Farewell from Justin (Daddy Knows Less)

Crap. Crap. Crappity. Crap.

Really? You mean to tell me not even the CIA was strong enough to bring down the likes of Mama Spaghetti? She is a dastardly and wily villain indeed (shakes fist).
I'm just glad to finally be done watching that finale video... I mean, really... I just got finished... and it's Saturday already. Geez. Long enough? It takes less time to get the Peanut to bed. No wonder it took so long. It looks like Heather was working on that thing in some kind of underground cave... by candlelight. I could have sworn I saw a Chilean miner in the background at one point.

As for me... don't cry for me, Argentina. (Yes, I just dropped an Evita reference on you.) I'll admit I went through the five stages... I started with self-loathing. Then came anger. Then I went to the gym, which relieved the anger and ushered in the denial. Then came remorse. As in, did I do enough to win? And finally, acceptance. I did all I could.

All kidding aside, I am very proud of the work I did in this competition. Like I've said before, I stayed true to myself, and maintained a certain level of integrity in my posts and my own blog. And it got me within a fraction of the victory. I'm proud of that. Not that I wasn't a complete spaz behind the scenes and didn't bombard Heather with emails about anything and everything.

So now it's over. Put the champagne back on the ice. Somewhere in a small east African village, they'll soon be wearing "DKL Blogger Idol 2011" championship t-shirts.

But a funny thing happened on my way to Blogger Idol glory... I found some great new blogs to follow. But I also made friends. That's right. A couple of weeks ago, friend requests started popping up on my personal Facebook page. Roni, Chris, Derrick, Heather... who's next? I thought... I'll be a monkey's uncle if these people aren't my friends! Funny how that happened.

And while I'm disappointed, things could be a lot worse. I have an awesome wife and daughter, a super dog, a cool job and a comfortable house. A lot of people don't have those things. People like the family Heather featured on her blog this week. Please check out that post and help if you can.

I leave you with a final bit of wisdom, from the uncle about whom I wrote the post I thought would win me this thing: "Sometimes the best don't win... but they never lose."


Thanks for a great experience. See you on DKL.
-Justin
http://daddyknowsless.blogspot.com/

THE FINALE! Who's claiming the title?

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Blogger Idol FINALE voting starts NOW!

This week was a bit different.  There were only TWO contestants left.  Each of them did TWO assignments, for your viewing pleasure. Read the posts and scroll down to vote.  Voting closes at 11:59 PM CST on 9/8/11.

PLEASE READ:   Make sure you VOTE IN BOTH POLLS!  This is very important for tallying the final score.  It could be very detrimental to the results if you don't vote properly. 

The first assignment was a 'Letter to Your Future Author Self.'  The finalists had to write a letter to themselves in the future, reminding them of the things they didn't want to lose track of.  Here are those two assignments:

Dear Future Me by Mama Spaghetti

Allow Me to Reintroduce.... Myself by Justin Mannato

The second assignment was the writer's choice.  They did their best to choose something that reminded you of why they made it this far, and why they deserve your vote.  Here are those two assignments:

The Best Dad I Know by Justin Mannato

The Men in My Life by Mama Spaghetti

 

VOTING IS NOW CLOSED! STAY TUNED FOR THE FINALE TOMORROW!

Farewell from the Bungalow

You want to know what made this competition great? I mean, aside from the fact that in its first run, Heather was able to put together a nifty writing contest with fun prizes from scratch and keep it all running smoothly? Aside from the fact that, even though I had my doubts about some of the assignments, I was (admittedly) impressed with my own ability to churn out a decent post week after week?

The contestants.

I'm super pleased to have made some friends from this. At least, I'd like to call them friends. I don't know if they're ready to take our relationship to the next level. *wink* I was pleasantly surprised at some of the inter-contestant banter during the past two months, and the encouraging comments we'd leave for each other each week. Like I said in my last post, it's about community. This is what I love about blogging.

While I can't say that I'm not disappointed, I really am grateful to have made it to the final three. Being in the bottom three more often than not was scary, and I was afraid early on that I wouldn't be able to draw enough votes to win the whole thing. Turns out my worry was justified.

This has been a great experience! I've stretched a bit as a writer, made some friends and built some sense of community. I've been introduced to--and have introduced some of my readers to--some great, yet relatively unknown blogs. I've also gained a few readers. I generally don't worry about "the competition" because I figure there are enough readers in the world for all of us to share. And in my experience, sharing is always a plus.

It's been a real pleasure, folks. Keep reading, sharing and commenting. And keep writing, because "writers are the new rock stars."

~ Chris (http://fromthebungalow.wordpress.com/)
Join the conversation! FtB on Facebook, @fromthebungalow

P.S. I'm lining up a couple of exciting projects for the blog. I hope you'll join me!

Week 10 Elimination

I know that you have all been waiting, and writhing in agony, and tossing and turning in bed just waiting (Mama Spaghetti.... Justin... and Chris)...lol.  So I will just get straight to the point.....

Watch the video... find out who is making it to the finale next week:

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Week 10 Voting Starts NOW! Who will make it to the finale?

Wow, it's been an amazing ride so far with this contest!  And now we are down to the final three contestants.  This week, they had to write about their experiences with Blogger Idol, and why they want to win.

Also, we have a new voting system.  Instead of the previous one where you could vote once per day, you can now only vote once, and it allows me to see more details about where the votes are coming from.  And... it's prettier.... don't you think?

