FromClaygary

Thanks for the link! I hope you can do it next year too, because I could (and would...) go! I'm just up here up topaya! If you don't mind my asking, what are volunteers used for? In my experience, the vendors all have their own "staff" (friends and family) who deal with sales at the studio etc. Hee, me neither, but the scary thing is I did think about going! Good God, I'm nuts! ...and it'll be you and me, babe, at that mall! MN Clayfans is putting together a shuttle from the Hilton (details yet to come) which will apparently run all day at least on the 19th. I think you're very organized, and am going to copy your plan toute suite if it's all right? Obsessed? Hail, no! Off to go see Fifth Grader...latah... ETA: OK, that's enough with the being on top now...

Heee....waves madly back to Scarlett...I WISH I wasnt' up at this hour but a meeting with my boss calls.... I have a feeling I messed up that quote...so apologies to whoever said it! But I'm SO in!! What a great idea! As my family is all out West, we celebrate Christmas in early Dec when I am always there on business for about a week. I've been doing bits of shopping when I travel and can, and they'll be getting tidbits from Nova Scotia, PEI...and the studio tour LOL! Can't really wrap, as I have to pack them and take them on the plane...but I do love those wonderful little gift bags! Hee! That I'd love to see...Cotton and the big shark on the plane to LV! Thanks!...and me too! Berkeley would be a fab place to do that. Great idea! Here is their website if it helps...Images Studio Tour. The brochure can be downloaded from there. I've been meaning to ask....have you gifted Clay with any "striped socks" from your colorways based on his pix? What a unique gift that would be!! Kareneh, add me to the "fascinated with your adventure" crew! I think I must be part gypsy, I looooooove to travel...anywhere, anytime! Looking forward with bated breath to more of your wonderful pictures, and some description of the area and people. That is some house! Hope you get it!

Me too! There was actually a lady taking pictures upstairs in one of the pottery studios; right nose to nose with some beautiful raku pieces. The artist of course....was DOWNstairs! I gave her the bigtime dirty look, but of course she just ignored me. I thought of you as I looked at the countryside in its colorful dresses! Many of these, of course, were taken just for that purpose with my beads. ....and you're both invited! Anytime!! The Claydorm awaits.

Aww, thanks! I know if I lived in CA the lack of season change would get to me after a while. This area is very "artsy"..probably partially because of scenery like the pictures. Regularly, "studio tours" are held on weekends~they print/publish a map, and all the fabulous artist's studios are open to the public, with demos, sales of course of their art, goodies...AND you get to tour the country that you may never have seen before while you're at it. This one was very busy; there were usually 15-20 cars pulled up at each of the studios when I got there. Some examples of the type of thing: potter's studios, paintings, fibre art, stained glass, photography, metal art, jewelry, woodworking and turning, furniture, rugs...everything under the sun! It was great fun and I got a few awesome Christmas gifts. It's like a craft show on (your) wheels...but you get to see where they live and work as well. Thanks!...and funnily enough it was 30 above (ie, 90-ish F) and muggy. But I know what you mean about the feeling! ETA: Eeeeeeehhhh!! My first time at the top of the heap!

Interesting conversation last night and continuing this morning...I wasn't able to respond, as once again Mother Nature saved you and started up the big lightning show. Better thank her! She's chosen this morning, to start us off with buckets of rain and gloom...so I thought I'd post some brightness in case anyone else is having the same kind of day. Here are a few pics from my Studio Tour on the weekend: I love the little bits of purple in this one: More here if you're interested

Thanks for the information re hotels, no1tvfan. I saw your advice elsewhere and have already booked at the Country Inn/Suites over on Peach St. Guess that means, if I can get a ticket....this Claynadian will be there! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I'll bore y'all with some of them later this week when I get them uploaded and fixed. As it was a gallery tour, I couldn't take pictures IN the galleries (the copyright thing) unfortunately; but I hopefully have some beautiful pictures of the area, and I'll take pictures of the painting and pottery I bought. cindilu2 LOVE the banner! Any chance that became, or could become, a wallpaper? :6:

Yes, that's the one I mean...and Clay DID do a version of it that I've heard. He was young, I think it was for someone's wedding, the key was wrong for him and it was not. good. IMPO...but it was definitely sung by him. What the heck movie was that in?

