Desertflower

You can add me too

Her Site hasn't been updated since June. Damn Jaymes sure looks good for 50...I should be jealous.

Do you remember Permaswoon's post about InVitro, and . it seems to me,she said that most babies concieved this way are born by C-section. That for this type of High Risk Pregnancy, there was less risk with a C-section. I work in s Hospital and I don't think any OB/GYN would have a problem scheduling a specific time for a planned C-Section. If it wasn't planned to do one, that is a different story. I would imagine it would be difficult to get it down to exactly 8:08...so if it occurred that way they got lucky.

I thought I read somewhere earlier that she had a C-section. Doesn't matter though, either way I bet Clay has changed a diaper. I bet he is eager to participate in anyway he can. I think he will be a very involved parent and I am so happy for him and Jaymes. He must be on Cloud 9 today.

Nowdays after a C-Section the baby is in the Nursery for the first 24 hours, but you can have the baby in your room as much as you want. It is mainly to give the Mom some rest. After that the baby is in the room and the parents are expected to totally take care of the child. With a Vaginal Delivery the baby stays with Mom the whole time. So I imagine Clay has changed a diaper by now. The reason for this is so the Nursing Staff can evaluate your baby skills and do some teaching if necessary. I bet Clay doesn't need much teaching. It has changed alot in 33 years. *g*

FWIW, I'm on my 4th, and my mother's on her second. I bought two of them used on eBay cheap, still under warranty. Have had very few problems. If you get the good service contract, you're golden. My son works at Best Buy. He used to dispise DELL-woul I thought about getting a MAd not even sell one. Now he says they have improved dramactically and are becoming one of the best out there. I just bought a Dell at Best Buy. The Salesman told me they were the best, now, of the low-end laptops (read cheap) I'm not paying $2,000 for a high end Lap Top. Anyway I got a two year Service Contract that covers everything, including accidental damage. So far so good, except I hate Vista, but it seems everything has Vista nowdays. I thought about getting a MAC, just so I could avoid Vista....but they are a bit pricey.

I have a question for everyone...What is the first concert you ever went to? With a huge amount of embarrassment, I will admit I went to see the Monkees when I was 15. Obviously lacking in taste and sophiscation at that age, I thought they were just the greatest thing ever. Luckily my taste in music has improved since then, after all I AM a Clay Fan. My kids used to watch their stupid TV Show in re-runs, and I would just cringe at how stupid it was....of course they would remind me how I used to LURVE them. Sometimes you wish parents would forget a few things that happened when you were growing up, or at least not tell your children about it.

I've attended quite a few Concerts and the best concert I have even been to is Elton John, during the "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" Era. He sang and performed for 3 hours straight, without a break. I was sitting in the rafters and it was still an unforgettable experence. Next to EJ, I would put Clay as second and third would be Garth Brooks. I've never been to see Shania, but I do like her. I hear she puts on a great concert. Worst Concert was Cat Stevens...sang for 45 minutes and showed no enthusiam whatsoever..just seemed like he was putting his time in and then he left, without a goodbye, a thank you, an encore nothing. I loved him before the concert, never listened to him again after that. 2nd worse was Glen Campbell..don't laugh, the tickets were free. He was playing an arena show at the height of his popularity and there wwere probably 2-300 people there...and most of them probably had comped seats. They were playing on July 4th Week-end and the big draw was a huge Rock Concert...plus the area was not big into Country. He should have cancelled the concert....anyhow he came out and sang maybe 6 songs and left. I wasn't a big fans and the tickets were free so I didn't get all upset about it. I still think Clay would do well to do a Nationwide Tour of 2,000 seat venues. He needs to rebuild his fanbase, as well as get new fans. Many people can't travel for a concert and have lost interest since Clay never plays in their area. Many, many areas of this country haven't seen Clay in a Pop Concert since 2004 or not at all...way to long of an absence to sustain some fans. Being an Opening Act is to big of a step down and I really can't think of any BIG Acts that he would mesh with. Besides, people buy tickets to see the Headliner....and alot of people don't even pay any attention to the opener.

