#16 Veins flowing with personality, thighs dripping with character.

[champion124]

I am sure that Marcel would make you some nice watermelon foam [/end of top Cchef joke]

yes I am sure he would lol

I'm a Top Chef junkie..is that why I can never lose any weight?

[wandacleo]

I make tomato sauce for pasta, and then there's tomato gravy. I'm not going any further with the recipe since it begins with ... fry six slices of bacon.

Now THIS recipe I want. Anything with 6 slices of bacon has to be good.

XXX4Clay BIG WORD

[atinal]

Has anybody ever had Fried Cornmeal Mush and Tomato Gravy?

Together????

[jumpingjacks]

Dammit...did I miss Top Chef tonight? I love that show!

XXX, good to see you here...I always thought we would get on well but never felt like I could break in over there. I saw that your post was edited for tone...at least they left some of it...most of mine completely disappear!

playbiller, I am like you when it comes to my fandom...sometimes I think I'm too logical to post on the boards. I always end up in trouble when I comment about something not making sense...

Oh well...

[cindilu2]

Question could/should I bring over a post on a general/Clay board from an up-set Kim fan? I thought it was interesting, albeit predictable. I think most people can guess what it says. It is just the mirror I was talking about.

JMO, but for me, I'd rather not. It seems like the people who should see the results of their actions, do not care. I'm ready to move on from this. It has to start somewhere.

[merryclay]

I love the pretty pictures and all the food sounds great. I eat a lot of healthy food, so fruits, veggies and grains are on the top of my list. I ride my bike in the mornings for leg strength and I shoot hoops for upper body strength. It really increases my energy level. I get up at 4 in the morning. LOL!!!

Someone upthread mentioned Chexxxy's. Are you talking about a blog?

[Cotton]

I am sure that Marcel would make you some nice watermelon foam [/end of top Chef joke]

Bwah!

I think the boy used foam on EVERYTHING!

Including his HAIR!!!

I had two over ripe bananas today so I googled . . . "two ripe bananas recipe" . . .

And found a recipe that required only two and not three bananas!

Yay, me!

Anybody want a slice? It's really good!

RE: Clay and the last couple of days -

Yeah, I don't get how it's okay to bash Clay and/or his friends, family in some quarters.

I just don't get it.

I love to hear him sing.

I love to hear him talk.

I love to hear him laugh.

And I figure he knows a hell of a lot more about running his career than I do.

[Stargazer]

Keepingfaith, can I get your receipe for tomato gravy?

[Bookwhore]

**tiptoeing in** Is this an angst-free zone?

I've stayed almost completely off the boards for the last 48 hours, until I could get my blood-pressure back under control. (j/k) I've had such strong feelings about the Ununited Tour and resulting bloodbath that I felt it was best if I just kept my thoughts to myself, otherwise I know I'd have made a whole bunch of enemies and probably got kicked off of every board in Clayland, possibly even this one.

And now I'm at least 15 - 20 pages behind. Could someone please just kinda summarize the last two days for me? Just the major points? I know I'm emotionally ill-equiped to go back and read word for word.

:F_05BL17blowkiss:

[Couch Tomato]

For some reason, I cannot bear the thought of hot tuna (anyone else remember that band?) - but I love cold canned tuna immoderately. Funny, tho, I can't imagine eating the tuna canned in oil, and that is all that we had available when I was growing up.

Yep, I bought some tuna in oil by mistake not long ago. It was so weird because I remember having to adjust to tuna in water </not tap water a la aquafina>

Ok, here's another one...creamed style corn soup...dip buttered bread in it. *shudder*

What can I say, we were a large Catholic family and it went a long ways. Blech.

yeppers..but I loved cream corn because that is what I was used to. Corn on the cob or whole kernel corn for some reason was a treat LOL. My sister in law, Janet, who some of ya'll met, makes a mean cream corn casserole though.. delicious.

You know what else is making me smile?...the way ya'll are describing mothers and grandmothers..the mamahs and the meemahs and nannies. My grandmother was madea..of course short for mother dear.

I see we are talking food...

(Oh, and I absolutely hate brussel sprouts)

good girl LOL

Ah, my favorite movie ever! Well, I might say that about a few movies, but it's up there for sure.

I loved Momento. Some folks in my family just couldn't get it. I got the rhythm of the movie quickly. LOVED IT.

. - Anyone think that todayt our parents would have been arrested for endangerment for what was normal behavior then?

