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#18: He has always had the VOICE! But, boy has he ever learned to use his instrument!

Ansamcw

By Ansamcw
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  1. 1. What should be the next thread title on the FCA board?

    • Cheerful snark, cheerful criticism, cheerful smut, cheerful acceptance, cheerful sporking, cheerful threats, cheerful maniacal laughter....
      5
    • There are so many different kinds of beautiful...
      3
    • He's blossomed from a confirmed nerd to an international bon vivant.
      1
    • You never know when that rush of emotion will hit you when it comes to Clay!
      1
    • All it says to me is that Clay's critics are full of s***, six ways from Sunday.
      2
    • Clay Aiken:glorious voice, excellent comic actor, master of character and man in tights!
      23
    • This guy is not only a star, he is a lot more...
      8

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FromClaygary Executive Producer

FromClaygary

Posted
Posted
FromClaygary... LOVE your pictures!!!

Aww, thanks! I know if I lived in CA the lack of season change would get to me after a while.

claygary - beautiful pictures - but what is a "Studio Tour"?? I must have missed that part.

This area is very "artsy"..probably partially because of scenery like the pictures. Regularly, "studio tours" are held on weekends~they print/publish a map, and all the fabulous artist's studios are open to the public, with demos, sales of course of their art, goodies...AND you get to tour the country that you may never have seen before while you're at it. This one was very busy; there were usually 15-20 cars pulled up at each of the studios when I got there. Some examples of the type of thing: potter's studios, paintings, fibre art, stained glass, photography, metal art, jewelry, woodworking and turning, furniture, rugs...everything under the sun! It was great fun and I got a few awesome Christmas gifts.

It's like a craft show on (your) wheels...but you get to see where they live and work as well.

Claygary, beautiful pictures! I can feel the cold edge to the air and hear the crunch of the leaves underfoot.

Thanks!...and funnily enough :lol: it was 30 above (ie, 90-ish F) and muggy. But I know what you mean about the feeling!

ETA: Eeeeeeehhhh!! My first time at the top of the heap! :cryingwlaughter:

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liney23 Executive Producer

liney23

Posted
Posted
KarenEh! :F_05BL17blowkiss: :bighug: I want to barter in Baku, too!

You know, Clay looked sorta 'used'---in a good way----in Houston, didn't he? Sorta rough and scruffy and hot and tousled? :hubbahubba:

I've hit a block here at work. Overload. Too much to do--too many tasks and details to manage for the upcoming conference, yet still MAJOR, higher level things to put in motion for 2008 conferences---(already WAY behind there) and feeling VERY much like ONE SINGLE HUMAN BEING! :cry4:

I need....

I need....

yeah, that. :lipstick:

{{{{{muski}}}}

Take a 10-min laughter break with Clay and give a big sigh and keep plugging. How do you love Clay Aiken.... one lick at a time! :cryingwlaughter:

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Cotton Executive Producer

Cotton

Posted
Posted
Regularly, "studio tours" are held on weekends~they print/publish a map, and all the fabulous artist's studios are open to the public, with demos, sales of course of their art, goodies...AND you get to tour the country that you may never have seen before while you're at it.

Ooh! Sounds like so much fun! I wanna go next time!

Loved the pics. Wish you could have sneaked and gotten pics of some of the various art objects. Totally understand why you couldn't, though.

I love NC pottery. Sadly, my NC pottery shelf FELL OFF THE WALL in SC and all but two or three little pieces broke beyond repair! :crying1:

I need to book our flight to Vegas.

Gad, that's a long flight! The shortest is 6 1/2 hours! And we have 45 min to an hour (traffic +_) to Wilmington airport. Ack! I don't do well in airplane seats. Too short. Feet don't touch the floor. Leg cramps.

I know - too much whine!

:)

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Scarlett Executive Producer

Scarlett

Posted
Posted
Regularly, "studio tours" are held on weekends~they print/publish a map, and all the fabulous artist's studios are open to the public, with demos, sales of course of their art, goodies...AND you get to tour the country that you may never have seen before while you're at it.

Ooh! Sounds like so much fun! I wanna go next time!

FromClaygary, awww, those are such beautiful pictures! I wanna come next time too!

Someday, I want to make colorways out of all of them but especially these:

P1000245.jpg

I love the little bits of purple in this one:

P1000240.jpg

I love NC pottery. Sadly, my NC pottery shelf FELL OFF THE WALL in SC and all but two or three little pieces broke beyond repair!

