Will the last one using the song "The Final Countdown" turn out the lights on this year/this decade?

So - what did you think of the Aughts? Highlights? Lowlights? Streetlights? People? Up and Down the Boulevard? Love Bites? Love Stinks? Heart Lights? Did it make a happy glow for all the world to see? Were Sunbeams made like you?

Are you heading out with a free topic in your heart:http://community.livejournal.com/therealljidol/285146.html or just coasting with the free time?

***

Happy Birthday to *3* Idol alumni. Two who showed up this season (as well as others) and 1 who is MIA from LJ in general - but has the best chance of seeing this if she sees anything!)

Happy Birthday abbismom,velveteen_girl and controlld_chaos!!!

Hoppy Halidays, monkeys. This old chimp thought it was Monday, so apologies for the late chatter.

The January sign-ups await your poll-trolling mice! You've until January 4th to hit that up.

Check out pelethetart's new community: flame_fanning!

The showcasees of 2009 are all summed up right over here.

Pip the Magic Dragon (and the rest of us) await the lovely editors to get that holiday editing done! Be sure to check out both posts: here and here. Don't forget to catch up on weeks 1 and 2 if you're a wee bit behind. Let's have a fresh batch of editors for the new year, yeah?

Ideas for the Literary Library always welcomed, encouraged, and accepted. It's such a liberal environment, in fact, you'd be silly not to mosey over and drop a suggestion or two. ;)

+

I was at a friend's catching up with old cronies this week when a buddy from high school came up with an anecdote. Apparently, I told him I didn't think he had a very good face in grade 11 chemistry.

I was horrified. "I told you I didn't like your face? Are you quite sure that was me?"

"You said I didn't have a very good face. I'm not sure if you liked it or not."

"Oh, Jordan. I'm so sorry. I really don't have a problem with your face."

But Jordan's neat. He just thought it was pretty funny. I honestly don't have a problem with his face, in any way. I can't think why I told him this.

About ten minutes earlier, a bunch of us were rifling through my dear friend's tea cabinet. I was floored. There was so much tea! I made a big fuss about it. Promptly, another old friend began reprimanding me for not remembering the sheer epicness of this guy's tea cupboard because, you know, the lot of us pretty much ransacked it once a week in high school. And you know? I'd plumb forgotten all about that too.

I'm not great at memory retention. I remember some very useless things extremely well. The things that might come in handy -- facts before a test, life experiences, the idle insults about people's faces that I wished I could remember the motives for -- these things I don't remember.

Sometimes I wonder why I record so much in LJ. I've had people ask me outright why the hell I expose so much of myself on LJ. While it is f-locked, it does seem odd that I talk about my health, my family, my psychological state, and so forth on the internet even where my f-list can read it. Some things should be personal, you know?

I can let the Jordan's face thing slide. I don't remember everything I said to everyone as of four years ago. But we really did raid that tea cupboard very often. I didn't even remember that I was at my friend's house very often at all, but I was there every Thursday at the least for a good solid few months there, and I completely forgot about that until it was pounded back into me.

I started this journal when I moved out of my parents' house and deleted every entry on my old journal because I wanted to start over. A good friend told me at the time that this was a mistake and I really feel that way now. Sometimes I click on random tags in my journal and start reading backwards. I read about things I hadn't thought about for years. I read about things that seem like totally new knowledge because I have absolutely no memory of these things at all. Sometimes they are very significant things that I should, by all accounts, remember. I wonder if I was making these things up sometimes, but I lie very infrequently on my personal LJ, and when I do it's for a very good reason that I instantly recognize upon re-reading.

This lack of memory retention doesn't bother me. I'm a high-stress individual and it doesn't surprise me in the least that things from some of the most stressful years of my life are missing from my brain. And they are very minor by comparison. But I'm very glad I do pour as much of myself into LJ as I do. I learn a lot about my former self just by reading back in time. I remember lessons I learned long ago. I remember some truly lovely things I hope never to forget and some less lovely things that are nonetheless good to have in my head. So I raise my hat in tribute to LJ, for helping me remember the little things.

