KAndre

I'm afraid those passed puppyhood a LONG time ago...those are some big dogs! Might even be ponies...that need to be harnessed!

Ahem - when we were running around Sunday, I think it hit like 77. Every day we were there made it above 70. Y'all need some ice! And ice tea.

The warm smoothie (yeah, it was fruit - mango, and something, and something I think they called lady fruit or lady berries or some British thing) was just odd. It didn't taste bad - just not right. And they drive on the wrong side of the road . I'm proud of the Beatles' mention...did y'all know they were from, like, England? And I think I saw Prince Albert Hall (and not in a can) and some sort of Abbey Road and a sign that said the Beatles were there. Doing what, I don't have a clue. I just like the Beatles' good stuff, like Yellow Submarine and She Loves You, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah! I'm not exactly sure how popular the Beatle are in London because everywhere we went they seemed to be playing 60's R&B. Except in Paris, where they were playing Louis Armstrong's When the Saints Come Marching In.

Tsk, tsk...I swear I've seen you drink...admittedly it was freakishly warm Coke (what is it with the lack of ice in London? Warm smoothies are NOT GOOD, London people!) Weighing in at an extremely late point on all the Clay blogs (hell, me 'n PerusingOne didn't even know who had won AI until Clay sort of told us in the blog)...I don't think Clay said anything to apologize for - and the clarification was appropriate. Not dissing AI people? Hell, I think dissing AI contestants is a worldwide pastime. Goat Girl? Bic Boi? Mikayla? The freakin' girl who went around cawing? And as for artists not criticizing other artists - when was this? Why didn't someone tell McCartney and Lennon? Cobain re: Pearl Jam? DaVinci vs. Michaelangelo? Hell, and I even liked a couple of Adam's performances - and disliked others. I like opinionated Clay (I'm not sure why - it's not like I'm opinionated myself).

I haven't gotten a refurbished phone (mainly because I'm a little bit of a phone whore - Man, I just freakin' LOVE my G1! Love it. It's like an iPhone without the stuff I hate [like dropped calls]) - but in general I've been fortunate in refurbished equipment. I would get the most recent thing possible though.

KAndre looks carefully at her mental map of France and realizes it only has Paris in it... Could we have taken the Metro? BTW, PerusingOne simply adore this little chain called Yo!Sushi! in the West End. I indulged her (at one point, she was prostrate with emotion) but tomorrow I'm making her go to one of Gordon Ramsey's joints.

Dang, just when we were seriously stalking wandering aimlessly around Paris - I miss an opportunity to tell someone exactly what I think...text me next time! I have discovered many things on this trip - clotted cream is some sort of alleged food product they try to trick you into eating - you might not get the response you expect when you explain to some French dude jabbering away at you, "no hablo espanol" - and odd drunken Englishmen walking up to me and commenting, "Fat American" aren't going to get the response they expect either. And it was in the mid to upper 70s yesterday in Paris, so people who want stuff from Sacre Coure need to tell us before we go! What? I don't get no love in here? Heh... In case Clay showed up on our river cruise, we were prepared to allow him to have our seats while we sat on his lap. He wasn't in the cheap seats on the Eurostar either. We looked. Nor on the Champs Elysees, and we walked way down it, probably at least twenty feet. We are lazing around today because our feet hurt

I'm afraid of all of Jimmy Buffett's stuff, all I know is Margaritaville. And didn't we drink stuff after the last DCAT at some sort of Buffett themed restaurant? merrieee, can you remember the place in London where I had a nice spotted dick? I think Perusing One would like one too. Heh. I can't stand Kellie Pickler. Never could. The fake boobies just make it worse. Though a bunch of AI alums are in this week's Newsweek. They all seem to get along, and no one says anything bad about Clive. Even Ruben and Hicks.