Play, you are so right. Remember said blackberries I mentioned. Well we had a small patch in our back yard. There was one house next to us and then next to it was small lumber company. Well this lumber company had like this shed/with metal roofing that had holes in it and some of it was rusted. In hte lumberyard was two ferocious dogs. On top of that shed was the biggest, best blackberries ever. heee. It was always an adventures to sneak up there (when the neighbor wasn't home cuz they hated kids in their yard and they often threw soap on their blackberries to keep us away) and take a bag and pick pick pick, dodging all manner of danger. heee.

Looks like my timing sucks because you guys seem to have moved on to "Weird food choices I have made" but I'm still stuck back There so I'll just pretend I didn't notice the time has passed and say all this:

OMG Don't venture beyond these four walls. It's not pretty out there!

I so wish I had read this before I got home yesterday.

Forgive me FCA for I have sinned. I found this board not too long ago, loved it, and posted a few times. Then these past couple of weeks I drifted away. Same old, same old - not enough time, stick with the old familiar, blah blah blah.

My mistake. One I will not make again because:.

Hi XXX4Clay. We dont' know each other but I know your clack heee. I was where you are back in September. And I've only just recently really really gotten my fandom in persepctive. It's really hard thing to do. One thing about here is that we're relatively new board. And people from here are from different boards and a whole bunch of people are just getting to know each other. I know that it takes time to feel like you fit in even if you think maybe it's ok. Even if it feels like there are groups you can't break into it's NOT true. Yes I've chatted with Ansa every night for 2 years, and shared a road trip with LdyJocelyn and gone walking 3 days a week with Muski and so maybe I tease them a bit more than I do someone I've just met - but for me there is joy in meeting new people. The people who post here, cuz posthoing is encouraged..you really get to know quickly. I feel like I've known Jamar for years already..and I keep telling Ansa. I just love Jamar. She'll probably need to run from me in Omaha as I try to sop her up with a biscuit bwah. And even newbiers like bookwhore, toots, and wandacleo - well it feels like I've known them awhile already. New families can be a lot of fun.

ETA: Ooh, we're into food now? I have this dimsum place where I get goose chitterlings, chicken feet, beef tripe, pig's ears, shark fin dumplings, real seaweed (not nori which is pressed algae), etc. How about an ehP party?

oooh LOL. I was talking to a friend at work and for some reason I asked her what she missed most from home..and I'm sorry but I can't remember exactly where she's from..it's an island in the pacific...and not hawaii..heee...and she said FRUIT BAT. EEK. This wasn't too long after Clay's bat concert so I just laughed. But she said they eat the whole thing.

[clayzedover]

Sure Bookwhore...

1 - Kim's press release about the Reunited Tour was picked up by media outlets.

2 - Fans decided it was a stoopid idea and wanted to hear from Clay about it.

3 - Clay blogged about Fantasia's performance in The Color Purple and recommended we see it.

4 - Fans went nuts. Demanded he address the tour issue, threatened to leave the fandom, etc., the usual.

5 - Clay blogged again. Said it ain't gonna' happen. Said it was Kim's idea to which he never committed.

That might not summarize it all that well, but ah'm gonna' be one step closer to being a bodyguard with this post!

Edited September 13, 2007 by clayzedover

[xxx4clay]

Yes, it's true. I'm just blazing on and not mentioning the food stuff. Good God, do people really eat shit like this?

West Virginia is just the most fantastic and wonderful place with intelligent people and gorgeous scenery. (Am I overdoing it a little?)

Nope. Is it time for me to mention that WVU has a football game tomorrow? Are football posts allowed on this board? If not, I could be in serious trouble.

Scarlett - MUAH! But kindly do not tell anyone about how you arranged to get me a camera at Orlando after mine was taken (a whole 'nother rant) and then I never took it out from under my chair. I am so ashamed!

And special thanks to all of you for welcoming me. I feel so validated! (I really need to study the emoticons here - I am lost without the laughing hysterically one.)

One other thing I really wanted to mention -

Unfortunately there is nothing to be done. The "respect for other posters" and "no board on board" talk means no self examination, no dialogue, no fixing things for next time. Also unfortunately, since Kim is to blame nobody feels they did anything wrong at all. I'm sorry but the "yay, so glad to be wrongs" after your wallowing and disgusting posts just wouldn't cut it with me.

Self examination is good.

