keepingfaith

Luckiest1!!!! HappiestBirthday1!!!!

I actually still..believe it or not, like the OFC lol the messageboard I mean..it helps that I go to the chatroom which is a completely different environment than the messageboard...but Ive made friends there and I enjoy a lot of the discussions that go on over there...but then the same group of people go from discussion to discussion spreading their vile hatred and thats when it gets to be to much..I realize I should probably ignore, its a character flaw lol so it becomes a gerbil wheel..I have successfully bowed out of discussions before..but I hate to see the people, who arent even fans anymore..taking over...and if I shut up thats what Im afraid is going to happen, the discussions wont end, it will be just the same hateful people saying whatever they want..its a sad sad situation. You know, Smitten, that's exactly why I stayed on the OFC as long as I did. I'll probably always be a member there as long as there's an OFC, but I gave up on the messageboard after 2006, not even a year into my online fandom, and came over here almost two years ago. I grew weary of feeling like I had to "fight the good fight" against the fake insiders spreading rumor as fact, and chronic critics committed to the last word about everything, and it was always the same word. What a relief to lay that burden down! It is sad that the OFC has a devoted cadre of difficult customers -- and I'm not talking about "strugglers," I'm talking about a few whose motives are obscure, but who nevertheless provoke stress and strife. The only counter to these people is to ignore. I'm surprised people continue to respond to the crap posts as if the bitching is about issues. To me, these are not and have never been issues; these are neuroses. I think it's a subject worthy of discussion. I and many others said at least as far back as I know, in 2006, that it was a blight on the fandom. Unfortunately, I think in the cross-section of human nature you find this sort of thing everywhere. I've been in workplaces where this dynamic existed strongly and caused daily misery, and ultimately the only cure for it was separation, by someone or other, or several someones. Okay, that's my opnion, and now I'm back to abiding right here in my comfort zone.

I use the Video mp3 Extractor. It's freeware and can be downloaded here: http://www.geovid.com/Video_mp3_Extractor

I loved Slumdog Millionaire, too. Well, tonight I was sitting around perusing the just-passed stimulus bill now headed to the President's desk, and I noticed that special education is a huge winner -- to the tune of $11.5 billion to school disctricts through the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, and an additional $10 billion in new money for serving disadvantaged students. In the face of deep economic downturn this is a significant upgrade for special ed. Makes me proud. The Clay content? All over this.

I have to speak up in sympathy for Clay's jaw pain. When I was in my early 30's I had to have a couple of wisdom teeth cut out and the doctor put me in the hospital and did it under general anesthesia because the roots were tangled around my jawbone on both sides. I am damned serious that I'd rather birth a couple of 12-lb. twins sans anesthesia than go through that again. I missed about 10 days of work, couldn't open my mouth more than a 1/4 of an inch for days on end, was so swollen I looked more like Donald Duck than a human, had crashing, throbbing ear pain, face pain and jaw pain that brought me to tears, couldn't eat, couldn't laugh -- the only thing I wanted to swallow was the percodan -- and they didn't come near to controlling the pain. After 25 years it stands as worse than childbirth and worse than a ruptured appendix. It was the EVIL BITCH of pain! I can so feel for Clay right now. Poor baby.

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This comes as no surprise since he said in LA at the DCAT that he got his dirty mind and sense of humor from his mother. His regular admonitions to the audience for having a "dirty mind" have been mocking, since I'm not aware that any double entendre ever escaped him or went over his head. I still recall "be proud of your instrument" and "put your reed in" from Tampa -- and the reactions thereto! Motown? Any chance? Scarlett? Bueller? Anyone?

Egads! I just lost all the "quotes" I'd piled up to respond to. So here's to winging it. No 1: How wonderful it is to read all the posts from yesterday alluding to angst and controversy that is never specifically mentioned, so I don't have a clue what it's about, and I'm thrilled that I don't, and kiss the cyberground that is FCA. No doubt there's nothing actually new to angst about, so it must be ring around the dead horse time again -- for SOME. Okay, the Paul McCartney thing. He's done a couple of albums produced by Youth over the past 15 years, mostly experimental music and credited to The Fireman. The new original studio album, "Electric Arguments", is wonderful and I'm surprised he didn't put his name on it. Some of it is among the best stuff he's ever done. The latest EP is "Amoeba Secret," recorded from a live show and including songs from his last Macca studio album, "Memory Almost Full" (along with CMoon from Wings). "Memory Almost Full" was commercially and critically successful, ergo the Grammy nomination. The new Bruce Springsteen album just kills. Where's he been? WOW. My prediction: Bruce sweeps the Grammys in 2010. Predicting what Clay Aiken will do? Other than for entertainment purposes, I don't get it. But then I like progressive change and spontaneity so it's all good for me. People who resist or fear change may have a difficult time, but, as I've said before, I can only deal with myself, and I'm no missionary, so I hope they get over it and learn to accept happiness eventually. Liney, you'd have to see KAndre and me about the champagne. I think we're the only eHP imbibers. Now off to the salt mines for the day and most of the evening, and I wish I had a mimosa right now. Yes, I know it's 8:30 in the morning!

