therealljidol | Green Room - Week 6

Whoa! Green room! Hi!

I've been weirdly productive this morning, banged out my entry, worked on another piece for a workshop, and am about to nap. I also have a pretty large Easter basket full of dark chocolate that I can munch my way through this week. So yeah, pretty excited about life right now. How are all of you doing??

Yay productivity! Yay dark chocolate! Yay being first! *\o/*

Hello! And, you're first! *confettis*

I'm good! Finished/trimmed my entry, tossed it on my journal to beg for feedback, made blueberry muffins for a thing tonight, ordered my roommate not to eat the muffins (she woke up hoping what I was making was muffins. This does not count as waking my roommate up, because muffins are not at all noisy, so she should totally not have woken up just because I was making muffins), washed three loads of clothing one of which is still in the dryer, folded the majority of the other two (blankets are complicated), and am about to go pick up the books that the library emailed me had come in. Hoping I don't crash -- I woke up at two this morning, and the thing isn't until six, and I don't know if I have time to take a nap today.

The delicious smell probably woke her up! :)

Maybe! But I still say it's not my fault.

...IIRC, she also got up when I was making PB chocolate no-bakes last week, and for the cupcakes last month. Hmm. Maybe I should start baking when she isn't home?

...And then hide the Tupperwares you put the finished baked goods in, heh. I can't imagine not being able to at least check baked stuff for quality control purposes!

She could, last week -- actually, I made her check the PB filling, I'm not that fond of peanut butter -- but this week the mix only made twelve, and there's six of us, so two each if we don't eat any before we get there.

Anyone going to be available to beta a post suuuuuper last minute? Like 6ish Eastern time or so? (Yeah, I know it's a long shot.)

I have a thing starting right at six, sorry. Unless 6ish turns out to be slightly earlier than six, in which case I could read it on my phone in the car. It would be sort of hurried, though.

I should be around at that time, if you'd accept my services. What kind of post is it? :)

I should be available if needed. :)

I'm nursing a cold, but I should also be around.

Yay Gary! I like this bye twist. :)

My big excitement this weekend - I bowed to peer pressure and made plans to go to Dragon Con. This happened after I came to the horrifying realization that the last time I hopped on a plane and went traipsing across the country to a geek convention was five years ago. So totally not acceptable.

I can't seem to use my netbook properly this morning! lol We live 4 hours from Atlanta. We have been there twice. The last time I was 7 months pregnant. It limited what we could do!

This year will be my first DragonCon, although it's my 4th attempt to get there. Really looking forward to it

I applaud the "bye twist".

I'm finally standing on the precipice of freedom and ready to launch myself into its particular ether.

I am writing.

Damn. Tempted some sort of grindstone demon with that comment...just got an email requesting I ad hoc the newsletter editor position this week for our community org. *tears hair then slowly backs away from previously prepared for leap into my own mind canyon*

*hugs*

I know, right? Thanks! *hugs*

Yeah -- When Life Attacks, dun dun dun! You're welcome.

Good morning from sunny Arizona!!! Between Grandma's 82nd birthday (family bbq that turned into a huge bash with nearly 40 people) and Easter, we have been crazy busy this weekend. The kids were fabulous on the flights out here.

Das Bunny was kind to me and mine! I got a yummy basket of Easter goodies, plus a CD of the Frozen soundtrack.

My husband requested a Big chocolate bunny, and boy was he surprised when I got him a GIANT hollow chocolate bunny - it must have been 18" tall, LOL! He also got a Christopher Moore audio book (Fluke), and lots of chocolate!

Additionally, I wrote and posted my entry last night, w00t!

The Bye Twist is one I am liking. Even though I will likely not personally benefit from it. :D But I like being able to help others, and I'm a bye hoarder... Mmm, yesss.

