LJ Idol Presents:

Immunity came into play this week, meaning that kathrynrose is safe. So if you didn't know that (and she mentioned it in her entry, so if you didn't know it, you didn't read it - and you missed out!!)

Which unfortunately means there is someone else going. It would be unfortunate regardless of who it was. But it's also the way of our world.

I was starting to think that this mini-season was going to be a replay of Season 9. But apparently the voters had something else in mind.

Goodbye to bleodswean

Thank you so much for everything you have brought to the table this mini-season, and to Idol in general.

I hope that we will continue seeing you for the Home Game (although there's not much of that left) and for the special celebration coming up!

Happy 10 year +1 Day! ;)

There is an #AskGary event over on Twitter if you are interested: https://twitter.com/therealljidol/status/737667674939875328

Sure, you could just ask me anything here, whenever you feel like it. But this is a special twitter thing! ;)

There's a hashtag! We don't have a hashtag here! #wedonthaveahashtaghere

***

Thank you to everyone who threw something into the hat. Just as a reminder to those who are still asking about it, Katie's graduation is tomorrow. Which means that anything donated *today* will go to her! Tomorrow? Not so much. So if you were one of those who wanted to give, today is your last chance: paypal.me/GDreslinski


***

and speaking of "Last Chance" - http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/936711.html is the last chance for one of these contestants, so make sure that your voice is heard!

****

Johnny Depp. Nothing to say about him that other people aren't already saying. But if you say "Johnny Depp" three times, people will appear to discuss him.

So, Johnny Depp...

Good morning,

First and foremost - thank you to everyone who answered my call yesterday: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/935302.html and those who will be doing so in the near future. That really means a lot. Thank you.

***

Another call was answered last night, that call being "Who is going to be eliminated?" http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/935436.html followed by "What is the new topic?" http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/935840.html and "Is there a Work Room?" http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/936125.html

So it was more of a series of calls.

***

There was also a bit of math that was discovered last night. Some people already realized it and since I don't know if *everyone* has, and I mentioned to one person, I want to make sure that I'm mentioning it to *everyone*.

We are at the Top 5.

kathrynrose has immunity next week, her first and only week that can be played.
She was also given lrig_rorrim's bye on the way out the door. Next week is the last time a bye may be used.

So, she can hold onto it and NOT use it. Or give it to someone else.

IF she gives it to someone else - and they decide to use it (because you don't *have* to use a bye just because you have it. Some people decide not to use them as a matter of principle. But we are playing "worst case scenario" so let's assume they do... then 2 people out of the 5 can not be eliminated.

(Note: they could also decide to give it to someone else, BUT then that's the same situation with different names, so let's just play this out as if they keep it and use it)

But there is also one person, prog_schlock who has not used their topic bye. Again, it's the last week they could use it - or give it to someone else.

That means 3 out of the 5 can not be eliminated. Which means there are 2 people competing for 1 spot.

Who will those 2 be? Will there only be 2 or will the people with byes NOT pull that trigger? (Does it even make sense for them *not* to pull it?)

I'll admit, it has me on the edge of my seat waiting to see how this is going to play itself out!

There's only 1 topic this week.

So here are your options:

What does Kawaii mean to you
Shakespeare in love
Babel
Desultory


Pick one. Write it and then link your entry to this thread.

The deadline is Tuesday, May 31st at 8pm EST

Have fun!

We have TWO polls going on right now. One of them ends tonight: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/790427.html

It's for the main competition, which means that the stakes are about who will be eliminated, and who will stay on to fight another day.

There is also Last Chance Idol, where the stakes are who gets an opportunity to join the main competition, and who will have their torch snuffed one final time: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/792692.html

That one just started last night, but ends on Thursday, so if you are finished with the main competition, I'd get over and start reading that one. But if you haven't, you will still have a couple days to catch up!

***

I saw a question someone posted last night (via the "Recent posts" feature on my LJ Home page) but when I went back to find it, I couldn't. So I don't know if it was an old question, or a new one that someone posted to an older thread.

But it's a good question - so I'll go ahead and answer it here, just in case someone wanted to know the answer: (paraphrased) "Can you tell us when the last chance to use our byes will be?"

It happens at the Top 50. Byes are done at that point. The "Power of Veto" that is still lingering out there expires at that point.