KAndre adds Ireland to her ever-increasing list... Various versions of favorite songs? Shoot, I still really like the original "Respect" - the one Otis Redding did that no one seems to remember except me - I can vaguely remember him on TV doing it. Kelly's? It made her stand out on the first season of AI for me, but for me her version isn't memorable - she's channeling Aretha using Kelly's voice. And for me, Kelly's voice is good - just not knock my socks off great (and the breathing does work my nerves). But I've always likes different versions of songs - I'll play Ronstandt's Ooh Baby Baby then snap back to Smokey's, enjoy James Taylor's How Sweet It Is and then kick back to Marvin Gaye's. I like great songs sung by great singers - interpretation is key to me. I love song stylists (waves madly at Clay.) Sinatra? Just not my cuppa. I know he was mad talented - and he really did have a good voice...and I really liked the comedies he was in, but if I have to listen to someone from that era, it would be Nat. But then again, I just love the pretty. The obviously pretty. Subtlety not required here. I would so suck at Survivor. I just don't get it. I am so shallow - I love a man with money!

Huh...I think I've just about every form of transportation for air, sea and land...except dog-sled. I like nice buses...back in the day it was a really nice way to travel...Greyhound stations are now too scary for words. Love the trains around the world...even liked rickshaw dude.

Hell, I agree with Simon most of the time - but when I think he's wrong, it's usually spectacular...and frankly his whole schtick is to be polarizing and OTT and to get those reactions from viewers. I always thought in the context of AI and was they were looking for (especially in the early seasons) the Broadway thing was both a gay implication and a way of saying noncommercial. Compared to general pop stardom, Broadway stardom currently is very much a niche market - and Broadway, at least in the States has always been something of a gay haven. And frankly Simon has never claimed to be looking for an artist - he's always been looking for someone with commercial success. Simon is very successful in a very derivative way (can't stand Il Divo but loved Amici Forever). But derivative works in this culture. Kathy Griffin I disliked long before Clay (she was in some TV show with Brooke Shields I think). She reminds me too much of that blond bitch who makes a living putting people down and has had enough plastic surgery to make 15 million Barbies, Joan Rivers. I still can't get past the numbers in the fandom who still seem to worry that things are "cool" or not. But then, I've never really got the concept. I just know what I like. If others like it, fine; if they don't, also fine; if the hoi polloi think it's wonderful, even better.

