Competitiveness or "Send Darlene to San Francisco!"
I can't believe how competitive I am! Whatever happened to quiet Darlene? The Darlene who has multiple writing awards but never walked into a competition with anything but an attitude of: well, it's frosting on the cake. I've competed at dog shows and won. Not me personally: the dog. Although I do think we need to take back the word Bitch. It's a noun after all.
The Red Room announced the Housewarming Party and it took me awhile to get around to reading about it. That's nice, I thought. And then I read the description of the First Prize: a trip to San Francisco, an opportunity to dine with famous authors and, be still my heart, meet some of the Red Room staff! I love my online interactions with everyone here. How could I not get excited at the prospect of a face-to-face meeting?!
The Red Room started in San Francisco, it's based there in a real building. Some of the Red Room online authors know each other and get to hang out together. Here I sit, three thousand miles away, daydreaming of a brief moment in time when I, too, could hang out with these wonderful, creative, warm and welcoming people.
How much do I want to win? Let's just say that I nearly got myself thrown off a list for dog show enthusiasts when I asked them to surf over. Hmmm, maybe I should have told them in terms they would really have understood: I want to be Winners Bitch! I want a Group One. And, dammit, I want to be Best in Show!
- Login Or register To Post Comments
- Send To A Friend
RSS- Bookmark With:
Belle Yang says:
That's funny, Darlene
I always try to drop out of competitions and find a niche were I get to do my own thing--something others can't do. I'm at #2 but would like to drop down to #10. But I can't stay away from Redroom, because this is where I get to feel safe and comfy.
Anywho, I've been trying promote redroom on websites--and got flagged. I can understand your wanting to come to Frisco.
One great thing about Redroom.com is that you can promote another website or an award, or whatever, and you won't get chided. Redroom welcomes annoucements of success. The other websites, I find, are rather anal.
I am told Ericka is at #1. It'd be nice if she stays there. But she's only a hop and a skip away from S.F.
Next round of competition, I'd like to donate a small painting of mine and stay out of the competition entirely.
Belle the Competition Phobic.
Darlene Arden says:
This is so unlike me!
Honestly, Belle, it was embarrassing to admit in a blog post but it felt like a confession of something nasty. I so want to meet you, Jessica, Erika, Jennifer, Huntington and Ivory, et al in person that I've turned into a completely different person! Other than writing awards, I'm the kind of person who couldn't win a roll of toilet paper in the ladies' room. LOL A travel editor once sent me on a Casino trip because he knew I wouldn't gamble and would actually report on the atmosphere and surroundings.
Who IS this person who is feeling the need to win?! I don't know her at all! But she'd reappear if you donated one of your paintings. :-)
Jennifer Gibbons says:
Darlene, if it was up to me...
it would be a tie and everyone would come so we can meet!
I have no idea how I'm doing-I've had over two hundred visits on my site, so hopefully it will be good. I might have to get my Tracey Flick on.
Darlene Arden says:
Wouldn't That Be Perfect?!
I'd love it if all of us could meet! Ahhhh, bliss!
Eric Nichols says:
Where do you find out where
Where do you find out where the standings are? I haven't seen any tallies anywhere.
eric
Darlene Arden says:
It's on your home page, Eric
Each of us can see our own hits on each page and at the bottom is the tally. The first number is your standing and the number it's over is the number of people in competition which I believe is over 800 if memory serves.
Jennifer Gibbons says:
check your blog page...
alas, for us members, we only know the count of how many people have come to our stuff. So far I have 270 hits.
Jessica Barksdale Inclan says:
It's a sickness
And it can be cured. I think I got over it in about four days. Just wait it out. Leave all your stuff up (except where they want to string you up!) but just go about your life. I feel MUCH better than I did a little while ago--my competitive edge is soften greatly.
J
Jessica Barksdale Inclan www.jessicabarksdaleinclan.com
Darlene Arden says:
I'm Sure You're Right!
However, one way or another, I will return to San Francisco and meet everyone someday. I haven't been there in 18 months and that was long before I was allowed entrance into The Red Room. Whatever would I do without this wonderful place and without each of you?
Ericka Lutz says:
Let's play!
Well, then, Darlene.... GAME ON!!!! :> I welcome your worthy competition.
Darlene Arden says:
LOL I'm pretty sure you'll win but....
...what makes a competition meaningful is when the competition raises us up because they are so special. That means that when you lose to someone better, it is still an honor.
