Jump to content

Desertflower

Members
  • Posts

    61
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Desertflower

  1. 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.

  2. I don't know. I had a C-Section, so things may have been a bit different for me.

    And my baby is nearly 33 years old!

    I don't think I changed his diaper until we came home. Even with the C-Section I was only in the hospital 3 days.

    ???

    I know DS' daddy didn't change his diaper til we were home!!! :)

    ETA:

    Then again - my memory SUCKS! :cryingwlaughter:

    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*

  3. Anyone have experience with Dell laptops? Good? Bad? Suggestions? Thanks! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

    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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. Interesting to bring up Arizona as an example. I was going to write about this last night, but thought it sounded bitchy, but it is true. When the JNT 5 went through Arizona, I remember a discussion on one board between 5 people who lived in Arizona saying they were not going to see that crappy halloismas show with a "corny" plot that Clay was trying to foist upon them, They were going to wait for a pop concert. Well, they are still waiting - The venue didn't even sell a quarter of the tickets, do you really think they are going to book Clay again there? (NJ sold out) Sometimes you have to support a show you may not like 100% or buy an album. When people saw the show, there was some part of it most people liked. It was half the play and half Clay singing. The half of Clay singing lasted longer than a Daughtry or Clarkson concert, but some people demand every thing Clay do be 100% they want, they can't take even a little variation or a little bit that they may not like. If you want Clay to tour, then people have to come to the show. A lot of the West coast issue, besides not being as popular, is that the areas are so far apart, travel is hard by bus and expensive by plane.

    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!

  8. 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!

  9. I have always been outspoken about Clay's propensity to travel only in certain geographic areas because the peeps in California or the Pacific Northwest and Canada get shut out time and time again. Last year some rude person said "oh shut up Iseeme, you get to see him 4 times in California!" Gee thanks. One out of how many tours and he lands 600+ miles away - might as well have been 4 states away. I know he has no control over that but I do hope when he tours this CD that he goes other places than he's been performing repeatedly. I get cranky

    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.

  10. 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.

    Oh. MY.GOODNESS!!

    What a night!! Got into the city around 3:30 and my two Claymaniac friends met me and we "shopped" at Macy's. They were actually having GREAT sales but of course I didnt buy anything. Then we walked 10 blocks and went to dinner at Juniors- right across the alley from Shubert. We ate dinner and then shared a cherry cheesecake . WOW -creamy and delicious.

    There didnt seem to be too many people outside the theatre waiting to go in- we walked inside around 7:15 and I was the third person to go into the door. My friends were on the left side, seats A1 and A3, and I was on the right side, seat C2.

    I was sort of getting worried because there were a lot of seats still open in the middle first four or five rows. But needlessly, because they sure filled up fast. I didnt see ANY empty seats middle orchestra, and on the sides, I only saw the last seat against the wall in a couple of rows. I was watching the mezzanine and there were TONS of people and they just kept on coming!! It looked like the balcony was full too!! So if Nikki bought SRO tickets, then it was probably almost a sellout!!

    There had been a notice on the door to the theatre and in the playbill that Hannah would not be performing again, that Emily Hsu was taking her place.

    When the show started, after the initial dance, Clay came to the window as the guard. It was eerie, because there were no screams or cheers. But keep in mind there were MANY kids with their families. And LOTs of men, too. I had two men next to me, both had come alone. (At intermission one asked the other if he liked it and he said he was enjoying it IMMENSELY) I actually also heard the last line Clay sang after Idol of my Age HAHA!! (tmCA) but he did get applause after it. His expressions are very animated, more so than I remember at the first show, and he is really grooving it with the dance moves. ROCKING IT!!

    ONe of the group dances, when at the first show he just clapped his hands and moved his feet, he was doing that move (I wish I knew what it was called) when you move the head from side to side in a dip (I have seen Will Smith do it on fresh prince) It was sooo COOL!! He is much more fluid in his moves, and lets his rhythm loose, too!!! (WHOA!! ) He also is making a lot more of his "soiled" pants experience, kind of moving his knees up and trying to get away from what must be in there!!! Its hard to describe, but funny to watch!! He draws out the scream a little more when he sees the black knight, too!!

    In the Camelot scene, he is mighty lecherous, chasing after the girls and making comments. I know he said a few things, but I was on the opposite side of the stage so I couldnt hear them. And right at the end of the dance, right before "GOD" appears, he and one of the dancers are chest to chest, holding both arms straight out, holding hands, and spinning around. WOO HOO!!

    The Knights of Ni mentioned the political candidates and how their ratings were. Then they went to check the polls!!

    His big number- Broadway- he put SOO much more into it than opening night- it was WONDERFUL!! i have to say that if you see Clay, then immediately watch DHP's video, or vice versa, you will see how much more animated Clay is. (Not that DHP is bad, he is very good) but he is more subtle.

    When they brought out the wooden rabbit, Clay plastered himself against it, facing out, and cried "Oh, WOW!!' I laughed so hard.

    And in the final scene- he just ROCKED! He was right in front of me, and he bumped hips with one of the girl dancers, and then just moved that body in the ways that we have all hoped he would during concerts. There was lots of hip shaking and booty twisting, thats for sure.

