Scarlett

And Scarlett, my love, you know you have a piece of my heart, but I fear Solo's famous reflexive action upside my head, what with those brothers of hers. However, if you can work that out .....

KF, I already explained to Solo that having 2 brothers is no excuse. Why, Clay has 2 brothers too! Does he get all Russell Crowe when people are stupid...

.... er, uh.... without good cause.

(pssst... and Solo, he looks hawter doing it)

Well shoot - it says the file can't be found. Am I doing something wrong? Anybody else having a problem?

Here's a copy of the .mpg file (75 MB):

080509_MSNBC_UNICEF_Myanmar.mpg

Well shoot - it says the file can't be found. Am I doing something wrong? Anybody else having a problem?

Hopefully someone already has another copy available, but I'll start uploading one to a share area just in case. (mine's the 75 MB one so it'll be about 15 min).

So many nice posts today... could I just quote them all?!!! (sorry if it looks like a mini-thread)

And even if by some credible stretch of the imagination, you did spend enough to support him, it wasn't a gift out of the kindness of your heart - you either got CDs or a concert or a Broadway show or what the hell ever.

So.... how much does "what the hell ever" go for? *upends and shakes piggy bank*

I've had plenty of friends and many wonderful experiences in my life, yet somewhere in the back of my head was a little voice saying where are my people, where are my people. I'm sure that sounds completely batshit crazy, but I've never felt that I've been around people who think like me and I've compromised and understood and been patient with the people in my life, like forever. Anyway, I found my people -- and what do you know, turns out they are Clay Aiken fans. This is something I realized before I ever met even one of you in person. It has nothing to do with traveling or going to concerts or any social thing ... I just found a group of supportive and giving and open-minded people and the glue is Clay Aiken. I needed this moment of self-disclosure. You are my people.

FINally!

KF, that was so nice. Thank you.... and I ::heart:: you even if you belong to wandacleo!

...IF this is true...I don't see this behavior as contradictory to his wanting a family and children. It actually supports it. I don't think he is a conservative that believes the only valid family is a married man, woman and children. He is surrounded by examples of single women bringing up their kids Angela and Quiana...so I don't see why he wouldn't support Jaymes if she wants to have a child. I also see how he does not need blood relation to consider people family...he has his tour family, his Broadway family...so to him the term family can have many meanings. This guy...I can see doing this. This is about love...creating a new human being that will bring joy to his parents...What is so contradictory about that. Jaymes is a beautiful woman. She certainly does not look 50 and she is exactly the type of woman that Clay would admire and respect. I can see him seeing the qualities he wants in his children in her. I also believe there is profound love between these two...whether that is platonic or romantic...it is still a very strong bond. ALL that helps me be happy and even be excited about the possibility that Clay is a dad.

...I know some people are saying that he should be considerate about his fans...well here is a radical idea....what about consideration for Clay, for Jaymes and the baby. I think in this instance his priority should be Jaymes and baby, Clay, their family and close friends, his career, then maybe his fans and then the general public. So if for whatever reason it is better for Jaymes, Clay and the baby to be quiet about this...then the fans should just understand that. If they are angry about it and wants to leave the fandom...that is their prerogative but Clay cannot be responsible for our happiness. This is really not happening in the fan's lives. Clay is a stranger. If we turn off our computers, don't listen to radio or TV gossip shows, don;t read gossip magazines...this won;t even affect us. The worse things a fan can experience are friends teasing them...so give them a finger or ignore them...but then it need not touch us. BUT this changes Clay and Jaymes life. This will follow Clay all his life so I think they need to figure out how it will be easier for them before thinking about the fans.

<snip>

...If this is true...I actually have a lot of admiration for Clay and Jaymes. They are not letting archaic conventions...the haters...the paparazzi...the fans...stop them from doing something that will bring them a lot of joy. They are taking their lives in their hands and taking risks. I think Jaymes is very brave doing this. I hope the very best for her.

THIS has made me a bigger fan of Clay...love him and so proud of him.

Nothing to add, just wanted to see this again!

I think it's really easy to say you won't take shit from anybody but it's not always acceptable either to get up in someone's face. That's how I was at dinner last night. Get up and walk out? Oh sure. That would have been very adult-like and it was a long walk home! Yell at them? Nope, that wouldn't be very adult-like either because that would give them the satisfaction of getting to me. Tell them they're wrong? Hah. Why bother. <snip>. The dinner friends.....well, all I said was "I don't make fun of the things or people you like and I would ask for the same courtesy!" Dinner was a bit tense after that. So for all of you who have the titaniums to not give a shit and not take any shit.....I applaud you. I guess I'm just not made that way.