When casting your votes, remember that you are choosing who will move on to the finale next week.  Please read all of the posts, and then come back here and scroll down to vote in the poll!  And comment below to wish the contestants good luck!


Mama Spaghetti

Chris

Justin

Voting for this week has closed!

Farewell from Chess

Ah, well isn't this a bummer? I really thought I was gonna win. But I think we all did coming into this. It's a nice thought isn't it? I'm just glad I got a second chance to be in this competition. It's been a lot of fun. "Met" a lot of nice people and found several new blogs to enjoy reading. I'm glad for that at the very least! Although, I don't know how I'm supposed to keep up with all of them. I already spend too much time reading blogs. :)

Thanks to friends, family, bloggies, and mah Chester the Best-er groupies for all the votes, comments, emails, and the encouragement. It makes a body feel special and important. But now that my turn is over, be sure to make Lisa, Justin, and Chris feel special and important too! The best of luck to you three! I think one of you will definitely win! ;-)

So, I guess I'm gonna go have fun being my normal twenty-three-year-old, single self. I've moved back home for the inevitable uncertain period between graduating college and actual life. Now that I'm not worrying about a competition, I'ma go cuddle my niece, spend time with my family, sketch out my plan of attack on the world, train for a half marathon (hopefully!), and finally hit the elusive size 4 I've been chasing down for the last few years. Rock my job interview for a really prestigious waitressing position. Buy a car. Go back for more school.

So no worries! I've got plenty to do and blog about. Hope you'll join me and follow the adventure at http://chezprez.blogspot.com

Loves.
Chess

Week 9 Elimination

It was a week full of turning boys into men by dumpster diving for seven fish for Christmas dinner while singing happy birthday in three languages..... or something like that.  We all have traditions and values that surround us.  This week we got to learn about some of the traditions that surround the final four contestants.  And... keeping with tradition, someone has to be eliminated.  Here is the prize that is going to the contestant that is eliminated this week:

An autographed copy of It Girls Guide to Blogging with Moxie by dynamic duo Joelle Reeder and Katherine Scoler.  Learn everything there is to great blogging, from the girls who own Moxie Design Studios.  

Want to break into blogging but don’t know where to start? Dynamic duo Joelle Reeder and Katherine Scoleri of The Moxie Girls^TM show you how to start your first blog, polish your prose, get involved in blogging communities, make sense of RSS feeds, podcasts, photos and more — all with fun, humor and attitude!
Inside you will find the need-to-know info to get your blog noticed: How to choose the right blogging platform or content management tool, select a web host, dress up your blog, manage blog content and keep your privates private! When you are ready for more, The Moxie Girls will treat you to insider dish on blog etiquette, analyzing blog traffic, blogging for business, creating podcasts and adding bling to your blog with plugins, add-ons and more. Throw in the refreshing cocktails, beauty tips and gossip with the Girls at the end of each chapter and you’ll be Blogging with Moxie in no time. So, what are you waiting for?
The IT Girl’s Guide to Blogging With Moxie is packed with the content you need wrapped in casual, engaging dialog and a cheeky, bite-sized format.

• Bargain-blogging with tools such as WordPress®, TypePad®, and Vox
• Choosing a content management system like Expression Engine or Movable Type
• Managing blog content, using tags and moderating comments
• Selecting a professional designer and choosing from off-the-rack templates
• An introduction to podcasting and videocasting
• Finding, joining and managing blog communities
• Protecting your online identity
• Using a blog to better your business

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Week 9 Voting starts NOW!

This week's assignment is about family.  More specifically, family traditions and values.  Within every family, there is something that glues it together.  Whether it be a cause or value that you all stand behind, or a tradition that you do, or take part in.  The contestants were told to write about something that has been passed down in their family. 

Here are your final four contestants, each with a different take on what traditions and values mean to them (Click on the names to read the posts, and scroll down to vote!):

Justin

Chris

Mama Spaghetti

Chess

Farewell from Roni

Did you know I found out about this competition just a couple of hours before the auditions closed? I randomly came across the link and thought "wow, this looks like fun!" And it was. Believe it or not, I wasn't in it for the coffee cup cozy! I loved the challenge of being told what to write and coming up with something that I hoped would speak to people. I loved all the great feedback from everyone. But, the best part was making all these new blogging buddies! 

Do I think I should have won the whole thing?  Hell yeah!!  But, we can't win 'em all. So, don't be sad for me guys. I'll be just great because I've got them:

and I've got him:

and most importantly, I've still got my day job!

Finally, to Lisa (aka Mama Spaghetti), Justin (aka Daddy Knows Less), Chris (aka From the Bungalow) and Baby Chess (aka Chester the Bester): you're all amazing writers and deserve to be where you are. Keep up the good work because I'll be reading (and voting)!

Rock on Rock Stars!!

 xoxo,

Roni (aka Mommy in Law)

Week 8 Elimination

My internet was out last night, and so I couldn't shut the poll down at midnight last night.  But I don't think that accounted for the record number of votes we had this week.  I think it was due to people sharing the posts, and supporting the causes that they felt passionate about.  Which says a lot about sharing, and spreading the word, and the attention it can bring to certain things.

The person being eliminated this week will win this prize from Tufa Tots:

1dozen space Invaders un-paper towels (7x10.5) with snaps and paper towel roll attachment and 2 Pac Man grocery bags with a unique folding capability for storage. From Tufa Tots.