Having finally gotten feelings back in her fingers from beating her fists against the wall in Frankfurt because she wasn't in Vegas, KAndre checks in... My recaps of Shanghai and Frankfurt. And yes, I haven't actually finished Tokyo, but being erratic is one of my charms. Somebody told me that once and I choose to believe it. I got up at a stupid hour on Friday. Drove to the airport without incident. Checked in at the airport (because of the Chinese visa thing) and of course missed my upgrade and was pissed. Plane left on time, circled Newark at little. and I made my 54 minute connection in time to board early. (Yes, a 54 minute connection in Newark is insane. Have you just met me?) I had a window bulkhead seat (as none of my tall friends were with me, and I don't care about other tall people), the middle seat still wasn't taken according to the seat map. and it looked like a cute guy had the aisle seat. I met the cute guy because he couldn't find a space in the overhead for his backpack and the bitch of a stewardess grabbed my bag and Was apparently planning on moving it to Timbuktoo - without checking with me. I objected strenuously. She gave me a look. which I returned with interest, and the bitch put my bag back. I told the guy to stick his pack under the first class dude's seat, he did, and we were cool. We agreed that the stewardess was a bitch and it turned out he was going to Shanghai for the weekend too! Same fare, same reasoning (Miles! status!) Our friends all thought we were insane. We were instant soulmates - it helped he was cute. For me, at least, instant male soulmates tend to be tall, height -weight proportionate and charming. Strange, how that works out. We celebrated the empty seat between us, and talked and talked until sometime over the Artic Circle. the bitch showed with a little Hispanic man and sat him between us! I don't think this was an accident. Heifer. The flirting continued anyway, and any subsequent annoying of the bitch stewardess was pure serendipity. I didn't see the point of mentioning to the bitch that Tim was gay and I was much more charming. she should really see someone about the teeth grinding though. Saturday afternoon: Tim decides to follow me through the initial public transportation system as I have actually looked some stuff up and was bossy commanding acted like I knew what I was doing. Tim was staying at the Grand Hyatt (the tallest hotel in the world) and suggested we meet for drinks at the tallest bar in the world. Definitely my kind of guy. We hop off the plane in the newest, emptiest airport in the world. No one was in there. and there was only one, I repeat. ONE, immigration agent. Then a guy showed with swine flu forms. one guy. Maybe 50 forms. 400 passengers. I got forms for me and Tim with minimal bloodshed but much bitterness on other peoples part. People need to learn not to stress when I get my stuff. the immigration guy looked at me, checked a book, looked at me again, typed somethingin, looked at me harder land no. I am never wearing try passport hair again. Never.) and finally lets me through. off Tim and I go to the Maglev. As soon as we clear customs. we spot anATM, each get a thousand yen and startsearching for a phone place so I can get a SIM card for me and Tim can rent a phone. After passing a big ol' sign that said "phone rental" (in English, mind you) twice, I ask the people at the counter next to the phone rental people where I could rent a phone. They slowly pointed next doors.I channeled nay cat, and pretended itwas all planned. Tim was still willingto follow mislead. We found out thehard way that cash is still king in shanghai. But it was on to theMaglev. which didn't look that far. After about 20 miles of walking, and bitching 'We arrive at the Maglev station, which was cheap, easy and efficient, It make us optimistic for the subway. We get to the subway station and I spend ten minutes trying to figure out the damn ticket machines and yes they had English on them. finally the booth lady (who didn't have English and couldn't understand my piss-poor attempts at Mandarin) and a random dude sold us single-tickets. Tim is still treating me like the leader I am. I love Tim. We hop on the correct train (thank you very much). I have 4 stops to go; Tim is 2 more further along. I of course get off at the wrong stop, but hop in the next. Tim gets off at the right stop. My summates tined to be smart, too. Heh. I get at at the correct stop. prepared to be greeted by the usual sunshine of my vacation, audit is pouring dour. Not quite a deluge, but enough that 3 blocks will get yore soaking wet. And I can see my hotel, 3 blocks away. and no cabs. and the street vendors really didn't understand me or they wouldn't have tried to sell me umbrellas for 20 frickin' yen when everyone else was getting them for 5, so off I set for the Courtyard. Lord, I love Asian Marriots! There I was, soaking wet, trudging up the driveway dragging.two. roller bags,and the doorman leaps to open the door,a bellhop grabs my bags. and the deskclerk pretends everything is perfectly fine. I head for my room, where the first thing I do is call Tim. He answers with my name, because I am the only person in the world with the number, beside the fact the phone's text is in Chinese, which didn't occur to either of us. I explain that -thane to change from the skin out. and will meet each otter at 7pm. And those who know me knew I took a cab even though it was apparently only a few station stops away. Man, I thought the Courtyard was pretentious the lobby was on-the 54th floor someone open the door, someone else showed me the elevator (which I could clearly see from the front door), someone else pushed the floor button, (I may have been a little dressed up. Maybe.) and so on and so forth. I called Tim from the lobby and he came and got me. I think I have more pictures of his room than of mine. It was gorgeous. I need to sleep more with people who redeem AMEX points. Just for me, Tim changes into clean khaki shorts and a blue t-shirt. We get our first surrepitious glances as we head to the bar. I will get lots more of those. Tim buys me overpriced drinks and I discover he is some sort of modified Libertarian, but the drinks are REALLY overpriced and he is sweet. I decline to go to his party because I didn't sleep on the plane. and have to shop tomorrow. Sunday morning. I hit the Science & Technology museum by mistake, because the underground shopping doesn't open until 10 a.m. It was a great museum, and the food court was different. You buy a debit card, andeach