Green Room - Week 9 - Day 7

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

I think the "comment challenge" being issued in the Voting thread/the Poll is week http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/739650.html is a good thing, and a step in the right direction. This is your season, it can be as fun and interactive as you want it to be!

However, I'd also say that you should also do what you can to get to know people in the Green Room, and comment to the entries over in the Killing Floor: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/739274.html So far, no one has - and that makes me really sad to see people put themselves out there and be ignored.

*Especially* if you are someone who has posted your entries there before, you need to repay that by going to comment on other people's stuff as well.

That's how this sort of thing works, the more you give back to others, the greater the chance that you will be the receiptant of their generosity when the time comes!

Who knows, when you need it, you might have more people wanting to talk to you about your artistic decisions than Macklemore at a Jewish Anti-Defamation League convention!

***

People say "there aren't as many comments" and "we are losing too many people to drops this season", but what can YOU do to help with that? How can you encourage other people this season, by supporting their work and letting them know that what they are doing matters to you - that might help tip the balance?

(while at the same time, planning on voting them out in your mad quest for victory?)

Comments

[adoptedwriter.livejournal.com]

Morning! Reading n commenting! That's my plan today. AW

And 1st....two days In a row!

[kajel.livejournal.com]

Go you!

[eternal-ot.livejournal.com]

Woohoo..two days is surely a feat..:)

[kajel.livejournal.com]

It's a beautiful morning here in NC. I have done a few necessary chores and am now relaxing with my spreadsheet and the poll! lol

[puppetmaker40.livejournal.com]

I am reading and voting but my social time is kinda in the crapper right now due to things happening outside the Internet so my commenting has been limited.

Looking forward to next weeks topic and am enjoying the responses to this weeks.

[ecosopher.livejournal.com]

Fair warning: I won't get to read 50 entries this week. I'll probably read around 30 or so. It's not that I don't care, and it's not that I don't love the work. It's just I need to balance Idol with all the other... I know, everyone does. But my way of balancing is not to set myself goals I can't achieve. I did set out to read all my flistees in Idol plus 50 others, but in the end, it's too much.

I can only do Idol if I do it this way. I wish I had the time I had in previous seasons... I guess the time hasn't diminished, but it's just filled with other very pressing stuff. And also, I think my headspace is better now that I spend less time online.

What I'm saying is: I'm here less, but I'm healthier because of it. If that makes sense.

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

Healthier is good! All you can do is what you can do!

[adoptedwriter.livejournal.com]

Ya gotta take care of you first! AW

[anyonesghost.livejournal.com]

It's tough. I try to be social when I can, but the fact that I'm still in despite Real Life is nothing short of a miracle. So I completely understand the points of view of Those that Dropped and Those That Byed Out. I've no byes, so I'm one rough week away from either or both.

The best we can do is continue to encourage, cajole, and inspire one another via comments, via Green room, via voting. Admittedly, I haven't been good at that, either. My sincere hope is that the world will calm down a bit and I can post at length on the ways in which all the participants above help me raise my game.

If folks are running "light" on the Killing Floor, maybe Gary should start linking back through the first weeks, to prod a bit more? I haven't made my way back to comment on a lot of those yet.

And, of course, I'm not sure how early Gary plans on dangling the Second Chance Idol (or, more accurately, Last Chance Idol) carrot in front of us, but that might remind some folks that there's yet a way back into the fray ...

[lrig-rorrim.livejournal.com]

I second the motion of linking back through the killing floors - I actually have copied and pasted many of the Killing Floor pieces into my own "give crits" folders. Some of them I've gotten to, and others I haven't yet, but I will. It's just been hella hectic here, and I'm operating with other deadlines as well.

I'm impressed and happy that you're still in it despite your international travels and crazy work stuff! It certainly helps that you're a damn fine writer. :)

[onda-bianca.livejournal.com]

This is my third Idol season but my least interactive. Before I fep like I really got to know people, commented a ton, and even hung out in green rooms and the like. ThiI also don't think I ever used a bye.

This season Im hanging in by a thread...could bye out any week, and just haven't been able to make connections and interact. I'm in a good place in life but unfortunately that life includes minimal online time. But I am around and doing what I can and am enjoying what I do get to read. So yeah...that said, hey ya'll ;)

[onda-bianca.livejournal.com]

Sorry for typos. I'd edit but I'm on an outdated phone. ;)

[n3m3sis43.livejournal.com]

People say "there aren't as many comments" and "we are losing too many people to drops this season", but what can YOU do to help with that?

