Jibber Jabber - Q1 - 29

I could remove a little of the suspense for you all, but I think I'll just let you stew some more instead.

That said, I'd be shocked if we heard anything tomorrow.

Do with this info what you will.

You mean like take a contract out on your life?

Can you explain this comment. I think it got lost in written internet translation dyslexic recipient for me...

With the information that Annie is withholding information, francisbruno would like to have her assassinated. I think. Which, I thought, was a pretty funny reaction.

Ok, that's what I thought. I, for some reason, kept thinking he might also be trying to say she was going to take us out. Which would also be funny and would definitely take the suspense away.

Here's a less painful experiment than one involving prolonged waits

http://youtu.be/xjGcw8DPDpk

I thought it was pretty interesting when I first saw it.

I could remove a little of the suspense for you all, but I think I'll just let you stew some more instead.

That said, I'd be shocked if we heard anything tomorrow.

Do with this info what you will.

Thanks! With that comment, we're sure to pass 2,500 posts!

Don't let her get to you--that smilie she used was obviously the dreaded Shoemaker Smilie, which basically translates into "suck it."

There's a Shoemaker Smilie? That's just... wrong...

Don't let her get to you--that smilie she used was obviously the dreaded Shoemaker Smilie, which basically translates into "suck it."

There's a Shoemaker Smilie? That's just... wrong...

The dreaded Shoemaker Smilie: When someone includes a smilie in an otherwise malicious/rude/cruel/unnecessarily evil/slightly obnoxious/unfortunate/Schadenfreude post in an effort ot make the post seem more friendly or neutral. This smilie is known to cause certain members of the species to develop an aversion to all smilies, even those used in a conventional manner.

Here's a less painful experiment than one involving prolonged waits

http://youtu.be/xjGcw8DPDpk

I thought it was pretty interesting when I first saw it.

Oh Travasty, you hold the key to my heart and soul after this post!

There's a Shoemaker Smilie? That's just... wrong...

The dreaded Shoemaker Smilie: When someone includes a smilie in an otherwise malicious/rude/cruel/unnecessarily evil/slightly obnoxious/unfortunate/Schadenfreude post in an effort ot make the post seem more friendly or neutral. This smilie is known to cause certain members of the species to develop an aversion to all smilies, even those used in a conventional manner.

Ah. OK. Yes, you people all know me too well, it seems.

Although I do have a favorite T-shirt. It's kinda ripped up, I really should throw it out, but I like it too much. Microsoft gave it out at a developer conference, back when they were really trying to grow their developer community. It's orange (once a very bright orange) with a big yellow smiley face, and the message "IT'S ALL ABOUT ME!" (Actually, it's more Evil Martin's favorite than mine...)

Can't... help.... my... fingers... NO! NO, fingers. Don't type!... NOT the 2500 post!!!!

Ahhhh, finally made it. 1am-ish on THURS. And still no results.

Wow, we've hit 2,500. This is going to be a long wait.

Wow, we've hit 2,500. This is going to be a long wait.

We in Ohio stand guard. It's nearly 2:30am. (yawn) I'm going to bed.

Agreed. Once more into the breech, dear Ohio writers, once more.

PS: Hopefully your predictions are correct. Today is technically Thursday now.

I believe you all mean "the dreaded by Shoemaker smilie."

I guess I didn't think through the whole "killing the person with the info" thing... Sigh. Maybe today we'll hear something?

I stand by the inkling that they're going to announce the Q1s and Q2 simultaneously...

I stand by the inkling that they're going to announce the Q1s and Q2 simultaneously...

That wouldn't be fair!

But I'm fine with it.

I stand by the inkling that they're going to announce the Q1s and Q2 simultaneously...

Wouldn't they have to notify the rejections before making an announcement of the winners? (and HM's etc.) Or is that just how it usually works? I'm still new to this, so I could be completely mistaken. I agree though, it would be nice to know sooner than later, then maybe I'd be more proactive about writing the Q3 entry rather than having thoughts of the Q2 submission intrude on my already tangential thought processes. (typical procrastinator... less than a month to go and all I have are some notes written for the story... wish I could say that was the only time that has happened lol) Anyone else have that problem? I know some people are really on the ball... having already submitted to Q3 and probably already know what they're going to submit to Q4.

I stand by the inkling that they're going to announce the Q1s and Q2 simultaneously...

Wouldn't they have to notify the rejections before making an announcement of the winners? (and HM's etc.) Or is that just how it usually works? I'm still new to this, so I could be completely mistaken. I agree though, it would be nice to know sooner than later, then maybe I'd be more proactive about writing the Q3 entry rather than having thoughts of the Q2 submission intrude on my already tangential thought processes. (typical procrastinator... less than a month to go and all I have are some notes written for the story... wish I could say that was the only time that has happened lol) Anyone else have that problem? I know some people are really on the ball... having already submitted to Q3 and probably already know what they're going to submit to Q4.

to Venvariants: It's sure beginning to look that way.

On the rejections... they did send out some R's and HM's. We've been told that 99% of the results have gone out for Q1, but where rest fall is anyone's guess (except for the finalists, who have to keep quiet about it, of course).

I didn't submit to Q2. Just didn't have a speculative story ready enough or that wasn't already somewhere else. I'm working on my Q3 story, but not sure if I'll make the deadline in time. I'd like to avoid a paper submission this time, but I have a non-standard WP that's had some problems in the past with online submissions.

