keepingfaith

jmh, I love that entire repertoire of songs. On my car CD I have IWTKWLI following LAA. LAA is beautifully beset with loneliness and forlorn, while IWTKWLI picks up the tempo and segues into an dramatic and urgent plea to be shown love by this person, whoever, okay Suzy McNeil works. It fits together for me.

Wow, jmh, I think that's the best I've had in a while. :kos:

I guess the eHP will have to find me ... because I don't know where they are! But it sounds like they must be really something, because you're the second person to mention them to me today.

I would hate to be the person charged with compiling the set list for any of Clay's concerts. How to choose? He can sing whatever he wants to sing. I was never so pleasantly knocked off my feet as when I watched the Motown clack -- the first clack I ever downloaded last summer. I mentioned loving Clay singing "Can't Help Myself" and somebody, I don't remember who, directed me to download JBT -- Columbus -- Jojoct -- Motown. I've burned that clack to several different DVDs, watch it often, and it still makes me just glow -- all of it. When Clay sings "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" I'm ready to dive into the monitor. The way he moves, his facial expressions, but most of all The Voice. I'm not even going to go to that place that says, "Imagine if you'd actually been there" because I don't think I can even wrap my head around that now. But anybody who's reading this, and was at JBT and saw it and heard it live and in person --- just tell me it's everything I think it is, okay? If Clay sings IYDKMBN this summer, I'll need to be slapped.

So you're reading minds now, too? I'll be good on my first day, but I'll just say I could give that man a foot massage he'd never forget ... and let's leave it at that. Like I said, it's the first day and all.

That's so true. I know a few, including my sister. She insisted, demanded even, that I watch AI2 because of Clay and I first watched for Wildcard. We were the eeeeeeeeeeing, squeeeeeeeeing Clay loving sisters throughout that season. When Clay came out on the AI5 stage last year she called me screaming OMG it's CLAY, OMG it's CLAAAAAAY! My sister is not on any fanboards -- and never will be -- but she'll be sitting next to me for the concerts this summer! I think that clack has reached far and wide and done more for Clay's career than millions and jillions of dollars of promotion could ever have done. Because downloading and watching clack, you don't just like it, or appreciate it, or enjoy it, you go CRAZY for it. At least I have. Regarding Clay singing Moon River. All I can say about that is I remember the sinking feeling I had for Top 3 when the judges (Paula) selected Mack The Knife for Clay to sing. I was not happy ---- until he starting singing, and then he surprised me once again. Now that's one of my all time favorite Clay performances. He was nothing short of spectacular. And the look on his face when he finished is in my heart forever.

Thank you all for the immediate and warm welcome! Wow, this feels good. All I've wanted is a safe place to play without having to dodge the cars!!!! jmh123, I've always been a huge fan of YOURS. From the first day I was on OFC, I found myself agreeing with and loving your posts. For the longest now I've wondered what happened to you! OM Goodness! Playbiller, you have assumed correctly! You definitely know the progression of the Clay fan psyche --- fall under the spell, find the websites, start downloading!!! I look forward to lots of clack chat. Thank you so much, YSRN! I've always appreciated and enjoyed your posts at OFC. So many great fans are here! Hooray! And lightmyfire, WHAZZUP BABY!!! Looks like we showed up at the same time. luckiest1 -- just MMMMMMMMMWAHHHH

Hi all you wonderful happy, smart and funny Clay fans! I just checked in at the Meet and Greet. I'm so, so glad to be here among you all. I've been reading here for a few weeks and I know this place is absolutely the best fit I've found for my Clay love ... which is unconditional and ecstatic! With the tour coming up, I look forward to sharing the joy with all of you. I haven't been around the fandom very long, but I'm coming on fast!!! I love this Magic Man!

