#53: God, I love that man. He rocks my socks.

[Scarlett]

HBD, Chacha!

[ausdon]

Late as usual.........

Happy Birthday Cha Cha

:rainbowsmile:

[cha cha trusty]

Thanks everyone for the BIRTHDAY WISHES!!!

I had a great day, starting with bowling with my sister and nephies, then on to Julie & Julia,

Then a well-deserved nap (ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz) LOL and then mrchach arrived with Chinese takeout.

I've had a really busy summer... so much so I just realized yesterday I hadn't posted here for almost a month!!

I spent 5 days in CT with my dear friend Joy, during which we went to see Harry Potter, PAUL McCaRTNEY @ CitiField, and a local production of Pippin.

I also saw a local production of Seussical here in town!

Then when I got home, I had some friends come and we went to see SIR PAUL again @ FedEx Field in DC. Magical both!!

Click on "More From..." to see them all.

Last weekend mrchach and I went to WV to visit chachadotter#1 and did some cool stuff.

Such as going down into a coal mine.... it's really COLD in there folks! And seeing the famous New River Bridge.

(It's on the WV Quarter y'all!)

Oh yeah!!! I nearly forgot!!! I also went to see the American Idol Concert in DC last Tuesday!

- click on "More from.." there are eight.

Tomorrow I'm going to dinner with the other three chachadotters (#2, #3, & #4) and their SO's (2 spouses, 1 BF) and then.........

when my "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" arrives, I'm going to start learning how to cook, Julia Child Style!!

to all

[canfly172]

Where is everyone? Smokin' a ciggy after yesterday's excitement?

Shopping, at the dentist, flying.

[luckiest1]

Belated Happy Birthday, cha cha trusty! Sounds like you've been having one hell of a great summer. And seeing Sir Paul twice! :insert jellus emoticon:

I went to see Julie & Julia last night as well, and really enjoyed it. But I don't think I'll be cooking Julia Child style any time soon......all that butter! :o Sound delish though, for sure. I've actually been really into a series called Jamie (Oliver) At Home in which he cooks from his garden. I've ordered the accompanying cookbook but now I'm looking for the DVDs as I'm missing some episodes from torrents. I only planted tomatoes and hot peppers this year, and I actually finally picked my first hot pepper yesterday! The tomatoes are still green. Next year I'm hoping to plant a lot more.

[aikim]

65 Days until The National Inclusion Project's Champions Gala!

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[ldyjocelyn]

Yesterday's photo poll was totally unfair to me, as I dearly loved both pictures. But, the people have spoken, and quite handily this picture won...

Here is today's poll! Don't forget to vote at the top of the page!

[katy4clay]

Was yesterday's winner from a Leno appearance - 1st appearance after the 'mess'? His eyes look sad to me. Nobody else? Maybe I'm just reading into the body language, wrong as usual!

[FromClaygary]

Did we miss FromClaygary's birthday? I did my semi-weekly visit to Facebook.

So just to be on the safe side:

Happy Birthday FromClaygary!!

:04: :2164:

Awww, thanks Fear!.....no, it's Saturday....but I'll take the early greetings!! The Inclusion Project birthday thing on FB starts early

[Lotus]

Hello all from cottage country in Madawasca. I have had varying success in getting access to the internet since arriving here. Consequently I've been having a fly by read using the WiFi at a picnic table in front of a laundromat before arriving every day to visit my mama or on my way back to my brother's cottage

I am so happy that there is a chance that I will be able to go to the Gala.

I have a request. I really would like to sit with someone I know either in person or thru this board. Does anyone here have room at their table and wouldn't mind my joining you?

I am having such trouble getting anything posted and then it appears twice in the same post!

I wonder if one of the little ants I've seen on this table has crawled in a port.

Here goes...one more try.

[keepingfaith]

Was yesterday's winner from a Leno appearance - 1st appearance after the 'mess'? His eyes look sad to me. Nobody else? Maybe I'm just reading into the body language, wrong as usual!

He does have sad eyes there, but maybe because he was singing "Without You" which is an intense song. I don't think he was otherwise sad because the sit down with Jay was hilarious and included some of my favorite chat -- like "if I have to MAKE the sandwich" and when he talked about the "twisty-ties" on the bread - and telling his Mom he wanted Ruben to sing at his funeral because he thought he was dying from bird flu. One of my very favorite talk show performances -- and he looked mahvelous!

