diamondjake2001

I've very impressed with those who can hold out on the clack. I'm so weak that I'm freaking out about going on a vacation in the middle of this tour. I'm heading to Anchorage to get on a cruise with my mom & 2 sisters on Friday & here I sit trying to download the best audio clips & what happens but my iPod DIES. Yep, I have to send it in to get it replaced and obviously it won't be here until after I leave. I'm so weak that I am actually not flying home from the vacation but flying to Indy to go to the show again. Then Boston & both AC shows. Still thinking about Vermont. It's a good thing we only have 1 car and I'm going to be on the ocean because otherwise I'd probably skip the mortgage payment & just follow Clay around all summer.

You ask & just like that you got your answer. He's in the audience. I think that's really sweet. He actually wants to watch the show. That makes me really happy.

Couchtomato, the concert on Saturday was absolutely amazing. Of course everyone knows that already. I was sitting next to SkateJoy & Buzztechie so what they took pictures of, I saw in person. Gah!!!! The show is so much more than a standard concert. It really is a musical review with Clay, Angela, Quiana, & Jacob all playing multiple characters. It's so much fun watching them interact & his teasing with A & Q is very cute & very hot! The cellcert just confirmed that Jerome is there tonight.

Jerome does live in Atlanta, so I suppose he might be there strictly to watch the show. But why would he be credited in the program?

Clay posted in his blog again. He really is such a tease!

Clay was great on Suspicious Minds but wow I absolutely love Back for More. What an amazing song. Clay brings so much to the songs that he sings.

This show is so amazing. What other performer could pull all of this off. I'm going to see it in Darien Lake on Saturday & it's going to kill me. I'm a child of the 70's and the choices from that decade are really some of my favorites. To hear Mandy live will kill me. But what a way to go!

Yes, it does really have a Journey sound to it. Beautiful.

That was definitely Quiana. She also sang it in FL for the BAF Gala

This is breathtakingly beautiful!

I'm crying too. Wow!

I am totally slayed by his voice on this medley

More Spoilers From CH And there appears to be an opening act at 7:30 but no one knows who it is.

Funny, I was just explaining the Tsathy story to my husband and grown sons. They found it amusing but there is no way I'm even going to try to explain the O pin to my sons. (My hubby will find it amusing, I'm sure.) Now, I had decided I didn't have to buy that pin. That took care of it. But then the pin disease took over & somehow I accepted a trade for it. The only concert I have taken friends to was the JNT and that was easy for them. They loved Clay's voice & concert. There's no way I could bring these friends to a regular Clay concert. I don't think they could handle the fans screaming. Fortunately I moved before the pin craze took over because I'm sure these same friends would have me committed if they saw all of the pins I'm collecting or knew how many concerts I'm attending. I'm really fortunate to have a husband that is supportive of my hobby. He has attended 10 Clay or AI concerts with me in the past 2 years. He is definitely not a fan but not a hatah either. He's glad that I now have other friends that will go to these concerts with me because he really doesn't like seeing the same show more than once. So this time he is just going to the last show in AC with me. Couchtomato, I remember when your BIL went to that concert. You really were worried & it was great hearing about his reaction to Clay in concert. It's cool to hear that he defended Clay to his buddy.

I have that same feeling of anticipation. I love that Clay is standing his ground and insisting on just being himself. I love the fact that Clay speaks his mind even if some might be offended. I would much rather have Clay be real & himself than some character that he (or the record label) thinks the public wants. There are enough of those types already. I don't think this tour will earn Clay any 'cred' but I don't think Clay cares much about that type of 'cred.' I agree that I think Clay needs this tour as much as we do. Live performing energizes Clay. Clay has said he hopes that the popular music industry swings back to what he calls 'organic' music, music with a melody & harmonies. There is so much really great music that he can explore with this tour. My only 'concern' is that once Clay sings a song it ruins the original for me. So we better get some really fantastic audio clack. I have tons of room on my iPod. The more I think about 70+ songs, many of them new from Clay, I get positively giddy! Happy Birthday KAndre!

I watched them both also. I wonder why they edit clips the way they do. I suppose it's to get a rise out of the audience. The voice over saying "Harsh words from Clay..." I was raised in LA. I moved away 20 years ago but I still have family there. The way Clay describes it is absolutely true. The fact is that people in LA tend to be more concerned with how they look & who they are seen with than their care & concern for others. He's also right, it is a big city but it's not a big city like NYC. It's a big sprawling city that goes on for miles & miles. Because there is more room there is alot of competition to see who has the biggest house, etc. Of course there are wonderful people in LA but in Clay's case how is he to meet them. Clay does not like to go 'clubbing.' He doesn't like bars. He is not a partier. He is in an area where people are trying to break into the entertainment industry & if they think you can help them they will do ANYTHING to be your friend but as soon as they think you will not be a help they will drop you just like that. So how is Clay to truly know who is his friend just because. Not because he is Clay Aiken, but because he's Clay. He has most likely been burned before so he is left with a bad taste for LA. I hope he can move back to NC. He can always rent a house or apt. in LA but his home could be in Raleigh. I think he might find that his problem is more celebrity based than location though, unless he keeps his circle of friends to the ones who knew him before AI. He sure did look great in the clip. And BWAH! for singing in a beanbag chair. I am a child of the 70's (graduated high school in 78) so watching them rehearse the 70's stuff takes me back. What were we thinking back then!?!

