Idol Inspiration

[muchtooarrogant]

LJ Idol, Week Eighteen

It's funny what you remember about people, isn't it? For me, memories are often tied to words. Not so much what people say, although some of those exchanges can stick with me too if they're shouted loud enough, but words that are written down in letters, e-mails, and other kinds of messages often have a much longer shelf life.

One of the first conversations I remember having with this particular online friend was concerning a meme. It was that one where you were supposed to create a fictional memory about you and the other person.

Hey, I came across the funniest picture today. Do you remember that time when both of us were in San Francisco over July 4? We were wandering around, and found this place called the Fortune Cookie Factory where you could buy flat round wafers that hadn't yet been folded into cookies. Later, just before they started setting off fireworks, we were standing on Peer 39 trying to see who could make like a discus thrower and fling their wafer the farthest. LOL I have this great shot of you poised to throw, with your right arm as far back as you could get it. Who won that contest anyway?

Fun times!

Dan

Then my friend responded with her own made up memory.

We've been pen pals since the 7th grade - exchanging correspondence almost weekly since we were 12. Back in the summer of 1987, we decided, in honor of us both graduating from our respective high schools that we would finally take the plunge and meet in person! You flew up to Montreal, and we waited outside the Forum ALL NIGHT for front row tickets to see The Cure! BEST. CONCERT. EVER. Afterwards, my mom picked us up and drove us home. We were both supposed to stay in my room, but she thought that Dan was short for Danielle, not Daniel, so instead, you had to stay in my sister's old room. But once both my parents were asleep, I snuck in with a big bottle of milk and a box of cookies, and we talked all night.

That was the best grad present I ever got.

For me, those two snippets are a perfect example of LJ at its best. When we wrote them, back in 2008, sarcasmoqueen and I had just added each other as friends, and probably didn't know much more than what was written in our user profiles. Still, in just a few brief sentences, we created alternate universes in which we had been best friends for years.

As time passed, I got to know more about my friend. I learned that she enjoyed playing softball in her spare time, was fond of singing karaoke, frequently watched hockey, and, for several months each year, helped to choreograph, rehearse, and perform in a show for charity called Becket. It wasn't a complete picture of course, but I still fell into that old trap, the one where you start assuming you know everything about a person.

Then she totally surprised me.

October 17, 2011

Giving it a shot
So I have finally decided to give therealljidol a shot - I will be competing this year for the first time! If you like to write, you should give it a try too!
http://ljidol.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/lji.s8.signup.jpg

Wish me luck! And I hope you read!

This was very exciting! I had known for some time that sarcasmoqueen was a great writer, but I had no idea that she'd be interested in participating in a competition like therealljidol. Here was an LJ community I'd been periodically browsing for years, and suddenly one of the people on my Flist was joining up for its next to last season.

Should I take her advice? Should I give it a try too?

I will always be grateful to sarcasmoqueen, not only for letting me know that sign ups for Season 8 of therealljidol had begun, but also for providing me with the inspiration to compete as well.

Thanks, Candy! It's been a great ride so far!

Dan

Comments

[imafarmgirl.livejournal.com]

Nice entry. It seems most of us have a story about who introduced us to live journal or to idol. It's fun to remember.

[baxaphobia.livejournal.com]

Awww. how fun. Smile.

[whipchick.livejournal.com]

So glad she got you on board - it's been great to read your work every week!

[jem0000000.livejournal.com]

I love those fake memories; they're so wonderfully detailed.

This is a beautiful tribute, and I'm glad she talked you into it, lol.

Jem

[alien-infinity.livejournal.com]

Those fake memories are impressive!

[jacq22.livejournal.com]

Glad she talked you into it too.

Sadly the friend who encourged me is ' voted out' now, tjoel, who has been great to have around, we still talk on lj and FB, so those friends are great to have around.

Well done, a nice friendship and tribute.

[ecosopher.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing your memories (real and imagined!) of your friendship with sarcasmoqueen! This was a great entry. I'm really glad you decided to sign up, too.

[shadowwolf13]

Awesome that you two have that sense of humor and that she got you into competing. :D

[marstokyo.livejournal.com]

It's great to read about such an LJ friendship. It restores my faith in LJ.

[milk-and-glass.livejournal.com]

I am so glad I decided to participate in LJI. I really have met so many awesome people. And this is a really cute story. I love that meme.

[myrna-bird.livejournal.com]

Wonderful story, real and otherwise. Entertaining and well written. I am so glad you both decided to write this season!
I enjoy both of you a lot. :)

[alycewilson.livejournal.com]

That sounds like such a fun meme! I'm glad you both decided to join LJI.

[whirlgig.livejournal.com]

I had no idea you were a newbie! You always seemed so cool and knew what you were doing hehe. Great entry, again :)

[muchtooarrogant.livejournal.com]

LOL I guess I just fake it really well.

Thanks for reading!

Dan

[muchtooarrogant.livejournal.com]

Indeed, memories like that are great!

Thanks for reading!

Dan

[muchtooarrogant.livejournal.com]

Yes, the whole false memory exchange was a lot of fun.

Thanks for reading!

Dan

[muchtooarrogant.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I've very much enjoyed reading yours as well.

Dan

[muchtooarrogant.livejournal.com]

Yes, that false memory meme was definitely one of the best ones I've ever done.

Talked me into it? All she really had to do was tell me she was doing it, and that the application period was still open. Hahaha.

Thanks for reading!

Dan

[muchtooarrogant.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I think they really got our friendship off to a great start!

Thanks for reading!

Dan

[muchtooarrogant.livejournal.com]

It's definitely sad to watch your friends get eliminated. I'm lucky, a lot of the newbies I've joined with are still kicking. *grin* But, I'm sure our day will come.

Thanks for reading, competing in LJI has been great!

Dan

[muchtooarrogant.livejournal.com]

I really do owe it all to her, as I'm certain I would've completely missed the signup date otherwise. I might've made it in through SCI, but it just wouldn't have been the same.

Thanks so much for reading!

Dan

[muchtooarrogant.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that helps our friendship a lot, the fact that we tend to laugh and growl at many of the same things. *smile* It's like always having someone in your corner.

Thanks for reading!

Dan

[muchtooarrogant.livejournal.com]

I think LJ is like anything else, it is what you make of it. Well, plus luck. I've been very lucky with so many of my online friendships. There be great people out there!

Thanks for reading!

Dan

[muchtooarrogant.livejournal.com]

I know, I came into LJI thinking it was all about the writing, and quickly learned it was so much more. It's VERY cool when you can not only read great writing, but talk to the writers as well.

Thanks for reading!

Dan

[muchtooarrogant.livejournal.com]

Thank you! It's been an amazing season, full of so many wonderful stories and conversations. I know both she and I have had a lot of fun stretching our talents.

Thanks for reading!

Dan