institches

In case you had any doubt....I am still and forever will be your minion. :F_05BL17blowkiss: No, I have nothing to add. Just that, yeah, I like Clay. He entertains me.

Oh! For a second I thought we had more exciting news! Holy CRAP! Me too!!!! Hee!! I'm happy for your stitches out, though, cotton! Hi guys! How's things? I wondered if y'all were still over here! And you are! How fun! Can I tell you that Clay's new found freedom and honesty has made me feel free, too? I adore him, and I'm so proud and happy for him! Now I'll go back and read up on what y'all are talking about! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Sooooo, we can smut here too? *unpacks all her bags and settles in*

Re: the jeans...I just want to offer up a prayer of thanks for Clay's nice small, though slightly roundish, manbutt. Cuz I don't know about you, but I just canNOT wear those low rider things! To fit my mommabutt, they are way too big for my waist, so then I feel like all I'm doing is hiking them up constantly so I don't have Plumber's Crack! But On Clay? This image made me giggle very much! JennaZ, jmh, play, couchie, artquest...y'all are so freakin' smart. As usual, I don't have anything of substance to add, but your discussion has clarified some things for me today, and eased my mind a bit. You see, around the time of the invasion ATDW release, I was so saddened, confused and threatened by the intensity of the discussions going on, that I ran for the hills. I quit the boards, cold turkey, for almost a year. Then I popped back in here to FCA once in a while, but still stayed away from the main boards at other locations to avoid the drama. That decision had as much to do with my own insecurities and spinelessnicity (yes, it is too a word) as the fighting itself, but I found myself being profoundly saddened by the anger. The joy that I used to get from my fandom was gone. See, I tended to be more of the pod person, but on the other end of the spectrum that artquest mentioned. I was labelled a Pollyanna, aka blindly delusional. But it wasn't that I wasn't able to speculate that situations could have been different/better/other in Clayland, it was that I just didn't want to, and I felt that I didn't belong any more because of it. Anyway, what y'all have clarified for me today, is that maybe I wasn't insane to think that some of the people I had always loved to read, and whose thoughts I had respected, had changed so drastically. Others saw it too. I understand where the term poddie came from, and I like Jenna's description: Yup. It is more about the inability to be open minded to other possibilities, so I feel better. And once I saw KAndre's addition to the definition: "And a lack of appreciation of tiaras." I knew I was forever safe from becoming one! That artquest is here, joining in this discussion, calling herself the resident poddie, is proof positive that the term is definitely NOT meant for her! keepingfaith? THAT's funny!

Top 3 reasons to be verclempt this morning: ONE: TWO: {{{laughn}}} THREE: Bottle's entire recap. {{{Bottle}}} And bonus happy pills from lickiest's recap... {{{lickiest}}} Oh, and this??? Hmmm....Could the J mean Jacob?

Thanks for the link to that article about Kelly. Interesting. Confession: I really like Kelly. I didn't watch the first season of idol...only "discovered" her after the fact. I think she has an incredible voice...albeit a little yelly now and then. I ran right out to get her new CD, having heard little snippets about the "controversy" here and there, and I listened. And I listened again. And all I kept thinking was, "why so ANGRY, Kelly?" I almost couldn't hear the voice through the anger! Now as I watch things continue to unfold, I can't help thinking of that saying, "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." It's almost like she was soooooooo up.set. by whoever hurt her, that she lost all sense of rational thought, got on her high horse, and dug her heels in. Kind of a childish, risky thing to do with millions of dollars and your career, but hey, what do I know? I don't know what went on, what her motivation really was for the whole scene. I admit I felt a little bit of "you GO girl" when she was sticking to her guns. But it seems now, like she was only borrowing the balls she was showing at the time. Heh. So "My December" wasn't another "Breakaway"? She got to make her stand. And much like with Clay...a half-a-million albums is nothing to shake a stick at!! And she looks kinda cute with her tail between her legs. Topic: I missed the Clay show tonight ... but I have no doubt it was amazing.

playbiller - I went to see Clay at Musikfest for the JBT, and while I was waiting in line for the bus to get back to my car after, a bird pooped on my shoulder, and several perfect strangers (tv theme song haunts meruns through my head) told me it was good luck. Yeah, bite methanks. Hee. I love the strikeout option too. Cracks me up. Hey! How'd that get in there?

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! :nana: Have fun!!!