Playbiller, It's just that we have other venues that are larger and smaller. He could have played in a very nice venue that seats 2,000, which actually was more in line with how many seats the Eastern Venues held. We may not be NYC, but 3+ Million people do live here. We do have multiple venues to choose from. I personally don't feel they have planned his tours very well...even discounting my problems with the lack of Western Dates. They always seem so haphazardly planned. Like I said just accepting invitations, instead of planning a real tour. Accepting venues he has no hope of filling. This has went on since the NAT. I talk about Phoenix, because I live here.....but the same problem affects many, many areas of the Country, like the poor forgotten PNW. My son asked me the other day if I wanted to move back to Portland...and I said hell no, I'd never see Clay if I lived up there. But the big problem is not Phoenix...it's the large area of the Country that he doesn't tour in. Clay is at his best as a Live Performer, and fans do drift away if they never see him in their area. Much less popular Artists manage to tour in areas other than the North East.

Now I need to defend Arizona. I believe there were about 10,000 people attending the IT here, and close to 5,000 for the first JNT. The second JNT was in the freaking beginning of November. Almost all of the early shows for that tour had horrible numbers. We'll go see Clay in a Christmas Tour in July, but the NJU's won't...and people just aren't thinking about Christmas in the beginning of November. Besides what "5" Fans said or didn't say shouldn't have any effect on his touring here. One BIG problem with that tour was that they booked venues that were way to big. The Phoenix Venue is 5,000 seats. Oh and there was absolutely no advertising for it at all. As I recall though, even alot of the Eastern dates that were after Thanksgiving didn't sell all that well either. But from what I've heard from people who like Clay, and aren't on the Boards, is that they really, REALLY want to see him in a Pop Tour. He hasn't done that here since 2004. As far as the handlul of show in LA. Leno is almost impossible to get tickets for unless you know someone. Kimmel is hard to get tickets for. The West does not mean only LA...it is a distance for most of the Westerners to get oo.....especially if you don't have guarenteed tickets. Travelling to see Clay for 2 hours in Concert is reasonable....travelling and hoping for a ticket? Naw. Kimmel is cool if Clay is performing....but to travel to see him on the show for 5 minutes? A Show is not the same as going to see him in Concert. Personally I think they are waiting to see how well this CD sells before booking venues. I don't think he wants what happened to Kelly to happen to him. Smart Man. Love Love Love Paula Dean!

There are large population areas in the West and they are all within a day's drive of each other or less. Other Artists manage to play here. I live in Phoenix, which is the 6th largest city in the Country. Kelly Clarkson has been here 5 times in the last 2 or 3 years. Daugherty has been here 3 times. I am sure if Clay told his Tour Company he wanted to do a Nationwide Tour, they would schedule it. I think it has been easier just to book in the same areas for every tour. Now I could understand better if it wasn't every single tour. I think they don't really plan tours, but just accept whatever invitations they recieve that works logistically. The problem is that since he isn't on the radio and doesn't tour out here, most people feel like he has dropped off the map. Most people out hear have no idea about Spamalot. When I went to the JNT 05 and talked to fans who wern't Internet Fans, they had no idea he had done the NAT or the JBT. People who know I am a big fan ask me all the time, "What ever happened to Clay Aiken?" Lots of people don't watch the morning shows because they are at work, and don't watch the nighttime shows...especially Kimmel because it is so late. And they definately don't keep up with ET. Usually the only news they hear about Clay are the Gossip stuff. Although they do know about Spamalot now because of the coverage on AI. Oh he is played on the radio here at Christmas and I do hear from people what a great distinctive voice he has. He won't get played here for his Pop Songs unless it is a hit. Which is better than living in Chicago where they won't play him at all. What the radio stations are playing here has really changed since MOAM came out. Our Top 40 Station, at the time, played nothing but Rap and Hip-Hop....now they play probably more Pop Music. EEEEEE!! Off to watch Tyra Clack!