    At curtain call, the cheers were great for all of them, but I will have to say it seemed like the cheers for Clay were the loudest. The king seemed to come in second.

    The peasant was seat C101, right across the aisle from me. When Patsy came to help her out of her seat, his backpack was almost in my lap!! And the funny thing is, her last name was Goldstein (I think) Anyway it was Jewish, and when "Sir Robin" heard that he was just jumping up and down for joy!!! It was funny.

    I also want to say that I absolutely loved Tom Decker (Prince Herbert). When I saw him at stage door, I got his autograph and told him he was ADORABLE!! I think I embarassed him!! hheeeeeeee!!

    The King made a little speech about kids day on Broadway, and how he got introduced to Broadway when he was young, and he hoped that some of the audience would be inspired. I dont know how I remember that, because I was staring at Clay the whole time!! And yes, he was very "happy" again tonight.

    After the show, I walked to the end of the railings. I had my old camera with me (Its nothing special) and I wanted to take some pics. I actually got to take a pic of Sean as he was leaving.

    I also had made up my own 8 1/2 by 11 poster of Clay in the tux, with a few extras. He came out in about 10 mins. His sweater looked to be dark blue and he had a button down striped shirt, jeans and sneakers (I will post the couple of pics I took- they dont do him justice but at least you can see what he looked like)

    He was coming toward the end of the line very fast. A couple of PYT's behind me said "Where is Clay Aiken?" and I told them he was the blonde. Their jaws dropped open and their eyes went really wide!!

    There were not that many people, maybe around 50 or so, and I dont think he signed more than 25 playbills. As he was signing my friend's playbill,she said "Mazeltov" and he said "Thanks." I dont think he looks up much at people while signing.Then as he was signing my poster, I said "Brilliant British accent, Clay". He signed, then looked up and I could see the recognition in his eyes, and he said "OH!!! Well, coming from you, thats very good!!"

    He then said bye to all and went back inside.

    Best quickie I ever had!!

    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.

  11. I can understand posters needing to defend themselves and their membership...but I don't want this discussion to become a discussion of chexxy's

    lets just say different people have different personal experiences and history with that board and because of that there will always be disagreements about it and this will not be resolved or hashed out here. So just agree to disagree about Chexxy's and MOVE ON.

    Please dont; make me have to call in the stilettos...

    No need for stilettos...I'm done.

    Besides oogling Clay is more fun!

  12. Chef Matt

    Chef Matt never ceases to surprise me. Where he comes up with all of his creative dishes, I will never know. In addition to everything being tasty, it is also good for you. If it weren't for Matt, I would probably be eating McDonald's every day. Now I find myself happily passing by the fast food joints that I love in order to get home to one of Chef Matt's home-cooked meals. On top of being wonderfully accomodating with his delicious menu options, Chef Matt is also courteous and impeccably clean while he is a guest in your kitchen. Even my obsessive compulsions are no setback for him. He works in, provides for and leaves my kitchen exactly the way I like it; and I am very picky!!

    Clay Aiken - Raleigh/Durham

  13. I know a private board, I'm sure I don't have to name the board, that has set up a thread titled "Time To Take Out The Trash." The sole purpose of this thread is for their members to bring "negative" posts from other boards over there and post them into that thread. To alert the fan police. That way their members can go to whichever board the "BAD" post is on and beat up on the poster. I mean after all, there is more of them than there is negative people. That is their belief. Take out anybody that dares to state they don't like something and have the unmitigated gall to say so. How dare them. They think that the more they post positively, behind the negative posters, that Clay will think all the whole fandom loves him except for this one bad apple, who had the audacity to honestly post their feelings about something.

    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*

  14. 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.

  15. But then again, I am one who believes Clay liked ATDW and it reflected a lot of who he is musically. He just didn't like doing so many covers. (And this from someone who didn't particularly care for ATDW)

    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*

  16. The album I did the last time was an album of love songs from the '70s, '80s and '90s. This will be new music, new songs that will become signature songs. Am I the only one who interpreted this as meaning that this new music will be in a style similar to the songs on ATDW? I don't mean all schmaltzy ballads, but rather in feel and style.

    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.

  17. The album I did the last time was an album of love songs from the '70s, '80s and '90s. This will be new music, new songs that will become signature songs. Am I the only one who interpreted this as meaning that this new music will be in a style similar to the songs on ATDW? I don't mean all schmaltzy ballads, but rather in feel and style.

    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.

  18. 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.

  19. Heh, Guess I better have a clean house for that thing. Hope they ahve cheap seats, being a fan is getting expensive when Clay likes to tour near you. Six this summer, three this winter.......Las Vegas, Sedaka, and now maybe a gala. Don't ask how many Spamalots tickets, I am buying a subscription to a discount ticket place to see what I can get, you can reserve SRO $20 tickets through them and the Mezzanine is often just $60. Hope my feet have healed by then.

    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.

    Oh I agree. Of course the foundation isn't buying tickets....they are just giving folks incentive to choose gala date as my spamalot date. I had already planned to go in April but haven't bought any tickets or air or anything as of yet...so this will be perfect. Guess I better start saving.

    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.

×
×
  • Create New...