Why do you keep your LJ? What brought you here in the first place?

Seriously - put down whatever you are doing and go read some of the free topic entries: http://community.livejournal.com/therealljidol/285146.html

Trust me, you won't regret it.

Unless of course you were in the process of *writing* a free topic entry. Or open heart surgery.

But in either case, I still think it was worth it. Don't you????

I've just been reading them, and since there isn't a vote this time around, without naming names DAMN some of them are excellent.

And by that I of course mean YOURS. Whoever you happen to be. I can't believe how good it was (insert your name here). You do work most fine. So fine it blows my mind, hey (insert your name here)!

***

So, while I have you here - What sort of entries do you like the bestest?
Care to share examples?("so and so writes gud 'bout this"), what keeps you coming back for more???

And of course, how many marshmallows do you want in your hot chocolate? There's a line forming behind you, so you better make up your mind!!

renaissance2010
Turning to photography as a creative outlet during a valiant fight with breast cancer at age 34, renaissance10 survived and set up a photo contest to help raise funds for the Lavender Trust, a nonprofit that provides information and support to younger women with breast cancer. In the first two years, the competition brought in over £65,000 (that's $107,260.73 U.S.!), with entries from 130 countries last year. Renaissance10 recently joined LiveJournal to meet other passionate photographers and find supportive friends.

curiouscupcakes
Holy buttercream frosting! If you have a sweet tooth for sugary goodness or a wandering eye for whimsical confection, this is pure ecstasy iced in deliciousness. Hailing the beloved cupcake as the artisinal canvas of choice, you'll enjoy recipes, photos, and bountiful tips to bake up a batch, whether your taste leans toward French classics or funky and flavorful.

mission101
With New Years in the offing, it's an ideal time to reflect on past accomplishments, make peace with disappointments, and refocus the lens on future goals. This community welcomes you to create a bucket list of 101 things you plan to accomplish in the next 1,001 days. Offering support, guidance, and inspiration, this is a great way to jumpstart those pesky resolutions.

Hello all!

Thank you so much for the feedback on the little idea I had about creating a sister sight to the amazingly glorious brigits_flame !!

I have since acquired a community, and while unpretty (because I a not savvy enough to make it pretty...yet) it is up and ready for you.

flame_fanning   (the original LJ name was taken, oh well)

Due to concerns over what constituted web publication it has been set as a private community and I do need to approve members. As people volunteer to mod, then they will be able to approve people too! YAY!!! (waving arms wildly like Kermit)

So stop by, introduce yourselves, sign up to volunteer and/or check out what our first reviews will be.

To quote a great man, Shel Silverstein,

"...For we have some flax golden tales to spin.
Come in! Come in!"


*edit*  For whatever reason, I'm not receiving the emails for requests to join.  Either leave a post here that you're interested or  "watch" the community and I'll send an invite.

*grumbles about stupid LJ not working properly*

Good morning! I imagine many of you are back to work today, although hopefully for a short week. And I also imiagine many of you are on holiday from school/university, so I hope you are relaxing and enjoying your time off!

**The January sign-ups are UP! Please note that you'll sign up by clicking on the poll, although of course you are free to chat in comments like always :-) The Sign-up Poll will close at 12 noon EST pn Monday, January 4, 2010.

** This week's Writer's Showcase has all the featured writers to date, along with some really fantastic banners! Take a trip down memory lane!

**There is a fresh edition of the editors' Post/Poll for this week, the catch-up week! Please check it out, both for where you are with your edits as well as people who can perhaps pick up some edits while they have downtime this week! Pip explains it all over here!