I've been very vocal about this too. I think one reason why you see so many of the same fans is that he tours in the same geographical area all the time....in venues that are in close proximity to each other. It isn't about just seeing Clay, it is a social event. Yet it seems like those of us in the West get our hand patted and told...but he did come to California for four concerts last summer. Now don't get me wrong that was great. BUT the West is a whole lot bigger than just Southern California. Plus it was just one concert tour, out of how many that bypassed us? I think if he spread out his tours, he wouldn't see the same faces in the audience. I also think he would expand his fanbase....I don't see how he is expanding his base by playing to the same people every single time. Interesting post Muski, I agree with alot of it....BUT...I also think that Clay hasn't put out any music since MOAM that would appeal to most young people. I am so glad this album is current and orginal. I really think that will help......although it would have helped more if they had picked a different Single to start off with. I remember going to the IT and there were a whole lot of young fans who must have drifted away because Clay wasn't putting out music that interested them. He has focused so much in the Christmas Tours in recent years, and those type of tours tend to attract an older audience for any artist. As a more "mature" fan who swoons at the sight of Clay, even I was appalled when I went to the IT and heard women in their 70's speaking about Clay in very sexually explicit ways in public. I think there is a time and place for that....do it on the MB's or at parties....but not a a concert in front of NJU's. I am no ware near 70, and even I am way to old to be talking that way in public. I do think the media uses this as a way to trash Clay. There are a whole bunch of musicians who have an older fan base....yet they get complimented for appealing to different age groups. Whenever they do an interview 9 times out of 10 they bypass a younger fan for an older fan. Some of us don't do Clay any favors. On the other hand I don't think just because someone is a young fan they should be allowed to continue OTT behavior without comment just because they are young.....and Clay needs his younger fans.

yeah I meant Faye....must be thinking to much about Clay. *g*

I thought I'd add my two cents to the current topics de jour. I don't think Clay has ADD. I raised a child with ADHD and there is far more to it then just a short attention span. Kids with HDD are very distractable, impulsive, emotionally imature, and often have behavioral problems. I just think Clay gets bored very easily. He probably wasn't all to enthused about a small part. Clay is great at sharing the spotlight...but I think he likes to be the Star. Add to that the fact that he was only 17 at the time that he was directed by Terrence Mann. Seems to me that Clay mentioned going to dances when he was in High School. Faye doesn't seem to me as a really strict Southern Baptist. laughn, those pics of Clay competiting in a DWTS.s type of contest doesn't appear, at least to me, something a more rigid Southern Baptist lady would do. I do remember Clay saying that she sang with a band when he was younger. Seems to me there is a pic out somewhere of her singing with a band. I agree Clay is not a natural dancer, but I do think he is better than he lets on. I think he is good about following the beat. I do think he gets self-conscious when dancing, and has a tendency to make it into a joke. But looking back on his dancing during AI, he has come a long ways. I haven't seen him in Spamalot, but it sounds like he is doing great. I give him alot of credit though for taking this role since he knew it entailed alot of dancing. I think he really took a lot of risks and went way outside his comfort zone for this role. And yeah that scarf on the head when going to Mass brings back memories. ETA Marilyn at CV posted a Re-Cap of last night. She was one of the lucky fans that got to read one of her stories during the Christmas Tour. She has also posted a couple of Stage Door pictures here. Another CV'er got SRO Tickets last night, so the show must have been sold out to get those type of tickets.

You want attrition? OFC Scroll down to a Post by Meowls.

No need for stilettos...I'm done. Besides oogling Clay is more fun!