Tufa Tots also has tons of other awesome, unique reusable items, so make sure you checkout their website and facebook page!

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Week 8 voting starts NOW!

Wow. Just wow.  I think I've been saying this every week lately..... but this week has DEFINITELY been my favorite week so far.

The contestants were told to step up onto their soapboxes, and get passionate.  And boy, did they ever.  The posts made my heart race, and ache, and made me angry, and made me cry.


Even if you came here to vote for someone specific, even if you've pledged your loyalty to a specific contestant, you must read all the posts.  Every single one of them is worthy of being viral.  Share the ones that hit home with you, or support a cause you believe in. 

They are all powerful posts, written from the heart.  Each, on a different topic.

Click the names to read the posts, and then scroll down to the bottom to place your vote.  Remember: You can vote once a day!

Chris
Mama Spaghetti
Chess
Justin
Roni

Week 8 Voting is now over!

Farewell from Derrick

From Derrick:

Dad V. Bidding Adieu

Don't you go crying for me...

To say that it came as a bit of a shock to find out I'd been eliminated is kind of an understatement.  I really had an ego big enough to think I had a pretty darn good shot at winning the whole kit and kaboodle.

I blame myself afterall....I didn't spam enough...or I didn't have a big enough following or something.

Obviously there is something I didn't do enough of or well enough at...It's OK that I lost to this group of writers, they really are top notch and I'll be glad to keep reading and voting and stuff.

I'd really like to thank Heather for starting the contest, it must have been a boat load of work and it keeps being so every week.

Things aren't all doom and gloom for me...Dadv. is still growing a lot and some of that has to do with this contest, so that's good.

And I also got my first paid blogging gig over at SportsBlog.com.  So check me out there too.

I'll be around and I'll keep writing...stop on by...a lot and tell your friends and...uh...click those double underlined words...(Sorry, I have to say that stuff...)

Thanks.

Derrick

Week 7 Elimination

This week the contestants all had to write fiction posts.  The theme?  A day in the life of your family... if you were all vampires.  By far, I think that this week had some of the best posts yet.  They were all so fun to read!

This week the contestant that gets eliminated will be winning a Reusable Coffee Cup Cozy from Vintage Charm Boutique.  You can check it out on the prizes page.  They can be ordered in custom colors, and Vintage Charm Boutique also has tons of other great custom, one of a kind merchandise.  They also do custom orders, if you have something in mind that you can't find anywhere else!  So stop by their facebook page, and give them a 'like'!

From Vintage Charm Boutique: A replica of the hat the Bella (Twilight) wore in La Push.

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Week 7 Voting Starts NOW!

This week, the contestants seemed like they had quite a bit of fun, for how far most of them got pulled out of their comfort zone.  They worked on something that many of them probably hadn't touched since they were in school.

The assignment this week was to write a fiction post.  The theme was "A day in the life of your family"... but there was a twist.  Their family members all had to be vampires. 

Click on the names below to read the posts, and then scroll down to the bottom of the post to vote!

Justin Mannato

Derrick

Roni

Mama Spaghetti

Chess

Chris

Voting for week 7 is CLOSED!

Week 7 Play-at-Home (a day late)

Sorry, I totally thought I had this post pre-written to publish, but I guess I didn't!  Here is your week 7 play-at-home:

This week, we are going to work on something that a lot of you may not have dabbled in.  It may be simply because you haven't had a reason, or because you just didn't know where to start.

Well, here is your reason:  This week, all the posts are going to be fiction.

I want you to write a blog post about a day in the life of your family.  Except, not just any ordinary day.  This day, every single member of your family is a vampire.

Specifications:
*At no point in the story should any of your family member turn into a vampire. They should all be vampires from the beginning of the story.
*You can not change your last name to Cullen.
*Buffy can not take any part in your story.
*All posts must be at least 400 words.

Things to spark your imagination:
*Think about your daily life. What would be different if you were vampires?
*How would you interact with your neighbors, and the general public?
*What steps would you have to take so that you weren't 'found out' by the people close to you?
*How would vampire children behave differently?
*How would going to work be different?

Farewell from Mama Mash and John

From John:

Wait.

Did something just happen?

You are telling me that I am not going to be 2011's Blogger Idol?

Man I always had visions in my head that I would be singing "A Moment Like This" as confetti rained down on me after I was announced as the winner.  I never enter into anything that I don't think I can win, it's partially why I will never enter a marathon.  I mean I could run my ass of and still lose by a mile or 24 for that matter.  I was undefeated as a cub scout in the Pinewood Derby until my last race.  For three years my little 5 ounce car was faster than everyone else, but I will be haunted by my last race.  My car flew off the track and I lost.  I was devastated to say the least.  I want to remember the wins but what sticks with me is the LOSS.  Stupid Pinewood Derby.

Anyway this is different, what I will remember most about this loss is the fine group of people I was associated with.  These guys are some talented writers, and while I never thought of myself as such, it was GREAT to be included.  I was able to discover blogs that I never would have otherwise, and have developed relationships with people I have never actually met.  That's pretty cool.

From the get go I thought that the cards were stacked against me.  I never thought that I would actually make it into this competition, but as the weeks went by Daddy's in Charge turned into a locomotive that was picking up steam.  Positive feedback, votes for me, banners hanging up at supermarkets, and front page stories in the local newspaper… everything was rolling along.  Then all of a sudden, my train derailed, and my dream of being Blogger Idol was ruined.

