00lsee

keepingfaith, please don't mess around with a serious cut...if you won't take it to get stitches, take it to the drugstore and pick up some steri-strips or something similar to bring the edges together yourself and stop that bleeding. An open wound is open to infection...and something that was too much of a bother to get treated when it happened can become a real bother for weeks and weeks. It's a case of "pay me now or pay me later". Take care! eta: glad to hear your "nurse" got you fixed up...((HUGS))...keeping it elevated will help with the throbbing. eta again...oh, bwah on me...sometimes the smut just writes itself!~

Okay, true story, promise. My niece cracked me up this week...She's sixteen and has never claimed to be a fan of Clay's...in fact, that season, she told me she preferred Ruben. heh Anyway, we were at my sister's for Christmas and I happened to walk in while she was in conversation with my Clay fan kid...who turned to me and said, "Can you believe it, after all these years, she still calls Clay a leprechaun?"

I gave niece a mock-stern look and replied, "Well, she must not have seen him lately, that's all I can say."

"Oh, I've seen him," niece said, "He's gorgeous."

"What?" I ask, astonished.

"He's gorgeous," she repeated, sheepishly.

A few days later, we were taking her to the movies and I asked, "What did you call Clay Aiken the other day? I can't remember."

"I said he was gorgeous," she answered, "But what can I say, I have a thing for short men."

"Short?!" my Clay fan kid and I say, at the same time.

"What do you mean short?" I said.

"Yeah, SHORT?!" Clay fan kid says, "He's 6'1" for crying out loud."

"6'1"?" niece repeats, bemused. "Well, I guess he always looked short next to Ruben, then, huh?"

"Only because Ruben is like, 6'7"!" Clay fan kid says.

"No, he's really 6'4"," I add, "but yeah, most anyone would look short next to Ruben."

"Huh," said niece, mulling it over. "So I guess that makes him a hunk now. He is gorgeous."

I smile at Clay fan kid in the rearview mirror. She's grinning at me. "Yes, he is."

Is "The Sound of Music" restored on television significantly different in some way than the DVD version I've enjoyed for years now? I don't think the version I have is 4 hours long...so is that with commercials? I had a crush on Christopher Plummer as a young girl, too. That dance sequence where she gets flustered is hawt. heh Used to know all the words to all the songs.

jumpingjacks what do you mean "beginnings"? lol That was one of the FIRST things...er...discussed (cussed...get it?)...when the news broke about this role. For the record, I think he'll say his lines as written, if anyone is taking bets. heh

Step-father Ray? From Clay's descriptions of him, he reminded me strongly of my FIL, which, believe me friends, is not altogether a good thing.

Speaking of Spamalot, is there a tour thread about this yet, naming who will be attending on certain dates? It doesn't seem likely that I'll be going, at this point, but it would be MORE likely if I timed my trip to coincide with those of people I know.

jamar1700 This is out of left field, but could you please tell me where your avatar came from? I feel sure I've seen that interview before, but don't remember him swiping his hand through his hair in that abrupt way. It is making me wonder what was being said at the time and if he was irritated about his hair or something else. Or not irritated at all. Thanks.

Thanks, Scarlett, for the beautiful poem and the tech advice. Just out of curiosity, is there a program you like for capturing streaming video (like swf) in the first place? Hope all is well with you. ((HUGS)) for my sweet sweetie.

Good-NESS!!! makinaiken1 posted some photos I had not seen by Ruffian5230. Link to album and instructions on their use. Gah! Here's just one:

muski

unexpressed eye rolling and other less gentile gestures

Gestures like...that "Jews" song in Spamalot? heh

I loved your story, keepingfaith, but these old eyes could use a little white space. Loved your last line about Clay's laugh. Oh yes, that's how I'd describe it, too. And I adore his laugh.

Couchie

OK forgot to add..somebody gave us..have no clue why...all this fresh roasted granola..what the hell do I do with it besides eat it as a snack or throw in yogurt.

It tastes good mixed with butter and sugar and baked on top of fruit cobbler...only, when it's got granola instead of a crust, folks call it a "crisp". Here's a recipe I've never tried, but it sounds about right:

You can make a fruit crisp using only 4 ingredients. All you need is your favorite pie filling, granola, butter, and brown sugar. Pour the pie filling into a greased 9 inch pan. Then mix the other 3 ingredients and place on top. Bake at 350 until the topping gets crispy.

Other uses: with milk as cereal, either alone or mixed with other cereal.

You can also use it in place of graham crackers in a pie crust.

Give it to someone else. heh

Google granola bread for recipes.

Feed it to the birds.

Or you could, you know, throw it away. Depending on what's in it, it may pack some serious calories.

Love the screencaps, Philly! I enjoyed that behind the scenes stuff so much!

Small town? Okay, I graduated from Littlefield High School with a senior class of 36 kids. I think our total enrollment was around 400.

muskifest

Jenna, I've felt this for a while, too. He's a smart cookie (I LOVE cookies! hubbahubba.gif ) I like the idea of him as the tortoise in the fable---going at his own pace (marching to his own drummer, if you will)--and reaching for variety and adventure (I'm truly shocked that anyone would say Clay is not a risk taker!) and excellence as long as he can remain true to himself.