What I love is not just your high-spirited GAME ON!!!! but the warmth and camaraderie I find in your, Belle, and Jessica's messages.
It was, indeed, good luck for me when I stumbled upon The Red Room!
Karen Zott says:
Competition
Darlene: You make me laugh! I am sorry I will miss you in Norwalk tomorrow-I wish I had known about this event beforehand! In my house with two beautiful yellow labbies and two beautiful children, I am STILL the "Winners Bitch" everyday!
Fot the record, I find dog show people bit a bit "touched."
Darlene Arden says:
I'm glad I made you laugh :-)
It sounds like you have a wonderful family!
I'm sorry we won't have a chance to meet at tomorrow's event at the Greenwich Kennel Club Dog Show. Hopefully, we'll meet at another show, another time.
Belle Yang says:
Competitive or not
Your joy and warmth really comes through in all your blogs.
Darlene Arden says:
What a Wonderful Compliment!
Thank you so much, Belle!
This feels like "home." And everyone here feels like chosen "family." Being able to be part of The Red Room makes me feel like a winner. But I still want to go to S.F. <G>
Marilyn Krieger says:
You better win!!!
That way I can see you when you come to San Francisco!!!
Talking about competition, I'm finding the worse the economy gets, the more competitive I'm getting... what's that about?
<>Marilyn Krieger, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant
www.thecatcoach.com
Darlene Arden says:
LOL I'm trying to win!
Marilyn, I think that your competitiveness has something to do with paying the bills. The price of gas alone is making people choose: food, housing, medication. And you and I know only too well how many people are forced to give up their pets because of the economy.
Ivory Madison says:
Service Dogs, Members' Tallies, Belle & Darlene Getting Flagged
Hi Darlene,
First of all, good luck to you! But I have to warn you that if you do win and come to San Francisco, you'll have to do what all San Franciscans do these days: Pretend all your dogs are service dogs and get little "Service Dog" jackets for them, and bring them with you to the restaurant, and refuse to tell anyone what your disability is. I'll bet here you could get every dog in that famous picture of you into the best restaurant in town.
Regarding our beloved members, our engineering department had trouble getting the rankings to show for them and are still struggling with that. I am told that any day now, members will also see their ranking on their pages, as authors do now. So, members, please know that my intent is and was always for you to have all the functionality that authors have, and our team is working on it. Also, soon there will be a ranking of the top authors and members, updated automatically, on the contest page, for easy reference. We're working on it.
Darlene, I know you and Belle, and others, have made efforts to spread the word about Red Room and been accused of...spreading the word about Red Room, as if you shouldn't. I promise you that Red Room will never tell you not to promote other websites you enjoy or participate in. In fact, we appreciate knowing about other websites you enjoy because it helps us develop ours. We are competing to be the best and your favorite, and it's good for us to see we don't have it locked up yet. :)
And yes, we've already agreed that our next contest will include a prize of one of Belle's paintings!
Ivory Madison
Founder and CEO, redroom.com
Darlene Arden says:
Thank You, Ivory!
I need a 7-year-old to help me do most things on the internet so I'm more than impressed by what you've accomplished here. The site is very easy to use and to navigate. And, most important, it's friendly, warm and welcoming. Anything else that you do is simply frosting on a very sweet cake.
I don't care if other sites want to throw me off for talking about The Red Room. That's their insecurity and shortsightedness at play. I will continue to tell others about The Red Room because I love it so much. There is nothing better than word-of-mouth and people who know me know that I always speak my mind. If I don't like something I won't say anything but if something is worthwhile then I'm more than happy to tell others about it.
Thank you for creating such a wonderful "home" for us and thank you for allowing me to come in and make myself at home. :-)
P.S. That photo was taken by noted dog photographer, Lisa Croft-Elliott and each of those dogs is a "graduate" of the Massachusetts SPCA Shelter. I hope it encourages others to adopt either from a shelter or a rescue group. Not everyone needs to buy a puppy. Too many dogs have lost their homes, many through no fault of their own, others because of behavior issues that can be helped.
Rebecca Conner says:
a 7 year old?!?!?
You do NOT need a 7 year old to lead you about the Internets, O Other Mother o' Mine. You should see some of the people I work with.
And we all know about the dog show folk. They can't deal with the competition if a strong contender for Best of Winners comes on the scene. They can't stand an underdog...
Darlene Arden says:
Just found this...
Oh, is it good to see you, even if it has to be virtually!!!!
Hmmm, the people you work with get regular paychecks and benefits. And they know nothing? Is there room for me there?