I think what finally did me in was my lack of wanting to talk about myself.  I like to write about OTHER people, mainly my kids.  I am sure that I am not alone in this thinking.  It's just not easy to write about yourself all the time.  I will say this though, I have learned something about myself in this competition, maybe I CAN write.  It's not something I would ever think I can do for a living, but I got some talent there.  Some people are so good at it though they could probably rewrite the phonebook and make it sound interesting.  I won't go that far with myself, but I could probably write some sort of manual about how to win the Pinewood Derby.

Just stay on the track.

That's what I will do, I'll keep blogging trying to entertain as many people as I can.

John Willey
daddysincharge.com



From Mama Mash:

Hey, this was fun, and I learned a lot.

I learned that no way, never ever, do I want to organize a blogging contest. Heather deserves a big hand for dealing with a bunch of narcissistic prima donna bloggers, a buggy blogging platform, (I’m talking to YOU, Blogspot!) and rogue commenters who like to start virtual slap fights. Great job on your inaugural year with Blogger Idol. I hope you’ve learned a lot as well, and I look forward to seeing your second shot at this.

I learned that people on Facebook and Twitter who I thought were just acquaintances are actually really good friends. Some I’ve met in real life, some I will stalk next year at BlogHer, and some I just hope to run into one day when fate is feeling generous. I’m talking to you, @chicktuition, and you, Colorado Cake Mom! And you, John Willey, you obnoxious bastard. And you, bloggers I mentioned during Pay it Forward week. You fill my days with laughter, snark, and unbelievable amounts of bullshit.

I learned that I absolutely despise being told what to write. While I enjoy getting inspiration from prompts from time to time, being judged on how well I stick to an assignment is exasperating. I blog because it’s fun. I’m not in seventh grade trying to pass a state-mandated test, I’m not writing a college entrance essay, and I’m sure as hell not trying out for Miss America.

 World peace, bitches. :D

I learned that I’mnot for everyone, and that’s cool. The saddest thing I’ve seen in my time in the blogosphere is bloggers who change who they are in order to get more readers, hoard more comments, and attract sponsors. The second saddest thing I’ve seen is insecure twat waffles who feel that it’s ok to put other people down for what they want to talk about in their own cyberspace cubicles. If you’ve got something against mommybloggers, or daddybloggers, or I’vegotsixcatsandachinchillabloggers, don’t feel it’s necessary to go piss allover their parade. Start your own parade. You’ll be much happier.

In closing, I wish the remaining contestants the best of luck. I firmly believe that in the end, hard work will be rewarded, and it seems like you guys are busting your butts to win this thing.

Also, whoever wins that cool bag for fifth place? Call me.We’ll bargain.
www.mamamash.com

Week 6 DOUBLE Elimination

If there is one night of my week that I hate the most, it's the night I have to tally the scores. I think last night was the worst yet, because as I was figuring things out, I realized that with today's double elimination, I am eliminating 25% of the contestants. 

All of the contestants thus far should be very proud of themselves.  They are the top 8 contestants out of 52 that auditioned, and have worked tremendously hard to get to where they are now.  However.... two people must be eliminated this week...

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Week 6 Voting Starts NOW!

This week's assignment was for the contestants to write about what they want to be 'when they grow up'.

I realize, that physically, we are all 'grown-ups', but we all still have aspirations, and dreams for our lives. So this week, the contestants discussed those aspirations and dreams.... no matter how far fetched they were.

Due to not having an elimination last week, we will be having a double elimination this week.  Which means, as of Friday, we will be down to the final six contestants, and everyone from then on out will be winning a prize!

Click the names to read the posts, and then scroll down to the bottom of the list to vote!

John Willey

Derrick

Mama Mash

Justin Mannato

Roni

Chess

Mama Spaghetti

Chris

Week 6 voting has ended!

Week 6 Play-at-Home

I realize, that physically, we are all 'grown-ups', but we all still have aspirations, and dreams for our lives. 

This week's assignment is 'What do you want to be when you grow up?'  I don't mean as a person, I mean career-wise.  For example, when I grow up, I want to be a rock star. I want to sing on a stage in front of thousands millions of people, and hear them singing my songs back to me. Clearly, it will never happen, but still... it's what I want to be when I grow up...lol.

It isn't a post about what you wanted to be when you were a kid... it's more about what your DREAM career is now.

So, write it up and link it!

Week 5 Elimination

This week is 'Blogger Idol Gives Back Week' and the contestants spread the love to their fellow bloggers.  I know that I certainly found a lot of new reading material, and I hope that the same happened for you.

Whether you realize it or not, as a blogger, you are part of a family. We all talk about our lives, get to know each other through our blogs, and bond with each other. So, it's only appropriate that we help each other out in times of need and give each other support. 

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Week 5 Voting Starts NOW!

It's Idol gives back week!

In the blogging world, the highest form of compliment you can get is someone loving your blog enough to tell others about it.  The contestants have been lucky enough to make it to the Top 12 and have their blogs exposed to a big new audience, and this week, they are paying it forward to the blogs that they love to read. 

In the spirit of paying it forward, it would also be great if each and every one of you that has a blog would do the same thing! I'm awarding each of you with the Good Bloggers Pay It Forward Award. To get the instructions on how to get your award, and what to do with it, click here.


And now, on to the love!

Click the names to read the posts, and then when you are done, come back here and scroll down to the bottom to vote for your favorite!

