Gibby

Oh, Karen, what adventures you will have! But you will be so missed at the concerts. But you could still fly to the states for concerts, just not as easily.

Beautiful scenery Gibby...Is that your parent's mountain home in the background?

I like the top too!

No, but their home is closeby, just not in that picture.

Yeah, the top isn't that bad, is it?

ldyj - Work can be minefield for me, too. Not only is the cafeteria a problem, but people are always bringing in cookes, candy, donuts, or sweets of any sort. It's hard to resist that stuff, day after day!

Anyway, the thing that has helped me the most is documenting what I eat. Otherwise, it's just too easy to eat something and think that it really didn't have that many calories or fat. And all of those little things add up. I keep track of what I eat on my treo - but the online program that lucky uses does the same thing. You can enter your weight, height, age, level of activity, your goal (how much you want to lose by a specific date) and the program will calculate how many calories to eat a day. Of course, there are days that I eat more than the prescribed number of calories, or I don't eat the right percentage of protein/carbs/fat. But at least I have a goal, and I usually am pretty close to meeting it. Weight watchers - used by Toots - is another way to keep track of what you eat.

I've studied the menu at the cafe at work, and I know what items I can choose from before I go to order lunch. That way I have some variety, but I can stay within the number of calories per day. I never order the desserts there, as they could use up half of my calories for the day in one fell swoop! I also take a number of healthy snacks to work, so that I don't get too hungry during the day. I take soy yogurt, carrots or sweet snap peas, a boiled egg, and maybe a 100-calorie prepackaged bag of cookes or crackers. Then I'm not starving by lunch or dinner, and I can more easily keep from eating too much. Eating more frequently during the day also helps to keep your metabolism up.

For dinner - we put together menus and do our grocery shopping for the weekend on Saturday. It's easier then to decide what to fix when we come home from work. If I have been snacking and drinking plenty of water throughout the day, though, I'm usually not that hungry by supper. If I am, I use a smaller plate, and try to eat something high in fiber to fill me up. Occasionally we will zap a healthy frozen meal in the microwave if we are just too tired to fix something.

I lost 30 pounds about eight years ago, and found that I hit plateaus, too. Once I didn't lose anything for a month and a half, even though I was sticking to my diet and exercise plan! Unfortunately, as you loose weight, you have to decrease the number of calories you eat even more to loose more. And often people have to change their workouts because the body gets used to doing one type of workout and isn't that challenged any more. Is there a different routine you could do at your gym?

Anyway, it's really great to have a place to come and discuss this stuff! It certainly helps with the motivation.

Whew! Just got caught up after a long day at work.

I do think some people feed off negative energy, though - for whatever reason. Just like there are people who create drama in their personal lives, there are people who try to create drama in the fandom - if not for everyone (such fun when that happens), for themselves.

Ah, yes, I know this type quite well. I've worked in hospitals for years, and after awhile you can tell in a minute who the drama queens & kings are. And you learn to do what you need to do for them, no more, and get the heck out of their rooms. Maybe that sounds bitchy, but these people will suck you dry and spit you out, leaving nothing for anyone else if you let them. Same thing in the fandom. That's why I'm here at FCA!

I think you'd be surprised at how much it's grown. We don't have the mountains, like Denver, but the performing arts community is big and gaining momentum. The Orpheum theater is absolutely beautiful and their theater season is pretty impressive.

Ah, yes, Denver. I live in a suburb of Denver. It's so nice to see the mountains in the distance when you're driving places. And we go to the mountains frequently for little get-aways. Here's one of my pics of a pond close to my parent's mountain house:

How about Forrest Gump standing at the grave ... "He's so smart, Jenny. You'd be so proud of him. I am."

Oh dear. Just reading that made me tear up a little. *sniff* Love me some Forrest.

I cried at Forrest Gump, too. Such a sweet, beautiful movie.

YAY for the Omaha concert!! I'd love to go - it's not that far from Colorado. But I'm sooooooo busy with performances and concerts at Christmastime. It's really hard to get away in December. I will be going to Wichita, since it's in November and not too far from Colorado.

ETA: Yesssss! I'm on top. I like being on top. Hubby likes it, too.

COOLIO!! I'm excited to meet ya'll.

lovereyes - sorry, that's probably my fault for adding another picture at the end. This is probably the pic you meant to post (and I loved his look that night, too!):

Gibby THANK YOU! I love that big nose-scrunching grin in the second picture. I've got a thing for Clay's nose.

