ldyjocelyn

CG, I hear ya about the latest gerbil wheel. The thing that I can't understand is WHY people feel the need to take it so personally. I understand that it's the music BUSINESS, and that money has to be made. *shrug* Ansa, I MOSTLY agree with your post. While I do agree that he may not be as totally hot as during the IT -- that's just on the face of it. We really don't know what the negotiators see in the background, and IMO he's gained a good reputation for being a touring master, one who can sell more than a few tickets pretty much by word of mouth. But this: I guess I just don't see an "either/or" proposition here to expand his fan base. As a matter of fact, I think this concert tour may be a great way to expand that base. He's playing in places that require subscriptions, and many people who wouldn't give a second thought to attending a show of his will actually go to a show because of that subscription. Then, he'll win them over with his charm and talent. He's also playing places that seem to cater to families...and those families, IMO, when they find an artist they like, they do stick with them (at least until the kids turn rebellious. *g*) Again, the charm and talent will find their way to people. Just my rose-colored view of the world at the moment. Makes life a lot easier when I think that way, that's for sure. Great post Jenna!

WHA-?!?!?!? What a way to wake up in the morning! Thanks muski, I needed that! I agree -- Michigan is NOT Midwest. I think Missouri would be fantastic, although Kansas City, for me, is almost as far as the Michigan location. I keep hoping for St. Louis, but I've talked to a local fan there recently who said that getting a symphony in St. Louis in the summertime is next to impossible. Iowa would also be good. Of course, I can still hope for Peoria.....although I think our symphony is off for the summer too. *sigh* While I'm still frustrated at the way this whole thing shook out (and as far as I'm concerned, it's not over yet), I'm OK. It was my mistake to buy plane tickets this early, and so I learned a lesson. Treat things as learning experiences, and it somehow makes it more palatable. Anyway, it IS sounding like this Frisco thing could be quite the experience...and one to potentially grow his fan-base to families. If he gets money from the deal and becomes filthy rich, I'm good to go with it. And it sure sounds as if the crowd certainly won't be "rednecks".... *blows kisses to YSRN*

That's right! We'll party together! Can't wait to meet you there!

Hee. Yeah, I think this is me too -- at least I'm pretty positive I've thought that a few times. Am I working on it? Of course. But then I slip up occasionally too. See, regarding the teeth -- well, let me tell you a story. When I was a kid, probably no more than 6, I remember watching the Miss America pageant with my family. My Mom was going on and on about a physical attribute about one of the contestants -- I don't remember what, exactly. Probably something like "that color dress looks horrible on her." What did I do? I broke into tears -- I was sure that my Mom was picking on this contestant. I know, to this day, that I can be very oversensitive toward certain people, especially when it seems TO ME that what is being said is mean. I know that's not right of me, but it IS the way I feel. Again, it's my character flaw, something I'm working on, but I hope that makes some sense, because I can get my back up against Clay over small, perceived "slights" toward him. And it's very strange, knowing that I can blow off something like the fff crap, but other things like that bug the snot out of me. muski, I can identify with your story too -- Clay has been my escape, and I know early on in the fandom, it was a avoidance thing too. But I think for me today, with so much other stuff going on in my life, Clay is just simply a part of my life, one that makes me happy. OK, so he takes up more time at work than he should, but I'm getting better. See, I do a lot of that "working on myself" stuff. Don't look at me for you missing post CG. I wasn't even around. Lesson learned: don't buy plane tickets too early. *sigh* I'm not even going to get into the speculations on the tour dates and locations. At this point, I just know I'm going to see Clay in Houston. If that's the only show I see, fine. I'll deal. And I'll have fun in Houston too. dreamlarge, fantastic montage! Welcome back Jenna! How was vacation? I'm getting ready for that myself -- 4 days in Florida for my niece's wedding on Saturday. Going to Kennedy Space Center for the previous days. I will have the laptop with me, so I will probably check in at least once or twice. diva, if you need help with the Quote thing, just let me know.