The problem with giving a specific answer with that is there are so many factors involved that aren't under my control. I can't accurately predict drops. I can't say "Oh, all five people who are eligible to come in from Last Chance this coming week will"

What I *can* tell you is that we are hovering right above that Top 50 right now, and that this is one of those points where you either boxed yourself in early on by using too many byes or kept them to use strategically to get yourself to the other side. Sometimes you just can't avoid using them due to that pesky "real life" thing I keep hearing so much about. But it does put you in a "write or die" scenario. (literally. I have drones standing by! :D)

If you absolutely, positively, need to use a bye - use it. You are close enough that it may come at any time - and yes, if you go to 49 contestants (at the end of a poll) and two people come in from Last Chance, then you can still use byes the following week!

A question that *wasn't* asked, is "What if I need a bye AFTER the Top 50?" Under EXTREME circumstances, I've been known to give an Executive Bye. But definitely don't count on it. Sometimes life just takes you down, and doesn't stop to ask what else you have going on.

***

What do people know about the "LJ Promotions" feature? It caught my eye a few days ago as a potential way to promote the polls/increase readership. But that's basically inside LJ itself, which we're already pretty big (compared to the other active sites out there). So I'm not sure that's the way to go. I've set up an Ello account and trying to keep various social media stuff updated (usually failing!)

Also - anyone proficient in Custom CSS? I may have an opening in that department. I know people are always emailing about wanting to help out, and that's definitely something where help would be useful.

Have you noticed that those "hilarious video of scaring strangers around Halloween" never seem to be taking place in areas with Stand Your Ground laws on the books?

It's probably just a coincidence. ;)

If it's not, maybe they can start marketing that as a selling point of that extremely controversial law - that no one will be stupid enough to try to "prank" you if you pass a law that gives you the go-ahead to shoot!

I've been a few videos making the rounds lately that make me glad that I wasn't in that situation, and wasn't armed... because the results wouldn't have been pretty! ;)

***

Speaking of results - and how pretty they are - there is a poll going on right now. YOU get to decide how pretty, or hideously ugly these results are going to be! That's right YOU! The person reading this. No one has ever trusted you decide anything in your life before... or at least not since "that time"... but this isn't "the incident"... that's in the past, just like your therapist has been telling you! This time, you can make it right! This time you can vote to save your favorites and keep them in the competition! That sounds good now doesn't it? http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/790427.html

There is also a Last Chance topic out there to write on: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/791087.html a Work Room: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/791309.html and a Home Game thread, for those wanting to play: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/789542.html

***
What fun do you have planned for your weekend?

No, you aren't seeing double.

It was just one of those nights when you get in just before the deadline and keep working pretty much until everyone else is asleep. When you grab a couple snacks instead of dinner. It's the kind of night where you are looking at one shiny object and miss the other one that was staring you in the face the entire time.

Because it wasn't just one person who made their 100 Weeks today.

It most definitely wasn't.

What's funny is that in a competition where female contestants have won every single season (except a mini season where there was a tie and we ended with co-winners) and pretty much dominated the top 15 or so, we are gaining yet another male member of the 100 Weeks Club!

You know how I mentioned that even the critics of our last one admit that he's talented? I literally have no idea what this guy's critics say about him. Not a clue.

Because I don't know them.

I've seen people who have argued with him about specific things. But none, to the best of my knowledge, who have walked away disliking him.

Absolutely brilliant writer, and from everything I've ever seen, a top notched person.

Welcome to the club alephz!

A few words from clauderainsrm:

It’s Week 24. Do you know where your entries based on the topic “Cupertino effect” are?

If said, “Right here”, you would be correct.

Except of course, if you included flipflop_diva in that. Unfortunately, she has met the Real Life demon head on this week, and has become it’s latest victim.

She will definitely be missed, and I hope things clear up enough to play the Home Game, and continue to come around to hang out and cheer on her favorites!

Thanks so much for coming out this season!

As for the rest of you, there is still going to be a price to be paid to get a little closer to the goal.

That price is 2 contestants out of Redemption Tribe, and 3 from the main tribe. (for a total of 5 people leaving us)

So get out there and read, comment, and vote for your favorites, to keep them in the running!

The poll closes Tuesday, October 14th at 9pm EDT, so why are you hanging out staring at these words! Go click some links!

Good luck to everyone!

( Click here to Vote! )

Maybe you were eliminated.

Perhaps you never threw your hat into the ring in the first place.

But you want to write, and have a shot at getting people to comment on your work!

That's why we have THE HOME GAME!

No one comes home. No one advances. No deadlines.

Just you writing and linking it here!

The main topic for this week was: Cupertino effect
and the one happening in Last Chance was: Crossing all the T's