What does this mean? There's another Lean On Me? Yes, there is! It's the Bette Midler version from "Beaches"; I like the song...but Clay's version, not so much...if you can believe it. Me!! I'll have a dig and see if I can find it, even though, honestly, I'm not sure you want me to. Ummm, pretty sure that song is Wind Beneath My Wings, not Lean on Me ;-) And I do have it, thanks! Oh, you're probably right that that's the name of the Beaches one...I'm NOT good at the names and artists of songs other than Clay...so I've probably got the source wrong. But I KNOW there's another version of "Lean on Me" out there...from another movie perhaps? It's the most-heard version of the song, I'd never heard this one before today. ETA: "Lean on Me...when you're not strong...something something something...I'll help you carry on" Striking any bells with anyone?

No luck, sorry...I've checked everywhere (that makes sense to me...) in the CV vault, and there's just the one we discussed today. Could be there, I don't always understand the 'tree" they use for filing in the vault. I see I did have it in my Itunes before I lost my hard drive Spring 2006...but everything from there is gone. When I have some time tomorrow night I'll check to see if I ever burned it. Honestly, I doubt it. Sorry! It should be out there somewhere though! I know I didn't dream it!

What does this mean? There's another Lean On Me? Yes, there is! It's the Bette Midler version from "Beaches"; I like the song...but Clay's version, not so much...if you can believe it. Me!! I'll have a dig and see if I can find it, even though, honestly, I'm not sure you want me to. Here's a quote I just stole that I thought was interesting: Author not referenced by the poster, sorry...

Back from the studio tour, which was wonderful! Picked up a few very nice Christmas giflts....and took a LOT of pictures! My GOSH some of these people have the most amazing homes/studios. Apparently art pays these days! Thanks so much to everyone who responded re the .mp3 of Lean on Me; I had seen it when it was originally added to the vaults I guess, and just assumed it was the better-known version of the song...which is the ONE piece I've ever heard that I don't really like his recording of. Made my day to find something I didn't have, anyway!

ldyj, please add me in to Williamsport and Erie as well as the other two....Thanks!

Done, merrieeee, thanks so much for the offer! Eeeeeehhh!! Is it crazy that the best thing about this weekend is going to be a new track of Clay's for my Zen?? No?? I thought not. ...and it's actually been a great weekend! I'm off shortly to an art studio tour that is taking place around here this weekend...yesterday I did a bit of housecleaning but spent most of the day working on my pics from my Maritimes trip and doing some jewellery-making, and of course hanging out here. Bought the new (fairly new) Enrique Iglesias CD "Insomniac" from Itunes and have been enjoying that...great for Clay fantasies! It's durrrrrty! Saturday I spent quite a bit of the day and quite a bit of my money at a bead show in the city; does anyone here do lampwork? I'm addicted to the beads...may have to take some classes.

That song is from one of his Hometown Connection shows, I believe. The lady singing with him is Pam Shanley (or something that sounds like that). I lurve that song. Have it on a CD of duets in my car. Thank you SO much for bringing that over! Probably not that great to be teared up practically first thing on a Monday holiday morning, but what the hey....it's Clay! Is there anyone that might be able to rip the audio of that, or provide the audio? I've never heard it before either and I would love to add it to my collection, duet or no. It's beautiful.

I don't see this having been posted...kind of a cute oldie, taken at (apparently) a YMCA camp in NC in 2002 (clickable). Suzanne to the left, I believe Kristy directly in front of Clay, one of his other college friends (can't remember her name) second from the right. I recognize the gentleman standing to Clay's left behind Kristy but can't for the life of me remember where from or who he is. Anyone? I don't think it's Jeff (from LTS). luckiest1 I'd forgotten you were up here this weekend! It was an all-day doozie. I went down to the city to an art show in the afternoon and it was HOT there; when I came back I had no internet or cable TV, so I was forced to go downstairs and do laundry and watch scruffy's banter series which I burned to DVD last week. Laughed my butt off and saw some things I hadn't even noticed in concerts I'd been at. If anyone hasn't downloaded it, I highly recommend you do.

