Spirit of LJ IDOL

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

What do tru2myart, spydielives, tulip_in_yellow, boxsofrain, beautyofgrey and joeymichaels have in common?

Three have won the game. Three have not.
Five women. One man.

So, those aren’t it.

The answer is, of course, that each of these fine people have been selected as the representative of their respective Seasons – they are the Spirit of LJ IDOL!

Every year, since Season 2, we have gotten together and honored one of our own.

This person has been selected, by their peers, as the one who embodies “what the season has been about” for them!

It’s not a “they are going to win/they SHOULD win” but rather “this is the kind of person that I want people to think of when they think of this Season”/Who has stood out to you, and helped make your experience what it has been?

This is THE SPIRIT OF LJ IDOL award – and, other than winning, it’s about as good as you can get!

Now we come to the time of the season when YOU get to vote on it – to award it to one of your peers!

All current contestants AND members of the Jury, who wish to participate, need to email me their list of current contestants/folks still in the running, in preference for who they want to be selected as this Season’s Spirit (with 1 being the person you *most* want to see) to clauderainsrm@gmail.com by Wednesday, July 18th at 7pm EDT.

The person selected receives a Spirit icon, a selection of special powers to select from – and of course, the knowledge that they have been selected, by you!

Comments

[n3m3sis42.livejournal.com]

So are members of the Jury eligible to be selected, or just to vote?

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

Just to vote.

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

I apologize, in advance, to (name redacted) because no one that I ever think is going to be selected, ever is - so my unconscious mental "I think (name redacted) might win Spirit", has just doomed you.

Sorry about that!

[pixiebelle.livejournal.com]

Oh this is fun! I love voting for this. I think it's a nice touch to LJ Idol. I already have a good mental list of deserving peeps, so many people have made this season amazing and the best one I've yet to experience. Season 8 totally rocks because of everyone, including people no longer eligible to win it because of being eliminated.


I hope everyone who's contributed to Idol this season knows how awesome they've made it so far, winner of Spirit or not.

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

::mutters:: current contestants and members of the jury

what about people who give a crap and hang out in the green room every day even though they were eliminated months ago? Where is our representation?

WE ARE THE 99%!!!!!

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

I opened the voting up to Jury last season, and that seemed to add an interesting dynamic to it.

No plans on making it a public vote though. You already get those during most weeks.

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

I DID just think of a way for you to be involved and impact things… make your own chart of where YOU would rank them and why. Post it as a comment. Get people talking about what it means to be Spirit and their personal criteria…

Not in a negative way... but in a way that encourages people to make the case for themselves and other people...

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

Word, Sistah!!

[ashgaelsonaria.livejournal.com]

I don't know about all that - some of us just liked the idea of the chalange with no inclination toward getting anything.
Now that the home game no longer gets its own thread I probly should just focused more on my serial stories. They are turning into beasts. Start.wit the intent to write a short story and next you know you got a novella and it still growing. Or worse you right a short story and your readers want more and more of the story and you have no idea as to were it should go next.

[m-malcontent.livejournal.com]

Shame Myrna went out immediately before the nominations came out. I believe she would have been an excellent Spirit of Idol candidate...there are still some excellent choices though.

[karmasoup.livejournal.com]

I would second that. I have a thought, and a second thought, and a third about who it will most likely end up being. But, I have a vote for who I feel it SHOULD be, and I'm very happy this person is still around so I can vote my heart on this concept, though, I even have a second choice, too, so, I'll throw them both into the ring... maybe even a third. (And, apparently, everyone else, too, just, in a different order... I missed the way it works upon first read!)

[pixiebelle.livejournal.com]

Myrna really would have made a good candidate. She's brought a lot to this season in the way of her sweet, sweet personality and happy attitude.

[karmasoup.livejournal.com]

Voted!

[basric.livejournal.com]

Safe traveling and have a good time. Relax if you can.

What makes a Spirit of Idol?