In fact, I've loved all the Tonight Show appearances. He's laugh out loud funny. With a few Kimmel exceptions (notably September 2006), maybe his funniest ones of all.

My DIL who is not a huge fan of singer Clay, but a solid fan of comedian Clay, thinks the May 2008 Tonight Show was his very best and funniest ever. And she's seen just about everything he's done on late night TV. She thought he was way more entertaining than Jack Black, and she's a JB fan. So did I, of course, but I certainly wasn't watching for Jack!

[georgiesmybaby]

Fear, sorry, the confusion is probably my fault. I went ahead and did FromClaygary's FB gift just to be safe...and didn't say Happy Birthday early because everyone else was saying that and I was avoiding redundancy. I think the published blurb has the date, August 15, on it somewhere, but you may need a magnifying glass to find & read it.:chair:

I love the idea of being able to gift through FB Causes for birthdays, but it used to be set up so that the only option was to gift the amount of a friend's age, which could be really prohibitive for those of us who are "more mature." There were people I wanted to gift but I simply could not afford $39 or $50 or whatever their age was that year. And I felt badly that I couldn't do it, especially with people I knew were huge Foundation supporters. I actually wrote FB Causes and asked if they could add an option(s) to request/gift a lower donation as I felt that the other system was discouraging participation. I'm guessing others must have done the same thing.

Amazing. Tickets to the Gala and Clay's Decca announcement have me feeling like this about the world again...and I LIKE it!! That man is fantastic medicine in so many ways!

:nature-smiley-014: :nature-smiley-014:

:22:

ETA OMG!! I'm a Body Guard!! :nana: I thought I was going to be a dog walker for eternity.

[justclay12]

That pic was from that time period but I didn't think he looked sad at all during that appearance. I did think he looked sad and had a haunted look on GMA, but not on Leno. That was one of my favorite appearances.

[jmh123]

Hello all from cottage country in Madawasca. I have had varying success in getting access to the internet since arriving here. Consequently I've been having a fly by read using the WiFi at a picnic table in front of a laundromat before arriving every day to visit my mama or on my way back to my brother's cottage

I am so happy that there is a chance that I will be able to go to the Gala.

I have a request. I really would like to sit with someone I know either in person or thru this board. Does anyone here have room at their table and wouldn't mind my joining you?

So great to hear from you. I hope you are enjoying your trip and am looking forward to lots of stories!

I noticed evelyn made a similar request about Gala seating in another thread. Those of us who just bought tickets Tuesday don't have tables or much of a choice about seating, but, hopefully, maybe with some help from those with connections we will be able to get the FCA folks together at a few tables. Or we could run around changing place cards when we first go in??

[keepingfaith]

That pic was from that time period but I didn't think he looked sad at all during that appearance. I did think he looked sad and had a haunted look on GMA, but not on Leno. That was one of my favorite appearances.

I didn't see haunted at all. I saw hotter'nhell and cuter'n a speckled pup.

[georgiesmybaby]

I noticed evelyn made a similar request about Gala seating in another thread. Those of us who just bought tickets Tuesday don't have tables or much of a choice about seating, but, hopefully, maybe with some help from those with connections we will be able to get the FCA folks together at a few tables. Or we could run around changing place cards when we first go in??

jmh From the Gala email confirmation:

"Please email any special requests including seating arrangements to contactus@inclusionproject.org .

Please note seating is designated according to purchase date and time with the seats closest to the stage reserved for VIP guests and honorees."

You just need to email them the names of people requesting to sit together (10 or less per table) and they usually do a really good job of honoring these requests.

[luckiest1]

I noticed evelyn made a similar request about Gala seating in another thread. Those of us who just bought tickets Tuesday don't have tables or much of a choice about seating, but, hopefully, maybe with some help from those with connections we will be able to get the FCA folks together at a few tables. Or we could run around changing place cards when we first go in??

If you designate one person to email Aron with the seating requests, you could get a group of 10 people together and he will try to accomodate you. Right now our group is already maxed out at 10 and we are going to make the same type of request, once we figure out who all these extras belong to!

OR what gmb just said!

[preden]

That pic was from that time period but I didn't think he looked sad at all during that appearance. I did think he looked sad and had a haunted look on GMA, but not on Leno. That was one of my favorite appearances.

I didn't see haunted at all. I saw hotter'nhell and cuter'n a speckled pup.