Chris

Derrick

Mama Spaghetti

John Willey

Justin Mannato

Chess

Roni

Mama Mash

Voting for Week 5 is now CLOSED!

Blogger Idol Play-at-Home: Week 5

What is one thing that almost ALL bloggers want?  Followers, and page views.... right? 

This week is Blogger Idol Gives Back Week.  We are going to focus on giving back to other bloggers.


Make a post, calling out at least FIVE of your favorite blogs.


You must:
*Make sure to put a link to each blog.
*Leave a comment on that blog, or email the blogger, and tell them that they are one of your favorites.
*Write a short paragraph on why you like the blog.

For an example (kind of), click here.  Feel free to use the image in that post as well, if you want to.

Farewell from Cat

Oh I see, the one time I actually read the judges comments and  I don't drop a couple of F bombs at the party,  I get the boot!  I think some people assume I cuss just because I can't find another word, don't take writing seriously or am lazy. None of those is the case, I do it because it's what bubbles up to the surface at the time I am writing. I never compromise my style, emotions or direction-in life, at happy hour or in writing. Never. That's why I have never read the judges comments or any other posts. I didn't want other peoples opinions or voices in my head. You may thank me for that now- because there are already so many versions of me in my head- that anyone new would be unwelcome and likely get slipped a ruffie and never be able to go to Thanksgiving dinner again because of the scandalous pictures we post of you!

Except Wednesday. I read comments that day and so did my fans. Whew- talk about passion- my ass stung a little after I read what my fans had to say- and they weren't even talking to me! Which brings me to this- my fans , my Kittens, my Honey Badgers. They are what matters most to me. After seeing how they went to battle for me- to defend what they see in me and how they feel about me- I won this and every other blog competion right at that moment. This has been a fun ride and I have met some great people- people I will count as friends for life. So with that, thank you everyone! I hope you never mince your words, that you always unapologetically write what you think and feel and never sell out your true writer's voice for anything.

At least I can read your posts,  comments  and vote muuhahhaa! I hope you'll keep up with me, too, at http://howtoskinnyacat.blogspot.com. Lastly- Heather- you rock! I know you work crazy hours and sacrifice your family life to keep this competition on the interweb's radar. I bow down to your Honey Badger bad ass self and say thank you! Write on everyone- no matter the outcome of Blogger Idol- you all are rockstars!

Rockstar dreams and whiskey bent night to all of you!- Cat!

Week 4 Elimination

The assignment this week was for the contestants to write about what writing means to them.  There were a lot of meaningful, heartfelt, and eloquently written assignments.  Rumor has it, that for a lot of the contestants, this was the hardest assignment yet. Nor did it makes things any easier that there were some harsh judges commentary, and a huge twist in the contest.

Without further ado.........

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Week 4 Voting.... and a twist!

This week's assignment was a tough one. But the posts that came out of it were full of passion, just like the people who wrote them.

One of the people that inspired me to start Blogger Idol was Tymothy Longoria. I think the first thing that drew me to him was the hashtag he used at the end of a tweet.  It was #writersarethenewrockstars.  I loved it. He told me that it was one of the first hashtags he ever used on twitter when he first started. 

Shortly after that, he published a post called I Am Writer.  It inspired me to write my own post about why I am a writer, called I'm gonna be a rockstar, which was then featured on his blog as my first guest post ever.

Their assignment for this week was to read those posts and write about what writing means to them... not just writing in their blog, but writing in general.


As you remember, last week, we had a double elimination.  I can't believe that no one asked me how we would stay on schedule for the 12 weeks of the contest, with two people being eliminated.


Well, here it is:


When the auditions were held, the person at the bottom of the Top 12 scored 339.  There were 3 people underneath that that all scored 338.  Keeping with the style of American Idol, I dubbed the three of them 'wildcards'. This week, I sent them an email with this weeks assignment, and asked them to 're-audition'.  Only two of the three responded, and it was a close call, but we decided that the person who was going to get a shot was:

Chess, from Chester the Best-er

Here is her assignment, along with the rest of the Top 9!  Click the names to read the posts, and then scroll down to vote!


Chess

Chris

Cat Rainwater

Mama Spaghetti

Derrick

Roni

Justin Mannato

John Willey

Mama Mash

Voting for Week 4 is CLOSED!

Blogger Idol Play-at-Home: Week 4

One of the people that inspired me to start Blogger Idol was Tymothy Longoria. I think the first thing that drew me to him was the tagline he used at the end of a tweet.  It was #writersarethenewrockstars.  I loved it. He told me that it was one of the first hashtags he ever used on twitter when he first started. 

Shortly after that, he published a post called I Am Writer.  It inspired me to write my own post about why I am a writer, called I'm gonna be a rockstar, which was then featured on his blog as my first guest post ever.

So the assignment for this week is to read those posts and write about what writing means to you... not just writing in your blog, but writing in general.

Things to start your fire (you don't have to answer all of these in your post.... they are just ideas to get you thinking about):
Why did you start writing?
Why did you continue?
When you write something REALLY good, what does it feel like?
How does it feel when a post doesn't go over as expected?

Post your links here when you are done!

Goodbye from Whitney and Christi

From Whitney:
Well, this ends my run on Blogger Idol. As soon as I knew it would have to be a group assignment that involved phone calls etc., I figured it would be the end. I definitely didn’t want to add international minutes to my phone bill. And then when our email and twitter accounts started acting up, no doubt a remnant of the techie curse that follows me no matter where I go, I knew this would be the end.