Catching up before I post...some things never change...I STILL want to be KAndre when I grow up. *sigh* {{{{Muski}}}} - what a wonderful story. Guess that makes me an idiot too, cuz I can't see the screen right now!!!!! Word to what Ansa said about you and your DH being awesome support for Carrie. *sigh* You rock. It can't be said enough how perfect this paragraph/analogy is! AND ldyjocelyn's continuation of it is awesome too! See, I'm always finding that you guys say things much better than I could, so I just take the easy way out and quote quote quote!!!! Many of you know, I've never been a read-between-the-lines kind of Clay fan. We all have our own filters that color how we interpret things...whoever said that, was brilliant. Whoever said, "you don't get harmony if everyone sings the same note" was also brilliant. I enjoy reading everyone's viewpoints, get puzzled by some interpretations, and laugh and smile and nod along with others. But at the end of the day, I always come back to using my own filters and think of how it appears to me...this is what I see... Look at this man's life. The path he has been on. The path he is STILL on. The path he is only just beginning, really. He is living a dream. He is making a difference. He is making music. He is making millions. He has a platform now, to reach millions, if he so chooses. He is living in a dream house in his hometown, keeping his loved ones and family close, and holding on to his beliefs and making himself and his momma proud. (As a momma, I can tell you that is a hope of mine, that my kids grow up to care just a little about making themselves and me proud.) He is living a dream. A wild and exciting dream. And the dream keeps growing, and delivering more to his doorstep with every passing day. To continue the analogy, so maybe he had to get his first couple bikes from Target? Maybe he'll have to wait a little longer for fate to be in line such that he can get the Lance Armstrong bike from Trek? I mean...I can't imagine there is any way his opportunities to make more music will stop unless he WANTS to stop. The man sells a half a million CDs and calls them "coasters"! The guy is funny! I have a friend who is a struggling musician, who has been trying to "make it" for over 20 years. He would kill to be in Clay's position...EVEN if it is truly what some people characterize as a horrible record company that has no interest in making money, with an evil, controlling Clive involved. I love Clay Aiken. I love the joy he brings me. But mostly, I love the joy he seems to be getting from this journey, and I want that to continue as long as possible for him. "It doesn't really matter how I make a difference, I just want to make sure that I do." Awww, remember? *heavy sigh* [Edit:] PS...as I read this, I realize I just typed a lot of words that say the same thing...I'm a big ol' sap. I love that y'all dig deeper. I do. I don't mean to minimize that at all, ever. But I love it that I feel I can be a big ol' sap here and won't be driven out of town. I can, can't I? *worries* PPS...I HATE being the first post on a page. So much pressure to be brilliant. And I am so not. Ugh.

Good morning! I love the joy in this place! All the concert stories and meeting friends stories!!! So happy!! :F_05BL17blowkiss: Add me to the "WORD" list on this one. I've read every page of this thread, and I didn't even notice anything that seemed to be getting out of hand! Perhaps it is because the last time I was really involved in the Clay boards it was *cough*elsewhere*cough* and the tension and adversarial nature almost gave me ulcers. So again, thanks for being here, and being "grownups." Muski...I'm so excited for you and your daughter! My DD plays softball too, and is a pitcher, but she is only 11, and the league she's in has rules about only playing two innings at a time...so no stats like your daughter yet! I have my fingers crossed, since I was a pitcher myself (a hundred years ago)! Hee! artquest -- to my DH, it's never too soon to think about scholarships...when my son was born and the nurse said he was 10 lbs, 3 oz, my husband shouted "scholarship!" Yup. Exactly.

I'll be Clay's easel!

Serge! OMG, that was a GREAT roll! Someone quoted from a M&G story that he likes mayo on his hot dogs. OK. I have put up with a LOT of crazy stuff from Clay Aiken...but MAYO on a hot dog???????? *throws up in her mouth a little* I'm afraid that might just be a deal breaker for me. (I was kidding, for anyone who doesn't know me).

Bad, lapsed fan here, trying to jump back in....what is the deal with the Guillermo mustaches?