I love NC Clay -- does that count??!

ETA: duckyvee, everyone on the road hated me this pm because I was concentrating on the syllables so much that I'd abruptly swerve or slow down or speed up speed up depending on the song. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

(is there a miata smiley?)

ETAA: FromClaygary, and I listened to Clay sing "O Canada" today!

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duckyvee personal manager

duckyvee

Posted
Posted
Please tell me you have "vows" from :23 in I'm Not Supposed To Love You Anymore on your list. If you like that "stars", you MUST love that "vows".

I don't actually, but not because I don't like it, I just don't know it. I'm not a fan of the demos, so I haven't listened to them much and haven't even listened through some of the songs all of the way. (Do I have the correct reference?) But, I do have them, and now I want to hear that syllable! Thanks for the recommendation! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Oh, yay... I hope you like it... but it's ok if you don't. ;)

:clap:

I finally listened. Yep, 'vows' is a great syllable! One of the best. Thanks again for pointing it out. There are other types of 'Clay syllables' I like, too, with totally different sounds, but those 3 (Toledo 'stars', BSOB 'yon' and now 'vows') share a certain quality. I could go on for pages on this subject....

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FromClaygary Executive Producer

FromClaygary

Posted
Posted
Ooh! Sounds like so much fun! I wanna go next time!

Loved the pics. Wish you could have sneaked and gotten pics of some of the various art objects. Totally understand why you couldn't, though.

Me too! There was actually a lady taking pictures upstairs in one of the pottery studios; right nose to nose with some beautiful raku pieces. The artist of course....was DOWNstairs! I gave her the bigtime dirty look, but of course she just ignored me.

Ooh! Sounds like so much fun! I wanna go next time!

Someday, I want to make colorways out of all of them but especially these:

I thought of you as I looked at the countryside in its colorful dresses! Many of these, of course, were taken just for that purpose with my beads.

....and you're both invited! Anytime!! The Claydorm awaits.

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Couch Tomato Baby Sitter

Couch Tomato

Posted
Posted

Muski, I feel ya girl.

Well I managed to stay offline from lunch until 5PM..wasn't hard because I was frickin' busy. Tomorrow might be another matter.

FromClaygary..those photos ARE beautiful..but more than that..I wish I could be there right now just chillin'. Is it time for Xmas shows yet. I need a vacation.

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Cotton Executive Producer

Cotton

Posted
Posted
Someday, I want to make colorways out of all of them but especially these:

<snip>

I love NC pottery. Sadly, my NC pottery shelf FELL OFF THE WALL in SC and all but two or three little pieces broke beyond repair!

I love NC Clay -- does that count??!

Scarlett, what are colorways?

And, YES! Loving NC Clay absolutely counts!!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

ETA:

I am still walking the dogs!!!

:rolleyes:

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Couch Tomato Baby Sitter

Couch Tomato

Posted
Posted
You are not crazy.......cos if you are then I am too!

I started my Christmas shopping yesterday,. I intend to be all done by Nov 1st, cards written and all! I want no excuse to not go!

Bwah..but guess what I did. I printed out the list of all 520 shops at the Mall of America. Then I wrote down the name of all the people on my Xmas list. By the time I get to Minneapolis I'll know which shop I want to go into for which person and a general idea of what to get them. Of course you know this will take massive research cuz I'll have to click on many of the links to see exactly what some stores are all about. I am obsessed with that damn mall. I'm crossing off the list every shop I've ever heard of or I can get around the corner and around the way.

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Claygasm Chairman

Claygasm

Posted
Posted

The more I think about it, the more I like the idea of Clay in Spamalot.

Think of it. CLAY IN TIGHTS!!!

ALL OF CLAY IN TIGHTS!!

TIGHTS SHOW ALL!!!!

Just think of the possibilities!!!! :hubbahubba:

{{{{Muski}}}} I feel your pain. Its been VERY busy at work and its just beginning to rev up and I am still getting used to this place and have things to learn and my boss is soooooooooooooo ADD!!!!

But one of my coworkers did say they are very easy about taking time off...... Of course, I don't get PAID for any time off until next July!

Ah......those little breaths at the end......I always called them air humps. No, idea where that came from but I remember that from the beginning.

As weird as this sounds I should have been in bed a couple of hours ago. Tomorrow we're off to the bazaar.....where my pitiful bartering skills will make me the laughing stock of the marketplace. Anyway, I stayed up late to work on some summer tour photos since summer is long over now. Here's one from Houston I called Black & Light.