This is so smart. I always thought the whole message board mantra about not permitting posters to address other member's posts directly and not "talking about the board on the board" resulted in incestual thinking and a lack of self-examination . Don't get me wrong. I do think rules are necessary. I have no desire to participate in free for all insultfests like I have viewed in drive by looks at the OFC. Even though I happen to think I'm pretty good at insults. And I dont' mean that self-examination is only needed by others. It's been good for me. I have friends who, oddly enough, don't always agree with me. They feel free to tell me (not on public message boards) where they think I've gone wrong and how I might have expressed my viewpoint in a way that is not insulting to others. They don't say nasty things to me or about me though. They just say what they think. I so wish I could see this on Clay message boards. Oh wait, I have seen it. Here.

Not that I think this is an easy thing to do. It's a fine line. You can't legislate intelligence. But I do think that "fine line" has broadened in some places to the point that only certain viewpoints are clearly welcomed.

That's enough of that!

Anyone got any good crotch shots?

[FromClaygary]

I've been frustrated, sad, amused, and angry many time before, but today I feel deep and abiding shame at this fandom. Going off half-cocked is nothing new, rushing in defense of Clay is old news, hyper-criticism of Clay likewise, but to participate in deep analysis of a news item that was presented as a "maybe," and then to turn around and blame a single individual for it with no benefit of the doubt--it's disgusting. The strong voices should have been saying, "hold off," "give this a little time," "wait and see if it's true," instead of joining in to energize and shape the discourse of criticism of Clay for agreeing to the tour. Then some of the same people are ripping Kim to shreds now that we know he did not, giving her no benefit of the doubt when we of all people should be aware of the complexities of media and PR actions. The cruelty towards Kim as a performer and a person, the smug self-importance of statements implying that "Clay is too good for them," or "their fans should be thrilled that they have this opportunity to tour with someone so superior to them," are simply offensive. The face of this fandom has become bitter and ugly and off-putting. If it is affecting some of us, who are huge fans of the man, so deeply, I can only imagine how it must look to outsiders. Maybe I've just been blinded to some extent, for all my prior fussing about it, but today it has really hit me hard.

I'm behind, as you see, and just catching up...

I am endlessly fascinated by people, their motives, their reactions to things. I'm kind of a fish out of water, I think, in this fandom as most of the people I see on the boards are numbers people ie they love to extrapolate the relative position of Daughtry or Kelly C. on the Billboard 200, given the exposure from their appearance on...yatata yatata.

While I can appreciate these people's dedication to keeping track of this shit...quite honestly, I personally couldn't care less.

But I DO care, and am fascinated by, comments like jmh's above. I tend to agree with you somewhat; I might agree more if I had ventured to poke my nose out of here (which I did not).

But I'd LOVE to hear~why you think that is? What has caused the huge turnaround from the days of wine and roses....to the days of whine and noses out of joint? And do you think we'll ever get it back?

[cindilu2]

I've been frustrated, sad, amused, and angry many time before, but today I feel deep and abiding shame at this fandom. Going off half-cocked is nothing new, rushing in defense of Clay is old news, hyper-criticism of Clay likewise, but to participate in deep analysis of a news item that was presented as a "maybe," and then to turn around and blame a single individual for it with no benefit of the doubt--it's disgusting. The strong voices should have been saying, "hold off," "give this a little time," "wait and see if it's true," instead of joining in to energize and shape the discourse of criticism of Clay for agreeing to the tour. Then some of the same people are ripping Kim to shreds now that we know he did not, giving her no benefit of the doubt when we of all people should be aware of the complexities of media and PR actions. The cruelty towards Kim as a performer and a person, the smug self-importance of statements implying that "Clay is too good for them," or "their fans should be thrilled that they have this opportunity to tour with someone so superior to them," are simply offensive. The face of this fandom has become bitter and ugly and off-putting. If it is affecting some of us, who are huge fans of the man, so deeply, I can only imagine how it must look to outsiders. Maybe I've just been blinded to some extent, for all my prior fussing about it, but today it has really hit me hard.

I'm behind, as you see, and just catching up...

I am endlessly fascinated by people, their motives, their reactions to things. I'm kind of a fish out of water, I think, in this fandom as most of the people I see on the boards are numbers people ie they love to extrapolate the relative position of Daughtry or Kelly C. on the Billboard 200, given the exposure from their appearance on...yatata yatata.

While I can appreciate these people's dedication to keeping track of this shit...quite honestly, I personally couldn't care less.

But I DO care, and am fascinated by, comments like jmh's above. I tend to agree with you somewhat; I might agree more if I had ventured to poke my nose out of here (which I did not).