food station has misleading food samples. It was good even though I still don't know what it was. So off I went to the bazaar. And yes, you really need to start your bidding at 10-20% of the seller's initial offer. Like I got a new suitcase, pseudo Samsonite, and the vendor started at 675 yen. Swear to God. I came back at 50. Had to walked 3 times but we agreed on 175 (and then claimed she didn't have 5 yen change. Ha! The pearl market was glorious (and I did the tooth rubbing but have no idea what I was feeling for) but watched them hand string my purchases- I should have done 3 days in shanghai and 2 in Frankfurt. I went to the Peoples Square, where some poor ignorant souls tried to run a tea ceremony scam on me. I wasted about 20 minutes of their time. It was classic the girl approached me, speaking English, and asked me to take a picture of her and her two friends. they took my picture. They asked where I was from. I said Houston. and mentioned Yao Ming. At, yes! They said. What was I looking for? Parties, culture? oh yes, I sez, I just came from the Shanghai Museum (which was much smaller than I expected). Would I like to attend. tea ceremony? oh yes, I sez. Well, come with us! oh no, I sez they attempt to convince me, I just smile and keep saying no. They finally go away. Heh. all the travel sites warn about. this for European men. I guess I was the exception. And random native people kept taking my picture, like I was an exhibit. The young girls would stand next to me and have their girlfriend snap a shot. I don't know who the hell they thought I was. The tacky pedestrian tunnel was closed though. I have some good dim sum as it wasn't hairy crab season and drag my buys back to my hotel. Tim has worked out how to call me, and we decide to meet for lurch, hit the big observation deck and go to the airport together. Monday morning. I piddle around until its time to meet Tim, and take a cab again. However, the idiot cabbie lets me out at the wrong entrance and I have to walk around the freaking building.to get into the hotel. I go to Tim's rooms we decide to do the observation deck first, since it was finally pretty out. So across the street we go, Tim having foundanother clean pair of khaki shorts. I clearly just LOVE overly fashionable men. this is another setup where we have a minion every 10 feet. Ando the elevator ride was straight ort of "2001". The views were gorgeous though. Back we go to the Grand Hyatt so Tim can buy me the buffet lunch. The desserts were to DIE for. We go to Tim's room, he takes a shower and finds some more khakis (or the same ones, it's kind hard to tell) and head off to the airport. Tim sees no reason to cab it 5 blocks to the subway, so he has to carry my bags along with his. Testosterone is a wonderful thing. We make it to the airport with no problem- though we aren't sitting together, because I was haggling with Samsonite chick during check in. But we will meet in Newark to hang out in the President's Club (and drink some more) so Tim can tip the bartender for me. I love Tim. I have the window on the exit aisle and two fucking banshees from hell. Who howled from rage all the was to Newark. It didn't help that I caught a cold in Shanghai, Never have flown with a cold before, and as God is my witness, will not do so again without serious medications. The pain in my ears was UNREAL. I thought I was going to have to tell the pilot that we can't land. And 1 had one more flight. oh damn. Happily. Tim was Johnny-on-the-spot with White Russians. And I found some decongestants that didn't help. Tim brought me my drinks and headed off to Orlando and I drank the drink's and headed off to Houston. Managed to survive the subsequent takeoff and landing but felt like I had ears full of water for the next 2 days. Tuesday: I call to have my mother's Internet fixed because she refuses to listen to anyone else. I listen to the clean complain that I wasn't there to fulfill Chui every whim. I buy every decongestant known to Man, some sort of specialized airplane earplugs, and ransack my medicine cabinet to see if I have any Codeine 3 left from my last major surgery. Nonrefundable tickets call for desperate measures. Wednesday: I get up at a decent hour. Decide to do the cheap thing and take the bus to the airport.Have cheeked in-the night before, but still don't get an upgrade because my final destination is Frankfurt and I keep the same flight number throughout. No problems to Newark except for the typical delay. It's only a 767 to Frankfurt which means the sucky in-flight entertainment. I had the window bulkhead seat again, and a guy again had the aisle seat. He tried to strike upa conversation. However, it was clear this was not a soulmate as I would be shocked to find out he made 5'3" If I have to do my own suitcases, it will never work. Besides, he sounded like Charlie Brown's teacher through the damn earplugs. The food is better on the trans-Pacific flights too. Thursday: We land in the morning, and I have to admit, going through customs was a breeze. Caught the bus to the terminal with the train station, no problem. Follow the clearly marked signs down to the train. Stop in front of the ticket machine. Push-the butter for English. and am stymied. I seems you have to know where you are and where you're going (in German) and select one of 20 buttons (which are not translated). So I randomly pushed buttons or the machine until a helpful cop showed up. Have I mentioned how musket love helpful cops? He pushed the right buttons for me , explained the anyway to work the machine, drew a map to my hotel and walked me to the correct platform. Life was good. I actually got off at the correct station (yay me!) when up the escalator and found the correct bus (going the wrong way, of course). The bus driver (who was HOT!) told me to catch the same bus across the street. Lo and behold, it was the same driver. He grinned at me, and I got on, pointed to my hotel address and off we went. a few stop, later. he pointed out my hotel and let me off. I couldn't figure out when or how much to pay. oh well. I have discovered that "4-star" designations on hotels are completely arbitrary. This was a perfectly nice Best Western: nothing special . though they heed to get rid of the carpet. I can't believe that Best Western was listing this at over $150 a night. and people are paying it. I paid about $32 per night including a really good breakfast buffet. to be continued...and any minions who wants to edit this stuff, hop to it! Though I want the vast amounts of white space acknowledged!