I can un-drop!

Oh, wait... no, I can't because that is against the rules. But if I could, I would.

Um... I am here for support or betaing or venting or whatever for anyone who feels the need for any of these. I work a lot and I have a kid, so if you ask me for something and I space out and don't answer, ask me again. And I will try to be more active here, too. :)\

Oh, and thanks, Gary, for the reminder about the KF. There was a piece that I really wanted to crit, and then I got distracted.

[eska818.livejournal.com]

You really wanting to crit something kinda turns me on. Just saying.

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

From the sounds of some of the comments, this "Real Life getting better" seems to be bad for Idol.

I need to go out and ruin some people's lives! :)

[n3m3sis43.livejournal.com]

If you got me fired from my job, I'd have a lot more time to devote to Idol. Although it would suck not being able to feed my kid, so I guess that's probably not the best idea.

[roina-arwen.livejournal.com]

I've got a piece up in this week's Killing Room, and would love some more commentary on it. Ideally, I would love to expand on it or add to it if possible, so that it might be fit for publication somewhere. It's maybe 800 words in length, give or take a bit.

Still working on reading and voting, but I get off work early today due to voting in our state's primary (yay state government job - we get 4 hours paid leave for voting), so that helps a bit!

My spreadsheet is still confused about people being announced as dropping then mysteriously *not* dropping...

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

It's OK if your spreadsheet is confused. :)

I'll announce it when it's official.

[banyangirl1832.livejournal.com]

I haven't been as active here in the past few weeks as I probably should have been, but Real Life (and more explicitly Bad Brains) have been kicking my butt. Luckily, the bad brains seem to have lifted this week, and I've just found myself with the next three days off. Not by choice, mind, but the restaurant is so slow that I was called off tonight, and then I have my "weekend" the next two days, so I'm going to follow escopher's example and try to read and comment on 30 other entries. That seems really doable! Plus the KF, which I really need to get back to.

[adoptedwriter.livejournal.com]

Fortunately, I have had two easy work days. Wednesdays are ALWAYS jam-packed. My mom is in the rehab place till Saturday afternoon. Not much gets done in the PMs right now. I did spend time on book marketing last night. By random chance I met a book reviewer on line yesterday from WOW, (Women on Writing) who just happens to be a birth mother! She's going to be an excellent reviewer and promoter for me, and it just happened like that! I'm also in WTF mode re some news I learned yesterday re my best friend's son, who got married a few months after my daughter. His new wife left him!
AW

[flipflop-diva.livejournal.com]

I'm finally NOT traveling for work this week, so I'm planning to read and comment on as much as possible. Although a part of me just wants to lie on the couch and watch tv all week, but I am resisting so far.

One good thing about being a newbie is I have nothing to compare this season to, so even with all the drops and byes, I have no idea if it's normal or not. So I just figure it is.

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

It's not in that there are a lot more drops/byes this time around. In previous season we'd still be hovering around 200 at this point, IIRC.

thinky thoughts in no particular order

[xo-kizzy-xo.livejournal.com]

~ I think what's been missing this season so far, as well as during the exhibits, is that we've always had a couple of contestants who were the "cheerleaders" -- they were the ones who got everyone involved in the Idol experience whether it was here in the GR and/or through commenting on entries. The people who were those cheerleaders are either no longer playing or are keeping a very low profile. You don't really notice their absence until you see what happens when they are absent...like now.

~ It takes a lot of energy/time to be that cheerleader.

~ The fact that almost none of us (myself included) is inclined to pick up the ball, to to speak, for whatever reason, is...interesting? Telling? I'm not sure what it is other than it's there.

~ I've always had issues commenting on entries between real life and my work schedule. Heck, I've always had issues writing to make a deadline unless for some reason I'm not working during that period :p I'm on vacation this week, however, so I have no excuse. Will I read 50 entries as whipchick suggested? I don't know, but I'm certainly going to give it my best shot. I really want to get around to the people I really haven't read in depth yet.

~ I think many people are avoiding the GR this time around for various reasons. I don't know if this is the truth, but it's a gut feeling nevertheless.

What does everyone else think?