**Got a hankering to post some ideas for the Literary Library? Mosey on over here!

*******************************************************

As the New Year approaches, so many of us use this time to both review the year we are leaving and make plans for the year that's approaching. We ponder what went well and what went wrong in the preceding months. Using that information as well as analyzing where we are in terms of our goals and dreams, we make resolutions for the year ahead. Can we be healthier? Make more money? Fall in love? We decide on our resolutions, sometimes writing them down, sometimes just leaving them as thoughts to ourselves. Some of us eschew resolutions at all, wishing to avoid any sense of failure or not wishing to put more pressure on ourselves that we already feel. It's a highly personal choice.

I have gone both ways on this. I have listed resolutions. I have picked ONE resolution. I have decided to NOT make resolutions.

And you know what? The year comes just the same, and passes as it will.

I don't take things like that so heavily anymore. If I do, I do, and if I don't, I don't. If I do, I neither kill myself over them nor beat myself up for "failing". I take them less as "resolutions" and more as "guidelines". For instance this year I know I must address my weight, from a health viewpoint if nothing else. I know I have to take up the reins of my household finances, creating a new budget and addressing issues I have left laying fallow too long. Both of these are issues that have been sidelined as I spent time this year dealing with health issues, including mental health. With those issues settled for a couple of months now, these then are actions I would be taking now regardless of the time of year. It's coincidental that it is New Year's, and so they will be "resolutions" in the timing sense only.

Do you make resolutions at New Year's? If you are making them this year, what are they?

So who has to work this week and who is coasting along the last week of 2009???

The *last week of 2009*. . . that just sounds weird doesn't it? Is it just me????

***

The "free topics" are here: http://community.livejournal.com/therealljidol/285146.html for anyone interested in them!

Welcome to the First Contest of the new decade!

2009 was a fun year, with lots of great Mini Contests, new and exciting ways for members to get involved in the community, and of course excellent topics to inspire and challenge our contestants and just for fun writers each week!

Thanks to every single one of you for being a part of the Flame, and for helping to make it such a fun and supportive community!

I have a feeling that 2010 will be another wonderful year, with all of you, plus new members, to keep the Flame burning brightly! :-)

To get the new year under way, I bring you the January Signups Poll!

To make keeping track of everyone who signs up easier, please fill out the below poll by 12pm EST Monday January 04.

Just for Fun writers do not need to sign up- you can write on the weekly topics whenever you like, and submit them in the just for fun section of the topic poll.

Feel free to also leave a comment to this post to let us know you will be participating, and to chat amongst yourselves!

I'm looking forward to reading entries from new and returning participants! Se you all next week!

---

Poll #1504210 January Contest Signups!
Open to: Friends, detailed results viewable to: Friends, participants: 104

Will you be competing in the January Contest?

Hey, all! Thanks for being cool about a late post, even though there are so few entries to be edited.

darthneko and lacombe: I left your edits for you to finish as requested. Please check them off in their original weeks when you're done. [week one for darthneko; week two for lacombe]

The following editors still have unfinished edits for week three:
awkward_ostrich, azuire, fawatson, jamais_toujours, jewelsverne, odannygirl7, openedlocket, prncsspetulance, and toxic_apiaceae

Editors, please try to finish these by next Sunday, January 3rd. If you're not on the list, please take a moment to drop by the volunteer edits! faerie_spark, let me know by PM when you finish your assignments or if you need extra help with them. Thanks so much for helping out, everyone!

( Edits Ahoy! )

Hi all! Just a reminder that the editing post for the Catch-Up Week will be going out sometime tomorrow, and a notice that it might be late tomorrow night or even Monday before I can get to it - I spent half of my day in the emergency room with my mother (don't worry! just a broken clavicle!), so I'm unexpectedly behind. Thanks for your patience!

Attention to every Flame member who has ever edited: Please check this list! If I have you listed as "on hiatus" I would like to know what's going on. Are you retired from editing? Taking a vacation? Taking an accidental vacation and ready to edit again? I won't be sad or anything if you don't want to edit right now, I'd just like to know for my records. Thank you!

