm going to do it." Besides, a little faith is good for out souls.

[leilamae.livejournal.com]

That's kinda how I thought he was doing it to begin with :)

[jesterstear.livejournal.com]

That's pretty much what I was going to say.

[onyxblue1.livejournal.com]

Wait just a minute here! "Just a LiveJournal contest"? "Nothing really at stake"?!? How can you say such things?!?

[tryslora]

I like mzserena's idea. Another option is using some form of random number generator (webpage, dice, etc.) and using that to pick from the list of who is left.

Although the neat thing about her suggestion is that it might mean we get to write on a topic later in the competition that you liked and saved until then, but that was chosen by someone who might already be eliminated.

[aeritone.livejournal.com]

Until you mentioned it just there, I had no idea what your system was for picking people to create topics.

Then again, I'm just glad I had a shot at it, and I hope people have fun with mine this week! ^^;

[techempage.livejournal.com]

Perhaps have some sort of random drawing about who gets to pick the topics?

[bateleur.livejournal.com]

I'm not bothered how you pick topics, in general, but do have a comment on topics picked: Please could people stop picking things which people are likely to already have in their LJs !

This week's two topics, for example. One of them's so generic it's practically an open week and the other's an almost word for word match for one of those internet quizzes.

How about set topics more like "Why Kangaroos Hate Rachmaninov", which people will have to think about from a standing start ? (Though don't you dare use that one. It's a JOKE !)

[techempage.livejournal.com]

"Why Kangaroos Hate Rachmaninov"

Too late. He was secretly running a contest with this one and the first topic suggested would be the next topic! You win!

[dizzydog.livejournal.com]

This week's two topics, for example. One of them's so generic it's practically an open week and the other's an almost word for word match for one of those internet quizzes.

There's enough internet quizzes going around, that ANY question of any personal meaning falls in that category. Lord knows, I've never been asked "What's the worst mistake you've ever made" on any of them. >:)

I much prefer open topics and ones with personal answers, as you'll get a greater variety of answers to read. If it's really specific, it's got a much better chance of being outside of peoples knowledge base or experience, and they won't care to write about it. The netspeak question had the "standing start" criteria, and go back and look at the response it got in comparison to other topics.

I think a mix of the two extreme ends keeps things fresh. I don't want to think deep on it every week, sometimes I'd like to just write and have fun with it. But I also don't want to drift every week with "open topic week", so you have to balance the two.

*tosses 6 cents in the can*

[dizzydog.livejournal.com]

In my view, picking the topic doesn't make things any easier, so isn't "favored" status in my book :) It'd probably make it harder for me, because not only do I have to be creative in coming up with the topic, but I also have to meet the expectation that I picked a topic I'd write a fantabulous entry for. At best, the person picking the topic has an extra day or two to ignore the topic before submitting their entry at the last minute :D

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

which does bring up the question: is it better to write on your own topic, or someone else's? How is that viewed?

I've noticed some people have done their own because they just liked that topic, and other people have gone out of their way to make sure *not* to write their own topic. Obviously it's two schools of thought at work.

[pseudonymjones.livejournal.com]

Why not just let me pick a topic?

[dizzydog.livejournal.com]

The topic would be "What nefarious plot could theevilbunny use to take over the world?", and that'd just make things too easy for you :) You need to work for world domination, if someone else gives you the plan you'd lose the satisfying feeling of meeting goals on your own.

[nonabloch.livejournal.com]

Oh yes! I am appalled and pissed off that Gary has not picked me to do a topic!!!! I am furious!! I am upset!!! I am livid!!!!

I am being ridiculous!!

Seriously? People are bothered by that? Sheesh, ya just can't win, can ya Gary? :)

AS for this week's topic...I rather like the "I believe..." one. It is open, true, but it also allows for more personal entries, which I prefer. I get tired of reading the (basically) same entries over the course of a week. I would prefer to read more interesting and person entries -- stories of your life that are unique to you and not to me.

[jesterstear.livejournal.com]

It allows for more personal entries, but when you're looking at a contest that will probably run about another 6 months, you're also running the risk of posting something that could have been used for a more specific topic a few weeks or a few months down the road.

Maybe it's just personal paranoia on my part, or the concern that after 6 years of hammering out lunatic rants on LJ that I'm going to start repeating myself. :-)

And don't even get me started on wombats

[beldar.livejournal.com]

I frankly don't care who picks the topics, as long as you give me something to work with.

Would seem most fair to do some kind of randomizer (which I know has been suggested) either to pick who suggests or to pick from a smorgasboard of suggestions in the poll/screened comment idea.

And I always thought kangaroos were more into Haydn and Mozart, which could explain their enmity toward certain other composers. Wallabies aren't as picky, and thrive in nearly any orchestral setting, even pops.

Guess I should've voted, huh?

[jennifer-dunne.livejournal.com]

Thanks for letting me play, guys. It's been fun.

Re: Guess I should've voted, huh?

[bettybaker.livejournal.com]

I'll miss having you in the competition! You were fun!

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

Someone asked me what I would do if there was an accusation of plagarism. (NOTE: not saying there IS ONE, just that someone asked me a "what if")

First off, I can't imagine why anyone would do that.

Second, why they would do it *here* where people are fairly well rounded and *someone* would have bound to have seen the original and point it out to folks.

But just because I don't think something would happen doesn't mean that it couldn't... so here's my policy:

I'd need to be shown a copy of the original piece, both to compare and quite frankly given how many of you guys are actually in the field to make sure it's not YOUR piece someone thinks you've rip off!!*g*

Being influenced by is one thing - two people having the same thoughts on something and expressing them in the same manner... I can see that happening... but if the works were close enough that it's fairly obvious the entry was plagarized, I would disqualify the person. It doesn't matter how many times they've done it, and it doesn't matter who they are. They could be my best friend in the world. It doesn't matter.

Like I said, I can't imagine anyone stooping to that level even for something EARTH-SHAKINGLY IMPORTANT as LJ IDOL. But someone asked the question, so I figured I should answer it in public.

[onyxblue1.livejournal.com]

Should there be something in the profile about plagiarism not being tolerated?

[rebellibrarian.livejournal.com]

I think it's nice to ask players to come up with topics but couldn't you solicit topics from everyone & then you would then have your choice of topics, people could submit as many topics as they can think of and it would be pretty easy for you to avoid always selecting your friends (or folks you don't know).

You could reward the person who submitted the topic - maybe give them immunity for the round where their topic is used.

[bettybaker.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of asking folks who aren't participating in the competition to submit a topic. If we are going to have contestants submitting topics, I like the idea of randomizing their selection. On the other hand, I liked your "middle of the pack" approach too.

[imafarmgirl.livejournal.com]

Maybe just work your way down the list and get topics from people who haven't given them yet.

[rhonawestbrook.livejournal.com]

Hey....I wanna play!

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, Season 3 is already well under way. Keep an eye out though, there *might* be a chance to still get involved. (he says in his best cryptic voice)

[lordrexfear.livejournal.com]

I am so split on writing about Norse Gods or Hello Kitty.

*sigh*

[onyxblue1.livejournal.com]

Norse Gods are your guilty pleasure, and you believe in Hello Kitty?