That was a great way to handle the dinner friends. Hopefully, they'll remember this and be more considerate next time.

keeping... can I take you with me to my next family party (this Sunday)??? I will put you in my pocket, if you don't mind, to give myself courage to finally stand up for myself and not take any crap from my family. I have always been one to not make waves, but I have finally come to realize that letting them give me crap is not only teaching them it's ok to do so, but is also disrespectful of them toward me and that hurts, so I have tried to ignore it. No more! If he can have titanium, so can I!

Liney, just remember that you have another family in Texas. Anytime you're in or around here just let us know. Or else we can bring a family party to you!

wandacleo, I've been wanting to tell you this a long time ago -- I'm a lot happier when you post on every page!

liney, I can relate. Many in my family act the same way so I finally gave up and stopped being around them. I started going to a therapist years ago because of a medical condition and he's seen me through my divorce. When I told them about the way my family treated me, with the disrespect, he asked me how they were any different from my ex, and I realized that it wasn't my issue but theirs. Thanks in large part to Clay, I'm changing my life for the better, and I'm actually happy, which really threatens those who are stuck. Since I have no intent of being pulled back down, it was best for me to move on. I know, too much info, but good luck and maybe one day we can reach Wandacleo's or KAndre's status where we can scare people who try to pick on them.

That's so good to hear, justclay12. Yay for you!!!

Will smoking that peace pipe help dull my back pain? How about my knee pain?

(For the record, I'm going to the doctor tomorrow...)

{{{{{ldyjocelyn}}}}} I hope you feel better soon!!!

I'm starting to wonder -- do I look scary? I don't think I do but no one's given me any trouble yet. Especially about the preference thing. Once, my kids asked that our vacation not be a continuation of a concert trip and I understand that. But I haven't had the word 'gay' said to my face. Maybe it helps to establish a stand early on, like years before Clay. It's weird because I work in a "good ol' boy" type of company; I guess it's a good thing we're particularly sensitive to lawsuits.

Most comments to me are just regular, neither gushy nor icky:

"We saw Clay on AI5. New look, huh?"

"Clay was on 5th grader. We tried to call you."

"What were you doing in Times Square? Was that a Clay Aiken trip? Oh ok."

I think it helps that I don't expect everybody to fall in love with his music. A lot of people just enjoy things within their own genre. There are some I know who like the same type of songs so I tend to chat a lot more about a new CD with them ('course that means that in return I have to listen to a lot of their favorites, eep! because I'm not into Sunny 99.1 unless Clay's singing). And it helps me a lot to take an interest in what others like. I can chat easily about Terminator movies, football, baseball, Grand Theft Auto IV, High School Musical, SFF, wine, fishing, etc so the eHP and Clay are easy to slip in.

Muski, thanks for the Red Hat explanation. Someone once asked me about them... and I started talking about Red Hat Linux, eek!

Oh my lord...I was scanning the headlines at MSNBC.com and my eye was caught with this:

Opinions: Clay again spells curtains for Sharapova

and I swear, out of my mouth came, "oh shit, what the hell has he done now..."

then I realized it was about tennis.

Heh.

LOL! My DS loves tennis and I used to watch with him a lot more during Roland Garros/French Open time. It was just nice to hear so many random "clay" mentions. Great for "white noise" too!

ETA:

For all you know, Jaymes has decided to put down "Zeus" as the father - at least in Texas, the mother can put down what the hell she wants or nothing at all. Because no matter who the hell it is, it's nobody else's business.

Oh, no! I just hope the *cough*text-messaging-people-why text?!! if my bf had a pretty voice I'd insist on voice mail"*cough* don't move here just to be able to write "Clay Aiken" on all their forms. The eHP needs to be ready to run them out of town.

ETAA:

While the cast I see the most times of a show tends to remain v. v. dear to me, I used to belong to a Broadway fandom and we had as much fun discussing different people in different roles all the time. Kinda like the way we discuss different hairstyles or shirts or ties on Clay. I must say though that these two guys (Jonathan and David) are v. special so those shoes will be extremely hard to fill!

djs111 and Ansa,

I only just got home and realized that you'd made the "seafoam" photoshop on the other thread. BWAH!!!

Thanks for the cute pic -- I'm saving the "proof" for future use!!! (couldn't see it earlier since I *sigh* block images from our servers)

:F_05BL17blowkiss:

We all want different things. Me? I want to hear him sing "Once Upon A Dream" (the Wildhorn J&H version, not Disney SB) and TITM with the bridge and an a full orchestra.

in one picture he is in line to shake President Bush's hand. The other picture is more a close up and shows this neat tux with wide lapels and what looks like a yellow or gold not-a-tie showing. His hair is straight and blond and his expression is serious.