Chef Matt

Well I am a member of Chexxxy's [not really active there anymore] but I just went and read the thread you are talking about. As with most things said about ChP, it is more fantasy than fact. Yes there is a thread over there called "Time To Take Out The Trash". But you know what? There are the only 2 things discussed in that thread....a porn video on U-Tube that was using Clay's name and people were flagging it. The second thing was about a blog and posts that the fan who is stalking Clay was writing. Truely bizarre posts. There are no posts brought over from any Board for a "planned attack". Frankly a lot about the ChP is a myth...some of the stories are true, but really most of the time people give them more credit for stuff then they deserve. That's not to say I always agree with Chexxxy, cause I don't. But there are 900 people that are members over there...members that span all the Boards, including this one. And no I'm not going to out anyone. ETA Aww Jeez..the pics! Damn he is a fine looking man. *dies*

I don't happen to think there is group think on any Board. I really think that the only thing Clay Fans have in common is the love of Clay Aiken. [despite the Media attempts to pigeonhole us] I think everyone percieves Clay in their own way, through a combination of truth and their own perceptions....and a whole lot of projection. Which vision is right? Damn if I know. All I do know is that I love his VOX, his heart, his personality, and his humanity. And even after four years he still takes my breath away.

I think the term "Group Think" is pretty subjective. If it means the majority opinion of a Board, I think it depends on the people that populate the Board. So one could even say there is "Group Think" on this Board. JMO I do think it is a pretty condescending term though.

I think ATDW reflected a part of who Clay is musically. The Covers he has chosen to sing in Concert, show at least to me...a guy that is much more than just ballads. jmo. And I like ATDW...I just think we are going to see more variety in tempo and a more modern approach. But Clay will always be about the lyric and the melody. Just please NO spinning balls. *g*

He also said last Summer that he was going for a different "Sound" for this CD...so no I don't think it is going to be like ATDW. Whatever he puts out, I think, will be uniquely Clay. I honestly don;t remember him saying that. Can you refresh my memory? Cos my impression was he was determined to get new material...don't remember him saying anything about the "sound". It was either in a M&G Report or a Blog. I am not going to wade through all the M&G Reports and the OFC won't let me in anymore to read his Blogs. The OFC logs me in but if I go anywhere it logs me out..and yes I have tried other Search Engines. It was regarding the Producer for the new CD. He said that he was looking for a Producer to produce this new Sound...and they had asked him/her to submit samples of what they would do with this Sound. I have no idea what kind of Sound it is....I believe he said something to the effect about being more hip but still credible. Personal Opinion...I think Clay's taste in music is very eceletic...I do think he likes the big ballads...but I also think he likes to rock out. [Which is not the same as being a Rock Star]. I do find it interesting is that Clay said the only song he never gets tired of singing is Invisible.

He also said last Summer that he was going for a different "Sound" for this CD...so no I don't think it is going to be like ATDW. Whatever he puts out, I think, will be uniquely Clay.

I really don't think anything he said today would affect the album release. I never expected him to record over Christmas anyway. He's going to be in NYC from January to May...plenty of time to work on that CD in addition to Spam-a-lot. Many Broadway Actors do other stuff in addition to performing on Broadway. Plus he seems like he has been working hard in NYC since the end of the Summer Tour. So who knows when the CD will be ready. The only thing I figure is it won't be in the beginning of May.

Want to trade positions....probably not. *g* But then if you factor in Plane Fares, Hotels and other incidentals into what it costs a West Coast Fan to go and see him........I think you come out ahead. I actually think his voice is better now then when he was on AI and in the Demos. I think he may have lost some of that pure tone, but his voice is so much richer now and his interpretation of lyrics is so much more mature now. I still think you here that pure tone from time to time with some songs. I think ATDW and AIW captured his voice very well....but, as always the more he sings a song the better it becomes. I haven't bought tickets yet either so I'm going to try to do it at a time where I can go to the Gala and Spam-a-lot. Sometimes it pays to be a procastionator.