Hello Everybody! I am so happy to be here among the like-minded. I post as keepingfaith on OFC and that's the only board I've posted on until joining this forum. First off, I want to blow some kisses to luckiest1 for extending an invitation for me to check out this forum :F_05BL17blowkiss: and to Clayzorback, just because she's the wonderful Clazorback who has had my back more than a lot! :F_05BL17blowkiss: To briefly introduce myself, I live in the Bay Area of Houston (League City, actually) and work downtown, so you know I'm pumped about the tour. I'm still in a state of shock!!! I've never seen Clay in concert before and my first experience will be right here in my home town, with a twofer in Dallas the next night. I must be living right! I joined OFC after seeing Clay on AI5 last year. I guess Clay got me twice on DLTSGDOM. The first time I ever heard Clay sing was DLTSGDOM on AI2 and he hooked me then and there. I voted for him week after week, but never went online and wasn't aware of an online fanbase at all. I had a circle of girlfriends who were Clay supporters and when AI2 was over, that was that. I bought Clay's albums and was lucky enough to catch him on TV from time to time, but I never, ever knew Clay Aiken toured. I had no idea he was ever in Houston. Everything changed last May at the AI5 Finale when he walked out on that stage and I barely recognized the man until he started singing DLTSGDOM. This time I wasn't just hooked, I was shot into orbit and I haven't been the same since. Now I'm being told that I won't be the same again after seeing and hearing him in concert. But frankly, I don't know how I could be any more captivated and enthralled by Clay Aiken and his amazing technicolor voice. He's got me -- and everybody I know knows it. I haven't exactly been shy about this falling in love experience and my kids are somewhat shocked, to say the least. All my kids have been musically indoctrinated since birth and have strong, eclectic tastes (two are excellent guitarists, one could be a big star IMO) and since they've grown up I've noticed that they've been buying and listening to the music they heard their mother playing all those years and giving me a lot of appreciation for that. Their dad, who died a few years ago, was never a music aficionado. But my middle son, who has a very dynamic and funny personality and can snark with the champions, called me last week from Spain where he's now living and said, "Mom, I can't say I really understand this Clay Aiken thing you're into now. But I have enough respect for your musical tastes to know that this guy must have something really special if you're this into him." He's the one I expected to deal me pure misery with jokes about my Clay devotion. (Oh well, knowing him he probably will, but at least I got a sweet comment out of him in a weak moment!!) Immediately after AI5, I was online searching for everything I could find and couldn't believe the great big Wide World of Clay on the internet. I joined OFC a week later and went in brighteyed and as excited as only the newly converted can be -- and then I, like so many others, was slammed to the mat by the complainers and whiners and conspiracy theorists. I was getting PMs from people wanting to know who I was representing, or what boards I was posting on in other names. There was an air of suspicion that I did not understand and tried to ignore. I've been wrestling with those Pod People (love that designation, it's PERFECT) trying to make some sense of what's going on until finally realizing I can't fight that battle anymore. People can be as nuts as they want to be, but I don't have to involve myself with it. I'm full of love for Clay and the special friends I've been making in the past 10 months. I'll always state my case, but I'm through arguing with people who seem to be genuinely paranoid or at least "disturbed", when I don't understand why or what for. I just assume that some people are over-invested mentally and emotionally and feel compelled to "take charge" of Clay's career. It's pretty sick to me, in the traditional definition of that word. I couldn't be happier to be in a "safe" place -- a place where I can express my positive, genuine love and excitement without girding up to be gouged in return. I'm tired of being taunted because I don't think Clive Davis is personally committed to ruining Clay's career. But let me tell you this, even if I did, I think I'd have enough good sense to know that the campaign to disseminate that theory everywhere is like spreading a disease and the victim is Clay. And I'm dismayed that admins and mods at OFC don't see the obvious. Maybe at one time everybody was happy and all the grumblers and naysayers who feel obligated to express their negative opinions about everything were happy too and were oooooing and ahhhhing and EEEEEing. I guess I missed all that and showed up at a time when a few seem to have become jaded, yawning, demanding, and suspicious, and they've closed the door to anything other than their own expectations. I don't do expectations much at all. I do happy and open-minded better. I really, really love what I read here. This is an amazing group of smart, witty and loving fans, and it feels so good to experience this kind of fan kinship for the first time on an entire forum. This board makes me laugh, and that's a big deal for me. I do happy best of all. Clay Aiken makes me happy. Now, I've been admonished several times at OFC for being so overly positive that I'm casting aspersions on the fanhood of those who don't agree with me, so ....... I am deliriously happy to have the opportunity to freely post this: :pod: Wow. That felt good. I LOVE YOU PEOPLE!!!!!!!! :Tour3: