#13 The Aiken Experience. There's nothing else like it.

[KAndre]

KAndre comes strolling casually in...

Y'all know I was gonna do white-water rafting instead of the Cary thing, right? Because that seemed reasonable. Especially looking at the freakin' 103 degrees weather.com expects it to hit tomorrow. But nooooooo, Clay whines at my ass about coming and hitting on the goddam lawn, and off we go. I even refused to buy the damn lawn ticket until the last minute. Then my dear, darling PerusingOne (who apparently lives on ticketmaster) called me yesterday because she could get me a seat in Section 4 on Row Q. I bounce with joy. Then she said something about 'glitch'. I scream, "Buy! Buy! Buy!" and throw myself onto ticketmaster's flat and stingy bosom in case something goes wrong. I type in "Clay Aiken". I select Cary. I select "1" and "Best Available". It gives me a gobbledygook word. I type it in. It lies and says it's thinking for less than a minute. A page appears. It says, "Sec 4". I sez, "good, good". It says, "Row A". I sez, "whu...". It says "Seat 4". I go back to look at "Row A". I touch the screen and make a screen print. I click "Buy Right Now Dammit." I do the TicketFast rip off thing (they know perfectly well printing my ticket from a website is nothing but profit for those bastards). I carefully put copies of my ticket in my purse, my suitcase, my bra, my shoe, and taped to my back. I call PerusingOne. She, who clearly has taken numerous logic courses, tries to convince me my ticket is actually hers. I laugh gently at her.

This oughta be good.

looks at laughn...

Hey! What about us traveling north?

[YSRN]

Oh, God... more pictures with the yummy hair!! And I guess I'm the only one who likes those shorts and pretty much wears my favorite clothes until they are threads. Plus, we've already discussed ironing. LOL!

Couchie... I love your recap too... when I read it I can hear you talking... and look forward to the next round of Concert Etiquette for Dummies.... Hee.

I seem to have much less time on the computer these days... Did I mention my sister is here?

I love her to death, but... I cannot wait for a mood shift. Oy.

Glad everyone made it safe and sound to Raleigh... be careful out there! [/random TV reference]

You did NOT just get some Row A seats?!? KooL!

[laughn]

Goodfreakinlord KAndre!! Congrats on scoring that ticket!!!

(ummm, I might think twice about telling the other Clay groupies fanatics bitches fans where you put that ticket, not that we'd do bodily harm to get at it or anything *cough* )

Safe travels for all those heading south!!!...or north or east or west or whichever way the winds blow as long at they're heading for Clay

(you know, it's really hard to type a sentence that contains the words blow and Clay and not make a cheap joke about it.......see?)

[muskifest]

it's really hard to type a sentence that contains the words blow and Clay and not make a cheap joke about it

Cheap? CHEAP!?????

I BEG your pardon?!?!??!?!??

Let's use the CORRECT adjective, shall we? :medium-smiley-070:

juvenile silly infantile base dumb predictable

"smutty"

Thank you. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[luckiest1]

Weather report: 101 degrees, 39% humidity, heat index 111 degrees. We went out and sat on the porch in the sun and it's hard to breathe. We lasted about 20 minutes and that was that. The good news is that the concert isn't until 8:30 pm and the forecast tomorrow only calls for a high of 98 degrees.

[ldyjocelyn]

EEEEEEEEE for lickiest1 and most of the crew being in NC!!!!

EEEEEEEEE for KAndre scoring a fantastic ticket!

Note to self: have KAndre buy all my concert tickets at the last minute from this point on...

Good luck to all in staying cool that night, though. As much as I really want to be there, that weather sounds brutal.

YSRN, I actually understand you about "wearing your clothes until they are just threads." When you're raised by a Mom who grew up during the Depression, I just kinda gets ingrained in you. So, in a sense, I understand Clay wearing these shorts.

But I'd love it if they wore out so fast, as laughn[ suggested, that we'd get more than we bargained for. *g*

ETA: Cool. I'm the "top of the page queen" at the moment.

[muskifest]

Smooth Landing

Unreal----one of the pics of Clay in New York is already on People Online....This is the caption:

SMOOTH LANDING

With no airline controversy on this trip, American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken makes a turbulence-free arrival at his New York City hotel on Wednesday

BWAH!

Of course, the pic they picked is the one where he's bending over and looks like he's got a bit of a gut....

Wait! He already am!

[Scarlett]

Warning: whining ahead. I've been waiting patiently for clack from the Greek show, right before the introduction of WTLGD -- ie., Clay's "surprise" for Angela's parents. Where the hell is that clack?!?!?!?

OK, that's out of my system now. My apologies to the clack dealers/collectors. I don't normally whine...

ldyjocelyn, I have that clack but I had a tough decision to make after I got home from Toronto last night: wash my mountain of clothes & pack or render that clack and just haul the Pala dirty laundry all the way to Raleigh tonight (& dump them on KAndre's side of the room). Since she's the only one in the eHP who'll be within smelling distance of Clay at the Cary show, I let her off for once. Because she was nice enough to take me to In-n-Out in Indio -- didn't even have to pout very much for that one. In-n-Out was good! Almost as good as Licks in Toronto Monday night where I ended up after KAndre somehow got us to LAX on time for a 12:30 flight (we left Indio around 9, 9:30) back to Houston, where I put in a REAL day's work unlike some people who stare at a Ticketmaster window all the time, and then after work it was off to yet another country. Licks is now my top regional fastfood joint; heavenly ice cream and the best burgers and poutine this side of Montreal. That lineup could change when Bojangles gets into the picture tonight, though.

I should be working on the clip around midnight Raleigh time (assuming the naptime nazis aren't about), and should get that snip to you v. soon [tm:Clay-who-also-said-it's-more-special]. /jk

And for those who are shocked about my choice of dressing rooms lately, well I'll just say that Clay is my role model and if he says skin is in this year, so be it. I'm going to match my idol one for one in everything he does. I'm probably all alone in this but that guy I see in the Cedar Point pictures wasn't dressed to just hang around for a fun day with friends and I'm rather sad. I'm no longer too disappointed that I didn't run into him -- wouldn't have known whether to wave hi or ask for an autograph.

Edited August 9, 2007 by Scarlett

[bottlecap]

Smooth Landing

Unreal----one of the pics of Clay in New York is already on People Online....This is the caption:

SMOOTH LANDING

With no airline controversy on this trip, American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken makes a turbulence-free arrival at his New York City hotel on Wednesday

Gosh, he's such a combination of cute and expensively dorky there that I just want to lick him or sumpin'. It's hard to imagine that arriving at a hotel in NYC is worthy of press coverage.

98 degrees, huh? That sounds positively artic. BRRRRR!

[luckiest1]

I just managed to upgrade my seats to Cary, so I have two reserved singles for sale in section 4 row S, seats 4 and 8. Please PM me if anyone wants them - I can meet you at Lucky32 or at the venue, or we are staying at the Town Suites tomorrow. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

ETA: Ticket are sold! That was fast.....

ETAA: KAndre, come to Lucky32 tomorrow at 3pm!

Edited August 9, 2007 by lickiest1

[ldyjocelyn]

:F_05BL17blowkiss: Scarlett! You're the best!

And your travelogues are almost as fun as KAndre's. I was LOL reading it.

Ah yes, the season of upgrade fever. I can feel it in the air. (And how sick was it that after reading KAndre's tale, I tried pulling up tickets for Cary too? I'm wondering if I pulled up one of the tickets that lickiest1 just got....) lickiest1, I have a feeling that I'm going to get upgrade fever for Merrillville show at Christmas.

The People magazine thing CMSU. Probably very surreal for him too. (But then, I think him singing to Flat!Clay! was probably OTT surreal for him...and I mean that as no offense artquest...)

[jamar1700]

:F_05BL17blowkiss: Scarlett! You're the best!

Ditto! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I've been waiting too. And that's not like me. Sometimes I watch the Clack, sometimes I don't. It was just such an adorable moment that I knew it was one I HAD to see again. But I was starting to wonder if it would ever show up. Just knowing it's out there makes me very very happy!

