keepingfaith

I love the anticipation. I can't wait until the Gala starts and I'm not even there, so I can barely imagine how pumped the Clay fans in Raleigh must be. I'm pretty giddy already. Couchie, when I heard about ALAWH I thought of you immediately and know you must long to be there. It's also a favorite of KAndre's, so y'all watch out for her when he sings that one tonight. Thanks to fear and ldyj and luckiest and all the FCA "players" keeping us informed out here in the hinterlands. Big smacking MMMMMM-WAH!

(or that guy up there in the Banner picture -- the same picture emblazoned on the front of my silkie nightie won at silent auction from the Tulsa Pre-Concert Party. Yes, I sleep with that man quite often!)

Yes. I learned to despise insurance companies after Ike. Even after satisfying a rather large deductible, there was another $4,000 out of pocket and work remains to be done - I still have to have the chimney replaced, as the inner parts blew out. Have I mentioned that my opinion of Texas Windstorm is somewhere between Mafia protection schemes and Wall Street derivatives traders? Yes to next year and the Gala. I would have loved going this year, but too many complications. The UNICEF picture is thus via a screenshot ... and I'm hoping that's just a head fake, and that when he shakes it out and doesn't shave for a couple of days he'll look something like this ...

merrieeee, the clothes don't bother me a bit ..... but that HAIR!!! Good Lord!!! Is there a possibility that Clay has a disability whereby he can't raise his arm (the one that holds his comb) over his head? It's just about the only thing I can ever be critical of about him ... but most six-year olds can comb their hair, so maybe it's a shoulder problem?????

I'm in the midst of family reunion and related matters, but WOO_HOO to all Gala Goers! I love my family and extended cousins etc., but this weekend will necessitate a few "disappearing" acts on my part for Clay updates. I'm so excited just to hear news and second-hand accounts and the prospect of CLACK, that I can't imagine what I'd be feeling to actually be going. I'll console myself with thoughts that my heart couldn't stand it, and that vicarious attendance is as much as I can physically stand. But .... do I actually BELIEVE that? I'm trying. MWAHH to everybody there and on the way -- safe travels and virtual hugs, y'all!

oooo oooo another Libra sister! Hope you're having a wonderful day, goldarngirl

Awww, thank's for the birthday wishes, y'all. It's been a super day so far .... and it ain't over! Birthday-eve best wishes to my Libra-sister Liney!!! Truly, one of the first gifts I received today was seeing the yummy photo winner -- one of my all-time faves! An inspirational hottie! (And I used this particular version because I too am a fan of the blue shirt!)

Here's some of my favorites of Kareneh and others from Christmas 2006 --

Daughter loves the Jonas Brothers, Mom loves Clay Aiken, and Adam is obviously JEALOUS!

I hate to tell what I did at 3. But it involved my daddy's brand new shiny-edged, King James Version and a pair of scissors. I was being "watched" at the time by a grandmotherly lady from the church -- Mrs. Lee. I've been told Mrs. Lee came close to a heart-attack when she found me on my parents bed having a lot of fun cutting designs in those thin smooth pages. I also remember a creative arts project on the walls of my room, and my mother reprimanding me so severely (she whipped the crap out of me) that I can recall to this day running to their closet and sobbing uncontrollably into one of my daddy's shirts. That was the best comfort when he wasn't there to protect me. I was 4 then. So my creative flair was stifled at an early age. Too much trauma.

Love both photos -- but voted for #2 simply because the quality of the photograph is better when enlarged. And the pants ARE something, aren't they!

Hmmmm, I was NEVER sad for the wife he'd never have -- since that's the last thing in the world he'd WANT!!! I don't know. I don't think I ever wanted something for someone else, unless I was pretty sure they wanted it for themselves. My sweet nine year old granddaughter asked me last week when I thought she should get married. I told her she didn't have to think in terms of when, but if. And then, only after she finished her education, and found someone who shared her interests and she enjoyed being with so much that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with that person. Only then. And that "white picket fence" was torn down years ago. If it exists at all anymore, it's as a throwback. I'm sure you need to enlarge this to read it -- but check out Good Housekeeping from May 1955 - the heart of those not-so-grand "picket fence" days:

Checking my office email this morning, I have two emails from Jive Records about Kris Allen's first single, Live Like You're Dying. I guess 19/Sony is getting with the times because they are giving away the MP3. One email was about streaming it, the other with a link to a free download. My review: It's too wordy, in the Dave Matthews sense.