*dips toe in the FCA waters...* Can I tell you how much I loved him for saying that? A) it's true. Secondly) it meant that he was still the Clay I fell in love with, and still spoke his mind, and still stuck his foot in his mouth now and then. P.S. Y'all have NO idea how jellus I am that you are having a sleepover at YSRN's house. *pouts*

Hi everyone! As I mentioned, I didn't expect to go to the show last night...a friend of a friend won tickets, couldn't go, and gave them to me yesterday afternoon! I took my daughter Rach, who is almost 12, and we had a great great time. Even if she was using my cell phone as a reading light during much of the show so she could finish re-reading the 6th Harry Potter in time to start the new one this weekend! Hee! We were far enough away, that I didn't even bother to try to make out facial expressions. It was just going to be a big picture kind of night, and I was cool with that. Of course, it was the night he happened to be wearing a t-shirt five sizes too small! Dammit! :-D But you know what happens when you can't SEE him? You can't help but notice his freakin' VOICE. My GOD that man can sing! Did y'all know that??? Hee! We were off to the side at first, but then moved up to the empty center seats, and the sound was just incredible. In.cred.i.ble. I was telling some friends last night...his voice just does something to me. It stirs up emotions and feelings and old baggage I thought was long buried. How does he do that? Thoughts were just swirling around in my head...thoughts of first seeing him, first becoming a fan, first meeting all my Clay-friends, having him and those friends come into my life at the exact time my mom passed away and what a life saver y'all were, how the first AI concert was with Rach when she was just 7, and now she is a young lady, how life has changed and evolved since then, and so I can't really be as involved online as I used to be, how some of those friends I made will be my dearest friends for life, how happy Clay must be and that he must still pinch himself every day because he is living this wild dream....gah...I could go on and on (shut.up....I know I just DID go on and on). Anyway...he was entertaining, and charming, and funny as hell, and just sang his ass off! I had not listened to any Clack because I was waiting until Asheville, so everything was new and wonderful! After his banter with the woman who was late, Rach said, "Is he going to talk more? I really liked that!" I assured her, Clay Aiken would most definitely talk more! Have I mentioned that I love it when he talks, too? High points of the night? - MOAM (which will always be my favorite after being there for the Wilkes-Barre sing-along). That is forever HIS song for me. - These Open Arms (why has nobody mentioned that before this song, which was after the "fan" letter calling him a fatty *eyeroll*, he stood up straight and Angela told him to "suck it in" and Clay said "Ahhhm suckin' it!"?) Hee!!! God, I love him. - The Classics Medley. There are no words for how great this was. Brilliant. - Angela singing Listen. I lovelovelove this song...especially the live version Beyonce did on the Oscars.... but Angela does an incredible job. - Lover All Alone. My god. *weeps* *sigh* That is all. I'm going to go slump into my post-show depression now...and try to get by until Asheville. Hugs again, to everyone!

Awww you are too sweet!!!! I'll probably have a fangirly recap to share after, because I am definitely claymatey and fangirly all over again now that he is touring! Hope everyone is peaceful and happy and well!!!! MUAH!

Hi all you crazy people!!! *huge hugs* A friend of a friend won tickets to tonight's show and couldn't go, so she gave them to me! SQUEEEEEEE! If I see you there and I don't recognize you or forget your name...please forgive me! It has been a looooooooooong time! OMG I'm going to see Clay! Everyone enjoy the show!!!!! Miss you all! MUAH! :Tour3:

Ummmm, "love gravy"? Ewww. I think muski needs to work that term into her next chapter. LOL. {{{luckiest}}} Oh, and I am totally a Claymate. Heh. Must.do.work.today.

BWAH! Excellent response, Couchie. Now please hand in your Claymate card, pronto! WHEW! Thanks for responding ladies. I was a little nervous attempting the snark so early without enough coffee for the first time in a sandbox I'm just starting to play in when I don't really know how to do snark anyway! WHEW!

Mornin' y'all! GUH! Clean up in aisle 6!!!!!! HA! The "Christian" test can only take place after a "potential" friend or colleague has passed the: - Do you hate Clive Davis test. - Do you hate Kathy Griffin test. - Do you hate Kelly Ripa test. - Did you used to hate but now you love Jimmy Kimmel test. - Do you think AI is poison to Clay's career test. - Do you think everyone and their brother is out to get Clay test. - If you're a girl, are you just ugly enough to not be a real threat to my chances with Clay test. - If you're a boy, are you "manly" enough to ensure that there will be no possibility of the word "gay" being uttered anywhere in the vicinity of Clay test - Do you think Clay is perfect and an angel and can do no wrong test. - Do you second guess everything Clay says and know in your heart that you know what's best for Clay better than he does test. (yes, you have to pass BOTH those last two at the same time) The above is intended as snark. No one other than pod people were harmed in the making of this list. OK, I had no idea I woke up so bitter this morning. Heh. I think I'll go back to muski's parting thoughts from last night....