This is one of those afternoons where....I'm just going to sit back, take a deep breath, and try to relax about this whole thing. Yes, it seems to be a major screw up by someone -- the problem is we just don't know WHO. My guess? We'll never find out the whole story of what was going on in the background for this. Yes, TC and TM announced the Nokia show. Maybe they were told "everything is a go" by the venue, only for the shit to hit the fan later because the conductor of the orchestra said "whoops." Maybe TC should have waited for the dotted lines to be signed before announcing. In a way, this whole situation is sounding like Conspiracy Theory, v. 2.0. And my reaction to that is similar to my reacton to CT 1.0 -- never assume anything (I've learned my lesson on that, thanks to wanting to buy plane tickets -- BTW, Clayzorback, I could cancel the flight in this instance, but I've already got great seats for Houston!). I don't know the behind the scenes stuff, and at this point, I'm just gonna have to patiently wait. Deep breaths. YSRN, I like your style, even if we disagree about the teeth. Sorry about the gophers and your flowers, though. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I'm wondering if it's because this looks to be an outdoor venue, as compared to the Nokia. WHY he wants to play an outdoor venue in the middle of summer in Texas is beyond me, though. In the meantime, I'm gonna pout now -- I'm not happy with the way this has turned out. And I hope that Frisco, Texas knows what hit them this morning. *g*

CG, you're not the only one. I never paid all that much attention to his MOUTH either when he smiled. Instead, I could almost FEEL the happiness when he smiled, even through a picture or clack. What he was doing with his teeth or his mouth was inconsequential to me. AMEN! I have to admit I was one who did buy almost everything early on, and I still do occasionally pick up a People magazine (and keep it) that has a mention or two of Clay in it. And I'm going to look for the new People with the AI connection here real soon. I also printed practically everything out from the web. That's stopped now -- too much paper!!!! Welcome artquest!

Boring analogy ahead...scroll at will. I've been married to my husband for almost 9 years. When we were first getting to know each other, I couldn't stop thinking about him -- how much fun it was to share time with him, looking forward to talking to him each night before bed, things like that. When we got married, it continued like that for a while -- it was still fresh and exciting, and we both had a blast. After a few years or so, though, things just simply changed. We realized that we still love each other, by far -- but we knew that, with time, we would learn that the newness wasn't as fresh anymore. However, my husband still does things that thrill me -- he'll make me laugh exactly when I need it, smile at me with his adorable smile, tell me that he loves me even if I change the channel when he was actually watching something. I'm positive I do the same thrilling things for him. I know I've used this analogy before, but, in a way, it's the same way with Clay. As couchie said, 2003 and 2004 was a constant "getting to know him" phase, and it was consuming. But, after a while, I knew that things would settle down into a more comfortable phase, both for Clay's sake (IMO), and mine. The intensity can still be there (the gala night was a big case in point -- and I had a blast that evening, even if I wasn't there), but I now know that it doesn't need to be like that every waking moment of every waking day. I still love Clay and find myself excited when he appears somewhere, but it's just more settled. My feelings on the fandom? Totally different animal. I found in the past year that my blood pressure would go up everytime I read anything that I saw as angst. Maybe it wasn't angst to some people, but it sure was to ME. The constant up-down cycle got incredibly tiring, and I knew I had to scale it back. Thank God for this place -- it allows me to keep up, and I have the board up in the background on my computer every day, but since we're still getting some footing around here...it's just not a constant. That doesn't make sense, I know.... One more thought -- muski, you say you asked the question because of reading posts recently that suggest their waning interesting. It seems to me that these kinds of posts have been around for a while -- I'd venture early 2005 at least (the first supposed clack drought). IMO, it's kind of the state of fandoms in general -- people's interests wax and wane. Some just give up after a while -- and in Clay's case, I have no doubt that others will take their place. Some will come back after some time away from the fandom. I'm positive that the NEXT album will be interesting for Clay -- if he continues to go the ballad route and doesn't turn into that rocker, will the fans continue to follow? At this point, I'm just interested in Clay's journey, and I love watching him.

Uchenna and Joyce took a risk with an international flight with an extremely tight connection. The risk didn't pay off in this instance -- they missed their flight, and as far as I know, they are still stuck in Europe. I'm disappointed in Cha Cha's tonight -- the trip is getting to them. Mirna and Schmirna -- you know, as much as they bug the CRAP out of me with their baby talk, and talking in foreign accents to everyone they meet, they seem to be playing the game smarter this go around. Annoying, sure -- but smarter. Eric and Danielle, however -- I cannot stand them. They are whiners of the first degree. H.A.T.E. I'm really gonna miss U & J. Such a sweet and honest couple. I wish they could have gone all they way.

Back from my Mom's today. We took her to my brother's -- discovered that getting her into my car is easier than getting her into my brother's van, but we really had to squish her wheelchair into the trunk! Hee. She is really doing quite well. While she basically needs the wheelchair to get around, she's standing frquently to help do things like get a coat on, and get get to the bathroom (with a walker) by herself. I'm happy, and she seems to be good. Clay content? On the way back home, we stopped at a convenience mart for a restroom break. While waiting for my husband, I started looking at the energy drinks available. Guess what the key ingredient is in many of these drinks? Guarana!!! There was actually one called Guarana, but I didn't buy it. However, my husband tried the Mountain Dew High Energy Drink, which has ginsing and guarana. It was a little sweeter than regular Mountain Dew -- and this comes from someone who grew up drinking Mountain Dew! luckiest1, thank you for the scans of the program! ETA: muski, good questions. I'll have to think about it for a bit, and get back to you.