What is "cool" musically? It changes all the time. But what's not cool personally about a gay pop singer parenting a child with his best friend and record producer and announcing it to the world. That's courage and new thinking and extremely cool on so many levels. Musically, "cool" is a moving target. Are Robert Plant and Allison Krauss now cool? It's just a matter of taste. I can't let the Grammys get away without expressing my shock at Stevie and the Jonas Brothers. I didn't get it. And the two teen girls, Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift? I've heard both of them sound fine as a solo, but together? That was caterwauling to my ears and I took a channel break for a while. Regarding Chris Brown, if he put bruises on Rihanna while riding in a car, he should go to jail. And his career should be done for a good while, if not forever. People can excuse a lot of things, but hitting women in the face is a deal-breaker for me.

Paul McCartney is always entertaining and is still in a class by himself on that left-handed bass. His most recent Fireman recording with Youth is just amazing to my ears -- hard rocking, trance, industrial, classical genius -- and he played every instrument, and recorded a song a day with extemporaneous lyrics ... and he never learned to read music. He is the gold standard for me. Now Mr. Robert Plant (and I've loved him for years, since he was the Golden God of Rock), can't hit the notes he did with Zeppelin, but Macca can still scream in tune. My daughter's opinion of Carrie Underwood was that she should go back to the country girl image, and walk back any further attempts to be a bad-girl rocker. She doesn't sell bad girl while prancing around the stage in Fredericks of Hollywood attire. My daughter has always been a fan of Carrie Underwood. I'm not a fan ... nothing against her, she sings well enough, but she's always left me cold. I need to feel something emotional with music, and I get no vibes from her. Anyway, my daughter challenged me to name a rocker chick who wasn't a bad girl. Couldn't think of any, maybe Linda Ronstadt on the margins, but I don't think she ever qualified as a rocker chick. But Janis, Tina, Chrissie Hynde, Annie Lennox -- definitely bad girls. I thought Jennifer Hudson was awesome. What a voice she has. During the motown medley, I was putting Clay's voice in that group and in my mind-song he sounded better than everyone else by a mile. I'll say it again, soul music is Clay's destiny. I wish he'd hurry up and get there. I saw Slumdog Millionaire today and I'm so glad I did. ETA: Back to the Grammys, I was reading a story today about the irrelevance of winning a Grammy, and to make the point went back 40 years to the Grammys of 1969 and the Record of the Year. The nominees were: Harper Valley PTA by Jeannie C. Riley Honey by Bobby Goldsboro Little Green Apples by OC Smith Mrs. Robinson by Simon & Garfunkel Hey Jude by The Beatles and the winner was ............. .......................................... ......................................... Little Green Apples. Case closed.

Oh yeah, ANYTHING by Starship moves to the front of the cheesy list. I closed me eyes and said, Self, what is a song that you always turned off the radio because the lyrics sucked so bad, and the first thing in my mind is ...... The Flame - Cheap Trick Another night slowly closes in and I feel so lonely Touching heat freezing on my skin I pretend you still hold me I'm going crazy, I'm losing sleep I'm in too far, I'm in way too deep over you I can't believe you're gone You were the first, you'll be the last Wherever you go I'll be with you Whatever you want I'll give it to you Whenever you need someone to lay your heart and head upon Remember after the fire, after all the rain I will be the flame I will be the flame Watching shadows move across the wall feels so fright'ning I wanna run to you, I wanna call, but I've been hit by lightning Just can't stand up for falling apart Can't see through this veil across my heart over you You'll always be the one You were the first, you'll be the last I'm going crazy, I'm losing sleep I'm in way too deep over you You'll always be the one You were the first, you'll be the last Seriously now, Can't see through this veil across my heart over you may be a candidate for worst line in the history of recorded music not meant to be funny. I feel like starting a Bernie Taupin Appreciation Day after all this cheese.