Weekend was crazy busy and filled with saying "See ya," to my best friend and confidant. I'm gonna miss him a lot. The house already feels way too empty without him. =/

I'm a bye hoarder too! I still have all three of mine, but as I will be on vacation from the 25th through May 11th, I'm not putting any on the table as yet, since I may want to use one during that time.

Yeah, I'm reserving one for myself (I have to move out at some point in the next few months). But I have two I am almost positive I will not use.

So we'll see what happens. :)

Yep, this is me. I've been hoarding mine with the knowledge that I have a three week trip from to the USA coming up that will definitely hinder my ability to post an entry every week.

I'm another bye hoarder. I have all three of mine, still, but I'm not quite ready to give them away yet. We'll see what happens with my byes; I still have to shine up my story for this Idol week.

I shined up mine, but waiting on Sarah to read through it. She saw the original super bloated version. I tried to streamline it; here's to hoping I succeeded at it.

I'm reserving one of my three byes for myself. I'm going to have to move out of this place at some point, and while I'm very good at getting an entry written in a short period of time, I don't want to take any chances. :)

*hugs and hot tea*

I also still have all of mine, but I've got three weekends when I'll be traveling this summer, so I may end up needing them. Still, it's nice to have the option of giving them away if I turn out not to need them.

*hugs back and sips at the tea* Thank you. I told him I loved him last night (after he left, heh), with the caveat of I'm not sure exactly how I mean it. I am understandably a tiny bit of a mess.

Yeah, that's why I'm saving one of mine. Knowing me, though, I will somehow cobble an entry together in time even when I'm moving. Hah.

*hugs* Very understandably.

I expect I'll do the same, lol -- last season I wrote an entry the week I was on vacation. But at least one of those weekends will probably be internet-less, so I don't want to risk not having one if I need it.

I don't know what it's like to have an actual vacation, hah. But yeah, I understand not wanting to take that risk. :)

I managed to write my entry on the 2-hour drive home last night. Then wrote a lab report in 45 mins this morning. Then still managed to study for my Linear exam, and possibly even did fairly well on it, or completely bombed it. One or the other.

Then I finished all the entries in my lab notebook so that I may possibly get an A in my bio lab. Woot!

Really, the semester is almost done, so I am trying to focus on improving my writing. If Gary hadn't been so kind last week, I was really close to elimination. I may have to get in on

kickthehobbit's writing workshop thing.

I'd be happy to have you join in, if you're interested. The more the merrier. :)

I was in a play this weekend! I got home from the cast party at 4:15 am today. I don't even know why I'm awake right now. The show went amazingly well!

I love cast parties! What play did you perform in?

Well, I worked all weekend. It was the quietest Easter weekend in memory...wow, I remember when we used to have wall-to-wall customers clamoring for anything and everything. This year there were spurts of of them, but nothing like what we were expecting. Managers were told to send people home early. I was not one of those people.

Ember Dog has her monthly shot this afternoon for her arthritis. She's been tottering around pretty badly, and I'm wondering if she also has a bit of doggie dementia (is there such a thing?) along with it. Needless to say, most of my time away from work has been spent with her. I'm trying not to worry, but it's difficult.

Do you work in a restaurant? It was crickets for us too - only about 40 for brunch. I was meant to work dinner too, but my manager sent me home early because we only had 5 reservations.

Sorry to hear about your pup! Are you on good terms with your vet? It might be time for a checkup.

No, but I used to :) I'm a baker/decorator for a regional supermarket chain. I guess business was down a lot of places, though. We had a late dinner at the restaurant up the road from us, and the bartender was saying that they're usually wall-to-wall for Easter brunch, but not this year :shrug:

Ember had her last checkup back in February. Other than the arthritis, she's in very good shape for a girl her age (she turned 15 or 16 this month, I don't remember which).

My cat Bandit is turning 15 or 16 this summer and he is also in awesome shape! His eye is getting much better with the antibiotics (he's gotten much better about sitting still for them, as well!) and apart from that he's as healthy as you could reasonably expect a cat his age to be. Yay for old thriving pets!