206562053-L-1.jpg

I sometimes get my "gahs" and my "guhs" mixed up.....perhaps a little dose of linguistics from a well oiled enunciation machine would take care of that.....since sometimes the vowel sounds you make are equal to the love you take.....yeah, I know that's backwards, but it worked better. :D

Editing in another one....

206576329-L.jpg

Karen Eh?, those pictures are breathtaking!!! OMG!!! Just beautiful.

So, how are you liking Baku? Have you started finding recruits for the eBP (a.k.a the evil Baku Posse...)??

Hee I put in for my Clay trip vacation today. Now all I need is tickets, transportation, somewhere to stay and money and I 'm all set!

I know...I must be crazy but dammit I'm gonna do it. Off to craigslist to find me a little pin money heh.

They sell money on craigslist????? Could you pick me up a few extra hundred??

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Gibby Executive Producer

Gibby

Posted
Posted
I smell like horrible coffee. Really horrible coffee. Which wasted everywhere. Including me. So now I need to stay downwind of everyone. Poot.

I am finally accepting the fact I can't go to Lincoln Center. Though there is a faint flicker of hope for a miracle, like the whole shebang is moved to Houston. That would work.

I've got Dream Lover on loop. It's making me feel better.

Hugs and kisses, KAndre. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I'm going to post one more thing about lyrics. Sometimes they catch you by surprise. In this case I'll use the example of Grown Up Christmas List. I had heard Kelly sing the song, I'd loved it by Quiana. When I heard her sing it the first time the hair stood up on my arms. It wasn't until Clay sang it that I really listened to and felt the lyrics. The meaningful lyrics were always there, but they didn't touch me until I heard Clay sing them. It's one of those songs for me, if I'm feeling a little down, I'll click on that GMA clip of him singing that song and it will just wash a peaceful feeling over me. For me, that song, as sung by Clay, is a perfect example of melody. lyrics and singer interpretation.

Oh, yes, I so agree with this! I really didn't catch all of the lyrics to MGUCL when Kelly and Quiana sang it. I thought it was a gorgeous song, and liked the lyrics I heard, but just thought it was a a nice song. When Clay sang it? Whoa!! He really interpreted the song, and made it mean something. I can't listen to anyone else's version now! I LURVE Clay's version.

So I am glad to see that you're still talking about ATD and here's what I thought about it in the shower this morning....

It's really the pace of the song that always bothered me. I find it plodding, boring and dull. The lyrics are a bit cheesey, but it's hard to find a song with any meaning these days whose lyrics aren't bordering on the cheesey side. I sang it in the shower (and OMG I remembered all the lyrics!) in a much faster pace, and with the tempo stepped up I like it a lot more.

I also feel the same about LAA - even tho I FLOVE LAA - I really think it would be a great uptempo song. I can see someone else doing a cover of it sometime in the future, with more guitars and drums and a lot faster. JMHO!!! YMMV!!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I like ATD at a faster tempo, too. Jesse and Sean traded places when they did ATD in the last concert of the DCAT tour, and they performed it at a faster tempo. I really liked it!

LAA is actually at a bit faster tempo on the album than when Clay performed it live during the DCAT tour. I love both the live and the studio versions, but I find that the live versions drag a little.

Christmas shopping? Yikes! Hubby and I both have huge extended families, and everyone expects to get gifts. It's a major expense for us. My siblings and I draw names, but otherwise everyone else gets gifts. Of course, we get a lot of gifts, too, but usually only half of the things we get are useful or desirable. Unfortunately, people in his family get really pissy if we don't send them something nice. I LURVE my hubby to pieces - but his family can be quite interesting to deal with.

Sorry things at work are so stressful, Muski. I have a solution for you - stare at pictures like this every time you feel stressed:

karen2pt4.jpg

RiversendPC040106.jpg

TyraCap2.jpg

nicebig.jpg

hotpaper.jpg

060922_TheView_WY_large010_0005.jpg

filteredpianothud.jpg

101_0064c5x7t_f.jpg

toolthumbs3.jpg

CloseupJNTstuble.jpg

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atinal Executive Producer

atinal

Posted
Posted
You are not crazy.......cos if you are then I am too!

I started my Christmas shopping yesterday,. I intend to be all done by Nov 1st, cards written and all! I want no excuse to not go!