As I said yesterday, I married that carpenter -- and as bad as those lyrics are, the marriage was worse. I need to cleanse my lyric palate. Here's GREAT lyrics from you.know.who -- already in progress: The doctor came in Stinking of gin And proceeded to lie on the table He said, Rocky, you met your match And Rocky said, Doc, it's only a scratch And I'll be better, I'll be better, Doc As soon as I am able. So Rocky Racoon Fell back in his room Only to find Gideon's Bible Gideon checked out And he left it, no doubt To help with good Rock's revival But one of my favorites from the same song: Her name was McGill And she called herself Lil But everyone knew her as Nancy Rocky Racoon -- best.lyrics.ever! Just a thought: I always felt that Rocky Racoon was the inspiration for Dylan's "Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts" -- a song with masterful lyrics, IMO. But then just about everything Dylan sang fits in that category. One of my favorites from the mid-60's: I know you're dissatisfied With your position and your place Don't you understand it's not my problem * * * I wish that for just one time You could stand inside my shoes You'd know what a drag it is to see you

My take is that mushrooms were growing in MacArthur Park.

MacArthur Park. The best thing I can say about that song it was better when Donna Summer sang it. Listening to Richard Harris give himself a hernia was a bit much for me. MacArthur Park is melting in the rain All the sweet green icing flowing down Someone left the cake out in the rain I don't think that I can take it 'Cause it took so long to bake it And I'll never have that recipe again! OH NOOOOOO!!!! I think it's the only thing Richard Harris ever did that I didn't love. But I just could not bring myself to eat that soggy green cake. Okay, in the not a love song, but it sucks category: Neil Diamond's "I Am, I Said" The lyrics always made me laugh so it wasn't a total loss: I am, I said To no one there And no one heard at all Not even the chair You mean THE CHAIR didn't hear you Neil????

Feelings is probably the universal hokiest song ever. But personally speaking I especially wretched at: Baby Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me with such inspired lyrics as: You're a hot-blooded woman-child; and it's warm where you're touching me. Give me a break Mac Davis!! There's a special category of cheese for all those dead and dying songs: Teen Angel (I'll never kiss your lips again; they buried you today) Tell Laura I Love Her Honey Watching Scotty Grow And all of the baby songs: Having My Baby If I Were A Carpenter (Maybe I cringe at this one because in my hippy-dippy youth I actually married a carpenter, and I did have his baby.) ETA: Listing concerts attended in the past 40 years? Probably impossible. Sometimes I'll flash on concerts that I haven't remembered in 40 years. I was talking about concerts with a girlfriend a few years ago and lamented that I'd never seen The Who in their prime. She said, Girl, I was with you when we saw The Who. I told her she must have me confused with someone else. She said, remember when we drove to Dallas and got tickets from your x-brother-in-law? Gradually it came to me. I guess I enjoyed it. This is the same friend who called me out of the blue after many years to ask me if I'd seen The Banger Sisters and that it made her think of me. After I saw it, I was baffled as to which Banger Sister I was, since she was the one who banged all my boyfriends.

I thought he was allergic to seafood? I have a serious shrimp allergy. I carry an epi-pen at all times because if someone boils or fries something where shrimp has once been, I can and have had an anaphyllaxic reaction. However, I can eat my weight in crabmeat as long as it's been nowhere near shrimp. It's all about the protein. ETA: As for reasons Clay could be in Baltimore -- I've been in DC many times and driven over to the Maryland coast for crabcakes. Maybe President Obama needed advice from a Stimulus Package Expert.

Oh my, if I had to try to make a list of the concerts I've attended, well I don't think I could do it. For starters, I've seen the Moody Blues more times than I could count. I saw Ten Years After probably a half dozen times in three or four years, BITD. Big Alvin Lee fan here. Random Thoughts: Luckiest1, I'm curious to know if you've heard Electric Arguments by The Fireman, and what you think of it. Especially Nothing Too Much Just Out of Sight. It's the first thing from The Fireman in about ten years or so and I think it's brilliant! Don't f*ck with the fireman, I say! And Sing the Changes is the best thing he's done in many years. I FLOVE it! Regarding lipsync: The thing that most irked me in the annals of fakery is Peter Frampton's famous "Do You Feel Like I Do." The music wasn't fake, the audience was. I thought that was such a horrid manipulation that I can't listen to that song to this day. Clay on the models thingy -- I don't watch it, but I will with Clay on it. And TIVO it, and watch it multi-times, and in freeze frame. Note to merrieeee: I worked on into the night again. So much for having a life.

