LJ Idol Presents:

A few words from clauderainsrm:

“Statistics prove that you’ve one birthday. Imagine, just one birthday every year… Ah, but there are 364 unbirthdays! Precisely why we’re gathered here to cheer!”

Happy Unbirthday to me!!! And to you as well.

But mostly to me.

You are getting a great present though - a bunch of new entries to read! So do that. Read, comment and vote for your favorites!

The poll will close Tuesday, October 1st at 8pm ET. One contestant will be eliminated, and the others will all be a part of our Sweet 16!

Good luck to everyone.

 Tom Petty said it best, the waiting is the hardest part. 

We are supposed to start feeling some hurricane/tropical storm force winds in the next hour or so.  (it depends on which source you look at, we appear to be in area where it shifts from one to the other) 

But Helene does seem to still be on track to visit the Tallahassee area before making its way inland.  Not sure yet if it will be as a 3 or a 4, either of those options isn't great. 

We've gotten a few rain bands, but nothing crazy yet.  So here's hoping it continues that trend and the power stays on. (even when you don't get a direct hit, there's still flooding, high winds and often mass power loss) 

If everything stays on track, then the poll will stay on track as well, delivering it's own hurricane force winds to the competition: therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1164341.html

(oh come on, you knew I was going there!!!) 

So make sure you get your votes in!

I just had it confirmed that my office is also closed tomorrow! So 2 days of administrative pay! So, as long as things stay relatively calm that's a great thing... and if they don't, well, let's just go with that first option and be optimistic! 

How are YOU weathering the storm of life right now? 

A few words from clauderainsrm:

It’s the first week of Idol without the safety net, and we are starting it out losing two incredible contestants who left a pretty deep mark on this mini season, and the competition itself.

Goodbye to fausts_dream and tigrkittn - thank you to both of you for coming out and sharing with all of us. I hope that we will continue to see you in the Home Game and in Green Rooms!

As for the rest of you, there are still two more contestants who will be leaving us. So it’s up to you, the voters, to decide what is going to happen next! Who will make it to the Sweet 16?
Read. Comment. Vote for your favorites! Tell the world to do the same!

The poll closes Thursday, September 26th at 8pm ET.
Good luck to everyone!

 There were some results, with a pending Sudden Death Write Off: therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1162763.html
Where pixiebelle  proved herself to be SERIOUSLY old school when she reintroduced the Idol Birthday Curse!!!  (people used to get voted out on or near their birthday all the time) 

and a new prompt: therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1163131.html

But that's not what I am here to talk to you about today.  I want to know if you've heard the Good Word.   No, not that - the Good Word About Survivor.  :) 

Not only is there a new US season starting tomorrow night (on the heels of without a doubt the best season of the new era, which followed another really good season... which might just be comparing it to how bad the last few seasons of the old era/first couple of the new era were.  :)  but 6 of the 14 member cast have been revealed for Australian Survivor: Australia vs the World!!!   insidesurvivor.com/australian-survivor-vs-the-world-first-cast-revealed-57727


Originally this was going to be Australia Vs the US season, but I'm reasonably sure with how close it is to the filming of US Season 50, they had to scrap that plan. They also stripped it down to an embarrassing 15 days. Considering that most AU seasons are 50+ days, this is just weird. Not sure what anyone is going to do in that short of a time period that is going to resemble Survivor. But it might be fun. 

Pretty sure it's going to be 7 Australians vs 7 from the rest of the world (US, New Zealand, South Africa and Norway. I've never seen a season from Norway, so I'm intrigued about that!)   The US players are all iconic, even though I'm only really a FAN of one of them.  (Cirie) The Australians are all pretty big "gets" for the franchise, although I highly suspect one of the players who hasn't been announced yet of the other 4 has *got* to be Luke Toki. If's not, what are they even doing?  ;) 

Those 3 Americans are probably all the US players, since that only leaves 4 spots and 3 other counties.  :) My guess is 1 from Norway. 1 from New Zealand and 2 from South Africa (which is a far bigger and more popular franchise than the other two. Although maybe NZ gets two given how close they are. But that would be a casting bust IMO) 

I KNOW there are a couple people excited to talk about this. But who knows - maybe some of you are too!  :)  If not, well it isn't the first time I've posted something no one felt like commenting on! :D 

The way this mini season has been bouncing has been a little all over the place. This week was no exception.

Of the two writers receiving strikes, we have one who received their second - proceedcyclone 

and one who, by a single vote, received their 3rd, which means they are eliminated - emo_snal

That one was a shocker for me, since he was the one who had the idea that sparked my thought process toward this mini season. He's also someone in the running for the first person to hit 200 weeks. of Idol That quest will have to wait.

