I think part of the issue is that everyone -- writers as well as those still reading -- are weary. When you're weary one's apt not to have that zing of energy. We've all been there.

When one is weary, it's easy to be snippy, snarky, emotional, etc. It's one of the reasons why I've been trying to stay offline lately. I'm not pointing this solely toward Idol, btw, but because Idol is a huge part of my online life, it's included.

I think a good mix of the two is what keeps things interesting! Okay, you don't wanna be curled up in a ball, howling in agony and projectile barfing, but a little queasiness is just part of the experience and how you know is was a good coaster and not some little dinky pissant kiddie ride or snooze fest horse and buggy through Amish country that might be fun at first but gets old really quick. The best rides are the ones where you can feel the bottom drop out of your stomach at one moment and then be having too much fun to care the next.

Time to throw the servers into the Boston Harbor!

Agreed! My most memorable park experiences were the ones where I felt absolutely awful for a moment -- or, for example, my necklace broke off and fell into my bra -- because it gave me a great story. Plus, I could walk away saying, "I survived that."

We rarely remember the rides that are uneventful.

This is VERY true!

To put it in another context: I tend to be a pretty "laissez-faire" mom, allowing KFP, in our unstructured moments, to play and explore the way he wants (provided he's not doing anything unsafe). But when I'm tired, all my patience goes out the window. I find myself snapping at him for doing the same thing -- such as banging his wooden hammer on different surfaces to check out the sounds -- that I found perfectly acceptable earlier in the week.

Keeping this in mind, I don't know what your plans are, but I would recommend a break of at least a couple months before beginning Season 9. Maybe you could kick it off in January, after the winter holidays are over, when people are feeling energized and renewed? In the meantime, I would love to see the Green Rooms remain active on at least a weekly basis, addressing writing topics and/or proposing topics for people to write for fun.

As always, I'd be happy to brainstorm with you or anyone else via e-mail (shantipoet at gmail).

I tend to be a pretty enthusiastic ambassador for LJI, since so much of the essays and fiction I've written in the last few years that I'm currently either publishing or sharing came from the contest.

ooo, scoop 'em up and hoard them!

I think Kizzy makes a good point about fatigue. Exhibit A was an anomaly, but every season there are sharp-edged or emotional comments about what "should" have happened in a poll or who's a "better" writer or whatever.

How do we measure the quality of a writer? Imagination? Grammar? Telling a complete story? Literary style? Genre? Likable characters? Emotional reaction?

As the number of contestants gets smaller, are we voting for just the entry from this week? For the overall performance of the season? For the degree of improvement? For the people we just like better?

When we get to the point where everyone's attention is on a handful of people, everything seems more important or less fair. It's like the end of a horse race or a marathon. People watch the whole thing, and they care to some degree or they wouldn't be watching at all, but people don't stand up and yell until the end.

I don't think anyone intentionally wants to hurt anyone else's feelings, but people feel strongly, and things are said. Hell, there have been a couple of things said in the past day or so that have stung me when I read them, but I've never competed this close to the end. I am reminding myself of similar things that have been said in other seasons, and I am making the decision not to take it personally.

I'm a big fan of Idol. There are things I don't like about it, and things I dearly love about it. Sometimes my favorite has won and sometimes not. It's a great group of talented people, and people don't always get along. It's up to each person to decide to remember the good and work through the rough spots.

>>The best rides are the ones where you can feel the bottom drop out of your stomach at one moment and then be having too much fun to care the next.<<

Exactly! So where does the head-to-head poll fall on that spectrum? *wink*

I am still uncertain if I will do that again.
I have jewelry designs to craft from walnut. Not an easy wood to work but very pritty.
While I could work in writing with this I am uncertain if I should. I am also hopeful of getting a court date for my ssi review - well maybe hopeful is too strong a word more like wishful.

January is a buisy month around my place - lots of birthdays.