# 19: Clay Aiken: glorious voice, excellent comic actor, master of character and man in tights!

[muskifest]

Fun...fun, CG! Great job, thanks! I sent the yousendit link to my two friends who couldn't make the LA DCAT concert. They're both BIG Solitaire fans.... :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I really loved watching the Leno peformance---absolutely LOVED how he interpreted the song that night with his stance and stillness...that utter stillness made the few hand gestures and touches of the mic near the end even more powerful and meaningful....LOVED it!

Great athletic weekend for my girls---both Carrie's softball team and Alex's soccer team won their tournaments! And Alex's team didn't allow one goal in four games! Cool stuff.

Now I have to care again about menus for the freakin' conference. Have to hole myself up in my room and do work while ther rest of the family sits downstairs and watches a stupid horror/comedy show wihtout me....

crap.

Of course, I might have to sneak in a viewing of CG's montage a couple of times...heh.

[Cotton]

Claygasm!

Girl, if you can do that with a sinus headache, what the hell can you do if you're feeling great!?!

Oh, and about the 'not artsy' thing.

Sometimes I've watched montages in which I think the make used every special fade and transition their software has! Just. Not. Good.

I loved your smooth transitions from one to the next!!

Thank you!

[JennaZ]

Thanks, CG! What a lovely trip down memory lane.

[jamar1700]

Oh CG ...that was wonderful. Thank you! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I'll always have a special place in my heart for NAT Solitaire. Now that was an encore! Saw it live a few times. Never forget the big ol' guy sitting next to me in Sioux Falls. He screamed like a little girl when he realized that Clay would be singing that.

[atinal]

Thank you Claygasm, I really enjoyed that. Your Solitaire retrospective shows that he has always sang the shit out of that song. After watching all of the different versions, I find myself wondering what caused him to do all of that facial grimacing he did during the JBT. I didn't notice it in the versions before or after. Also, I have a tendency after listening to the whole thing to agree with those who have said that David sounds kindof heavy handed on the piano compared to Jason and Savon. That was fun. I wish I knew how to do that.

[luckiest1]

From one Solitaire lover to another, thank you for compiling those clips! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[Ansamcw]

WOW CG....thanks so much for that great trip down memory lane.

He was always a master at singing that song....but this time, he truly took his time, he caressed those notes and just let his voice soar and he had so many different textures to his voice...incredible.

I think the last look was my favorite too...I will take the bangs over the spikes any day...

[bottlecap]

If only the photographer had included a honeycrisp apple into this picture, I'd say we had a strong contender for a new board mascot:

Kittehs, Candy Corn and Knitware, via cuteoverload.com.

[Cotton]

Bottlecap, that is one pissed off looking kitty!!!

[jumpingjacks]

Or humiliated. Dogs smile when they are dressed up, cats look around to make sure no one is looking!

[gbmifan]

Have been in and out all weekend. I have watched Clay performance more times then I can count. It was just beautiful. He looked fantastic and loved the smiles. I have always enjoyed his interpretation of that song. When I went to the JBT it was one of the songs I could not wait to hear.

Have to work 12 hours tomorrow and hope it is better than when I worked on Fri. My patient went bad. He is a young man who is very compromised from a accident when he was 9. He is now 16 and has many issues including a trach, feeding tubes, not very mobile, and comes in with pneumonia alot. I hope over the weekend he was able to improve.

Today is my youngest sons birthday. He turned 23. I am feeling old! We took him and his fiance out last night. He has really grown up since he graduated from college in 2006. They both are so happy and are planning their wedding for next September.

Can not wait for Thurs Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader. My husband usually tapes CSI at night because he does not stay up late. I informed him today he can not have the machine that night. It is mine!. I have a meeting to go to and hope to get back in time, but if I don't I want it taped.

[duckyvee]

Claygasm, I loved your montage of Clay's Solitaire performances. I save very little video Clack, but this one is a keeper. Thank you!

[muskifest]

Ok....put together the food order for this fuckin' conference...(pardon my French)....yeah, it's over budget but I SWEAR I don't remember setting the fucking budget numbers so fucking low! Somebody's been messing with my budget!

And when I show the boss tomorrow, I'm sure I'll get a lot of sympathy...

:boo-hoo:

Now I need to finish the audio visual order. I've been alone in my room doing hte menus but dang it! I'm going downstairs to join the family with my A/V numbers and charts while we watch Cold Case....

and that's just how it's gonna have to go down.

But will settle for some cabernet....

Maybe I can persuade my hubby to join me...

Er.... but first....perhaps I'll just watch CG's Solitaire montage again...heh... You know....as a reward for finally putting the menus together...

(or maybe more than once.... )

[playbiller]

Happy birthday,Cindilu

Claygasm, for files that don't expire, get thee a free 4shared account. I have had mine for over a year and everything is there, they just keep increasing the amount of stuff I can save. It was and interesting comparison and fun playing guess the venue. Thanks

As to all the other things you wwere discussing, you know how I feel, so I won't repeat myself.