Bwah..but guess what I did. I printed out the list of all 520 shops at the Mall of America. Then I wrote down the name of all the people on my Xmas list. By the time I get to Minneapolis I'll know which shop I want to go into for which person and a general idea of what to get them. Of course you know this will take massive research cuz I'll have to click on many of the links to see exactly what some stores are all about. I am obsessed with that damn mall. I'm crossing off the list every shop I've ever heard of or I can get around the corner and around the way.

I'm glad I'm not alone. Two weeks ago I started wrapping packages and stacking them in my closet. I'm going to Chicago next week so maybe I can pick up a couple more gifts. I always do this, but this year I'm trying to stay more focused and organized. The last couple of years I've been a little distracted, seems I spend a little too much time on my computer :cryingwlaughter:

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PuddinsJoy body guard

PuddinsJoy

Posted
Posted
I'm going to post one more thing about lyrics. Sometimes they catch you by surprise. In this case I'll use the example of Grown Up Christmas List. I had heard Kelly sing the song, I'd loved it by Quiana. When I heard her sing it the first time the hair stood up on my arms. It wasn't until Clay sang it that I really listened to and felt the lyrics. The meaningful lyrics were always there, but they didn't touch me until I heard Clay sing them. It's one of those songs for me, if I'm feeling a little down, I'll click on that GMA clip of him singing that song and it will just wash a peaceful feeling over me. For me, that song, as sung by Clay, is a perfect example of melody. lyrics and singer interpretation.

Thanks atinal! Great reminder that for me, it even goes beyond his GMA rendition. Does anyone remember that our first 'glimpse' of Clay's MGUCL on GMA was video taped from outside the studio? Street noise and passers-by were all caught along with Clay. I prefer to watch it, not as much for my reaction to the gahhhhh-inducing run (I'd almost call it more a warble) he sang on "need" in the line "for a world in need"... but more for the reaction the two policemen who were standing outside looking in, when they heard it. Their favorable exclamations, thick with NY accents, make me smile everytime!

You are not crazy.......cos if you are then I am too!

I started my Christmas shopping yesterday,. I intend to be all done by Nov 1st, cards written and all! I want no excuse to not go!

Bwah..but guess what I did. I printed out the list of all 520 shops at the Mall of America. Then I wrote down the name of all the people on my Xmas list. By the time I get to Minneapolis I'll know which shop I want to go into for which person and a general idea of what to get them. Of course you know this will take massive research cuz I'll have to click on many of the links to see exactly what some stores are all about. I am obsessed with that damn mall. I'm crossing off the list every shop I've ever heard of or I can get around the corner and around the way.

you're scaring me girl . . . :cryingwlaughter:

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Claygasm Chairman

Claygasm

Posted
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I thought I read a report of tights plus tunics in Spamalot. From this clip, the costume looks more like a dress.

Karen Eh?, I'm enjoying your updates. Good luck with your bartering skills tomorrow!

Ah, but those tunics seems like they're split in the front. Seems like many opportunities to take a peek... or two...

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liney23 Executive Producer

liney23

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Gad, that's a long flight! The shortest is 6 1/2 hours! And we have 45 min to an hour (traffic +_) to Wilmington airport. Ack! I don't do well in airplane seats. Too short. Feet don't touch the floor. Leg cramps.

I know - too much whine!

:)

Cotton, see if you can dig up a piece of computer packing... that lightweight spongy stuff that is actually pretty stiff but weighs nothing. Cut it to size, then carry it on to make a footrest... or find an inflatable plastic footrest. Maybe in the toy section. Or, what I do... I have a folding bag inside my purse and a BIG coat or sweatshirt. I stuff that in my extra bag and bingo... foot rest. Brought to you by Suggestions are Us! :cryingwlaughter: Good luck!

I am having a ball making the Table of Contents for the summer tour. I am up to Sterling Heights. I think this will happen sooner than I thought, cause I am enjoying it so much.

:kra: <== this is sooo cute! I swear everytime I go looking for an emoticon, I find ones I am sure weren't there the last time I looked. Are you guys messing with my mind??? Be careful... I don't have much left to mess with! :cryingwlaughter:

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Cotton Executive Producer

Cotton

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Posted
Brought to you by Suggestions are Us! :cryingwlaughter: Good luck!

hee

I love Suggestions Are Us!

I have a footrest that always travels with me in the car when DH is driving.

Wooden though, a little to much to carry on an airplane!

I'll have to look for a more lightweight one.

