LJ Idol Presents:

There are some goodbyes that are easy to write, and other times when you really aren't sure what to say.

This is the latter.

Both of these two were people that I thought had a good shot at winning this season. whipchick because come on - she's awesome. Plus she's proven that she is more than capable of winning.

porn_this_way because this mini-season has been so completely crazy, just all over the board - where people seem to want something new and different, and she is someone that I knew was capable of giving that to them!

There's very little space left to navigate, but coming into this week, I had them both pencilled in as people I expected to see for at least a couple more weeks.

But that's why you play the game - to see what is going to happen.

And certainly those remaining are awesome as well! (Which should go without saying - but I'm going to say it anyway) and this just gets more and more painful as we go.

Losing these two though? In that same week? Yeah, that's rough...

Thank you to both of you for coming out this mini-season. You're definitely a huge part in what helped make it special.

I finally was able to go see Captain America: Civil War this afternoon.

As someone who used to be a huge comics fan (and recently got back into reading them, in part because of the MCU movies) I really enjoyed it. Which is strange considering how much I *hated* that crossover. That was one of the reasons why I *stopped* picking up Marvel comics. I disliked the very concept of it, and definitely hated what they did to Tony Stark during it and how it shaped it after the fact. (and of course, as someone who loved the character of Bill Foster, that will never stop pissing me off!)

***

We've got our own Civil War brewing. Or maybe it's just a couple of polls: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/931251.html

A few words from clauderainsrm:

This is one of those weeks where, after seeing the entries, I really don’t feel like eliminating anyone. It seems cruel to have people leave the competition who have put out things that I have enjoyed this much.

But sometimes we have to do things we don’t want to do.

And so eliminate someone I shall… actually, I’m going to eliminate two contestants this week.

Much like last week though, there is a set-up of expectations on how this is going to work, and I am moving counter to that!

The contestant with the fewest votes in the first poll will be eliminated. The same goes for the second, unless that’s the same person (because they are already “out”. So it would go to the next contestant… I’m saying that in advance due to the fact that someone always asks that question. Now, when they do, someone can just cut and paste the answer! Thanks Future Idol-Question Answerer! I appreciate it! )


So make sure you read, comment and vote for your favorites. And believe me, you are going to have favorites this week. This is the kind of week where you just post the entire list and tell people who love to read “Just click a link at random, you are going to enjoy it!”

I have no idea how people are going to make the decision this week. I’m just glad I don’t have to do it!

The poll closes Monday, May 16th at 9pm EDT

Good luck to everyone!

[Poll #2044655]


[Poll #2044656]

I had a lot to talk about today, but I've temporarily forgotten all of it! :)

I'm sure I'll remember later and put it in the comments...


OH! I have the first 12 potential topics for Season 10!! That's exciting! (Granted, about half of them were from the "not used" pile from Seasons 6-8. But I really like the new ones. It's still a way off, but I like what I have so far)

That's just one thing I was going to say. If I remember more as I go, I'll insert them. If not, as I said before - it'll be in the comments. :)

***

It's been an interesting week work wise. There was a water main break that shut us down early on Monday. They ordered porta potties, but as soon as they realized they wouldn't be in on time, they let us go. Or rather, they told us to leave and OUR bosses mentioned it us two hours after that decision. ;)

Yesterday, it was announced at 9 am that the building was shutting down. They told us at 11:30 that we were leaving at noon.

After making an 2 hour bus ride into work (my ride is about 2 hours and 15 minutes) I got a call telling me the office was closed and to turn around. I was in a "bad neighborhood" at the time, so I waited until I got to the bus depot (also in a bad neighborhood, but there are more people around) a few minutes later to hop off the bus and wait for the next one. (Plus - more options on what bus to take home)

When the bus was in sight, I got a phone call to come in!

The water main is still busted - so no running water/no restrooms. There have been talks that we will find out "in two hours" what is happening today. Which means we will find out a few hours after that. :)

***

While I'm waiting around to see what is going to happen next - YOU KNOW! You're going to write your entries and link them over at http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/929542.html

Still reeling a little from last night: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/929469.html

Which, that's when you know that Idol is "appointment TV", or "appointment Internet", when you're never quite sure what is going to happen next. Heck, I set the schedule and the twists and I wasn't 100% sure (especially there at the end with the surge) about what was going to happen. I certainly wouldn't have predicted those results - in fact, when I saw the byes being used in what *felt* like a strategic fashion (it could have all been coincidence of people just needing time off - and probably was, but "strategic" is a better narrative, so I'm going with that! :D) I thought I saw the writing on the wall for someone else!

I also knew that my own twist on the votes would be unexpected in that spot, so that it would put things a little more up in the air.

That said, the poll is closed, so I can address a question that was put out there into the cyber-ether: the moral implications of byes.

Do they exist? Yes.

(Both byes and morals both exist, although some would say the latter are social constructs and the former are Gary constructs)

I'll go with this angle to it: Have there been people who, in the finals, have used, as one piece of their argument, "I never used a bye"? Yes. There have been. They were proud of that fact. They weren't judging others for needing to do so, but that was an accomplishment that they didn't.

Have there been times when someone was "boxed in" by byes? Where they didn't have one left and everyone else - or nearly everyone else - used them, at least one time I *know* (because they told me) that it was an in a purposeful strategic act to get rid of them or force them into an one-on-one with someone they thought was more likely to survive? Yes. That has happened as well.

There are moral arguments to be made with just about everything we do in our lives. Some people disagree with that, but those people are wrong. ;)

Most of the time though it's not going to be "light and dark"/"good and bad". I won't say that there are shades of grey, or how many there are, because you are writers and people who love writing in general and I don't want to injure your souls with those words. :)

All of that said - Idol is a game. It's writing. It's a game. It's a community. It's all of these things and a whole lot more to a lot of people. People decide how they are going to get to the end. Some people are going to clash along the way, when tempers get high.

People are going to approach things with different levels of comfort. And that's OK. As long as everything is above the belt and no one is trying to "game the system", it's all good.

Ultimately, all you can do is focus on your writing and make sure that it's something you are proud of that you are putting out into the public eye. Because everyone, except one person, is going to be eliminated over the next couple weeks. "Not winning" is pretty much guaranteed. But there are more ways to win than ending up in the victory circle at the end - and the best way (IMO) is to be true to who you are and putting out writing that makes you proud of what you have accomplished.

That's the true moral victory.

(Which isn't the same as an Idol victory. An Idol victory is the best victory of all!!!)

***
Speaking of victories - the new topics are up, for you to use to get one step closer: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/929542.html and a new Work Room to use to help you: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/929949.html