First time I've been able to get on this morning, because we're having a DANDY thunder and lightning storm on this supposed-to-be-a-30-above day. Look out cindilu2 and luckiest and goldarngirl! Here it comes! Good Lord! Thank you for those CApix pictures! Dear Gawd!! The "look" one!......and the "smiling" one!!!!1!!1 I may have to get those mounted...or mount them...or something. Again, I FLOVE when his eyelashes are dyed. It does something just magical to his eyes. ....with you right beside her?

Yup, I have my Minneapolis tickets and it's the 19th and 20th; and hoping for Omaha on the 21st, because they were really excited! I'm sure it's just someone's typo.

I'm playing with my new toy I've had a business cellphone for several years, but this week my company gifted me with a new Blackberry. It's very cool, but came with NO instructions...so I've been playing, and breaking things and fixing them and charging and doing voicemail box and adding contacts and....well, you know. It's a pain in the arse to carry around because it's necessarily larger than a cellphone, but so far I like it very much! The novelty will likely wear off shortly Ooh! Ooh! re the flat screen TV. I've been looking at those, as I need just a small TV in my living room (watch TV in the family room for the most part). What kind did you get and how do you like it?

Luckiest...remember Prem? (or am I dating myself heee) Prem=Canadian Spam what else, his bucket hat... (seriously, that's what it looks like to me but I could be wrong. isn't that plaid on the inside?) Dead right, I think! Is that the hat that will never die?? How come he doesn't lose THAT?? Seriously, I have to wonder if he's bought 2 or 3 of them since the original was gifted to him. The fan who originally gave it to him must be either over the moon....or kicking herself

Zena, maybe on one of these concert runs you and I will finally get to meet...'cause I think you're my kinda girl! Are you off to somewhere for Christmas? Williamsport, Minneapolis and Merrillville for me.

Holy shit!! I would love that. It's a snarky, crazy, hilarious show, and he could really build some acting skills from an experience like that. It's the kind of OTT comedy that suits him as he is, but he could also grow from it. It would work! Also, one of the biggest shows on Broadway at a prestigious theatre. I don't know much if anything about the show, but this COULD be the "thing in negotiations that might stop him from touring next summer" that came up in M&Gs. Mind you, so could a lot of other things. If he wants to do it and it offers him some good publicity and a chance to "grow"....hey, I'm all for it! Hope it happens! Thanks for all the responses to my question as well. I'm just one of those people who's always curious about human nature.

I thought "we" had determined quite a while back that it IS definitely sweater girl; his NY publicist apparently? But I still think that it looks like the AI girl Thank YOU!! He sold one to me. I'm looking forward to reading it. Oooh, please do! I love the sap, and what's a Christmas concert without crying?? I hope you'll forgive me for being a little late to this subject....hey, a girl's gotta work! But I see an opportunity (maybe) to ask a question I've wondered about the answer to for a long time. Maybe someone here will give me an honest answer. (and no, the answer isn't 8.5 inches) So, here goes: For those of you that would go right up to somone dolled up for an important event and tell them that, in your opinion, they look like hell....can you tell me what is the "win" in this? What is the "win" for the recipient of this information in that situation, and what is the "win" for the giver of it? As I'm sure you can tell, I've been on the receiving end of this, and at the time I had a pretty hard time with it. It probably colors my feelings about it being said "to" Clay (well, on the boards). I'd be seriously interested in the thought process behind the statement. And, I can tell you how it felt from the other end if you're interested.

I didn't get into the discussion last night because I TRY to hold to much the same philosophy as luckiest...if you can't say it to their face, it doesn't belong on here. Besides the fact, of course, that I think his smile lights up the room and that's pretty much all I can see when he's smiling. Goodness knows, I'm glad as hell that there's noone with a camera around when I go out, many days! And yes, I think he "styles" himself for most of these appearances. I'm just delighted to see him, and see him looking well and rested. Having said that, I'm gonna be as shallow as it gets after that LA signing pic, and just say that I loooooooooooove!!!1!11! his eyelashes dyed. It looks mahvellous on him, dahling! ETA: Kim, I think that's a very good explanation of the way it works for me. Well said.

Well, the video didn't work for me~I quite likely need to update my Flash. Butttt......what a cool website! Love it! Thanks for the link...