I use to have a laptop & 2 external harddrives that totaled 200GB. Last March I bought a new desktop computer with 500 GB & I'm still using the externals for a total of 700GB. The big question is how long before I fill these puppies up. Hee I love Clack way tooooo much. I'm glad to see the Uganda info beginning to trickle out. It must have really been hard for Clay to see the children suffering at the hands of other people. The trip to Banda Aceh had to have been so much easier to comprehend. In Banda Aceh people were working together & they had hope. I would imagine the children in Uganda have little hope. It had to have been gut wrenching for Clay. On to happier thoughts. The tour starts in ~76 hours! EEEEEEEEEEEE!

You know, I think he's leaning back in that picture because if he tried to sit up straight he'd be permanently injured, if you know what I mean.

I found both of the regular copies of TV Guide. I have a set for anyone who can't get them on their own. PM me here.

I loved reading what Diane had to say. I'm very happy to hear about the corporate sponsors especially the State Farm piggy backing the curriculum grant. I really see that as a major way for TBAF to reach it's goals of inclusion in ALL that life has to offer. But the Camp Gonzo program has to help Clay & Diane deal with the garbage thrown at them. That story made me cry, very happy tears.

This was how I first listened to LTS. Nothing like letting Clay read you a bedtime story.

It could very well be haters who sent it to WRAL but they got their info from CA. CA has claimed that 35% figure in their 'analysis' of BAF's 990. So, as far as I'm concerned the credit lies at the feet of Cafe Allegro. Chances are strong that no member of CA sent it because they would have included their 'drama fest' about Fran unless they realized that would just make them look foolish.

I was thinking about this whole situation last night. I wonder if Diane wishes she had not pushed Clay to try out for AI. Is the headache of all the "fans" really worth it in the end? I hope they can personally look past the garbage and see all that they have accomplised in 2 short years. I also wonder if some of Clay's mood in the TV Guide article was related to all of this in some way. I'm sure that Clay and his people have been aware of the Cafe website for a while. But it's more than just that website. It seems that Clay fans think they know how to run all aspects of Clay's life which includes his foundation. The one thing about the Clay fandom that makes me get upset is this idea of entitlement. Is this a factor in other fandoms because this is the first fandom I've ever be part of? I have been a fan of several artists but never to this extent. Is it because of the way he got into the business? Should any of his fans be entitled to tell Clay how to live his life & run his foundation? I just can't figure it out. I understand the desire to not empathize with Clay but I'm having a hard time keeping myself from doing it. Personally I think it would be a huge mistake for Fran to step down. There has been no true mismanagement of the foundation. While she may not be great with communication that is not mismanagement. I don't really care about her qualifications for the job, the fact is Clay gave her the job & he appears happy with her performing that job. And all the complaints about her salary make me sick. She worked for FREE for the first year & only took salary for the second half of last year. For a foundation that brought in over $1,000,000 you would expect to pay the CEO a decent salary. I realize I'm ranting. I'll join you, couchtomato, and continue to support the BAF & scream for Clay at my concerts, too!

The BAF is such a young foundation & in many ways I think the direction the foundation has moved is what upsets a small particular group of people (just can't call them fans?) It seems that several people thought that Clay's foundation was going to be the savior of their personal struggles with services for thier children. They seem to think that the BAF should be a foundation that just doles out grants. I think when that didn't happen they became disillusioned with Clay & the BAF. It's a shame that such a small group of unhappy people can bring so much negative attention to an important foundation. bolding mine I think this is probably the most important project that BAF is undertaking. Being able to help 1 child is fantastic for that 1 child, but helping a teacher/school will help all children. There's no question that BAF has had some issues but I don't think any of them are scandalous or illegal. They did learn that the Galas did not work as fundraisers so at least the one in FL was used to raise awareness. Clay & the BAF were all over the news media that week. He spoke at a caregivers conference & was interveiwed for the magazine. I know that the first 2 Galas were advertised as fundraisers but I don't expect anyone at the BAF to be psychic. They are learning from their mistakes and that is all that really matters. It does make my heart sick for Clay, Diane, Fran & Faye. It just seems like such a personal attack on all of them. I can only hope that the attacks don't escalate. Thanks MusicFan427, it really is wonderful to hear from someone who has voluteered with the BAF.

I can answer this one Ansa. Reading a book out loud to a child will is definitely a good thing. Most parents do this with picture books when they are young; however, it is even more important to do it with older children. Especially for children that struggle with reading comprehension. Listening to a book teaches you to make connections with the words you hear & pictures in your mind. Frequently we stress learning to read words (either through phonics or the worst method of teaching to read 'Whole language') and forget about reading comprehension. Most children will eventually learn to read the written word but if they can't put the words together in their mind reading will always be unpleasant at best. Listening to audio books will improve reading comprehension. This is true all the way through high school (though teachers usually stop reading aloud during later elementary school.) As long as your child continues to read her school work I would imagine using audio books will be good for her and if she's an auditory learner audio books are a great way to encourage her to love to read.