I believe that what makes people laugh is as varied as what makes people cry. I laugh at the absurdities of life, the preposterousness of it all, and never laugh at personal foibles, embarrassments, pratfalls and the like. Therefore, I can watch slapstick all night long and never crack a smile and watch a satirical movie such as Being There with Peter Sellers and laugh until I cry. Which brings me to crying. I can say categorically that I do not cry over bad news and tragedy, yet boo-hoo like a baby over exceeding happiness and joy. Just give me a long-lost relatives' reunion on TV and when they start hugging I'm a blubbering idiot. As Joni Mitchell once wrote, 'laughing and crying is the same release.' What it is that unlocks one and not the other, or both or neither, has always fascinated me. But whatever it is, laughter is the best thing in the whole world.

Not sure why we're opining on 30 Rock, but IMO it's one of the best shows ever. It doesn't just make me laugh, but it makes me LAUGH! When I first started watching, probably took me two or three consecutive shows to get the underlying character dynamics and the pace of it, but it is one of the few must.watch shows for me on network TV. Almost everything else in my must.watch category is on cable. Oops, Aikim, sorry to be late on sending my best wishes, but I hope your birthday was a fun one! And if you want to go ahead and take the rest of the week to celebrate, I'm all for it ...

Yes, Happy Birthday to ATDW I'm off to dinner to celebrate my parents' 66th anniversary. And ... listening to The Beatles. The White Album. Created from the original analog masters. No words. Except these, While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

Same as last time -- I love the hair in #2, but not in his nose. It distracts me like 100%. I guess I don't like the "looking up someone's nose" pose. So, it's Green Eyes for me!

Jumping in for a moment to say that while I wasn't a charter admirer of Susan Boyle, she was absolutely stunning last night singing, of all things, a Rolling Stones cover! (Or is that "a cover of the Rolling Stones?") WOW. Just WOW. There was an alchemy between her voice and my ear that got me in the throat.

LdyJ -- Don't go back unless you're well. I'm giving you another sick day off, if you need it. :thbighug-1:

Oh goodness, I did a year at Oak Forest after moving from The Heights. Wonder if he was there then, or at St. Rose of Lima? My mother told me he grew up in Woodforest ... obviously she had it confused with OAK Forest.

Yes he was. His mother was my best friend's dancing teacher. They lived in Woodforest -- in the North Shore area. I think he went to San Jacinto College too. I know his mom, Patsy Swayze taught dancing/choreography at San Jac. A very sad loss. RIP Patrick.

FYI from the NYTimes.com And from MediaMemo:

Wow, Clay fans have really gotten serious about voting in that Twitterwall poll. I haven't been going there very often, but the few times I have during the past week Clay has consistently trailed by 1,500 - 2,000 votes. This morning he's less than 500 votes short of the lead. A lot of fans are obviously working this one hard. I can't deny I would love to see Clay take this thing, and it's amazing to me that out of all the Idol contestants from around the world, Adam and Clay are leaving the others far behind. Love the winner today, LdyJ. In just a few minutes I'm leaving for the Texans opener against the Jets. Yea, FOOTBALL SEASON!!

"Oui" on the RSVP, merrieeee! And now on to the discussion of the "Picture That Must Be Clicked" -- aauuummmmygod, just LOOK!

Thanks, LdyJ -- it's good to get back to such a wonderful contest. What's better than studying pictures of Clay first thing in the morning. I mean, after coffee! Anyone watching America's Got Talent? Well, I haven't been, but my mother is crazy about this opera singer on the show and so I watched it last night to see her. She is beautiful. What a voice and what a countenance.