atinal

Hey KF, I've gone tubin' on the Guadelupe River and I've been to Gruene Hall, I think I had my first shooters there. Thanks for the memory. Funny thing is, it was a work trip I was on about 18 years ago.

I even loved how Shack hated Clay, with a pure and innocent hate (liberally sprinkled with mucho hated of Clay's fans). Of course, then he got all old and bitter and wrinkly and jealous. Trenyce wasn't even safe from him, and he loved some Trenyce. KAndre, Thanks for posting this, I laughed so hard at a the bolded areas I couldn't see straight. Yes indeedy! I'm surprised the fire sprinklers didn't go off. Or did that hot lovely hot old hot historic hot theater even have those?! Moving back to HOT... In honor of my one year anniversary of seeing Clay in Tulsa on 7-7-07, I'd like to add, that I too was "hot" that night, but am so glad that it is not captured in pictures. That's a fond memory for me too KF, but tell me what's goin' on with all the Hotel California hate, guess it shows how out of touch I am. I really like it. I especially like the guitar solo in it.

Fear, my husband heard of a place to order eyeglasses on line from one of the Financial radio talk show guys, not Dave Ramsey, but someone like that. So, when he had his last eye exam, he went ahead and ordered glasses where he had the exam, but asked for a copy of his prescription. He decided to order a back up pair from this online place, Zinni Optical, just to see if they were any good. He got a pair of no line bi focal, anti glare in frames for $47 including shipping. He was very pleased with them. I'm sure they have limited frame options, but what he got was very similar to what he normally gets. The glasses on this site actually start at $8 a pair. The only thing that seemed pretty cheap looking was the glasses case.

TRM - This is probably the most played song on the CD for me, it is one I repeat and I love to sing along with it. I too, love the way the song builds and believe Clay displays a beautiful vulnerability in his interpretation of the song. I like that it is a song that could represent a different relationship to each listener. If Clay were to one day have his own television show. I could see a show in the old mold of the Mike Douglas or Merv Griffin Shows. They both were performers and performed fairly regularly on their show. They were both "nice guy" types I don't remember mean humor from either of them. They were good interviewers too.

anyone want a beeeutiful cairn terrier puppy!!!!!

Thank you kindly! Not to belabor a point - but in the Olden Days, when we grizzled old posters lament the demise of snark - that was snark. Snark was usually poking fun at ourselves as fans, not taking cheap shots at others. The situation has pretty much completely been reversed, we can't hurt widdle feewings, but we can take passive-aggressive jabs at Clay, family and friends. I remember when I first found the Clay message boards, I was so struck by the humor that was demonstrated by regular posters. I miss those days when we were able to laugh at us I wonder what happened, was it when outsiders started laughing at us (Cue stereotypical Claymate reference) that we became so sensitive?

I believe in those early interviews when Clay spoke of having a family, he was speaking in the traditional sense. Perhaps a hint that he's been thinking about this for awhile. "for all I know the picture that I've tried so hard to find, isn't mine" ETA: djs, now that's funny, and what about that avacado colored sweater that everyone loves to hate!

Moringing thoughts: -laughn, I'm glad you're feeling better. Loved your story. It's a shame that someone didn't load up an MP3 player for Pat. -I miss cindilu -I had the first person mention the story to me. He's the husband of a good friend who has attended 3 Christmas shows with me. He said, hey, atina what about Clay, hesitated only a second or two and then said, he's gonna be a daddy. I said, yeah that's what I hear and followed it up with, he loves kids and has said in interviews he really wants to be a dad. That was it. -KAndre, I'm with you on Dylan. I think the man has written some truely great stuff, but I like most of it better sung by other people. Several years back he had a resurgence in popularity and was singing on one of the awards shows. I honestly couldn't understand a single word that he sang, but he was getting praised out the waazoo for his latest album. I had an album or two of his back in the 60's and there are a few songs that wouldn't sound quite the same if Dylan wasn't singing them.

I haven't said it for a while but I love Clay Aiken :F_05BL17blowkiss: I think he is strong of character and conviction. I feel he has shown me by his actions and deeds is that he has a great capacity to love. He is far less judgemental than those who would judge him. His voice touches me like no other, that's all I need to know really. Except where can I buy a ticket to the Fucking Cheery Car ? luckiest, your kitties are very pretty, I'm glad Sebastian is on the mend but sorry your pocket book took such a hit.

Iseeme, I agree that Clay is taking a "big hit" on this one, but not that he doesn't care, perhaps he feels it is something he wants so badly it is worth the hits he is taking. Clay has said recently that he views success as being happy so perhaps being happy on his terms is also worth taking hits I believe that Clay is joyous and thrilled at being a father, but not thrilled that he and Jaymes were denied the opportunity to announce this on their own terms. I believe that this was a huge invasion of their privacy. Prior to this gossip being put into public conciousness there were posts upon posts of people saying how very happy Clay has looked in the past few months. I told ldyj in pm that if I had had a choice in a happy life scenario for Clay this would not have been what I would have wished for him. When I think about my scenario, the more tradional one, I wonder how many of those have been truly loving and happy ones? The statistics aren't too good, especially when it comes to celebrities. Please add the requisite "if true" disclaimer yadda yadda.