( Editors ahoy! )

Good afternoon. Hopefully everyone survived the holiday and no one had a visit from a little kid who, because he was too cheap to come up with anything else, decided to bang on a drum in front of a sleeping infant.

Hey kid - You know what a baby *does not* want for Christmas? You banging that thing in his ear!!! :)

***

There are "free topics" available for anyone interested/wanting something to post about: http://community.livejournal.com/therealljidol/285146.html

***

So, any good sales????

Good afternoon! Welcome to this week's edition of The Week in Review, brought to you by Elves Inc.! I hope today finds you relaxed and content, basking in post-holiday after-glow for the Christmas celebrators and simply weekend glow for the non-Christmasizers.

Don't worry, you haven't missed it! The sign-ups for January have not been posted yet. desert_rose will be posting the January Sign-Ups tomorrow night (Sunday 12/27), so watch for the announcement. The announcement for the Week 1 January topic will be up soon as well :-)

The editing post is roaming around with some mistletoe, looking for love!

Hubba hubba to awkward_ostrich for taking the December contest by storm!

Got a hankering to post some ideas for the Literary Library? Mosey on over here!

*********************************************


Chatter Round-up:

This week's Chatter Posts featured the following topics and queries:

Monday: desert_rose:
What are your favorite places to hang out with your friends?

Tuesday:
firesign10:
What lesson have you had to learn the hard way about doing something potentially dangerous?

Wednesday:
desert_rose:
What are dynamics like within your family? How easily are differences set aside at family gatherings?

Thursday:
lalalaleigha:
How strong is your nostalgia when finding yourself in familiar places? If you could, would you want to wipe away the past, or are all memories important to you regardless of whether they make you uncomfortable?

Friday:
lalalaleigha:
Post a comment with a bit of fiction (or poetry!) combining any two (or more) genres you like.

I wish you a fine and enjoyable rest of the weekend! See you over at the January Sign-ups!

Merry Christmas, to those who celebrate; merry December 25th to all others. :)

Editing post! Go to it!

Send some cheer to awkward_ostrich for taking the December contest by storm.

Got a hankering to post some ideas for the Literary Library? Why, don't mind if you do!

+

I got my sci-fi genes from my dad. I use them well.

For Christmas, I got him a DVD with a small collection of the allegedly best episodes of Star Trek TOS. I grew up watching this show. The tribbles will live on in my childhood memories forever. We're watching one of the very early episodes now and it's reminding me of a Doctor Who episode I watched yesterday. This thought led me to laugh for a long time and flash back to all the lovely things I watched with my parents in childhood--The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits--and then I understood why I love sci-fi so much. It's pretty much been indoctrinated into me since birth. And hell, if you're going to indoctrinate your kid, indoctrinating them with the principles of sci-fi seems to be one of the best possible options.

Lately I've been tumbling headlong into the fantasy scene, much to my own chagrin. In my teens I avoided anything labeled 'fantasy' like the plague and ignored any and all claims that Buffy the Vampire Slayer qualifies as fantasy. I don't know why. There seemed to be this stigma against fantasy that it's like a dumber version of sci-fi. I totally revoke that claim. There are a lot of similarities between fantasy and sci-fi and I've grown to appreciate them both on their own terms.

I've been toying with the idea of putting magicians in the future and giving a futuristic reason for it. It's led to a lot of really ridiculous ideas and a lot of laughing at myself in public. It seems like I'm applying the principles of the bad 60s sci-fi I grew up with to my sci-fi-fantasy hybrid.

It's Friday, so I thought I'd run a bit of a holiday weekend meme here on the Flame. Post a comment with a bit of fiction (or poetry!) combining any two (or more) genres you like. Make it as sincere or ridiculous as you like (but of course ridiculousness is highly encouraged). People may add to it or simply tell you what utter genius it is. I'll start it off in a few minutes (unless family drags me away). Here is an incomprehensive but still helpful list of genres to help you off. Already-existing hybrids such as steampunk are of course encouraged, but perhaps you could combine it with another genre to make the fic just a bit stranger.