KAndre carefully looks at couchie's last post, and goes, "Huh?" and then remembers she's a mod and not an admin (at least that's what she thinks today) and chuckles.... Ok, I'm trying this dictation thing while I'm waiting for the skies to clear in Frankfurt...

ldyj so very sorry for your loss. It's rainy here dammit!

Hey guys \\\\\ talk to you later ive got a date for cocktails at the worlds highest bar

Posting from the plane in Newark - we are probably going to leave late since many people didn't realize that they had to have their visa checked before boarding.

Have I mentioned how much I fuckin' HATE 6 am flights?

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK! I'm be in damn Frankfurt! Not even two weeks' notice! I haven't asked any questions - besides the fact Clique just got my freakin' membership working - random questions just ain't my thing. I'll read the answers though. Sorry I missed your Word question, Couchie. If you still need help, PM me! Drumroll please. I have fit everything I'm taking to Shanghai in one rolling carry on. Whoo hoo!

I have a totally off-topic question...I finally joined that freakin' Twitter thing so I could get timely Woots and now strange people are FOLLOWING me! As far as I know, I've never even twitted something. Man. And some person who name isn't even in Roman script wants me to add them as a contact. Why is all this social networking going on? Don't they realize I'm am NOBODY'S target demographic? I'm blaming RCA. Clay is up to something. I like that in a man.

My celebrity boyfriend is just too yummy for words! But now I NEEEEEEEEED Tears Run Dry!

Ahem. I am back from lunch with a teeny legion of the eHP. BTW, Huynh is seriously good, yo! I wish to lodge a complaint about an alleged driver, one Scarlett, alias, "OMFG, it's one of those stereotypical drivers! Save yourselves! AAAAAAARGH!" I want the record to state that I clearly and concise stated, "That light is red. Why are you going through it slowly? Slowly? In front of people who have a GREEN light?" the FIRST time. The second time I stated, long before we got to the intersection, "The light's red. You're gonna stop, right? Stop! Red means STOP! ARRRRGH!" Ya know, it would be different if she actually, like, speeded up as she is running these lights, instead of doing a whopping 11 miles an hour.

Maybe an escaping coonskin cap?

Wednesday it is, then! Scarlett, do you want to swing by and pick me up at 11:15 at my office? I have GOT to get out of the office. The sick fucks have always been out there - the Internet just gives them a place to congregate and a sense of anonyminity...

KAndre quietly plans a quick trip to Stockholm... Hey! I like to support the arts!

KAndre looks up from unlocking every phone she has... I'm good any day - we could even switch off to Wed or Fri - Scarlett, I'm gonna make you give me a ride as in general I don't drive to work. Green all the way, baby!