Anyone else see this? It looks like ET prematurely announced the birth of the Brangelena twins, and still haven't recanted. I guess that shows how much these "entertainment" shows care about getting their facts right. Ldyj, hope your trip to the dr. tomorrow helps you find a solution to your knee and back problem.

THIS IS PRICELESS...BWAH!!! CG, it look like someone definitely got the Oedipus vibe, Good lord can TMZ be far behind?

muski, you asked earlier about my new puppy. It's a cairn terrier like ToTo from the Wizard of Oz. He is sooooo cute. We''ve never had small dogs, but this one really caught my hubby's eye. After about a week and a half of thinking it over, we decided to get him. My larger older dog is kind of jealous of him, but that seems to be getting better as each day passes. I forgot how much work a new puppy can be though.

I wonder if Roger Friedman has looked in the mirror lately. In my mind I'm thinking this man: (pic of Roger Friedman) is calling this man: (pic of Clay Aiken) a weirdo. GeeZ

This: And this: are why I don't have to post much, someone says what I'm thinking so much better than I. Even to the point of what I bolded here, I was walking my new little puppy just minutes ago and this line of the song kept going through my head, when something is close to his heart he draws a line and he gets to choose and I believe that's how he chooses to use his titanium ones.

OK, it's time to talk hair, is it the lighting does it look a little less blond?

Something I've come to realize in the past few years is that we are not nearly as evolved as a society as we like to think we are. There is still a large percentage of the country that is not ready to accept a black man as president, or a woman. The idea that to some people that even if one is perceived to be gay, it puts them in a sub-human catagory. Sadly, this is what the purported "story" reminds me of. To me, this breaking news, wasn't that Clay Aiken was going to be a father, it was the need to add the method of the pregnancy that was the story and it's the need to remind the audience that he has been plagued with questions about his sexuality. It's that underlying jab, see this is another sign he must be gay. It's the underlying jab that no self respecting "real" man of 29 would be having a child with a 50 year old woman. No one blinks an eye if it is even a 20 year old woman having a 50 year old man's baby with no plans of being married. The double standards and predjudice are all over this story. That's the thing that pisses me off about this whole thing. There are no rules in journalism anymore. Truth, integrity and compassion have no place in today's news. So, Jenna, I hope you're right that the press will just move on at least until the next time Clay Aiken moves a finger or a foot.

Well naturally the reaction will be different. Those two stories are not even comparable. Two years ago that was such a sleazy story it never got reported in the regular entertainment news. That story also characterized Clay in a way that is totally unbelievable. This story involves a woman that we all know is a very special person in Clay;s life and involves an act of love and very positive. This is believable...and in line with the Clay we got to know...the crap 2 years ago was just the raving fantasies of a lunatic stalker looking for attention. These are the thoughts I had too Ansa, as I was reading Muski's question. These are totally different situations, even if this is completely untrue there are facets of it that I could see being true. The fact that Clay has made no secret in the past couple of years that he really wants to be a dad. The fact that while Clay has always seemed to want a traditional family, he also has always seemed to march to the beat of a different drum (or odd duck as KAndre would say). For me the other was just so at odds with what I felt I'd come to know about Clay.

I have one reason and I think only one reason to hope that the story is fabricated, and that is that I hate for this to give any validity to TMZ or any other gossip monger out there.

I'd add his recent answer to the question about his favorite song on the CD, ASAWH because it was the song that brought him and Jaymes together. I've never done much shipping at all, but I would say there have been signs all along that they were close.

HASMAT maybe??

well now, ET online is confirming the story now Not to the degree of TMZ though.

djs, loved your whole post but I picked out my favorite parts. So, are there really rumors that Clay has had plastic surgery? When I read the interview from last night, I immediately thought of the Country Music award show that was on a couple of weeks ago. I think I missed the first half hour. I was looking for something to watch and because of a lack of anything else I decided to watch. It's funny I hardly know any of the performers any more. What I will say is that if this is the show that Clay was referring to, I absolutely agree with him. One in particular that I remember was Kellie Pickler, I'm not sure if she ever found the right key on her song. I did see a couple of singers mess with their ear pieces. Garth Brooks, someone whose albums I own most of, did not sound at all good in his medley and when Tricia came out to sing with him I thought they sounded terrible. There were quite a few others but I can't remember them off the top of my head. I thought one of the best performances was Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley's tribute to Eddie Arnold.

Ok, I admit it I like Ashes quite a bit, however I've never once said it should have been the first single, I just don't think that is my call. I have been trying to give equal love to all of the videos at AOL. I'm not sure if these things help or not, but I'd rather use my enery giving the songs some hits just in case it does.

OK, I did listen to them all the way through. I didn't realize I hadn't listened to OMWH either, of all of them I think that one was a little rough around the edges. SAU was sublime and I really did think he sounded great on the others, I think they are the types of songs that sound good with a little raspiness. Just a few days ago I was reading somewhere and there were some suggestions that Clay needed to dirty up his vocals a little bit. Well, there you go.