Happy Easter/Sunday to everyone! That picture of Clay and Jesse should be outlawed -- too much pretty in one picture. Both men are hawt! See ya'll later tonight!

I, on the other hand, am extremely shallow and am inspired by sugary treats. And I, of course, couldn't let the day go by without celebrating -- Peeps! Peep Research And the librarian in me has to show off this one too.... Gosh, those Peeps are SMART! Glad you're back KAndre. PENNY SLOTS?!?!?! Claygasm, when cats are involved, I'm always interested in knowing how they are doing. It still makes me sad that Clay thinks cats are evil and/or are haunting him. I would really love to help him get over that phobia.

WooHoo Jimmy Kimmel! God, I remember just simply cringing at his name at the height of "The Man Show" popularity. And remember how so many Clay fans were appalled when it was announced that Clay would be appearing on his show November 2003? My, how times have changed. Jimmy rawks. That Gawker chick didn't know what hit her. Heh. I forgot a couple of things -- YSRN, your blog pictures are beautiful. Very nice job. (This comes from someone who has the blackest thumb on the planet, even though I keep trying....) And this is from a LONG time ago -- Claygasm, thank you for the picture of Max. Such an adorable dog. How's Waldo? Did you find cat food for him?

I think it all goes back to a sense of having a family for Locke. Even though the guy was a first class con artist and screwed Locke over so many, many times -- in the back of Locke's mind, he's still DAD. That sense of family can run very strong. I see it the same way with a LOT of characters on this show -- why did Kate need to know why Mom turned her in? Why did Kate's Mom love her Dad, even though he beat her repeatedly? Why did Jack keep trying to get HIS Dad to get help, even though I think Jack knew his Dad would never get that help? IMO, it's all a sense of family, and it seems to be a recurring theme for this show. I think too that this kind of thing happens in RL all the time as well.

Well, if you can have a new avi Ansa, so can I... :medium-smiley-070: :medium-smiley-070: But I have to admit, I'm gonna miss seeing conductor Clay under your name.....

I'm not giving up hope yet....

I just watched it again (thanks, I needed a reason to watch it again :medium-smiley-070: ), and yes, I hear him asking about a mop too. What is up with that? Can I just say that I also love the auctioneer? He's funny too -- I loved him asking the one bidder for the WT shirt if she needed a loan. Cracked Clay up even. Also -- loved Clay trying to get "JOE'S" attention during the ring auction -- as if Clay couldn't say that name loud enough! What a clack goldmine. I'm in heaven at the moment.

My favorite character, by far, is Hurley. I love that he conned the con artist to get him to become a softy. Hee. OK, so this was an episode where I liked Sawyer -- because he was at least TRYING to be nice (no matter the reasons why). He seems to go through these periods of doing things like this, and then he becomes that stick-in-the-mud con artist, "what are you gonna give me to do this?" person. I hate him when he's like that. And I just can't find him all that cute for that reason. I know, unpopular opinion. I'm glad that we all can still share our Clay love. *g* I really like the character of Juliet. I would guess as well that she wasn't "left behind" either -- but she's sooooooooo good at hiding her true feelings/motives that she's at least an interesting character, one that keeps you guessing. Kate? Well, I'm glad she figured out the thing with her mom. Eh. But her working with Sawyer's ex? I wondered why we were seeing her in the "previously on" segments. I think next week will be interesting -- the power struggle with Jack and Sawyer will resume, I presume.

CG, try clearning your cache and your cookies and then see if you can get into the site. Back to that wonderful auction footage...*sigh*.... Teno rings Doesn't look like they have the design I'm used to seeing him (and I've studied this picture more than a few times....) But the second one on this catalog page might be one of the necklaces he has (or had, at this point....).

I do, I love you very much. I personally can't see it....but that doesn't invalidate it for you either. God, he's an animal.

OMG yes! You all must get this clack now!!! All four clips are worthy, but the killer is 1:00 through 1:30 of the ring auction. I'm guessing that muski will be dead soon.... And he SOOOOOOOOOOO knows. He's such a little shit. I love him. Did we ever get that THUD emoticon loaded?