Re: thinky thoughts in no particular order

[bleodswean.livejournal.com]

This is my first year. (THANK YOU halfshellvenus for telling me I should do this.) I knew next to nothing about it before and now that I'm here, that bums me out supremely because it's definitely something I would have participated in had I known about it.

So, I cannot speak to what it was before or how it has changed now. The most obvious thing is that it is A LOT of people. And that brings all manner of spice and variety to it so I don't have any focused expectations from a group this large. The drops have seemed somewhat excessive but it is A LOT of work.

I just assumed that everyone was reading all the entries and am admittedly shocked to hear that's not the case. How does one vote then?

I've been enjoying the GR and the KF and the entries.

[theun4givables.livejournal.com]

I wish I had more time to comment. In season 8, I didn't really feel comfortable leaving comments (but was okay with commenting in the GR). In the exhibits, my life was in the middle of imploding, so that was extra energy I didn't have. Now? I WANT to comment more/participate more and just even have the same level of presence I did in season 8, but now I'm working a part-time job that sometimes gives me full time hours (like the past 3-4 weeks), and it's hard.

Last week I didn't even get around to reading a whole tribe -- and I feel awful about that. I felt so bad about it I didn't even vote for myself. Hell, I might have forgotten that the poll was closing that day -- and therefore forgot to vote. I can carve out the time to write, but it's harder to find the time to read/comment.

Just wanted to let y'all know I <3 you guys and I wish so many people wouldn't have to drop, and I hope that when Second Chance comes around, y'all can come back and try to get back into the fray. :D

[kathrynrose.livejournal.com]

Aww. ::group hug::

[jexia]

I struggle with providing feedback on the Killing Floor because I feel like I'm such a newbie. But I did my best.

[rswndrlst.livejournal.com]

As another Newb I can also say I wish I had found out about Idol sooner because it is definitely something I would love to do again. It has really helped me flex my creativity muscles and get my family and friends involved in the process. This is one of the first times since I was in college that I have been letting people I know IRL read my writing.

I get shy about commenting in the GR. I definitely read more than I comment on entries but that is mostly because I read on my kindle and find it annoying to type on said kindle.

I can't promise I will read 50 entries (even though I have no excuse I work breakfast/lunch split shifts as a waitress and so I am usually not busy between 9am and 5pm)but I'm committed to leaving entries on all of the ones I do read.

No matter how much longer I get to stay in this thing I want to thank Gary for creating it and spending so much time keeping it going that's kind of amazing and I want to thank everyone who has left comments on my entries because they've inspired me to hold my head a little higher out in the world and that maybe I can actually call myself a writer.

I wish I could bake you all cupcakes.

(edited for wayward punctuation)

[clauderainsrm.livejournal.com]

*accepts your cupcakes*

oh, and you're welcome.

But mostly I'm taking the cupcakes.

[joyfulfeather.livejournal.com]

My usual inclinations work against me here: if I don't feel like I have something worthwhile to add, I don't say anything. At least out in the world, people can tell I'm present, even if I'm not talking. Online, you have to talk for people to know you're there! So even when I'm "around" reading green rooms and whatnot, there's usually no sign of it, or me. So I fail at social participation.

Life has been super busy this entire spring, so I've barely read at all. After this week, hopefully that'll change!

[jexia]

Totally get where you are coming from.

[i-love-freddie.livejournal.com]

The truth is, I just don't have the time to do a lot of reading/commenting/interacting. I try to come on every day and read my friends page, maybe leave a couple of comments here and there, and maybe update once or twice a week. Between n-going health issues, serious family drama, studying and dogs with issues... sometimes I'm amazed that I have managed to get so many entries in and not used all my byes!

I am going to try really hard to read and comment on 50 entries this week... but a lot depends on time. I have this thing about pushing myself too hard and making myself ill, so I have to take care to not do *too* much!

[ryl.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to comment more in the GR and in entries. I'm on the outs with Real Life right now (it's on the verge of making me Real Mad--if I get through this week without strangling someone, I"ll be coming out ahead.)

If anyone else is getting malware warnings from my entry, let me know. I've replaced the offending image with the same one from a different source, so hopefully that will fix it.

[jexia]

Works - will go read it now!

[suesniffsglue.livejournal.com]

I was honestly going to drop out til I saw Gary's motivational message. So I figured I would pull it together! And now I can't wait to read all the posts today.