Heh, we just returned from taking both Kidz (Ember and her husky brother Max) out for a walk. You can tell the shot is doing its magic because she literally trotted down the road without a care in the world!

Older thriving pets are special :)

my sports bar was ok....but slow compared to other sundays (but we were also competing with Coachella as well in SoCal) and well, people didn't feel generous with the tips either.

It's just another sign that even though the recession has been officially "over" for a bit, it really isn't :(

Ohhh. Hugs to you and to Ember. That's so hard. My sister's dog has arthritis and every time she struggles to her feet, it hurts just to watch her. I hope her monthly shot helps yours!

Thanks. Yeah, she's got that back hump thing going on where it's trying to hold up her pelvis. She's been having accidents in the house because she can't get to the back door fast enough :/

The last round of shots really helped. Unfortunately they only last for 3-4 weeks at the most.

So I'm trying to find a cheap, good writing conference to go to this summer in the Northeast (of the US) and saw one in NYC that sounded really great, and I sent an inquiry email about the price, and guess what it is.

$2500.

That doesn't include lodging, food, incidentals or anything else - that's just the cost of signing up to go to the thing!

Makes the one I found in Rhode Island for $750 (lodging and some food included) seem like quite a deal! Anyone else have any recommendations?

I don't have any, but I will be keeping an eye on this thread. I've been wanting to do something like that since forever, and I'm in the mid-Atlantic area. :)

Ooh, Rhode Island? That's a mere 40-minute drive down the road from me!

I try to keep an eye out for workshops too. There's one down on Cape Cod that's been held every summer for the past god-knows-how-long...unfortunately the last time I looked at it it was not only over 1K for a 4-day workshop, but it seemed to be slated toward those who are already established :/

Then there's Grub Street in Boston. I think somebody who played last season or the season before attended or still attends it. It's non-resident AND expensive, but at least the workshops are 6-10 weeks long. I wouldn't be able to go unless I tried for a scholarship.

Grub Street is happening the weekend I'm graduating from college, so that's not going to happen.

If you're interested in the RI one, google "Ocean State Writers Conference" - it's three days but that $750 includes some meals and lodging, plus everything else, plus Alison Bechdel is going to be there!

Easter was good. Filled with chocolate and a bunch of cookies I got to take home from the festivities. Mmmmmmm.

But of course now it's Monday almost early afternoon-ish and of course my entry is no where near finished.

Cue panic again ...

You can do it!! *jumps around and cheers you on*

PS - also digging the bye thing. This could have some majorly fun potential.

This week has been cursed. Am almost over my kidney infection, thankfully, just a twinge of pain now and then. But this weekend I had a stomach upset. Couldn't write. Today I had a rough draft done - went to edit it, file was corrupt.

I am beginning to wonder if there is some higher force telling me to just use a bye this week and have done with it!

Ouch. *hugs and water* What a weekend!

I don't even believe in the notion of a higher force, but I think you're definitely being told to take a bye ;)

My weekend was fine, visiting the in-laws in Santa Barbara. It would have been better if I hadn't caught a cold the day before we left!

I'm annoyed that between the sickness and family I didn't have time to write this week, and am tempted to still turn my idea into a home game entry just to keep up the muscles. On the plus side, I can start reading everyone else's words now!

We're back from visiting family in Oregon, and spent Easter resting up and dreading the restart of the rat-race today.

Good trip, though. And the Easter brought a few different things to the kids than usual, based on the availability of the second half of the chocolate... acquisitions.

Wish giving the bye gave someone a poll immunity after s/he posted, then I'd definitely have a couple of people I'd consider giving one to.

that's a really wonderful and interesting concept.

Anyone around?
I could really, really use someone to read over my entry.

if you still need someone, I'm available.