But I'd LOVE to hear~why you think that is? What has caused the huge turnaround from the days of wine and roses....to the days of whine and noses out of joint? And do you think we'll ever get it back?

In my opinion? The decline began the day that covers blurb appeared in EW. Things have never been the same since that day. And no, I don't think we can go home again.

[Thankful4Clay]

I can't keep up anywhere. Working kinda sucks.

Anyway, I was noticing a lot of green edits about what happened yesterday. I hope people take the time to look at how they over-reacted. What am I talking about? That will never happen.

[FearofH2O]

Sure as anything as soon as I post about food you'll be on something serious. Although playbiller might not want this known we actually ate pig's feet and pig's knuckles as kids. Haven't had them for a while but i do remember their vinagry deliciousnous.

When we were very good we had corned beef on rye with Dr. Brown's celery soda. Ah the good old days.

ETA I knew I'd be a day late again.

Edited September 13, 2007 by FearofH2O

[ToldForThis]

You may want to scroll....... I probably should hit delete instead of submit.....

I see the conversation is about food now and that......

I may be a little late in my response to some of the conversation here, but here goes anyway.

I did not want to see the tour take place and said so........ I like Ruben and think he and Clay have a very special chemistry together and I would love to see them together again...... sometime....... maybe a TV special, but not now, and I prefer no Kim.

I have said it before and will say it again..... I do not like Kim and never have. I have met her, have her CD, she is beautiful, has the most gorgeous skin, and a great voice. But, I still don’t like her.

Those are my thoughts and feelings....... likes and dislikes......... not telling Clay how to run his life or business.

But...... I have to confess, I was angry when his first blog did not address the situation.... and I left a comment that showed my anger. It was the first time i have ever left a comment in his blog. When he did address it, I commented again and apologized to him as i realized that he must not have been aware of what was going on. Not that he will read it, but i felt better.

As far as who was responsible for the tour rumor...... IMO.... it was Kim. .. shared with her management/publicist. Yes, the media lies a lot, but their info had to come from Kim and team. ..... and then there is the press release.

There has been a lot of discussion about the disrespect we/many have shown to Clay with all our opinions etc.....

I wonder how he and Ruben must feel about “The Tour” being announced??? about Kim??? Well, I guess we kinda have an idea how Clay feels now. ... at least about the tour.

Re the cool factor.

I am glad to see this addressed as I really have felt alone in this. I guess I really had not even put it into words myself as I thought I was the odd one out on this..... that due to being one of the “older” fans that I was just not fitting in.

I just want Clay to be happy in what he is singing regardless of what it is. If I don’t like it, then that is my problem. And I have not liked everything....... and yes, I have mentioned it......... and why.

I fell in love with the “not cool Clay” and have no desire for him to be something that he is not.

[gbmifan]

I try to eat healthy, but I cannot lie, I love anything with chocolate. I also grew up putting salt on apples, oranges, watermelon etc. I still do this. Exercise alot but sure doesn't help my weight, never lost a pound this summer and biked almost 2,000 miles.

I have been reading for the last three days all of the opinions of many people. I just don't get myself upset until I know the truth. I read many pages over at the OFC and cringed at what was being said. I may have not liked the idea of that tour, but I am easy and would have probably gone. I hope that people will just let this go and play nice, but I know that some people over at the OFC will never stop being critical.

I may not post much, but I sure enjoy reading.

[playbiller]

Good for you, ToldForThis. I really do believe people would feel better if they understood they over reacted to the first blog.

Fear - I rememberthe pigs feet in vinegar gelatin, but not pigs knuckles. I never drank celery soda, I had birch beer and I fed corned beef to what ever pet we had atthe time - ick. Dog or cat or goldfish or bird/chicken.

Fear and I were talking today bout the OFC. We were daydreaming that someone was tracking out and out insults to Clay and putting people on a no meet and greet list. See, this is where ToldForThis's apology would serve her well and get her off the list. Heh.

[JennaZ]

One ofthe things I find missing on almost efgery board is respect for Clay as a person - if it is indeed a fan board (TWOP is not a fan board), then Clay should be afforded at least as much respect as any poster, as well as his friends and family.

This has always bewildered me. Why is every bitter, mean-spirited, pot-stirrer allowed every courtesy and protection on the boards, while Clay, the ostensible reason for our fandom, can be bluntly and crudely insulted with absolute impunity?

