ncgurrl

I will be bidding and also be buying beads. I plan to get a lot of my Christmas shopping done. Last time I won the bid on a Clay centric item. This time I plan to bid on some of the jewelry and what nots. Compared to the prices at the street fair that was going on down the street on Sunday the auction items went for fair prices.

I just love the way the University of California (campus and system) waits until Friday afternoon to make big announcements. The furlough/salary reduction plan Came out late yesterday. It still has to be approved by the Regents. Right now it looks like I will be getting a 5% pay cut which equals 13 furlough days for the year. It is a tiered plan so those making more money will get up to 10% cut. My son works for the state and is being hit with a 15% cut. The whole thing is a bit of a slight of hand as we are have not been getting any merit or cost of living raises. Some senior admins have gotten raises so their cuts will just be a wash.

Why? If they came by the program legally they have the right to do with it as they wish. Heaven knows the family and promoters are making money off of Jackson's death. Dig that sucker out and sell it. The market is hot now. Who knows what will be popular next month. Gala- I arrive on Thursday afternoon and leave around noon on Monday. Last year there was an arts fair outside of the museum down the street from the hotel on Sunday afternoon. I did some shopping there.

ncgurrl!!! I just wanted to offer my BIG THANKS for this PSA! I did not know and was able to go change my Southwest Flight for the gala and saved $187!!! Well actually I had already bought the ticket so its a credit for a future flight which will come in handy whenever Clay decides to tour. I appreciate the heads up so very much!! Now I just have to pray I get a ticket to the gala when they go on sale :-) Wow! I only did $118 in savings. Love the new figures. Who is coming in on Thursday?

PSA Southwest has a HUGE sale on right now for just 48 hours. You might want to check the rates for Raleigh or anywhere else for that matter. I read that as "Clay get your butt crack here....like now!" Not so sure I wanted to see that. Then, again...........

There was a huge party up at the house on the corner. It had all the trimmings including red and blue and white flashing lights on the four police cars out front.

How are you on mountains? That should cover Jerome.

I guess you could paint MJ as simply a victim if you think a grown man having sleepovers in his bed with unrelated prepubescent and pubescent boys is normal. After the first incident MJ knew how to protect himself from unsubstantiated accusations but did not change his ways.

Anyone have experience using limo service for transportation to and from the airport in Raleigh? If so, please share information-- good or bad.

Hey strummer..I love that description of FCA ...especially random. hee Wow I can't believe MJ is dead. I've been bummed out by the weirdness the last few years. I don't understand where his family was and why there was no intervention. (ETA ..they may have tried but when you're that rich and famous I guess you pretty much can write your own ticket). It's such a shame. BUT -- like many have said -- he was fantastic - not just during the Thriller era - but his complete body of work. My favorite MJ album was Off the Wall but loved Thriller and tohers. I can't even begin to pick my favorite songs from him - there are a ton of them for me. SueRue - I'm with you but I have a feeling this will turn into a media and freak show. Thinking back to Anna Nicole Smith - who is not even in the same universe as Michael Jackson -- I just don't hold out much hope. Michael Jackson was an icon. His talent and contribution to pop music is indisputable. I hope that he is treated with the respect he deserves. I shed a tear when I heard the news. Couchie, What do you mean about an intervention from his family? I would rather him be treated with honesty. Michael Jackson was a musical genius but he was also a deeply flawed man. Intervention: There is talk of drug use. Fingers are already being pointed by his inner circle. No one wants to admit they catered to Michael's weaknesses instead of intervening. A lot of careers and fortunes were riding on the Michael Jackson Come-Back tour.

Southwest dropped its fares into Raleigh from Ontario, California this week. I cancelled and rebooked saving about $20. Hey, every penny counts. You might want to check if you can save a bit, too. Closer to the event I may be looking to share a ride to the hotel from the airport. It looks like my friends from Southern California will not be arriving until four hours after I do. After an all day flight, I have no desire to hang around the airport for four more hours. I arrive at 4:45 pm on THURSDAY.

I think you make some very valid points. The time line is a bit odd and the reasoning(?) a bit too detailed, colorful. Why pick an outspoken free speech board with no rigid rules as a place to look for like-minded people if by like-minded you really mean close-minded? Sounds too structured to me. I get that this and other boards might not suit everyone. Heaven knows I would not be a good fit for a bible thumping religiously conservative board that cannot accept Clay as he is, a decent, giving, honorable and talented man. I would hope that when I discovered the incompatibility that I would bow out quietly without insulting the established members. But, then if I wanted to stir shit before leaving, maybe I would do otherwise.

beryl, I cannot even begin to understand your position as it does not reflect my core Christian values in any way. However, you are, of course, free to do as you wish, especially in regards to participation on a fan message board. I hope you are never judged as harshly as you judge Clay and members here. I am proud to be a fan of Clay Aiken, a singer and a really good man.

It must be my bedtime. I read that line as "mice pooped"

If anyone connected to a college student in any way (parent, teacher, college staff, etc) wants to buy a Mac, now might be a good time. The offer of a free iTouch with a computer is back for the summer. People connected to an institution of learning get a discount on Apple products. It is usually about $100 on a computer.

Smudge sticks/bundles Sage Smudge Ceremony Smudge Sticks Use of incense or herb smudges as a purifying element is rather common throughout cultures and religions from Catholics to Wiccans. Of course your neighbors are probably use to the smell of incense from your house so they will probably not mistake you for a witch.

Karen Eh? Did you think to get a pool heater thrown into the deal?

Let me know what you decided on phones. It is too confusing for me to figure out.

You should post this as a comment in Clay's blog. And at CH.

Steve Dahl twittered the AI Clay story and wrote about it in his blog. A comment by someone named Janet clarifies that she was the source of the information and that she did not tell Dahl the time line of the story. Just more ass hat ravings from unchecked sources.

It is good to hear the $250 tickets have so much going toward the foundation. That $200 is the amount is testimony to the low cost of having the Galas in North Carolina.

The $250 is the break even price for the Gala which is what makes it a cheap seat. It covers the meal and overhead for the person attending. A small amount may go as a donation to the foundation but not much. It allows someone to express their support of TBAF by attending without it being a drain on the Foundation.

[bolding mine] Where did we ever hear that Clay had a post op "nasty infection"? What difference does it make what other people's motivation to attend the Gala may be? I know if I did not support the Foundation I would still probably attend, but would buy the cheap seats and not spend money on the auctions, nor donate additional money during the year. I could do so with a clear conscience because that cheap seat would not be made available to me until after the money tables had been bought. Ultimately my motivation is nobody's business but mine. Now if I am one of those bitches who will attend for the sole purpose of scowling at Clay for his sinful life choices feel free to disparage my motives for attending.

Kareneh, I see you are up and about. Did you sleep well last night?

Couchie... everyone I know who knows anything about out state politics say this is a way to get the public to pay for the mess the state government has made. They are really pushing voting "no" on all counts and making the legislature come up with real solutions to the deficit. I trust them, so that's what I'm doing. Of course that is supposing that the legislature is capable of coming up with new innovative solutions if pushed to the wall, because that is what a no vote will do. The 'no' campaign is talk radio generated which makes it suspect to me. Perhaps I feel that way because I work for the University of California. As a union covered state worker I am the "enemy." The campaign is scapegoating at its finest. I read each proposition and voted according to how I felt about each. Some yes and some no.