This appearance is the first time I saw him on TV, been a fan since ATDW came out. The beginning of a great adventure for me, lol!!!

[keepingfaith]

I was just reading the Idol Chatter at USA Today -- which I haven't done for probably a year, or nearly so. Anyway, there were some comments that surprised me and I thought I'd mention it here just because I found it of interest.

It seems that radio play is not what it used to be (which I've believed to be true for several years actually just based on the crappy sound of what's on the radio), but the fans of Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks and even Daughtry are puzzled as to why their albums haven't sold as expected, especially with radio hits on them. Someone mentioned that Kelly's latest probably won't sell as well as My December and there is concern that she'll part ways with RCA next year; Jordin's Battlefield single was apparently all over the radio, yet only 77,000 albums sold; and Daughtry is under 500,000 for his highly anticipated latest. And, he's touring in rock clubs that only hold a couple hundred customers. He can't be making much money at that. Things are baaaaaad out there for the artists.

The AI tour is doing the same business as last year -- five sellouts and overall attendance at about 80% capacity, which is very good in this climate, as most concerts are selling in the 60% range (or so says Idol Chatter).

Anyway, if EVER there was a good time for Clay to be out of the spotlight and reinventing or whatever is going on behind the scenes, now is the perfect time. Clay will be stepping back on the stage with new music at what now seems to be a time next spring when the economy will be back on track, and people should be ready to open those wallets and spend some money on entertainment.

Things are rocky at best in the music world right now, but I believe that Clay is very well situated for the proverbial shot out of a cannon next year. I can be as patient as I need to be, but with our talk here about his TV appearances this morning, is it too much to hope for a late night chat with Jimmy in the near future? I just want to see him speak and smile and stuff!

[canfly172]

I don't know if this has been posted yet. Nice article and a link to a BAF vid:

http://livinginturnaround.blogspot.com/200...cord-label.html

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Clay Aiken Upgrades Record Label, Inclusion Project Foundation

Six and a half years after hitting the public spotlight, Clay Aiken is moving to a higher level, both in his professional career and in his work as an advocate for children.

From the Clay Aiken Official Fan Club:

08/10/09

We Are Excited To Announce...

Clay Aiken signs record deal with Universal Music’s Decca Records. Expect new music in the first half of 2010! Keep checking back here for more details to come.

With this signing, Clay has moved on from the second largest music group, Sony Music Entertainment, to the world's leader, Universal Music Group, clearly a sign of UMG's faith in Clay's talent and potential to create premiere music. Clay's new label, Decca Records, was the original label of some of the greatest vocalists in the world (including Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Judy Garland and Bing Crosby), and has evolved into the home of some of the most eclectic, singularly gifted and respected singers and musicians in the contemporary music scene.

From James to Sting.

From Marianne Faithfull to Alison Moyet.

From Rufus Wainwright to Boz Scaggs.

From Andrea Bocelli to Boyz II Men.

And with hot breaking acts like Gary Go, the Love Willows and Brendan James, Decca continues to innovate, to experiment and to provide the best in music, from the classic to the avant garde.

Clay has shown himself to be a phenomenal interpretive singer and consummate entertainer, who can go from pop-inflected rave-ups, to tender ballads, to social anthems, to inventive reinterpretations, to heartbreaking revelations, all with absolute authority and conviction. He's going to fit in just fine.

[One last look in the rearview mirror: Clay was signed to (then) SonyBMG's RCA Records in 2003 after finishing the second season of American Idol in a statistical dead heat, just one half of one percent behind winner Ruben Studdard. He then went on to record four studio albums: the number one hit Measure of a Man, which sold nearly three million copies and made Clay the top selling artist on the RCA label in 2003; the record-breaking holiday album Merry Christmas With Love; A Thousand Different Ways, and; last year's On My Way Here, which became his fourth album in four releases to debut in the Billboard Top Five. He also released a holiday EP, All Is Well, for the label. (A compliation disc, Playlist: The Very Best of Clay Aiken,was also released by Sony Legacy after Aiken left RCA.) Total sales of CDs, EPs and singles, approximately six and a half million.]

August is shaping up to be a time of lots of good news from Clay.

Five days previously, on August 5, Clay's Official Fan Club and his foundation simultaneously announced the decision to change the name of his inclusion advocacy charity from the Bubel/Aiken Foundation to the National Inclusion Project.