[Divayenta]

Hey guys,

I'm about to leave for the airport in an hour with a thunderstorm brewing. My flight is USAIR and supposedly gets in at 6 in Raleigh. Geekette is picking me up, but she has a meeting to go to. Is anyone here coming into Raleigh this evening? I'm at the Residence Inn Cary Marriott. My travel mates don't show up until tomorrow afternoon. Just wondering if I can hook up with one of you to say hi and get a meal somewhere.

[playbiller]

The Beta Alpha chapters of Raleigh and the Triad along with Jonathan Bunzey, 2007 BAF Youth Honoree, are having a lemonade stand at the Kooka Booth Amphitheatre on Friday from 1PM to 4 PM to benefit BAF.

Please support them as they will be working in extremely high temperatures in order to benefit the foundation.Rumor has it they will also be selling cooling neckthingies.

[artquest]

The People magazine thing CMSU. Probably very surreal for him too. (But then, I think him singing to Flat!Clay! was probably OTT surreal for him...and I mean that as no offense artquest...)

Real Clay, in his persona as Performing Clay, acknowledges and then dances with Flat Clay. Not only surreal but post-modernist as well.

PS: Remind me to never, ever, ride with KAndre. Not that it wouldn't be fun, no siree Bob, but I'm looking forward to grandchildren some day and would like to live that long. Waves. Loved your recap.

PPS: Mr. Artquest was thrilled to meet some of the FCA posse. He would wave back too, if I let him near the boards.

Edited August 9, 2007 by artquest

[YSRN]

Posted by OutOfLurkdom at the Clayboard:

It was reported by the Columbus M & G attendees that (quoting specifically here Beagle3 at the CH):

Quote:

He [Clay] went on to say that Stephen [Curtis Chapman] is an amazing song writer and that he wrote a song based on one sentence that Brett said to Faye upon returning from Iraq and it's called

"What I'm Fighting For."

Clay said that it's amazing and he wanted to put it on the album but it didn't really fit and he thinks Stephen is going to use it now.

It is now confirmed that "What I'm Fighting For" will indeed be on SCC's new album.

Even though Clay will not be the one using this song now, I personally am still interested in hearing it.

Beginning this week, the site linked above will be previewing one song from the album per week until it's release date (Oct. 23rd), but who knows when "What I'm Fighting For" will come up in the rotation. If they're previewing in the track order listed on the page (with the disclaimer "not final sequence"), WIFF, as it seems with most Clay related stuff, will be saved for last.

Unless one wants to preorder the album thru this site (as of Aug. 14) and therefore gaining the perk of . . .

Quote:

access with to listen to all the songs on your computer until your copy arrives.

Another preordering perk that may be of Clay related interest as well is . . .

Quote:

exclusive early access to

videos of Steven explaining why he wrote each of the songs

. . .

NO, I'm not trying to sell SCC albums or promote him and/or his music on Clay Street (thus my initial disclaimer about other music).

But I would make a guess that many in Clay Nation are interested in this song and it's creation due to it's past Clay relationship and point of origin.

So if anyone(s) ALSO has a interest in SCC and/or his music and would be interested in doing the preorder thing . . . maybe then they would consider also passing along a brief summery of any Clay related content from the videos (NOT the videos themselves, they being a preordering exclusive and all) and/or any impressions of the actual song "What I'm Fighting For" itself (but once again, NOT the actual song itself). The rest of us could wait until the song comes up for preview on the website to hear it (or/and until the album is actually released).

But I'd love it if they wore out so fast, as laughn suggested, that we'd get more than we bargained for. *g*

And we'd be the ones needing the sunglasses!

Edited August 9, 2007 by YSRN

[cindilu2]

Goodfreakinlord KAndre!! Congrats on scoring that ticket!!!

(ummm, I might think twice about telling the other Clay groupies fanatics bitches fans where you put that ticket, not that we'd do bodily harm to get at it or anything *cough* )

Safe travels for all those heading south!!!...or north or east or west or whichever way the winds blow as long at they're heading for Clay

(you know, it's really hard to type a sentence that contains the words blow and Clay and not make a cheap joke about it.......see?)