It’s been fun getting to know all of you a bit better. You’ve made me laugh, and I appreciate it. For all those who have voted for me, thank you. J You can continue to follow me at www.whitneyjboyd.blogspot.com, or on Twitter as MsWhitneyBoyd. Additionally, watch in a few months for my first commercial novel, “Tanned, Toned and Totally Faking It”, currently finishing  up the editing process with my publisher, to hit stores. It will be available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, on Kindle as an ebook and more.

Best of luck to you all, and take care!

Whitney


From Christi:
I suppose I can console myself with the knowledge that I made the Top 10. I do believe that means I get to go on tour, right? No? Oh well…  Anyway, thank you to all the judges and to all my fellow competitors. It was fun! I will continue to read and to vote and I wish you all the best of luck. And now, what shall I do with all my spare time?

Go on vacation, that’s what!

Yes, I am embarking on a week-long journey in my beautiful home state of Colorado. I plan to over-indulge on turkey legs and beer at the Renaissance Festival, visit a zoo in Colorado Springs, enjoy the summit of Pikes Peak, and do a bit of gold mining and gambling in Cripple Creek. So, kind ladies, valiant knights, wretched wenches, and village idiots: I bid you all adieu.

Sincerely,

Christi

Week 3 Elimination

Despite the fact that most people hate group work, I think that this week was fun for most, if not all of the Top 10.  They got to make new friends, and we got to know a lot more about them.  Just for my own curiosities sake, if you actually read what I say up here, and don't just skip to the video to see who gets eliminated, leave a comment and tell me.

This week, we are saying goodbye to TWO of the remaining 10 contestants.  Find out who:

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Week 3 Voting Begins NOW!

This week there will be a DOUBLE elimination!  And last week proved the point that you MUST make sure you vote if you want your favorite to stay in.

This week, we have two guest judges:


Kimberly, a 30 year old wife, mother, a daughter, a sister, and friend. Ranting & rambling as she paves her way through motherhood while balancing life at the same time!  She writes on her blog Mamas Monologues.  Go check her out!


Alison, a SAHM of one awesome little boy. She cooks (sometimes), bakes (she wishes), she cleans (occasionally), she blogs (a little too much) & she Facebooks & Tweets (obsessively).  Go follow her blog, Mama Wants This!


Also, I must confess, in my busy mess of a week, I forgot to post the play-at-home for this week.  So feel free to do so, and post your links in the comments here!

The assignment this week had kind of a twist. There are times, in the blogging world, where an effective post means working with someone else.  Whether it be a guest post, a book review, or a product review, how you work together can make a world of difference on the outcome.  This week, the contestants were working on that skill.

The assignment was to do a Q&A session with a partner.

So read the posts by clicking the names below, and then scroll down to vote, and keep your favorites in the contest this week!  The duo with the lowest score will be eliminated on Friday!

Whitney and Christi 

Chris and Cat

John and Mama Mash

Derrick and Justin

Roni and Mama Spaghetti

VOTING IS NOW CLOSED FOR WEEK 3!

Brett's Goodbye

Well, this wasn't the birthday present I expected folks.  Chalk this up to another example of why my handle on Blogger is WowThatWasAwkward.  Thanks for letting me play and thanks for the nice comments that many of you left upon learning the news that I'm ousted.  Shocking came up a lot.  I'll take that as a compliment that perhaps my blog wasn't really worse than all ten of the others. Pimping for votes is definitely as important or maybe even more important than what you write.  So pimp away folks!  With that said, the judges have a lot of power with their portion of the vote and apparently they weren't impressed with my efforts in week two.  I can totally respect that.  I'd rather lose for the writing than the lack of voting by my lazy friends so the judge input is good for this contest.  I lost fair and square and credit is very deserving to the remaining ten.  I high five you all.

I'm glad I got to 'meet' a lot of new people from this game.  Thanks to Heather and the judges for all their hard work.  It was really fun to participate.  Thanks to the other contestants for being cool people and probably better sports than me!  ;)

Cheers all - I'm off to see Grace Potter open for the Avett Brothers at Red Rocks.  I think I'll get over this pretty quickly now.

Brett - WowThatWasAwkward
http://darkstormyloopy.blogspot.com/

Week 2 Elimination!

After only two weeks, I have learned that I seriously HATE the night before elimination day.  I hate tallying up the scores, and having my heart sink as a I put them in order.  And I hate even more when it's someone unexpected.

And on top of that, the 10 remaining contestants are going to hate me because of the huge announcement in the video.  So, just a piece of advice to them: Please, before you send me an email threatening to put a dead horses head at the foot of my bed while I'm sleeping..... oh wait.... one of them already threatened me with that....cough* (mama mash) *cough.  Before you FREAK OUT on me, go to the contestants page and read the details please :D

So, without further ado.....

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Week 2 Voting Starts NOW!

This week, the Top 11 had a fun assignment.  It was simply "If you could be the opposite sex for a day....."

You would think there would only be one way to go about this (from each gender), but I am SO surprised at all the different aspects taken by these posts. Someone calls the judges ogres, someone talks about masturbating on their period,  someone's post is almost a love letter to their wife, and there is a whole lot of boob feeling, junk scratching, and farting around here this week.

And, ahead of time, I'd like to apologize to the guys, for inadvertently scheduling three female judges this week....lol. 

Click on the names below to read their weekly assignments, and when you've found your favorite, scroll down to vote in the poll!