For me, Sammy Davis Jr. = What Kind of Fool Am I. Anthony Newley stopped the show on Broadway every night with this song, his song, from Stop the World I Want to Get Off (at the Shubert Theater, btw) -- but nobody, NOBODY sang it like Sammy and even after Newley recorded it, and Tony Bennett recorded it with some success, then Sammy did it too -- and won the Grammy for Song of the Year. (ooooooo - another successful cover, shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh) It's a favorite from my early teens, but I always love a big, dramatic song with an emotional climax at the end - like Roy Orbison's Running Scared, for instance. I'm such a sucker for the schmaltz! hee, I actually witnessed KAndre eating pate. (Well, at least for a second or two.) Okay, so who's coming to merrieeee's party before the Clay concert in Houston? We need to start early, don't ya think? It may be cray-zeeeee but I'm down! {{{jmh}}} :thbighug-1: LdyJ-- I miss you! Couchie -- You continue to amaze me. Just because I haven't been posting much lately, doesn't mean I'm not appreciating, cuz I DO. This board has such an interesting collection of smart, independent, and crazy women. You.got.me.

Clay wears trendy clothes? Just keeding, 'cause I wouldn't know shinola from trendy clothes! I have no issue with glasses and have been known to wear them myself when the contacts are bothering me; I don't like sideburns on anybody, even Clay; and it doesn't matter that other people have different likes and dislikes because preferences make it all more interesting. It's just the term nerdy that grabbed me, because I think nerds can have stubble, and wear contacts, and not have sideburns, and still be nerdy. So I guess it's just a definitional thing since to me Clay's nerd days are long gone -- with or without glasses, sideburns, bangs, or mismatched socks. He's just hot and fine now!

Yeah, wanda, but I don't think Lois Lane would agree! Clark Kent was just a disguise, a front guy, for the real Superman! Reminds me of the song by Crash Test Dummies, that used to make me cry because it was so funereal, but the words were exceptional and having grown up with Superman, I love it. Not the video at all, but the song itself. "Superman's Song" Tarzan wasn't a ladies' man He'd just come along and scoop 'em up under his arm like that, quick as a cat in the jungle; But Clark Kent, now there was a real gent He would not be caught sittin' around in no Junglescape, dumb as an ape doing nothing Superman never made any money Saving the world from Solomon Grundy And sometimes I despair the world will never see Another man like him Hey Bob, Supe had a straight job even though he could have smashed through any bank in the United States, he had the strength, but he would not Folks said his family were all dead Their planet crumbled but Superman he forced himself To carry on, forget Krypton, and keep going Tarzan was king of the jungle and Lord over all the apes But he could hardly string together four words: "I Tarzan, You Jane." Sometimes when Supe was off stopping crimes I'll bet that he was tempted to just quit and turn his back on man, and join Tarzan in the forest But he stayed in the city, and kept on changing clothes in dirty old phonebooths till his work was through and nothing to do but go home Superman never made any money Saving the world from Solomon Grundy And sometimes I despair the world will never see Another man like him.

Luckiest, why do you think "the nerdier the better" as far as Clay's appearance is concerned? Even with glasses and bow ties, I figure he didn't look nerdy. I have a feelin' he looked like the fabboo and HOT piece of work that he has evolved into over the past few years. Nerdy is so 2002!

Waiting for clack, I was recalling the hilarious DCAT concert in Tampa, especially when Clay was talking about being proud of your instrument ... and putting your "reed" in --- somehow it seemed appropriate today so I pulled out the pertinent two minutes and made a sendspace. I think it's rather wonderful to watch this again -- first time was center, row 4 I think, dancing through this show with KAndre ... good times ... http://www.sendspace.com/file/hosdyj

Nope. Abbey Road had been out a couple of months. I know that I had bought the album and listened to it many times, then I HEARD it for the first time -- December 26. Just one of those personal things that you never forget for the rest of your life and that is perpetually at hand no matter how much time passes. I've always found that what we forget is more important that what we remember, and some experiences are best kept in the now for all our lives to prevent that sort of forgetfulness -- this is one of mine. It was the night I fell in love with life. It was 1969, okay? Give me a break.