He is wearing a beautiful tux with white tie...usual hair but he has stubble...he looks gorgeous and serious.

Eeeee! Thank you!!!!

:F_05BL17blowkiss: :F_05BL17blowkiss: :F_05BL17blowkiss:

ETA:

...and we were talking about how he could be in such a dangerous place... LOL! I'm sure the Presidential Security could've handled anything!!!

Awww, I'm in the office (actually the server room) right now -- could someone please describe the pictures? MUAH! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I heard mature, gorgeous, mighty fine... more details please?

Oh and Wildhorn also wrote "This is The Moment" which Clay performed for the "Pieces of Gold" (?) competition when he was in high school -- wasn't that the reason his music teacher got upset and cut him from his senior year musical?

Awww, Squeeee! By coincidence I was listening to a bunch of other Frank Wildhorn songs today.

Carl Anderson? Why am I thinking Jesus Christ Superstar?

That's right! Same guy... he was in JCS as well as The Civil War. And I was listening the "The Last Supper" today as well. Sighs!

Clay is more than good enough for anyone ever born.

Hey wait a sec... speak for yourself!

Now people may assume that I think Clay's perfect because I haven't posted anything particularly hateful but you see I'm really v. picky about the people I hate. While I'm generally open to the idea of loving any person on earth I have to admit that I'm a bigot when I comes to hating. I can only feel hatred towards people who are in the same class and standing as I am. Everyone else gets a few words here and there and hardly more than a brief passing thought. So going back to Clay, he might just barely make it into my league for hating. However, since my hate issue list is extremely short: unkindness, dishonesty and intolerance, er, I guess that's about it. Anything beyond these, I'm easy. Yes, even with people who make me sleep on the wet spot. So, there just hasn't been a lot of opportunity for Clay to go over the line on my hot items. When he does, though, I will definitely hate on him.

Oh, and I wasn't born. I came out of the sea foam on shore of a Greek island. What.

Heidi Ho, are we broken up? Ansa just swooped in and swept you off your feet? Okay, I guess I can understand that, Ansa has been looking pretty hot to me lately too.

*smiles and jiggles self at kf* Are you here on your own?

wandacleo ... I've got my eye on you. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Aww, you already found someone else? *totally crushed*

As for the dowqngrading comment? I think in real life that rich people marry rich people. College grads don't marry high school drop outs. People don't trade in their Cadillacs for a volkswagon bug, when they want a new car. People stay in their own social standing, circles, or whatever the hell you want to call it. That is all I meant by that comment. So hell yes, I would assume that if and when Clay marries someone it will be someone who is not an unknown. Someone of equal status and celebrity. So sue me.

While we're at it let's keep those people with abilities different from our own in the attic where they belong! We don't want them associating with us normal people. Wait a minute. I'm a superior being. Why am I associating with you normal folks?!!

When people tell me that I should only date people within 10 years of my age, I tell them that I only listen to people whose IQ is within 10 points of my own so I'm not taking their advice.

Oh, and if you were to say this to me at my workplace, yes I would sue. And I would win.

ETA:

Ever heard of Cinderella? Every other romantic flick out there is about different people finding friendship and love, not to say that the people we're taking about are actually very different. Just because Jaymes isn't important to you doesn't mean she's isn't highly accomplished in her own right.

I didn't realize that we had this thread. BWAH! to everyone...

And the "cryingwithlaughter" smiley really means something here...

Gosh, I didn't realize how many people were feeling down about things. {{{Hugs to everyone who need them}}}

I wish things were better. But this is how things work. That world that Clay sings about in MGUCL? It doesn't exist. What we have is our world today. It isn't fair. Being good or deserving or working hard or being the "best" doesn't guarantee that things go your way. S**T happens. But here and there, sometimes good things come and if we keep chugging along, good will prevail. Babies are always nice because they help us remember what is good about everything. They bring joy and hope.

Each of us (including Clay) needs to find joy in ourselves (nope, nobody swallowed it). There's no one else who's going to provide this and so we need to take care of ourselves; what good does reading and responding to nasty stuff do? Nasty people will always exist, like cockroaches. Responding angrily to them will not change things. There are some good people out there and we need to surround ourselves with the right sort. Family, we can't choose, but we don't have to take cr*p from them either.

Meanwhile, play nice songs and good interviews -- like the AP Broadway one. Get some hyacinths for the soul. Hang with good people. Laugh at the nasty ones.