Mama Mash - Are Carburetors Fattening?

Mama Spaghetti - The Mind of a Woman, the Body of a Man

Chris - Woman: Woah, Man.

Cat Rainwater - Junk Scratching: Want or Must?

Brett - If I Were a Woman for a Day

Justin - Freaky Friday

Whitney Boyd - If I were a boy...

Christi - Bibbity Bobbity Blog

Derrick - Boobs for a day?

John - Unnatural Woman

Roni - If I could be the opposite sex for a day...

VOTING IS NOW CLOSED FOR WEEK 2!

Blogger Idol Play-at-Home: Week 2

This week, the contestants have an assignment that they seem fairly excited to do. 

The assignment is "If you could be the opposite sex for a day...."

Don't forget to include an image, and keep it R rated!

Make sure to post a link to your post in the comments!

Kim's Farewell Post

My biggest fear about Blogger Idol 2011 was that there would be an “About Me” section.  My fears were realized as the first assignment was given.  It was my worst topic and it coincided with the Grand Opening of my new store.  During a week when I was quite literally falling asleep in my dinner plate, I wrote what I could. And it was, as Kristen Lamb would say, Word Poop!

You know what they say about excuses… no need to go on.  I do regret the outcome but I am overwhelmed at the support I did receive.  It seemed that pimping myself out like a two dollar whore on half priced Tuesday just wasn’t enough to save my sorry behind.  You all are a great bunch of bloggers and I wish you much success in gaining the title Blogger 2011!

It has been a pleasure to get to know the few of you I’ve had the pleasure of interacting with.  I look forward to seeing who comes out on top.  Instead of participating, I’m going to be stalking the site and adding my votes!

A HUGE thanks to Heather for all of the time she has and will spend on this project!

Farewell my bloggy peeps!



Kim Mullican

Week 1 - Elimination

This week was tough. It was a hard assignment. I mean, who really likes to talk about themselves?  The votes were VERY close.  Which only proves one thing: If you want someone to stay, you MUST vote for them.

We decided to implement a new voting system. You guys do what you do, but your votes will only account for HALF of the score each contestant gets. An average of the judges scores will account for the other half.  This will make it less of a popularity contest, and more of a 'best blogger' contest, which is how it is intended to be.

However, this week, the same person would have gone home either way.

And with that, I give you.... the elimination:

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Week 1 Voting Starts NOW!

The Top 12's Week 1 assignment was to introduce themselves to their audience, and the people that will be voting for them.  They were not to make it about them and their blog, they were to make it about THEM as a person.

Shortly after they received their first assignment, they also received a twist, which will be revealed on Friday with the results.

So, here they are!

Derrick Barnsdale 

Roni 

Justin Mannato 

Kim Mullican

Whitney Boyd

Christi Seidman

John Willey 

Brett

Chris

Cat Rainwater

Mama Mash

Mama Spaghetti

VOTING IS CLOSED FOR WEEK 1!

Blogger Idol Play-at-Home: Week 1

There was some interest in having me post what the weekly assignments were for the Top 12, so that other bloggers could sort of do a play-along on their own blogs.  It's a great way to strengthen your writing skills, gives you practice for if you are going to audition next year, not to mention gives you an idea for a post if you are looking for something to write about.

Here is the assignment given to the Top 12 for week 1:

Your week 1 assignment is to introduce yourself to your audience, and the people that will be voting for you.  Give them a good dose of who you are. Remember, this is going to be where they start picking favorites, so make sure that they want to pick you.  Don't make it about you and your blog, make it about YOU as a person.  You can not use the same thing that you used for your audition.

Once you post the Play-at-Home assignment in your blog, post a link here for others to read, and you can go 'judge' the posts of the other people playing from home!

Here is the moment you've been waiting for...

I've been teasing you guys long enough, so I'll just get straight to the point..... after a few little things I need to mention:

1. Links to the blogs of the Top 12 will be posted shortly, on the Top 12 page.

2.  If you have made it to the Top 12, please watch your inbox for an invite to the Contestant Zone!  You will not be able to participate. Make sure to check your spam boxes. If you do not receive an invite by noon, please email bloggeridol@gmail.com.

And here it is........

Congratulations to the FIRST EVER Blogger Idol TOP 12!!!

Who's freaking excited???

In less than 4 hours... you will know!!

Right now, I want to know... who is CONVINCED that they made it? Who thinks they might have done alright?  And who is pretty convinced that they didn't make it?

And.... have you checked out our new discussion forum?  It the perfect place to hang out and chat while you are waiting for the results!

I figured I could annouce the top 12 early

Because I know how anxious you guys are.  And I'm super anxious too.  Not to mention this week is so screwy for me and I keep waking up thinking that it's Friday and that I forgot to post.

But...... I swore I wasn't going to do this. I ALWAYS give away surprises early and I SUCK at keeping secrets.  But I WILL keep this one until Friday.  I think.

The Top 12 will be announced....

Watch here on Friday, June 24th for the announcement of the Top 12! 

We had 52 auditions.  It broke my heart to have to eliminate a few when the scoring began. There was a possible 405 points, and the highest score was 367.  The lowest was 206.  Everyone in the Top 12 scored 339 or higher, and it was a VERY close race between them. 

We had a lot of fun reading them though.  It's very clear that we have our 'Paula' type judge, and we DEFINITELY have a Simon...lol.  I can't wait until we get into the competition, and we can give constructive criticism to the Top 12. It's going to be a lot of fun. 