I'd say goodfreakinlord! *I* was living on ticketmaster as well, and *I* got section 4 row Q also (for which I'm very grateful, she added hurriedly, so as not to offend the ticket gods who had me sitting on the lawn til then). Maybe said ticket gods were so impressed with your recap, they just knew you'd need to be up close to get another one!

eta: lickiest1???? Upgraded???? SPILL!

Edited August 9, 2007 by cindilu2

[Solo]

A page appears. It says, "Sec 4". I sez, "good, good". It says, "Row A". I sez, "whu...". It says "Seat 4". I go back to look at "Row A". I touch the screen and make a screen print. I click "Buy Right Now Dammit." I do the TicketFast rip off thing (they know perfectly well printing my ticket from a website is nothing but profit for those bastards). I carefully put copies of my ticket in my purse, my suitcase, my bra, my shoe, and taped to my back. I call PerusingOne. She, who clearly has taken numerous logic courses, tries to convince me my ticket is actually hers. I laugh gently at her.

If you miss your plane or if the flight is cancelled, I get your ticket, right? Think about the lovely time you had from the front row in Philly. :F_05BL17blowkiss: Seriously, if you miss your flight again, I will beat your ass and leave it at the airport this time.

I should be working on the clip around midnight Raleigh time (assuming the naptime nazis aren't about), and should get that snip to you v. soon [tm:Clay-who-also-said-it's-more-special]. /jk

You know KAndre, merrieeee, and I aren't getting there until Friday, right? You never listen to PerusingOne so I don't know who's going to stop you.

[luckiest1]

We have another extra ticket to sell - a single in section 5 row J. PM me if interested.

It's storming here, and the temperature has dropped 20 degrees. We came out of the Pizza Hut in Wilson and there was 3 inches of water in the parking lot! LOL So we're hoping that it gets the rain out of it's system before tomorrow....and that the cooler temperatures stick around!

PS We have upgraded to rows L, M and P in section 4.

[Divayenta]

Well, I never got out of DC due to storms and such. Everything grounded and cancelled. I try again tomorrow wish me luck.

It's supposed to feel like 103 degrees tomorrow evening in Raleigh. I don't knowwhat the fates are trying to tell me.

I really want to see everyone.

How will Clay and company hold up?

Stay tuned.

[muskifest]

:TourExcite: Oh, I'm so sorry to hear about your flight, Diva! Sending all kinds of good vibes your way... :F_05BL17blowkiss: It's so weird to hear about all the weather extremes...here it's sunny and cool, very pleasant...

Of course, there ain't no Clay Aiken here, so what's the point?

Of course, I just got back from doing him twice, so I shouldn't be complaining, right?

Of course, you can never get enough Clay Aiken, so I'm already in withdrawal (heh) and need another fix...just one week from tomorrow! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! :Tour3: :TourExcite:

All you North Carolina Clay Doers, have a blast! And give him a and and :medium-smiley-070: from me, 'kay?

[atinal]

ldyj, Spot just put up her LA pre WTLGD clack. It's in all the usual places

[playbiller]

We just all have the best flight stories, don't we?

Hey, Lickiest - I know that Quen P is desperately lloking for a ticket adn she ha some ailments I will PM her if you still have a ticket.

[jmh123]

Just got back from my mom's. Today's her birthday--she's officially 94 today. She's in Raleigh, where it's like, hot y'all. I get there and the AC's not on. Oh, I just turned it off, she says. I turn it on, and she doesn't like it, she says, it blows on her. She wraps up in a blanket and whines. So I turn it down and turn on the AC in another room and we compromised on something like high 80's where she and I were. I think of it as physical conditioning for tomorrow. Lickiest, we did not get that storm over this way, unfortunately. We need the rain, and the cooling.

Tomorrow I'll be with y'all and my boyfriend, and the next day, Asheville. WAH HOO. See y'all at Lucky32. Diva, hope you can get a plane out.

[luckiest1]

playbiller, we still have the extra ticket. We will be at Lucky32 tomorrow so if she is going to be there and is interested tell her to look for us. I'll be wearing my DCAT shirt.