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liney - this is GREAT!!! Thanks for taking the inside of my brain and typing it out!! Special shoutout to couchie who keeps us all sane and level-headed!!! I have been working on this for a couple of weeks and in less than an hour I'm leaving to go to NYC and see Clay in Spamalot TWO MORE TIMES FOR THE LAST EVER!! I wanted to share this with you even tho it's not quite finished!!! It should keep you busy for a couple of days!! I plan to finish it when I get back next week. BLOW KISS ALERT!!! 2008 YEAR IN REVIEW back next week!!!

Just look for me!!! I'd love to go somewhere for a drink!!

Nice work clazy!! I started a Photoshop Techniques thread awhile back in the Photos, Photoshops, Emoticons. It hasn't been added to in quite awhile, but it can give you some ideas and pointers that can be adapted to most programs whatever you end up with. Check it out!!

Glad everyone liked my recap! I haven't done one since the whole "That'll be $50 extra for the butt squeeze." last April!! clazy - I was going to recommend Photoshop Elements, but when did it get so expensive? It's a fraction of what the regular Photoshop is, but still.... Paint Shop Pro is a bit less, and both have free trial downloads. Here's a page with some reviews which has some lower prices listed. I haven't used any of these except Photoshop and Paint Shop, but the real challenge of any photo-editing is learning how to use it! There are lots of tutorials on line to search out. Are you going to share your work?

HAPPY 27TH FCA!!! The last Saturday of 2008! We need to have the bear on this page too! It's so cute!! Clay is making lot'o'mullah for the Broadway Cares organization. 00lsee - we had credit card drama too when we went to Ireland and they wouldn't approve a credit card purchase for us either. We learned to give them a heads up now whenever we travel. ----- Me, chachadotters 1&2 and #1SIL went to see SPAM last Tuesday. They all loved the play, Clay, and NYC. We had a fabulous time! I've been trying to find time to write a recap - I was sure I wouldn't be able to remember it all. I am probably right! Anyway, here goes. CAUTION!! L-O-N-G RECAP TO FOLLOW... (sorry if any of this is a repeat!) So that's our NYC Christmas Eve Eve Spamalot Adventure! Here are a few pictures. (The flash on my camera doesn't work since it got wine spilled on it last week. I think I might have to send it in.) Clay illuminated by someone else's flash the UNICEF Snowflake on 5th Some red lucite illuminated steps erected in Times Square. The girls did a dance to NY, NY coming down them! (film at 11 TM Johnny Carson) Closeup of a Christmas tree in a bank window on Broadway Big and Happy Trails to all going to NYC this weekend. I'll be there next weekend, and hope to see a few more who will be there. I'm looking forward to the dinner at Carmine's. {{{{{to cagney}}}}} for your loss. {{{{liney}}}} just coss.

I'm having a hard time catching up!! HAPPY BOXING DAY EVERYONE!!! (this is from a couple years ago...) And I took a bunch of the Christmas Pix from the past day or two and posted them here: HAPPY BOXING DAY! AND A BELATED MERRY CHRISTMAS CLAYNATION! I have been very busy and still have a housefull of company (the kids and spouses) and I want to do a recap of my trip to Spamalot and share some pix, it will have to wait till later! Love you all!!!

I just looked at the list, and it looks like I'll be all by myself tomorrow! No one else from FCA is going to see Spam tomorrow!! Oh well....... me, chachadotter#2 and chachadotter#1 and her hubby will have fun anyhow!! We are crazy for going this close to Christmas, but they (#1 and SIL) are moving to WV right after New year's so this is our only chance to see Spamalot!! WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOO! eta: just looked at the list again and in case it matters... we didn't make it on the 17th, I don't know if you'd want to take my name off that day or not. Your call!

Merry Christmas FCA peeps! I had 42 loosely-related family members at my house on Saturday. It was fun, but I am really glad it has finally happened and now I can get on with more Christmas preparations. (I've been getting ready for that party for over a month!) Stuff I still need to do is stuff like wrapping gifts for the immediate family who will all be here on Christmas Eve. At least I get to go out for Christmas dinner. chachasoninlaw#3's parents are having us all over. All I have to do is whip up a batch of Homemade Irish Cream, and be there by 3:00. IT'S THE HOLIDAYS! I have spoken with several people about how in the hell did we get all this done while simultaneously attending 2, 3, 4 or more Joyful Noise Concerts!? I blame Clay for my not being ready for Christmas this year. because............ IT'S ALL CLAY AIKEN'S FAULT!!! chachadotter#1, her hubby and I are driving to NYC tomorrow to catch another dose of SPAM! Wish us luck! Anyone else going to be there? (OK anna - I'll go check the list!!)