I watched a special about Bob Newhart the other day and something people kept saying about him reminded me of Clay. You know, Bob Newhart made his fame from playing this very understated character, this nice guy, but his peers postulated that perhaps one reason this was so successful for him is that underneath that persona the real life Bob was this high energy, even slightly edgy guy. He was also a private person, keeping his heart to himself while at the same time always being aware of and alert to his audience, willing to go all out for their laughter. So, even though he perfected a nervous stammer and pretended to be a shy everyman, there was a contrasting, interesting energy about him that appealed to people. I think Clay Aiken, despite his fondness for napping, is a high energy, even slightly edgy guy. He's always watching, thinking, and learning. It's amazing what a quick mind he has. So, he has the appearance of a mild-mannered tortoise...and people who don't see past that persona might be lulled into forgetting how that particular tale turned out. As I recall, the bright-eyed cocky poptart rabbit didn't win. heh.

Bwah...thanks for pointing me to the clip. Just...bwah. It actually looks like a VERY difficult move...and her skirt blew aside at just the right...er...wrong moment. Heh...that was funny.

I must have missed the "interesting" skating move, but now I'm curious. Can someone point me to the clip?

Okay, off-topic, but I need some techie help. My dad wants to capture some flash videos from a website and burn them to DVD. He is vision impaired and would like to play these videos on his big screen tv or even send the DVDs to friends. So...I found software to capture swf files (comes with an flv player) and if all I wanted to do is watch the clips on my computer, it would be fine. But I need to go that one step further and convert flv to DVD. It would be even better if there were fewer steps, say, saving the flash to the format you want in the first place.

*sigh*

I know just enough to be dangerous, y'all! Can one of you brilliant computer people help me figure this out for my dad?

Gibby, I've been meaning to tell you that this is gorgeous!

And this is one of the sweetest pictures ever.

It reminds me of that other picture with a little boy with his arm around Clay's neck...taken, I think, in Banda Aceh. Can't find it quickly. I think the child had on a Disney mouse shirt.

I've been meaning to say WELCOME to the new people!

Karen Eh? ACK! So sorry you're sick! Hope you feel better soon. (((HUGS)))

playbiller

...he would lipsync to make sure every note was done prefectly every single time.

(((Claygasm))) Hang in there!

Here's how I see it:

Because like it or not, Clay is NOT as big as Josh Groban.

YET

He is NOT as popular.

YET

He is NOT as well thought of.

YET

He does NOT have the size following.

YET

He does NOT get the radio play.

YET

Call me delusional...call me overly optimistic...but I believe Clay Aiken's star is still rising. To me, wondering why Clay does not YET have these things feels a little bit like wondering where the sun goes at night. It may seem dark to me when the sun is shining somewhere on the other side of the world...but the earth continues to turn, bringing it back into view, blazing in all its glory. Clay does not YET have all the things I believe he deserves as the star I feel him to be...but the earth continues to turn, he continues to work, and grow, and love, and sing.

Ah, CG...and now I see you've added the word YET to your latest post. Great minds and all that!

Yes, YET. I think the word YET is just full of possibilities.

I can live with that word. For now. Just for now. Heh

And yeah, I think Josh Groban is an acquired taste, both in voice and appearance...and I didn't care for him BEFORE I ever heard of Clay Aiken, so it's not prejudice.

Ah! wandacleo, I should have just waited...for your post! Word!

Niccceeee banner...

*slurp*

I'm getting a Sex, Lies, and Videotape James Spader vibe from this one. Rowr!

Gah, kill me now.

Aw...'tis awesome.

Can't wait to hear more details about the whole experience~!

Clayzorback

You know? I have been labeled a bully, piled on by the poddies...

Maybe I'm the one sipping alcohol and I just didn't know it...because I read that as "poodles"...

heh

Be careful out there my darlings...and I mean that with all my heart. Travel safely.

I think my mind must be in the gutter...because just now, glancing at this page, I read (((((hugs))))) as (((((huge)))))...

*blush*

cha cha The article you posted about internet fraud was fascinating. An interesting look into the dynamic that may have contributed to the success of scammers stalking Clay's fandom. Ugh to the extreme.

((((HUGS)))) to those who need them. Claygasm, my good friend's father has lung cancer that he refused treatment for (because he didn't want to spend his last months "sick" from radiation he felt was pointless) He's lived longer than doctors predicted and has been able to enjoy his remaining months/years of life more than anyone (including himself) expected.

Couchie and jazzgirl, I'll be thinking of you.

Don't anger the mouse...

The recent discussion caused a silly rhyme to run through my head today...

I love you just the way you are...but...if you could rearrange

Just a few things...You'd be perfect, Dear...if only you would change.

O-kay, then.

So, in other news: Clay Aiken killed me.

That's it, that's all. I'm gone. Dead and gone. Gah, people!

I just realized something! muskifest's gif hasn't been posted in several pages. Several! I counted!

heh...

Thanks. I feel better now.