My Q1 submission was my first as well, so I'm clueless how this next one will go over. It is longer than my first, so that's a plus,I gather. My expectations are modest for Q1. One thing though, since this quarter has drug on forever, I have gotten to know a lot of people. So, regardless of how I do, I'm now as anxious for the others as I am myself. And a little part of me believes we'll be missing someone from our group in the quarter ahead.

Thursday is beginning to look mythical.

"This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays". -- A. Dent

I think this quarter is cosmic justice for the Illustrators. "See? This is what it's like for us!"

Thursday is beginning to look mythical.

"This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays". -- A. Dent

LOL, yes, I'm beginning to think I should start quoting that.

Thursday is beginning to look mythical.

"This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays". -- A. Dent

I think this quarter is cosmic justice for the Illustrators. "See? This is what it's like for us!"

Why DO the illustrators take so long? I mean I can go through an art gallery in an afternoon. I can leaf through a dozen wallpaper books in a couple hours and know what grabs me and what doesn't. [(I hope the artists forgive the example -- not to imply AT ALL that their artwork is wallpaper -- (please, self. don't get yourself in any deeper)].But an illustration either grabs you or it doesn't. I wonder if Q2 illustrators will hear before Q1 writers?

Back to Q3 ... type , type, type.

Thursday is beginning to look mythical.

"This must be Thursday. I never could get the hang of Thursdays". -- A. Dent

I think this quarter is cosmic justice for the Illustrators. "See? This is what it's like for us!"

Why DO the illustrators take so long?

It's another enigma of the contest. We speculate that it's because the actual, physical pictures must be shipped to each judge in turn, but honestly we don't know.

But an illustration either grabs you or it doesn't.

I am so not an expert, but I've learned a ton about art during my time here. An image tells a story. News to me. I'm sure there's all kinds of other nuances. An image can make you feel. An image is a thousand words. Etc.

Let me take my inexpert opinion even further:

What's a judge to do when faced with something like this?
At first glance, you feel how you feel about it.
I was confused at first. I found the sexy part pretty quickly, (or is that pain?), but the image keeps going. The face seems artificial. The pink is bold. Her face is breaking into bits. The tiny woman's face is also breaking into bits. There's groves in the bits of the face. (this is the cover for a dubstep remix song, so there's your record grooves.) There's a ceramic? cracking triangle. It's backlit...

Now - get a dozen such images.

KD used to read the finalists over and over. She'd stew on them. Decide which resonated, and which faded. I'd imagine with an image that's even more difficult, especially if given many, many of them every quarter.

I envy the judges because they get to see great work, but I don't envy them having to narrow down those choices to three winners.

D

I stand by the inkling that they're going to announce the Q1s and Q2 simultaneously...

Given the need to hastily deliver all the thousands of entries to Farland following K.D.'s passing, this wouldn't surprise me a bit. And since my Q2 entry is vastly better than my Q1, which has already been form-rejected, wishful thinking may be a factor.

Honestly, though, I have little hope for Q2, given its length. From here on out I shall endeavor to write longer. Longer, I say! <img src="

I spent the day touring Oxford, including dinner at The Eagle and Child. The boar and chorizo burger was so-so, the chicken and mushroom pie was most excellent and the apple pie was amazingly good.

Brownie points if anyone can tell me the significance of this pub to one of the genres this contest favors. Surely you have an inkling, at least?

And I was so busy snapping pics that I didn't even *think* about it being Thursday. Until now. Sigh.

Brownie points if anyone can tell me the significance of this pub to one of the genres this contest favors. Surely you have an inkling, at least?

Unless it's Harry Potter, I got nothin'.

It also kinda reminds me of the scene at the end of The Lord of the Rings where the big giant eagle comes and takes the hobbits off the mountain... I think it was an eagle. It's been a long time since I saw the movie.

I spent the day touring Oxford, including dinner at The Eagle and Child. The boar and chorizo burger was so-so, the chicken and mushroom pie was most excellent and the apple pie was amazingly good.

Brownie points if anyone can tell me the significance of this pub to one of the genres this contest favors. Surely you have an inkling, at least?

And I was so busy snapping pics that I didn't even *think* about it being Thursday. Until now. Sigh.

I ate there, too! The Inklings ate and wrote there. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, et al.

That was a serious highlight of my trip. I had a pork pie of great deliciousness.

And I only just now noticed your sneakiness, there, Kary. ACK!

Ding, ding, ding!!

JRR Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and others of their ilk held a weekly writing group at The Eagle and Child. The writers called themselves the Inklings and referred to the pub as The Bird and Baby. For those of you who play Lord of the Rings Online, there is a Bird and Baby in the Shire.

I spent the day touring Oxford, including dinner at The Eagle and Child. The boar and chorizo burger was so-so, the chicken and mushroom pie was most excellent and the apple pie was amazingly good.

Brownie points if anyone can tell me the significance of this pub to one of the genres this contest favors. Surely you have an inkling, at least?

And I was so busy snapping pics that I didn't even *think* about it being Thursday. Until now. Sigh.

I ate there, too! The Inklings ate and wrote there. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, et al.

That was a serious highlight of my trip. I had a pork pie of great deliciousness.

And I only just now noticed your sneakiness, there, Kary. ACK!

Sweet! I knew someone smart would answer it so I wouldn't have to google it. I think I went to Oxford once for about an hour before realizing everything was closed and caught the train back. It was some sort of holiday or some big game was on. I can't remember.