Hi back ausdon!! Got some more ready today for our family party this Saturday. mrchach put lights on the edge of the roof for me... I made a SC Mac & Cheese casserole, and it's all ready to pop in the oven... and a Cranberry/Raspberry/Jello/Pineapple concoction that looks really pretty! Tomorrow 2-minute fudge and apple tarte tartin! chachadotters 1&2 will be here to help tomorrow night. ALL IS WELL. ~~~~~ CHECK OUT THIS SILLY HOLIDAY GREETING

Checking in quickly before heading for bed.... for couchie and couchiemama for muski - and might I add: "OUCHIE!" CONGRATS to fearson Our power was out for about 7 hours today - from 2 pm to about 9 pm... some idjit took out a light pole about a half mile from here. (hope they're ok) It was dark and cold in here so we went out to dinner. We celebrate the 17th of each month as our "mini-versary" of the day we met... and this was our 421st. & to everyone! PS - I didn't get a chance to say that we didn't get to Spam today for various reasons! Might try again on Tuesday.

DITTO DITTO DITTO!!! fg - I don't know about deals, but a friend of mine has canceled her trip to Clay's closing weekend and has a couple of tickets to sell. They are: Jan 2 at 8:00 pm - orch C, row O (regular) and Sat, Jan. 3 at 2:00 pm - orch C, row N (premium) both are on the aisle and the 1/3 one is a premium seat but she may take a bit off the price - the 1/2 one is face value. PM me for the email address of the person to contact!

It's wonderful!! Thanks for sharing this. That is so cool!! I'm gonna play it a few more times!! Thanks!! ------------------- Add me to the OH-fish-ul "I HATE WINTER" Club. It was freezing that last part of last week, but today it was 63º!! It was so warm I even opened a window!

Good news all around!! I'm taking a whiz trip to NYC on Wednesday for the Wed night performance. Anybody going to be there too? This came up unexpectedly, and now I am stressing over getting ready for the big Family Party on Saturday. I'm trying to pretend it's tomorrow. It's not working!! gotta get busy!!

We went to see "Australia" tonight.... ( I always want to spell it "Austrailia" for some reason!) - it was really great. I was somewhat skeptical of a 2.75 hour movie, but I never felt that it dragged or that it was too long or thinking "WHEN will this be over????!" OMG - Hugh Jackman looked FABulous - especially when he was clean-shaven and dressed up! He reminded me of Cary Grant! GAH! Can't wait to see what cindilu comes up with from the CD cover pic - I hope you are going to share, cindi!!!

I have one that's 500x500.....does that help??

That reminds me of this::::: kf - I loved your post about the EHTS show - I totally agree with your analysis. I've heard comments from several places saying that agree with you also - that it was ALL GOOD! I particularly liked this part from your conclusion: I think this would make a marvelous thread title!!

Thanks for that!!! It's so weird!! I type ETHS Clay Aiken into the search window and it still doesn't come up!!

They are in the vaults now - under E Channel Thanks - but if anyone knows how to find it on youtube - I'd still like to know!! It keeps getting mentioned but I can't find it! (downloading now..)

What are the E story on youtube filed under? I can't seem to find them with Clay's name and Hollywood or E! or ???? What name are they marked with???

a moon picture for you. Moonrise behind Mt. Hamilton Luckiest Thanks for the recap and I hope you have a wonderful time tomorrow. WOW - that is one fantastic full moon picture!! Just WOW!! Thanks Lotus!

You must mean Danny. the one that put the mushrooms at the bottom of Carla's dish. I have mine set to automatically record it every week - which is good since next week I'll be at SPAMALOT!!! Thanks for the idea about a repeat show - I actually thought of that after I posted. But I'd like to keep discussing it here!! eta: I found a good blog: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainm..._it_anyway.html

Is anyone watching this year's show? Top Chef New York? The memory ran out and I don't know who got booted off this week!! Anybody?? Bueller??

Just popped my third tray of Christmas cookies in the oven. We are having about 30 family members here next Saturday. acckkkk!!! Lotus - I sre hope it stops raining before tomorrow night! I'd sure love to see that moon!! I love taking photos of full moons - it must be an obsession!! Love the pix of Clay and Reed. No idea what to think about whether IIT or IIF or whatever. All I know is Clay has been looking pretty happy the past few weeks, months, whatever, and he deserves to be happy. Reed is cute and very bendy! And IIT he is a very lucky man! I have to get all my stuff for the party ready, because we have decided to take an impromtu trip to NYC next Wed to see Spam one more time before the closing. chachadotter#1 and hubby will be going with me, and we're going to do the mega-bus-turn-around. Four hours to NYC from DC for $40, and then after the show we'll take the 1:45 am bus back. I'll be worthless on Thursday, but it'll be worth it! I hope the weather co-operates!

I met a girl once whom everyone called "Slash." She went by two names, so peeps called her Pattie-slash-Trish and then they just started calling her "Slash" and dropped the other part.

Eric Idle has given us something new to play with!! http://pythonline.com/