I'm not saying there should be no criticism. I just think there's a respectful way to express one's opinion, and I don't think it's censorship to ask that of fans.

That's why I thank God he doesn't read the message boards often. I'd hate for him to see the kind of petty, cruel, and unfair statements about him that go unedited on nearly every board.

[keldanker]

Now I know I'll be hanging around since xxx is here because I love me some xxx. Football game? tomorrow? Yes, indeedy. I'll be there in my red, white, and black.

:F_05BL17blowkiss:

You guys are making me hungry.

[laljeterfan]

OMG Don't venture beyond these four walls. It's not pretty out there!

I came home from work yesterday and read and saw the reaction to Clay’s initial blog.

It wasn’t entertaining to me anymore. It wasn’t funny to me. The venom directed at Clay on the message board and in his blog astounded me. A little of it by people I call friends, others by people I had respected. So personal, so entitled, so demanding, so demeaning to Clay, so believing that Clay “owes” them, so proud of themselves for saying so. I must be clear though and say that it was certainly not everyone who did that. Some were thoughtful in their reasoning.

Remember that whole “unconditional” thing? It was interpreted many ways but, for me, it meant that that I loved and respected Clay unconditionally. It didn’t mean I always agreed with him. But you know what? I love my closest family and friends “unconditionally.” I share my opinions and I tell them if I disagree with something they say or do. But I don’t insult my close family and friends, I don’t think they owe me anything except a lotta love, I don’t think I get to control what they say and do, and I don’t ditch them when we disagree about something.

I just had a sudden "insight." I put it in quotes because I'm not sure whether it's an insight or just a wacky thought.

It was about the rampant (hee) hubris that seems to permeate the collective fandom. There is immense pride about the amount we spend on Clay shi stuff, the number of concerts we go to, the amount of clack we collect, the polls we spam and on and on. Some of this may be justified, but there is an underlying neediness to be top, first, best that is disturbing at times. There seems to be a very real inability to let go and not control everything - including other people's feelings, thoughts and musical tastes. (Clayversion, anyone?)

Perhaps it is hubris that gives the fandom the sense of entitlement. The right to chastise Clay for putting on weight, for selecting which audience member to talk to, to decide on his own career path.

The word that leaps off the page in both of these posts, and the word which I've long used privately to describe the attitude of some in the fandom is "entitlement". The belief that not only does Clay "owe" us, but we "own" him. Ugly thoughts which I've read and heard far too many times. I belonged to a small board several years ago and was one of the administrators, along with my best friend. It was during the time when we were getting some information about Clay doing an "Americana" tour, which eventually ended up being the JBT. The girl who ran the board became very upset with Clay that the tour was not coming near enough to her, claiming that Clay had "lied" to us- because in her mind, an "Americana" tour meant that he would be travelling all across the country, and she blamed him for "misleading" all of his fans. Uh,WHAT???? It made me realize, not for the first time unfortunately, just how over-invested in Clay some can become- to the point of feeling that he is to blame for things that are beyond his control, and that he has to answer to us for things that are really none of our business- like his career choices. The responses to his first blog yesterday angered me- but sadly, they didn't really surprise me. I'm not surprised by much anymore.

Except maybe some of the nasty things you guys eat-YUCK!!!

[FromClaygary]

In my opinion? The decline began the day that covers blurb appeared in EW. Things have never been the same since that day. And no, I don't think we can go home again.

Again, I think I agree about the timing...but do you think that caused it? Or was it just an ignitor, somewhere to place the anger? Where did the anger originate? And why?

(If I'm starting to remind anyone of their three-year old, just scroll)

[Bookwhore]

Oh.My.God. I just read a post where someone called grits "glop"! Couchie, are you going to let people talk like that??? What kind of board is this? I'm a transplanted New Orleanian...grits are like a religion in this family! Putting sugar on grits amounts to a hate crime around here.

I can only hope that y'all can indulge in some deeeep self-reflection and see the error of your ways.

Edited September 13, 2007 by Bookwhore

[bottlecap]

When we were very good we had corned beef on rye with Dr. Brown's celery soda. Ah the good old days.

Geez, I'm so sheltered and midwestern meatloaf and instant mashed potatoes. I had never heard of such a thing as Celery Soda - wikipedia to the rescue. [Yeah, I know wikipedia's got reliability issues, but for quick and to-the-point pop culture stuff, it's handy. ]

Hey to all the newer posters, and also to all those other people and guests lurking down there at the bottom of the page. Are we what you thought we'd be?