I just posted and linked but I think it's legit to edit before the deadline. If you're able to comment and feedback (I've done something different) that'd be great.

It's here: http://elvagreenfield.livejournal.com/1825.html

Between Easter, Passover, 420 and Coachella....the rabbit wasn't so very kind to me. What is it with religious holidays and people not liking/wanting to tip? This has always fascinated me.

The bf and I skipped the easter baskets this year because we're trying to be healthier and well, he also is still dealing with that little wisdom teeth problem so I'd probably just eat all his candy anyway.

Coachella!!! Argh! Was it amazing? Should I be jealous of you? I should totally be jealous, yes?

What was your favourite act? Is that an impossible question?

Did you happen to catch MS MR? I love those two crazy kids and they are ridic. live.

TELL ME ALL THE THINGS, COMPLETE STRANGER!!

I didn't go. I was just commenting how it affected the restaurant I work at. People were out of town so they weren't coming to my bar to watch sports.

so you shouldn't be jealous...all I was doing was working.

Ha! Reading comprehension FAIL. I think I was blinded by that single word, Coachella.

OH WELL!

Merry end of easter. I hope your bf got some excellent candy that you can make the most of :)

It's early Tuesday morning and I've been home from work for about 90 minutes. One more shift tonight then five days off.
Easter? I have 14kg of fat to get rid of, so no chocolate for me. Just work, the whole long weekend. Which isn't horrible because no big bosses around *and* holiday loading on my pay.
Only downside, I didn't have a lot of time for my home game story this week. But as things go, I'm counting the weekend as a win.
If you're following my rewrite of Norse mythology, the latest installment is here http://uncawes.livejournal.com/2773.html

I'm late to the green room party BUT, I did get home from vacation in one piece, and the children are rather clingy but wonderful, work apparently didn't happen today even though I showed up, it would have been nice to know that and planed for it but alas that wasn't in the cards.

had a fantastic discussion about writing with the husband while we were away and came to the conclusion that although devoting more time towards this or other projects may not be practical right now it should still be somewhere in the realm of possibility... maybe... or something. There may have been liquor involved in this conversation.

Gary up to no good is definitely no good;)

Came in to post a BYE for this week and saw the BYEs twist. I only have one left and I just knew it was a rookie mistake to use them up this early in the game.

I am going to try to save my last one for the week I will be camping at Faerieworlds in case I make it that far.

Maybe without a safety net I will make a better effort to make time to write or stop doubting my own ability as a writer.

I'm envious of the people who have been doing this for years and I wish I had found LJI sooner but I am really glad I get to part of the last season.

Well off to work and best of luck to everyone in the polls this week.

With the deadline a few minutes in the rearview mirror, we're at 34 byes and 3 "I've got to drop out"/bye out posts, if I counted correctly (I might not have.) Is it my imagination or are numbers dropping more quickly than usual this year?

I think I mentioned in last week's poll results thread that I thought the same thing. I also think I wasn't the only one thinking that.

Off the top of my head? Real Life seems to be more of a bugaboo this season compared to last. I also think more people in general are more "scattered" internet-wise compared to past seasons where LJ was one of the major players in town.

Real Life is definitely a problem for me. I've used all my byes and came very close to bye-out this week. Since it wasn't this week, it might be next, or the week after. Finals are in two weeks. The odds of my doing an Idol entry every week indefinitely are slim. My days are numbered.

With deadlines now being on Mondays this time around, I'm running into issues just having the time to sit down and actually write since I work every day during the weekend and Mondays usually being the only day I have to do errands and such, like today :p I'm dealing with it. I've got one bye left and you'd better believe I'm hanging onto it for dear life!

As I've said elsewhere, if things go as projected, I think Week 5-8 are going to be the rough spots. The bleeding should stop by Week 10. (not saying no more bye-outs, just less).

Either that, or we will end up finishing the Season in June! ;)

Green Room - Week 6 - Day 4

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Easter? What's that?

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