I'm not so worried about Clay because I think he knows how to handle things like these. Somehow, more than ever, I think he's going to be ok. Really.

ETA: We all deserve to work in a place where people respect us and treat us well. If co-workers cross the line regularly, someone needs to get reported and/or maybe even sued.

Playing my Sims still!

So how am I doing? Did I ever get a better job than being a test subject?

Bwah...still, that's better than my "wet spot" eHP designation.

Hee couchie! I'd rather take the "wet spot" designation but it was KAndre's game and her house. And since she graciously turned on the AC for the occasion, I didn't want to push my luck. 'course now I could go out and get my own... heh! heh!

Did you catch the names of her male characters? Maybe you'll get to like Sims too!

I still think LGOP is the most fun in the World Domination genre -- for starters, it begins in Sandusky, Ohio, my fav place on earth.

...but you're a GOOD test subject. Now that you've stopped burning up things.

With all my heart

I believe

The end of burnin'

Was a dream

Deep in me

When everything went up

in flames

I still walked away

ETA: Eeeep! *wipes egg off face* Thanks, laljeterfan, can't believe I've had it wrong all this time!!!

AoE (Age of Empires)

Still waiting for one of y'all to hit a game I don't or didn't play...heh.

Wizardry, Bard's Tale, Morrowwind, Might and Magic, Zork, Maniac Mansion, Day of the Tentacle, Leather Goddesses of Phobos, Sticky Bear Bop, Crossfire, Norad, etc.

I suppose y'all know this theme?

Playing my Sims still!

So how am I doing? Did I ever get a better job than being a test subject?

Oh and no I don't have ny of those there new fangled games. I hate everthing except Solitaire and Bookworm!

Today I went out shopping for stuff for a media room in my house I'm thinking of a Sony 52in TV. Blu-Ray and all the trimmings. I want theater style seating with cup holders. This brings me to one fine point......whoever, in the eHP, claims the red room in my house well.....sorry!!

I know I"m a terrible post-ho today but I was supposed to be cleaning out my junk and didn't feel like it. It was so much more fun to hang around you all today... thanks for the company. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Red room? Nope. The yellow one's where PerusingOne and I sleep. The media room sounds great! I can easily fall asleep curled up in theatre-style seating with cup holders.

So, should I should bring a Playstation3 and either Guitar Hero or RockBand or both to kimiye's pool party? They'll work so well with the 52" TV.

Gibby, I want to get AoE too! I'm just too lazy to get in the car and drive 15 min to Fry's.

My son and grandson are pretty much addicted to World of Warcraft.

Makes for a quiet house, except for the occasional NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU B******DS!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU IDIOT!!!!! NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!.....and they have little speaker/mics or whatever and talk to the other players. Used to scare the crap out of me when no one else was home and I could hear someone talking in my son's room.

Permaswooned's DS (or DD's BF, not sure which) works on WOW, I think. Might help to have a connection there.

I wonder if merrieeee has Guitar Hero or Rock Band? It'd be fun to see us attempt to play Nirvana -- KAndre has never heard the songs but has musical sense; I've heard the songs but have absolutely no concept of rhythm -- maybe we should take bets? Either way it'll be entertaining! (for us, not merrieeee's neighbors)

I ::heart:: Gibby!!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

*shamefacedly puts away Tetris* Oh, um, yeah I really like Sid Meier's Civilization, really I do! *lol*

No, actually Centipede is my thing -- hardly any thinking & lots of moving lights and cute sound effects.

Scarlett said:

So IMO, it would be horrible publicity for UNICEF if they endangered some of their ambassadors by providing less.

Oh, I quite agree! I just think this is not such a big deal that Clay should take time out from a UNICEF mission (if that is where he is) in order to address a TMZ report. I would hope that he would not.

Oh, I completely agree with you that he doesn't need to address gossip.

I was pointing out that he wouldn't be out of touch with TC because of a UNICEF mission, addressing the point about existing infrastructure, location & inability to communicate, not the "need to respond".

It's mere speculation on my part but MHO is that if it were true that he's in a dangerous mission right now, then the news story is completely false because it would be really stupid to endanger yourself if you may have a child getting born in the next few months.

On the flip side, if the news story is true and I were Clay, then I would put myself in the safest spot in the country between now and August.

I still don't understand why people are not taking into account that Clay may be out ofthe country and not available to comment. Gossip does not always come at convenient times. I remember how mad people were AT CLAY when the Klo rumor started tahtg some rather older fans really bitched way over the line at him when he blogged about seeing Fantasia. It didn't take long for him to reply, could have been done a bit gentler, but it was a surprise to him.