I'll post the new topic in the morning. But for now, I'm glad that we will get to see one of them for a little bit longer and I know that Kris will be sticking around, if for no other reason, to cheer on his Mom!  Thank you though for everything that you have brought to the table this mini season and I can't wait to see what you do next!

 Just a reminder that the deadline for the prompt is TONIGHT! https://therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1119076.html





There are still quite a few people who haven't shown up yet. But we still have a few hours, so... *crosses fingers* 


***

How is everyone doing? 

***

Working from the office two days a week has been good for meeting with the new company and bad for everything else. REALLY bad for actually getting anything done. I feel like we are completely underwater at this point. Which - I warned them. No one can say I didn't...  and I ended up missing an important statewide-meeting because the new senior leadership wanted my input on some issues, and then of course some of the same people wanted to know why I had missed that meeting... :D 

 For those who missed it,  the_eternal_overthinker  bowed out from the competition. Which means that they were eliminated and song_of_thea moves forward. 

 There was an entry written though - so make sure to check it out https://song-of-thea.dreamwidth.org/2562.html 

Never say die indeed!

Second Chance's first poll comes to an end tonight! Only you can save your favorites! Make sure you do it, before someone else saves theirs!! *cue dramatic music* https://therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1026480.html

There's also one more day for the main competition's poll - with that same advice - https://therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1026883.html *cue even more dramatic music*

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*cue the most dramatic music of all*

I mentioned this elsewhere, but I did have a dream about our Final 10. Some of it is fuzzy, and of course I won't name names... and most importantly, my dreams don't vote - and I vote for everyone. So I can't determine how this is actually going to shake out. My only reluctance of saying is that I then put targets on people. But as long as you keep in mind that I'm just discussing a dream...

And of course, all of this is utter speculation based upon this dream. Which means it's completely meaningless other than to... *cue dramatic music that goes beyond even the most dramatic music* get you thinking "does he mean ME???" :)

Based solely upon this dream:

- 1 "high profile contestant" (who people think has a great chance of winning) drops/byes out before the Top 20. Another before the Top 15.

- There is at least 1 "flame out"/melt down before the Top 10.

- Before the Top 5 there is a dramatic finish resulting in a shocking elimination. (or they decide to quit. Either way it's on the home stretch of the game and it causes a shake up)

- At least 3 members of the Top 10 are going to be from Second Chance.

- 1, possibly two, members of the Top 4 aren't on anyone's radar as winner picks right now. There's a good shot, if they get there, that one of them actually wins this thing.

(Which, to be fair, that's usually the case - it's either "underdog triumphs and finishes strong with surprise ending OR "Goliath does what is expected, and crushes their competition". :D )

*cue disco music and opens the dance floor*
*shoots disco music*

A few words from clauderainsrm:

I just got finished reading the last of the entries you are about to see. Usually I scan them. This time I intended to do that, but found myself drawn in and before I realized it, I was reading.

If you are about to start clicking those clicky boxes, do yourself a favor and take a long look around at all the options.

There is some really good stuff in there.

“Nadir” has taken some people to their zenith.

Unfortunately, it also took one of our own from us, in a bye-out.

Goodbye to

bewize 

I had hoped to be seeing a lot more of her stuff. But that’s how life, and Idol work out sometimes. That is what happens in a Literary Prize Fight, there are casualties lining these cyber streets, each cut a little big deeper than the one before.

As for the rest of you… it’s time for the Gate… no, that’s not right. We did that. It’s time for a Contestant Only… nope, did that too.

It’s time for the poll.

Yes, that sounds about right.

In case you forgot - anyone with a DW, LJ or Open Source account can vote. (one vote per physical body please) You can vote for as many contestants as you feel moved to support.

We will be losing two more contestants this week. (Note: I was planning on making it three, but reading this week, I decided to show some mercy. I'll make up for it in the coming weeks)

The poll closes Saturday Jan 5th at 9pm EST.

Good luck to everyone!

 

Today is the day that Second Chance will be starting! So if you still haven't signed up, it's your final chance to do so! https://therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1023709.html There's already 22 contestants there, so this should be good. Also, possibly brutal, in that they only have a couple weeks to fight their way back into the main competition! But once they do, the ones who have survived that are going to come with some extra fire!

Keep in mind that today is also the deadline for the first Second Chance topic. https://therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1024362.html The only byes that are available for that are those who purchased Golden Ticket byes (or if anyone wants to give them to someone) before Christmas. So if you miss the deadline for your entry, you are out. It's high stakes in the new year!

***

For those in the main competition - your deadline is tomorrow! https://therealljidol.dreamwidth.org/1024845.html

There are very few entries in that mix right now, so hopefully you are spending your New Year the correct way - writing your fingers to the bone, to come one step closer to winning the Literary Prize Fight!