Explaining the change in An open letter from co-founders Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel, Clay and Diane write:

In the six years since, the Foundation has established itself as a leading voice for inclusion working with a “Who’s Who” list of youth organizations – YMCAs, Best Buddies International, Boys & Girls Clubs, CampFire USA, 4H, the ARC – as well as many other local parks and recreation departments, community centers, and privately-run programs. The Foundation has formed partnerships with Johns Hopkins University’s National Center for Summer Learning, the University of Massachusetts-Boston’s Center for Social Development and Education, the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability, the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Community Integration, and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s FPG Child Development Center.

As we realized the impact the Foundation has already made, it became apparent that even bigger accomplishments could be on the horizon. To that end, we along with the rest of the Board decided that a new name for the Foundation would establish long-term credibility and stability. We sought a name that would signify the Foundation’s position as a national leader on inclusion as well as recognize the Foundation’s start and the efforts of its faithful supporters. After much thought and deliberation, we are proud to introduce the organization we co-founded as the National Inclusion Project.

Be sure to check in with the National Inclusion Project's website often to learn what's new in their work "to make full inclusion for children with disabilities an everyday reality."

This year's Champions Gala, honoring those whose "substantive efforts have helped to give children with disabilities the opportunity to experience life alongside their peers," will be held in Raleigh, NC on October 17. Individual tickets for the event are sold out.

BTW: I upgraded to IE8 a few weeks back. Good news, I can save emotes on Yuku now. Bad news...every time I go to put a link in my posts, I get a message re: scripted windows and I have to click the bar to "temporarily enable scripted windows" and then I can re-click the link button and it will appear. BUT I have to go through this rigamarole every single time that I want to post a link on any messagboard. Anybody know how I can always enable scripted windows? Or at least where I can find to add the boards that I post at most often?

[canfly172]

I noticed evelyn made a similar request about Gala seating in another thread. Those of us who just bought tickets Tuesday don't have tables or much of a choice about seating, but, hopefully, maybe with some help from those with connections we will be able to get the FCA folks together at a few tables. Or we could run around changing place cards when we first go in??

If you designate one person to email Aron with the seating requests, you could get a group of 10 people together and he will try to accomodate you. Right now our group is already maxed out at 10 and we are going to make the same type of request, once we figure out who all these extras belong to!

OR what gmb just said!

Not sure what your numbers ARE but our ticket-buying group was only 7 (our other 2 are gold/silver, so not with us at the gala itslef), so if there are 3 extra people who are "adrift" so to speak want to request to be with me, justclay12, yeahyouregifted, luvhisvox, etc... let me me know and I can give you yeahyouregifted's info and you/they can request to join us.

[Clayzy]

:wave: Happy Birthday to anyone I missed! Sorry!

Now, I'm confused. (I know, it's shocking, right?) But what is this 'mess' being talked about?

[tribeca]

It's not good to lose your temper, but it also isn't good to be mean & disrespectful. Did you have a talk with her about periods and moods and all that? Maybe help her figure out if she can lessen the PMS by eating certain foods, etc.? (Internet research?)

Glad to see you posting. Hope the rest of the month goes well. I think you're a pretty special aunt to have them visit for a whole month!

Thanks Jmh123

I know tea always helped me a bit with the cramps. I will have to do some research on it. Jesse had health class last year (just in time ). Her mom had the "talk", I gave her the "talk" and her grandmothers gave her the "talk". She is probably all talked out

We are going to see GI Joe in about an hour. Hopefully it will be good.

Glad to hear Julie & Julia was good. That would have been my choice but GI Joe was one that both of them could agree on.

Don't ever believe a teenage boy when he says he likes hot food. I gave him a volcano taco today & he looked like he was about to die! He did say that it cleared his sinuses & he can breathe now

Was yesterday's winner from a Leno appearance - 1st appearance after the 'mess'? His eyes look sad to me. Nobody else? Maybe I'm just reading into the body language, wrong as usual!

Jesse thought his eyes looked sad too. I told her he was singing a angst love song and she said "oh so his trying to look sexy into the camera?"

"What do you mean trying" I answered. Both my niece & nephew rolled their eyes at me.

So far I have picked 1 winner out all 10 which I guess proves my taste are different then everyone else.

[treenuts]

:wave: Happy Birthday to anyone I missed! Sorry!

Now, I'm confused. (I know, it's shocking, right?) But what is this 'mess' being talked about?

The 2006 scandal/JP crap.

[Clayzy]

Oh. Well, the latter part I get, at least...