You are me. Well, me, only cuter. BWAH! Love that! I saw a similar quote the other day that said, "never argue with a fool...people might forget who is who." {{{georgiaclay}}} Back atcha! You brilliant ladies just made me think of why I like the new Clay. The no-holds-barred, ass-kickin' Clay we saw in yesterday's blog...and well, since he was on the AI5 finale, actually. I think there might have been a bit inside Clay that wanted to run the hell away back a year or so ago, but the stubborn part of him (guh) said "look...you love this fame, you love to sing, you love having influence in the causes close to your heart. If you want to keep all that good stuff, you better get your shit (sadly, he probably wouldn't have cussed) together, and stop letting the pod people (I f-love this term, y'all...it's awesome!) have an impact on your heart!" I think he grew up a lot, and took control of the bullshit. He maybe realized, much like ldyjocelyn, that engaging in a battle of wits with so many unarmed opponents (hee) was only bringing him down, bringing down this whole experience. God I love the new Clay. The Clay who basically bitchslapped Kelly Ripa when he covered the mouth of the NC news lady (sorry I'm a sucky fan and don't know her name) on his house tour. The Clay who bitchslapped the pod people in his blog yesterday, and basically told them he thought they were ridiculous and petty and obnoxious and wasting their time and WRONG. {{{{{Clay}}}}} I loooove me some bitchslappin' Clay!!!! *thud* (Hee! It's a slightly amended version of my tagline since I escaped the pod)! I am more confident than ever that Clay Aiken will live his own life, follow his own dreams, be happy and peaceful, and share the parts of his life with us that he chooses, when it is the right time to do so. Huh. He's almost being...human. Well, except for that little superhuman ability to keep us all under his spell simply by standing there.

*hugs everyone in the room* Hi everyone. I just read the last few pages, and how freakin' SWEET are y'all, a-wavin' and a-pouncin'!?! Muski....your pounce better have included some inappropriate groping, or else!!!! I joined FCA waaaaay back when {{Couchie and Ansa}} started it, and have continued to get the e-mail alerts about new topics and stuff, even though I've never posted. I saw the Happy New Year e-mail, and read about how the community was well-established, and came here to check it out! And WOW! What an awesome place!!!!! It's so great to see everyone here!!!! {{{{{FCA}}}}} Since that night y'all saw me lurking, I got a couple e-mails (*muah*) telling me about what a wonderful place this is, and that I would love it here! So here I am! For those of you who are wondering, sadly, I let my dissatisfaction with the tone of another place *ahem* ruin my fandom experience, and I just went away from Clayland altogether. I still checked in now and then to find news about Clay, and caught his appearances on TV if I could, but otherwise, I just stepped away. I still chat with some friends I made along the way, so I get the pertinent updates that way too. I am really happy to know that you all are here, just loving Clay and having intelligent conversations about him, and enjoying him and the good he brings to this world. That's all I've ever wanted to do!!! You see, I had a very blessed life, and was thankful every day. And then Clay came along. And I made friends through him and we got together across the miles and celebrated his voice, and his soul, and his heart, and his ... other stuff ... and each day, my already great life was EVEN BETTER!!! He didn't have to do that for me!!!! He just did! And all I can really do is be thankful, and spend as much time as I can wishing him success and love and joy and peace in his life. That's what I want for him. Anything that I happen to get as a result of his peace and joy, is just gravy. Thank you, thank you, thank you for still being out here, celebrating Clay. I don't know how much I'll be around, but when life lets me think about Clay, I'll come in here to share it with y'all! OK. End of sap. *smooches to everyone*

Good Lord, Skate and Buzzie! Those pictures are so incredibly clear and gorgeous! Of course! I expect nothing less from you two! Thanks for sharing! (Skate, I saw yours when I looked at Buzzie's at BoC...I'm guessing there are more? PLEEEEEEEEEASE??!)

EEEEE! I made it! Y'all got in full swing while I was on vacation! Yay! What a great group of people, and a neat, positive place to be! I look forward to hanging with everyone! I'm institches, originally from TWoP, then CH, and although I AM easy, I don't get around like my girlfriend YSRN! *MUAH, girl* CH is my one-stop shop for all the news and clack. I'm happy that Angela and Ansa started this place, so I have a place to go for my conversation now too! I used to be a maniac poster, but have apparently mellowed, as I hardly post at all anymore. I just love that man. GAH, it's crazy how much, isn't it? I explain my Clay love like before I had kids....what did I do with my time back then?, and I can't even imagine life without them (him). He's just part of me now. *sigh* OK, enough mush. Hi everyone! *waves*