And feet.

And fur.

And.............................................................

You're welcome, Wanda! His nose scrunch is really cute. And I love all of those other things, too. That's why my photobucket is overflowing!

ETA: Ah, I see that the photoshops are proliferating. This one inspires a number of naughty thoughts:

Well, Wanda, maybe you need some pics of happy Clay!

Ooooh - I love the photoshop!

WELCOME, FAROUCHE!!!

I'd love to meet you at the preparty, Couchie!!

I think I will do a Regency buck Clay photoshop - long hair, clean shaven, eyefucking, delightfully tight pants...

Sounds great. Post it soon, please!?!

Ah, yes, we've watched many a trek show at our house, too. My fav is still the original series. I was GLUED to the TV when it originally came out. It was my after-school activity. Now I like to watch them and laugh at the silly special effects, and sometimes the acting and the plot. But no matter how much I laugh, I do enjoy the main characters a great deal.

Because of that, one of my favorite movies is Galaxy Quest. What a hilarious spoof!!

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go ....

LVCDClayParty said it's fine to put her email and paypal instructions here:

LVClayCDparty@aol.com

Paypal - GeorgeannR@aol.com

The cost is $28.00 if sending a check. If sending a paypal the cost is $29.00 to cover paypal fees.

Oooooh, somebody posted a cropped version of this pic, and it has me all hot and bothered. I LURVE this pic. The cropped version is gorgeous, but the whole pic is a KILLER. All those sexy, fantastic body parts together, the sexy smile, the eyes, the hair, the arms . . . aw, I'll just shut up and post it.

Crap, I'm going to be away for a week with just coffee shops to stop in and get my internet fix. I hate ogling arm fur with people watching over my shoulder.

Should we give you something else to ogle, like a different body part?

Great post, Fear!

Something for Muski - any comments?

I, like Claygasm, sorta assumed he was gay during AI2...at least at first....and then I wavered and then the more I watched him and listened to him and gah....

I didn't assume Clay was gay on AI2 - because I saw the way he ogled the girl contestants. He watched their tummies, legs, and boobs. He may have had 'gay' mannerisms, but he seemed very happy to be with cute women and to have his hands and arms around them. And since then, he said plainly and clearly that he's straight, and in observing him with women, I've seen evidence to back up that claim. That's enough for me.

I lurve the arm fur, too. It's gorgeous in this pic:

Thanks, Meesa! I'll watch for the info.

I'm bringing over LVClayCDParty's posts from CV:

The Las Vegas Team for Inclusion is happy to announce the Holiday on Ice Pre-show Party!!

We will be partying at the Orleans Arena Banquet rooms on November 6th, with check in beginning at 3 pm and the food service at 4 pm. The cost will be $28. We will be having the "All American Buffet," which will include the following:

Mescal Mixed Green Salad

Potato Salad

Herbed Baked Chicken

Chef's Selection of Pasta

Arena Red Potatoes

Fresh Seasonal Vegetables

Basket of fresh rolls and butter

Dessert:

Carrot cake and Chocolate cake

Included with the dinner buffet is coffee, tea or water service.

We will be having Clay videos on large screens while we eat & a BAF auction and raffle afterwards as well. We will have an autographed copy of Our Friend Mikayla, signed by Clay, as well as many other great items, with the proceeds to benefit the BAF!!

Sign-ups for the party will go as follows, and PLEASE only sign up on through one board contact person, it will all be on the same list:

Clayboard contact: (please PM through CB)

LVClayCDparty

Clayversity contact: (please PM through CV)

eleid

OFC contact: (please PM through OFC)

LVClayCDparty

Several people have offered items to donate for the raffle or auction. We would LOVE to have these donated items for the party!!

For anyone who would like to donate items for the raffle or auction, please contact:

ymarie (please PM through the CB, CV or OFC)

Here is her post from yesterday, minus the paypal instructions (I PM'd her to make sure it's okay to post paypal info over here):

I have been updating the preparty list this weekend. It looks like so far we have 155 paid and 70 reservations remaining unpaid (all boards included). We also can add more people to the party, but would like to know as soon as possible. We would like to get payment by September 15th, if possible. Please let me know if you need a little more time to get payment to me. Thanks! We will have a great time in November!!

For the people going to the Las Vegas Skating Show - I put some info about the preparty in the planning thread.