cha cha, do you want the long answer or the short answer? Here's the short answer: That song does have a special meaning for me going back 39 years and 15 days. I was thereafter intrigued with it and wondered about it's meaning. You never give me your money You only give me your funny paper and in the middle of negotiations you break down I never give you my number I only give you my situation and in the middle of investigation I break down Out of college, money spent See no future, pay no rent All the money's gone, nowhere to go Any jobber got the sack Monday morning, turning back Yellow lorry slow, nowhere to go But oh, that magic feeling, nowhere to go Oh, that magic feeling Nowhere to go Nowhere to go ah, ah, ah One sweet dream Pick up the bags and get in the limousine Soon we'll be away from here Step on the gas and wipe that tear away One sweet dream came true... today Came true... today Came true... today...yes it did now One two three four five six seven, All good children go to Heaven One two three four five six seven, All good children go to Heaven One two three four five six seven, All good children go to Heaven It has always had a special place in my heart even though the lyrics were just out of reach for me -- and not just me as I've participated in many a discussion around the theories of what this song means. Among the theories are that this is the last song the Beatles ever wrote and that each of them contributed a part with John doing the money part, Ringo the college part, Paul the sweet dream part, and George with everybody going to Heaven. Some see the song as Paul's FU to Allen Klein. Others as a love song to Linda. Whatever, but it's been discussed. And then there's the thrilling reprise with the guitar that breaks my heart in Carry That Weight (A Long Time). Then one fine day I was read Learning To Sing, while hearing this song in my head and humming. And then it fit what I had been reading. Clay growing up, getting out of college, at a crossroads, and then One Sweet Dream came true. Then this song finally had a meaning for me after all those years. For anyone who isn't familiar with You Never Give Me Your Money (from Abbey Road) here's a YouTube musicvid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEukNvLOOcs and then there's that glorious reprise during Carry That Weight and following the guitar solo that weeps: I never give you my pillow I only send you my invitations And in the middle of the celebrations I break down. Boy, you're going to carry that weight, carry that weight a long time. That can be heard here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLTFJiN8o-A This stuff still chokes me up. If Clay ever sang it I would die on the spot. And I'd be ready to go.

For anyone interested, I snagged the Walmart Soundcheck when it came around a couple of years ago. I'll never forget standing in Walmart with this on every widescreen and otherwise TV in the place. Anyway, this is a large YouSendIt, but here it is in its entirety: https://rcpt.yousendit.com/640966290/0deaf2...7b8c8ed6bfab9f8 I was set to answer Cindilu, but I was late to the party. The throwing shoes can be interpreted two ways. No doubt Rick meant it in the George Bush way, but I remember my very first concert in Dallas in 2007 when Clay look off his sandals and threw them at Quiana, and proceeded to sing with his toes wrapped around the mike. Good times! I could be wrong, but I've considered that Clay caught hell in the gossip rags for being in the closet, and now is praised, because, perhaps, the "gossip rag industry" is populated with so many out and proud gay men who want and pressure anyone believed to be gay to declare themselves. I've known some brutally gossipy gays. And, Heidi, I only wish our media had been liberal for the past 25 years -- if it had, maybe the United States would still have a functioning economy, and hundreds of thousands of people wouldn't have died for nothing, and the people of New Orleans and Galveston wouldn't still be suffering, and our nation would have a smidgeon of respect instead of being known for torture, rendition and bullying Empire Americanus. And maybe the people who perpetrated these crimes against humanity wouldn't have been so free to heist the Treasury for their personal bank accounts in the Caymans while changing laws to prevent detection, or even investigation. They can't hide forever. Don't expect to see many of them traveling abroad ... except maybe to Dubai and Saudi Arabia. As for Obama qualifications, well, I read his books. He's freaking brilliant. George W. Bush ran for president on the basis of being the son of a former president, a caretaker governor in Texas where the governor had no function other than ceremonial, and he supposedly quit drinking. His reputation in the state among people who had worked with him over the years was that of a party animal and bully. But he was sold to the people of Texas, and then to the American people -- and not by a liberal media, I must add, but by Karl Rove, Mark McKinnon, and Karen Hughes. I'm so ready for the new guy, the smart, sensible, farsighted one.