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

I don't think I'm ready to make a chart and rank folks (thanks, Gary for the challenge), but I don't mind kicking around with folks what characteristics make a "Spirit of Idol."

1. They get the bigger picture. I think a Spirit of Idol sees this as more than just a chance to "get people to read my stuff." They appreciate Idol as an 'organism,' as a community of people who come together and make something bigger than the sum of the parts.

2. They care about the other Idolers. They welcome, encourage, educate, share, suggest, respect, critique, and inspire other participants.

3. They care about the writing. Fiction or non, poetry or prose, horror or comedy, serial or snapshot or rant -- the words and ideas and the craft of expressing them matters.

4. They leave the space better than they find it. (If you're doing all those other things how could you not?) They reach out when they need it, but they give as much as they take. They wipe down the counters, empty the trash cans and change the lightbulbs when it's needed.

There might be more, but that's a start. What do you guys think?

Re: What makes a Spirit of Idol?

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

I hope you don't mind... but your list of qualities for Spirit almost exactly mirrors my own thoughts on the matter so I borrowed it for a post I just put up. Fully credited of course. :-)

Re: What makes a Spirit of Idol?

[jacq22.livejournal.com]

So right and mirrors what we should look for.

[m-malcontent.livejournal.com]

I am not sure who I am going to vote for and where...but halfshellvenus is going to be somewhere toward the top of my list. Her own entries are solid to amazing.

But I almost never read comments on someone else's entry or my own, that she hasn't clearly read and read with care and said something insightful about.

I am guilty in the early rounds or in the week where every one had to write 6 entries going "Way to go, Waldo!" and moving on.....she never does.

I am not saying she always comments, but when she does she has given the piece some real thought.

[pixiebelle.livejournal.com]

That's very, very true about the comments she leaves. It's something I've noticed too. She's a really nice person too and one of my favorite new friends this season.

[beldarzfixon.livejournal.com]

Wow! I believe this is the first time I've lasted long enough to vote in one of these.

I've already got a couple of names in mind -- no, I'm not telling.

Come to think of it, I'm also *eligible*
- perhaps I should start campaigning? =)

[halfshellvenus.livejournal.com]

Just be sure you remember how to spell your uzername correctly. ;)

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

:places list of eligible Idolers before her:

:ponders:

:keeps in mind with kathrynrose said upthread:

:ponders some more:

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I was trying to start a conversation. This is not a gift of mine.

I have long had the tendency to end conversations. On conference calls I could sit by and listen and listen and listen and then finally say something and ::crickets::

I've always found that the posts I put the most thought into are the ones that get the fewest comments. Half-ass mindless posts I get lots of chime-inners.

(well it should be a word)

Anyway. Yeah.

Late Commenter League...

[java-fiend.livejournal.com]

So... there's been a little bit of discussion here and there about Spirit so I thought I'd throw my two cents (http://java-fiend.livejournal.com/429904.html#cutid1) into the pot!!!

[comedychick.livejournal.com]

Not gonna name names, but there's a certain contestant remaining who has gone above and beyond who, I've noticed, goes as far as reading and commenting on the home game entries most of the time. As someone who's only really had time for the home game every so often this season, that's something I've really appreciated. That's a quality I like to see in the Spirit winner. beautyofgrey had it. I loved that she kept up with the home game entries too.

That doesn't mean I don't think contestants who haven't done that aren't worth voting for. Of course they are, just for different reasons. Obviously. I just wanted to offer something else to consider. :P

[theafaye.livejournal.com]

I must admit that I really appreciate the two comments I've had on my home game entry this week, especially since it's hosted on Wordpress so it's not even LJ. I know other people have read it because they've commented where I've linked it (mainly FB) but links on the entry itself, one of which wasn't even from someone on my f-list?

Very, very much appreciated. Thanks muchly.

[tru2myart.livejournal.com]

You should let previous winners vote as well. :nodnodnod:

[myrna-bird.livejournal.com]

July 15: Happy Birthday to cloworora!