Hey, all you LV Skating Event attendees! The people who are putting the Las Vegas preparty together are trying to figure out how may people will be attending so they can start planning. They are asking for people to post on one of the planning threads if they are going, and to send a paypal payment. The preparty will cost $29.00, and they are hoping to have payment by Sept. 15th so they can plan, pay caterers, etc.

The people to contact are eleid and LVClayCDParty; they have threads going at CV and at the CB. There may be threads elsewhere that I don't know about. Anyway, if you're not a member either of those places, I would be happy to PM one of these people at CV to let them know you will be attending, and I can also PM you info about the paypal payment.

I'd love to meet as many people here as possible, so it would be cool to sit together!

You know, Clay's hands are very mature (tm ldyj) and masculine. They look strong, but yet gentle, and that makes them oh-so-appealing. But the thing that always gets me about his hands is how he uses them - caressing the mic, grabbing the mic stand, using them to express himself while singing by making a fist or opening his hands. Then my imagination goes into overdrive, and I think about what those hands would feel like on me ....

*gurgle*

*pant*

Where was I? Oh, yes, how Clay uses his hands. Here's a yummy example:

(Edited 'cuz I posted the wrong pic. D'oh!)

Welcome, Cotton!!!

Looks like we have a hands theme today. Here's some oldies but goodies:

But the recorded version has beautiful moments for different reasons. I find the production absolutely gorgeous. The instruments and Clay's voice are well-balanced. The guitar part and the ethereal electronics effects add so much. The strings are all in-tune, which isn't always the case in the live version (likely due to the heat, as Caro pointed out). The timing and harmonies are tight, creating some beautiful overtones in several places. I also like it that the tempo is just a hair faster in the recorded version; sometimes it seemed to drag just a bit in the live version. Clay's voice is gorgeous in the recording, but a bit more controlled. I really like how he gets so impassioned at the end of the last chorus on 'as hard as love can be, it's harder it still it seems.'

Oh dear, this made me go and feel all inadequate and shit. I don't know nuttin' 'bout music. I read this and think, "There were guitars? Electronics? Overtones? A tight harmony? Sounds durrty to me. " And I still don't know what a 'producer' does. Besides sell raffle tickets at BAF fundraisers, that is. All I'm capable of discerning is that Clay sings purdy and gives all these shivery feelings and I likes it.

And in a way I like it like that. I wish I could carry on a semi-intelligent discussion about making music, or at least be able to fake it. But I like to feel music, rather than think about it. I'm constantly impressed with the ladies here and how knowledgable y'all are about so many different things, and it does make me feel inept sometimes. Which is why I'll just stick with crotch pictures and be happy.

Even still, I'll probably listen to MOAM with renewed interest and attention now and see if I can pick out some of those harmonies and overtones.

Aw, Bookwhore, I'm sure you're much more knowledgeable about many things than I! Like books, maybe? And other things, too, I'm sure. I just happen to lurve listening to and performing music. Gives me a thrill. So I'm sorry that reading my post made you feel inept. I think the most important thing you posted was what I bolded - you like to feel the music, rather than think about it. That's wonderful! Sometimes I wish I could do the same, but sometimes my mind starts analyzing what's going on in the music before I even know it's happening. Anyway, I think Clay needs fans who enjoy music in a variety of ways. Vive la differance!! It's good that we all come from different places, and have different ways of enjoying our fandom, 'cuz it's a whole lot more interesting that way!

And don't tell Muski that you found part of my post kinda durrty. She wouldn't agree.

ETA: Toots, how many calories you should eat really varies by a lot of factors, like height, current weight, activity level, etc. The web site I use allows you to enter those statistics and then it calculates how many calories you should eat to lose however much weight you wish to lose per week. I have mine set at 1.5 pounds per week, but if I set it higher or lower it changes my recommended calorie intake.

That's exactly how the program in my treo works. Isn't it nice to have an electronic way to keep track of this stuff, rather than writing it all down?

I'd like to mention something fairly obvious - the scale doesn't tell the whole story. Since I'm doing cardio and weight lifting, I'm gaining muscle, which weighs more than fat. But muscle is also quite a bit leaner, so there have been times when the scale hasn't budged, but I've lost inches. My trainer actually weighs and measures me, and also uses a caliper to measure body fat. She inputs it all into my file on the computer, which then calculates the percentage of body fat. To me, that's a more accurate gauge of what's happening to my body.

Anyway, if you're exercising, it's a good idea to take measurements once in awhile to keep from getting discouraged if the scale doesn't move much. How your clothes fit is a good indication of inches lost, too!