For now, I'll leave you with a bit of a teaser:

There are 7 women, and 5 men in the top 12.

Today is the last day!

If you want to audition, today (Monday, June 20th) is the last possible day. All entries should be in by 11:59 PM central time.

The top 12 will be announced here on Friday. 

Thank you to all who have participated, and helped get the word out about Blogger Idol. At the time of this posting, we have already had about 45 auditions, which is HUGE considering the fact that a month and a half ago, Blogger Idol wasn't even an idea.

And thanks to all the judges for all the hard work thus far, including our new judge, Corinne Cepeda, who is here to provide opinion and critique from the point of view of the reader.

It's going to be fun! We've already got some trash talking going on on twitter and facebook!  I can't wait until the voting begins!

Just under a week left to audition!

If you want to try out for Blogger Idol, you have until Monday, June 20th at 11:59 PM central time to get your entries in. I just want to take this time to encourage those that may think they are not 'up to par' or experienced enough.  It doesn't matter if you have been blogging for years, or just started last week, or want to start a blog just to enter Blogger Idol.  If your audition catches our eyes, and we like you, you have a shot. It doesn't matter if you have 5 blog posts in your archive, or 5,000.  Trying out for Blogger Idol is a great way to gain exposure for ANY blog. And you will get to work on your writing skills as well.  This is not a contest for 'big bloggers'. It's a contest for all bloggers.

If it encourages you, get a Blogger Idol buddy. Team up with another blogger you know, and both submit auditions, and if you both make it to the top 12, you can work on your weekly assignments together, and cheer each other on. 

But hurry! You have just under a week left!

Are you considering auditioning?

Here are some things to consider before you audition:

*What can it hurt? You will get tons of exposure for your blog, win some awesome prizes (and not just if you are the grand prize winner either!), meet new people, get constructive criticism on your writing, and have lots of fun!


*Are you able to commit to the time the contest will take? We would hate to see anyone have to drop out.  You can see the official schedule on the How It Works page.


*Have you read the Official Rules?




What's that? You've decided you are going to audition? Awesome! Now, get ready for your rockstar debut!


*Here is a post with helpful audition tips.

*Make sure you grab a badge to put on your blog so the world knows that you are auditioning!  And, heck, buy yourself a fancy tshirt, or coffee mug, or laptop bag to really make yourself feel like a rockstar!

*For some awesome gadgets that will help you stay up to date with contest happenings, and give you some tools to help you out, download the Official Blogger Idol Toolbar! 

*Make sure your blog looks all fancy schmancy so that you are ready for all of your new followers!

And once you've done all the above:

*Submit a written statement to bloggeridol@gmail.com telling us about yourself, and WHY you think you are worthy of the title 'Blogger Idol' which must be between 250 and 500 words, and provide us with a link to your blog or website, or state that you do not have one. Please do not include any images in your post. 


Each audition will receive a numerical score, as follows:

0-5 points based on ability to follow directions above
0-10 points on likeability
0-10 points on appearance of blog
1-15 points on how you will appeal to the general public
0-5 points on your reason for being worthy of the title 'Blogger Idol 2011'

You will not be notified of your score, only whether or not you have made it to the Top 12. 


And with that being said.... We've decided to open auditions early!  Have fun, and we are looking forward to seeing all of your auditions!


Top 12 will be announced on Friday, June 24, 2011!

The winner will be immortalized....

If you haven't checked out the Prizes page yet, you should. One of the prizes that the Grand Prize winner will be honored with is being immortalized. Your name will be printed on the pages of Tymothy Longoria's upcoming book. Genesis is the first in a series of epic books that will make you  question everything you were told as a child.


The stories you read as a child? Only rumors of what really happened

 “We are in the midst of a revolt.
A war.
But what are we fighting for?
Our existence.
Our lives.
Whatever is left of them, that is.
There is no vast army. No strongholds. No one is coming to help us.
There are no, ‘teams’.
Just us…and them.
Logos, I hate them…
We may seem familiar to you.
But you’ll notice things aren’t quite as you remember.
You grew up.
So did we.
You forgot about us.
Things have changed.
We have changed.
Who are we?
We are…The Stories.

In this epic fantasy…legends will be reborn.


If you want to read more, Check it out on Tymothy Longoria's blog, Aspire No More.

Mr. Longoria is regarded as the inspiration behind Blogger Idol.  His post I.Am.Writer and his famous twitter hashtag #writersarethenewrockstars are exactly what has presented each of you with this fine opportunity that you are about to take part in.  So please stop by his page, or hit him up on Twitter (@tymothylongoria) and tell him thank you!

Try Outs open 1 week from today!

 

Do you have your audition all typed up and ready to go? Are you contemplating what to say?  Here are some do's and don't's for your audition:

Including a link to your blog - DO!

Submitting it in a foreign language - DON'T!

Being funny - DO!

Being confident - DO!

Not using spellcheck - DON'T!

Telling us that you ARE the Blogger Idol - DO!

Including images - DON'T!

Making an impact - DO!

Using proper punctuation - DO!

Including your name - DO!

Making sure your blog looks awesome - DO!

Don't forget- writers are the new rockstars! Act like one!

Do you have your eye on a certain prize? Keep watching, because more will be added in the next few days!  And there will be prizes from more than just the Grand Prize winner!

We're looking forward to seeing your auditions next week!