And that's one of the reasons why I did go ahead a book my plane tickets. I totally understand where CG is coming from with the plane ticket rates -- but that is the reason why I tend to buy early. I know, it's getting me in trouble now, and I feel badly too because I've taken someone else with me down the garden path. Plus, it's on the OFC, and so I'm upset that this isn't working out quite as planned if they do take it off. I've just shot myself in the foot this time, and I have no one to blame but myself. Both of these posts make PERFECT sense to me. I'll be in that minority with you CG -- I still think (maybe delusionally) that Clay sells records every time he appears on TV, even if he doesn't sing. Anyway, there's really not much here that I can add to both these posts. Amen and WORD. I think another thing that plays into this is the time factor. I don't need for him to have radio success RIGHT NOW, which is what I think some fans do. To me, it's back to the "if he doesn't have success (like us voting for him constantly on AI), he'll leave us." I don't think that's gonna happen at all. I've always believed in the slow and steady thing for Clay. He'll make it on his own terms, and in his own time. It may be 5 years, or 10 years, before something like radio play for Clay will happen. I'm patient enough to wait. I feel that some fans aren't. They need everything for Clay to happen instantaneously. Sorry, I don't think it works like that. Everyone here keeps mentioning Groban being played on the radio. I've gotta say -- he does? He certainly doesn't in my neck of the woods, not yet anyway. "You Raise Me Up" got airplay a few years ago, and "Home" by Buble was played constantly last year. But none of their follow-ups got anything here. So it always surprises me to hear people say they are sick of these two men. (For the record -- Groban's voice is technically proficient IMO but bores me to tears, as it seems to do for others around here too; but I really do like Buble. But then, I love swing era music and that kind of song styling. My husband and I just watched "Tony Bennett Unplugged" the other night, and he's that same kind of singer to me. Love it. BTW, Tony Bennett was SUPPOSED to sing on AI the other night, but he had the flu. Buble was a last minute addition, so that could be why he didn't sound so hot.)

Two things about this, one that's gonna make me sound so very negative, one that I think doesn't: 1) Let's say he does find his "true style" with the next album (and he says it in a few interviews, so those of us without supra sekrit decoder rings will understand). What if it ISN'T a hit? I guess what I'm feeling is that his style may not EVER be the type that will truly fit in on radio. Now, getting a song to fit on radio has so much behind it, including atinal's wonderful list. So I just really wonder if I've come to simply see as a viewpoint that most don't share, that he may NEVER make it to radio at this point. Again, I do want it, and if Clay wants it, definitely. But I think the road is awfully long at this point. Stone me, I don't care. 2) "the music that come from deep inside him": I actually think ATDW was a good start in this regard. Sure, it sounds like he was not given many options of songs to record (I'm not using the "m" word, it's become a dirty word in my household), but I think he took what he was given and made the most of it by far. His artistic level went up by leaps and bounds to me -- especially with HYCA and BW. Great -- the OFC doesn't work for me. I'm having nightmares now about the Dallas/Tulsa fiasco, and I can't even check with them to try and keep updated. play, I'm terrible about waiting for airfares and such -- I like to get things planned! It's just that in this case, a major screw up happened, and that makes me sick.

Just as Ashlee Simpson or Paris Hilton getting played on the radio make no sense to me either. I truly would love to hear Clay's glorious voice on my radio, but since it seems to me that (at least for top 40 anyway) image is much more important than actual talent. AC seems to be a different animal, but AC works sooooooooooooo slowly from what little I've seen. This whole discussion gets into the whole business side...and that honestly is something I know nothing about, or very little at least. Or, maybe I should say -- I just don't care all that much any more. I used to be interested in it, but my time in the fandom has kind of soured me on it....because again, some people just KNEW exactly what was going on in the background. These people then, IMO, thought that everyone should know that "information" too. I honestly don't know if Clay wants radio play or not. Honestly. Truly. And that's why I just can't get all worked up about it. If it happens -- fantastic. If it doesn't -- Clay's still gonna have a career. Of course, though -- I'm one that believes to this day that HYCA would sound fantastic as a single on the radio, and still thinks that it might have a chance somewhere down the line. But I've been known to talk out of my butt more than several times. I'm like that.

Thanks for joining in on the conversation pkmiller. Here's my take on the whole radio thing: what does Clay want? Does anyone know that? Clay does. Maybe, just maybe, Clay has said to RCA that at this point in time he's not interested in radio play. This doesn't mean that he didn't want it in the past, or that he might not want it in the future. Anyway, I think what Clay wants is really the unknown variable -- and one that more than a few fans have decided THEY know. How, I'm not sure, other than they've heard from the second cousin twice removed of the maid for the chauffeur of one of the songwriters. I just can't assume anything any more regarding Clay and his career.