While this angst is more widespread, he did say he had a trip for UNICEF and there are moe recent tragedies. He might not want to be gone later this summer, he might want to be planning a tour. Knowing how cr...enthusiastic his fan base is, no one else might have tghe nerve of speaking up and riling this rather rude crowd.

Global network infrastructure is part of my line of work...

Our company operates in almost 200 countries, in the remotest of regions and the people we send to those places can always get in touch with people back here, everybody from the CEO down. It would be a huge liability if anything happened to them and they couldn't call.

Even when Chavez took over Venezuela, I was on the phone chatting with an Australian guy at our site. He was being protected by people with automatic weapons and things (you could literally hear gunfire) but he had a phone. And no it wasn't a "you've only got 2 minutes" sort of thing. Images of the last days of Saigon when people couldn't find people or some got left behind are very last century.

So IMO, it would be horrible publicity for UNICEF if they endangered some of their ambassadors by providing less.

As for the eHP, we don't need no steenkin' invitation...we just show up when and where we want. And will eat any and all cheez flavored snacks.

Too true and by the way we will eat any and all snacks period!!!! Not just cheezy flavoured ones!

You know you could always come over to my place...I promise to try and find a cute pool boy for Scarlett!

If your place is free...

On Saturday, instead of going to a Greek restaurant why don't I just pick up kimiye early in the morning and then we can either have some Greek food delivered or *someone* can bring food from downtown (or vice versa, I can get the food if someone else picks up kimiye). We also need one person to get some ouzo. We can hang by the pool and KAndre and I can put our new swimsuits to good use.

Alternatively we can make some Htapodi me paprika or Htapothi sti Skhara at your house... (Chinatown's on my way here to kimiye's sister's place)

-- LOL! /just kidding! :cryingwlaughter:

Welcome, calurker!!

or better yet, Welcome to the Jungle!

Just wanted to mention that I am not fond of the term "cougar" because it implies stalking or something. In any of my relationships with much younger men, they initiated the contact or the situation - I was QUITE reserved and cautious until I was sure of intentions and sincerity.

I understand this and I personally am not comfortable with with the term either. Both friends I mentioned lives in the Philippines...and the term "cougar" has evolved in the popular culture there such that it now connotes a strong attractive woman who knows what she wants who has a younger male partner. I don;t know how it is used here in North America cos I was not familiar with it until I visited the Philippines. I also have to add that both my friends with younger male partners didn't go after them either. They had a lot of personal reservations and these guys had to go through a lot of hoops to prove they were worthy or at least mature enough for a relationship.

*utter dumbfounded look* I also know someone and didn't even realize it! My closest cousin is 5 years older than I am because I was born "between generations" and I remember now that she married a guy who went to my high school -- only he was a freshman when I was an outgoing senior. Thinking about them, they probably didn't fuss about the "social impact" either. In their case, they were both very active in the underground movement during the Marcos years and I'm guessing that living on the run while working on a cause that's very dear to you creates a special bond.

But I can't believe I completely didn't even think about it until Ansa mentioned people from the Philippines. *slaps forehead* My cousin was right here in the US a couple of weeks ago for a Women's Health seminar at the UN, and we were on the phone for hours and hours just chatting away about our lives (oh ok, mostly my life because it's all about meee!) and nothing even clicked for me; didn't think about him/them beyond pausing to ask, "so how is <her dh's name>?"

I'm just mystified that I completely didn't see it or think about it until I read Ansa's post! *still shaking head* Do you think this is a genetic thing or it's because of something we're taught as we grow up? I'm very curious about the different reactions, especially after realizing that I'm very blissfully unaware (ok clueless) about people's way of thinking.

Both test his fans' understanding of him, how he's presented himself, etc.--in different contexts, to be sure, but in both cases some fans have found themselves questioning their previous 'knowledge' of Clay and feeling 'betrayed' or 'lied to'...

Fans questioning their imaginary "knowledge" of him and feeling "betrayed" or "lied to"? Uh, there's a place where they fix that. Yeah, and those are fluffy clouds not padding. LOL!

But you have totally made your point about how much this disgusts you.

The topic is of the moment is about things that disgust us? *Oooh, pick me, pick me!*

Things I find classy:

- great friends caring for each other, helping each other, standing by each other

- people wanting others to be happy

- people waiting to verify news

- Clay never using the word "weird" in relation to his fans no matter how much we drool over his body parts or smut like there's no tomorrow or post embarrassingly lovey-dovey comments on his blog without regard for our "status/standing" in comparison to him

Things I find skivvy:

*nevermind*