Of course, it is the holidays, but given that there's at least a week until the next contest, I thought we could all do with a bit of a reason to keep our creative juices flowing! :)

Going with the theme of the day, here are some Free Topics!!

As always, free topics are not restricted to current contestants - anyone can write on them and post their links to this thread!

(ONLY links though please. Otherwise things get out of hand!)

The Free Topics are:

Unwrapping
Winter Wonderland
Rosebud

and of course

Freaky Friday!


The deadline to link them back to this post is, just for the sake of having a "deadline": Wednesday December 30th at 5pm EST

Have fun!

Merry Christmas!!!
(and/or ChickenMas for those who follow the ways of the Chicken)

For people in the spirit of giving today - who haven't already been there, or gone back - give a little bit of love to your fellow LJers over at: http://shadowwolf13.livejournal.com/788144.html

I hope everyone is having a wonderful day!

*peeks over your shoulder*


What did Santa bring you?

***

fyi - New "Free Topics" are up for anyone interested: http://community.livejournal.com/therealljidol/285146.html

Good evening, ladies and gents!

Major congrats to awkward_ostrich for taking December by storm and swooping forth to finish first in the polls!

You swell folks oughta check out the editing post in a pretty soon sorta way.

Got ideas for the Literary Library? Post 'em here! We've got some great suggestions so far, but we can always use more!

+

I've been socializing like crazy over the past 72 hours, and I am freaking tired. I used way too many abbreviations in the above list of reminders.

I find it odd how being in certain situations makes me revert to certain habits. I went to a party Monday night and was totally comfortable (after a drink or two), despite that the house was half-full of people I'd never met before. I went to a dinner party last night and was slightly uncomfortable, despite that the people in the room were all people I've known for a bare minimum of four years.

The difference? The Monday party was in Vancouver, where I've lived for the past two and a half years. The Wednesday party was in my hometown. I'm a lot happier in Vancouver than I was when I lived in my hometown, and as a result my level of comfort at being in these places is quite different.

I've put it down to this and this alone. There's no other explanation for why I spent half the night inside my own head last night. I had very fond affection for everyone I saw last night, except that because the environment was one where I traditionally was unhappy, I began to revert to this unhappy state.

Reason #426 why I'll probably never move back to my hometown.

I read about this phenomenon in a bit of a silly book that was published where I work. Apparently there really are atmospheric factors which influence how one reacts to a situation. Because I'd been in similar situations before in that house with those people enough times, and because I was generally less than content on most of those occasions, those memories snuck back and beat me upside the head when I wasn't looking.

Not to say I didn't have fun. It was great fun to see all those folks again, close friends and old acquaintences. It's just odd how previous circumstances can sometimes influence how one reacts to a current situation.

On the other hand, there are occasions where looking back on past circumstances can make one feel extremely comfortable in a situation. Nostalgia's a funny thing.

How strong is your nostalgia when finding yourself in familiar places? If you could, would you want to wipe away the past, or are all memories important to you regardless of whether they make you uncomfortable?

Who will be home for Christmas?

Glad you asked!

The following have been eliminated. . .

creature_girl08
kate_spencer
unlikekudzu
kenakeri

As promised - there was an elimination this week. . .

By sheer coincidence, they all just happen to have been the people specially selected to be REINSTATED INTO THE GAME BY EXECUTIVE ORDER.

So welcome back all of you!!! :D Merry Christmas.

(Oh come on, sure, I'm a heartless bastard - but did anyone *really* expect to have anyone packing their bags a couple days before Christmas????)


The new topic will be posted on Monday, Jan 4th. Go - enjoy your vacation and spend time with your families.

I will be posting Green Rooms and Free Topics between now and then. But you guys need to rest. Because the competition is going to get getting a lot more intense in the new year!!!