Or maybe I'll just get one of those inflatable pool toys that are probably on sale cheap now!!! :cryingwlaughter:

Let's see - a Dragon?

A Big Shark???

I'll have to think on that.

But for now, I'm . . .

:nightienight:

(not bored, Play! Just tired!!)

or maybe I'll try this one . . .

dragclay.gif

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jazzgirl body guard

jazzgirl

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Posted
I thought I read a report of tights plus tunics in Spamalot. From this clip, the costume looks more like a dress.

Karen Eh?, I'm enjoying your updates. Good luck with your bartering skills tomorrow!

Ah, but those tunics seems like they're split in the front. Seems like many opportunities to take a peek... or two...

Optimism abounds here! I just knew someone would comment on that.

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Couch Tomato Baby Sitter

Couch Tomato

Posted
Posted
My trip is my excuse NOT to buy presents and mail cards! :cryingwlaughter:

hmmmm... you have a point there!!

karen2pt4.jpg

RiversendPC040106.jpg

hotpaper.jpg

060922_TheView_WY_large010_0005.jpg

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toolthumbs3.jpg

CloseupJNTstuble.jpg

need to see pretty pictures on this page.

Ahhhh...the good news photo. he's so beautiful there singing that song.

you're scaring me girl . . . :cryingwlaughter:

Really? then I shouldn't tell you about my color coded spreadsheet?

Ah, but those tunics seems like they're split in the front. Seems like many opportunities to take a peek... or two...

Of course I only care about Clay's artistic interpretations

:kra: <== this is sooo cute!

for me it's this one...

:PickMe-1: just too cute.

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Kareneh body guard

Kareneh

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KarenEh! :F_05BL17blowkiss: :bighug: I want to barter in Baku, too!

You know, Clay looked sorta 'used'---in a good way----in Houston, didn't he? Sorta rough and scruffy and hot and tousled? :hubbahubba:

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I am really enjoying this batch of pictures and I had no idea how they were going to be since I took them from inside a folded black dinner napkin placed on my lap. But, definitely, yeah.......I think he looked gravelly, in a nice, Jim Beam, Southern Comfort kind of way....heck this one reminds me of Tequila.

206575362-L.jpg

Karen Eh, how are you finding Baku? Going to the Bazaar sounds so interesting, I'd love to hear about it when you return with the things you acquired using your bartering skills. I used to love to barter at the local auction and actually saved a lot of money in the process. My DLH would get a little embarrassed at my attempts but he was always proud of me when we saved money. That was bartering western style, you face a whole new challenge in Baku but I guess that's the way they do business.

Have you been successful in your house hunting? I've read that Baku is pretty western because of the oil industry, how do you find the culture?

Well, I think we have found a house and I am copping out big time....going into an ex-pat enclave. But we're taking the dog with us and need a yard. Since Azerbaijan was under Soviet rule for many years, most of it's housing is in the form of Soviet block type apartments. There is a lot of new skyscraper construction but that isn't going to work well with the dog, so I'm opting for the yard and a new house. If we get this one, then it won't be finished until December. I was told not to rent anything that wasn't finished because deadlines aren't all that important around here. So, later we are going to see if there are some previously occupied ones that are empty in the neighborhood. Some say there are and others say there are none. If there is nothing else to look at then I am going with this one.

IMG_0007.jpg

I have to furnish it, too. So before we leave I have to drag John to some furniture stores (of which I have no clue or concept here) and point. He'll be back here as soon as we get back from Vegas so the furnishing will fall to him. It's kind of ironic that I get to start with a blank canvas, on someone else's dime, and I won't be around to enjoy it. Of course, they tell me that furniture buying involves many trips to the stores and lots of.....you guessed it.....negotiation. This is one very interesting place. There is a blend of two cultures here...Russian Soviet and the Azeri, which is very similar to the Turks. Russian is the most common language in Baku but "Salam" is the usual greeting. I stopped into a shop in the old city on Tuesday to buy some silk scarves and as soon as I stepped inside (well....it was more like I was waved and hailed inside), I was told to sit on a three legged stool and given hot tea in a glass....while the owner "enthusiastically" spread a sample of all of her wares on the carpet in front of us. It was a blast.

Here are a few more pix. I need to get out and take way more than I have. One more day after this one and then home to get ready!

IMG_0014c.jpg

IMG_0009.jpg

And someone asked about the eBP......I definitely think there are possibilites there.

IMG_0015c.jpg

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