Ahhrggghh - why do people think they need to justify thier behavior - the guy was tryingt o explain why he nailed 1/3rd of the backflash, because it couldn't be done any other way, despite the instructions, despite the fact that he did not do the others. Then to get my cabinets straight, he moves them so far from the wall, the counter does not reach the wall because the wall he put up is crooked and that isthe fault of my pipes, despite I gave him shims to fix this issue. and ARRRGGHH... he is demanding I pay him more money because he had to add all this trim, that I never wanted to cover the space and it was more work...... I just want him out of my house! 4 more days. Soon I will be in Vegas!!!

[Claygasm]

Glad you all liked my trip down Solitaire lane! It was fun putting together. I mean I was FORCED to watch all that clack and listen to Clay sing over and over and over again.

Of course, I should have been cleaning my humble home, but you know, with a sinus headache it probably wouldn't have been good for me to breathe in dust and all.

Right??

Claygasm, for files that don't expire, get thee a free 4shared account. I have had mine for over a year and everything is there,

Play, I tried one of these before and couldn't figure it out. Not sure what I was doing wrong. Do you give tutorials?

I meant to give hugs to muski! You work too hard, my friend!! :big hug:

ETA: Well, looks like we'll be seeing Clay on 5th Grader this week! Congrats to the Red Sox. Condolences Gibby on your Rockies (now you know how we Phillies fans feel - a lot!).

[clayzedover]

Just read on another board that the much viewed and highy rated Solitaire at Sedaka tribute video from BigAppleForClay has been removed from YouTube. Not sure why, but that one is gone. There are others of the same video still up, but the highly rated one is gone.

[Couch Tomato]

:F_05BL17blowkiss: Gibby. Your team though had a great season and has a great future.

Play...I find your home improvement interesting every step of the way!!

[Gibby]

ETA: Well, looks like we'll be seeing Clay on 5th Grader this week! Congrats to the Red Sox. Condolences Gibby on your Rockies (now you know how we Phillies fans feel - a lot!).

Thanks, CG and Couchie. Sniff. I guess I should be glad they got as far as they did, but it's still sad. I do have AYSTAFG and Vegas to look forward to, though, so it's not all bad!

Play, that's a hilarious birthday greeting!!

[jazzgirl]

Glad you all liked my trip down Solitaire lane! It was fun putting together. I mean I was FORCED to watch all that clack and listen to Clay sing over and over and over again.

Really enjoyed your "Solitaire Man" montage! I always loved the song "Solitary Man", so that's the shorthand name I'll use to remember it. That song really is Clay's; I can't imagine anyone performing a better rendition.

As for the super-sekrit producer, Team Clay seems to think it is important to conceal their identity, as if it were some top secret info, or I guess, it's just more special to wait.

[zena]

So, here it is, the big milestone post; the next one is much too far ahead to see or even believe I'll ever reach. If I do, it will be the most I've ever said on any messageboard.

Today, as I was reading some of the truly wise and perceptive takes on the present upward surge and swell of the fandom's tide, I found myself nodding in agreement a lot. But today, I was not especially compelled to try to say again myself what had already been said very articulately.

I like that about this board. It feels comfortable enough for me not to have to Word every excellent post; comfortable enough to know that when I actually remember to join the birthday greetings of the day that this means more that I am having a good day than that I have forgotten or don't care about all the others.

When I do get on my little soapbox to rant or rave; whatever the case may be; I have, somewhat to my surprise, been heard. And quoted. And pmed. My little posting heart runneth over.

I watched Claygasms' Solitaire montage with a reverent and permanent lipbite of my own.

And then just a few minutes ago,I peeked through the heads and shoulders of that wired Avery Fischer audience through SLC's lense to let the vision and voice of Clay Aiken fill and overtake my 15 inch computer screen.

How can people say, "I've fallen in love again...." For me, it is always still and more in love.

He has always been all that he is now, which is much more than he has often been given credit for, and even less than he is yet to become. I think the world will always need Clay Aiken more than Clay Aiken needs the world. He is a realist; a survivor, and a star no matter how badly someone cuts his hair.

I have written, second-guessed and deleted hundreds of posts in other places at other times. Here at FCA, I'm hitting send with a little less trepidation. I'm not aiming to wow anyone; even if I could, (hee) but I am trying to be the authentic zena, who is so not a warrior princess (except maybe for Clay.) I wouldn't have too much troublesaying, "yes, my liege" to him. I have totally stopped trying to figure out why this is the case. It's been four years; I've just accepted it.

So, in my usual slooooooooow way of beating around the bush, I want to say thank-you FCA for making this the kind of place where I feel there is room to breathe, to speak, and to get to know people with all kinds of different opinions; where there is respect and tolerance,(even for tremendously run-on sentences) and thank God, lots of laughter and real stuff to keep our Clay heads from floating off into the cybersphere.

zena bows......." Thank you, FCA, with all my heart"

I(along with my trusty sword) pledge to guard the body to the death, or the next milestone; whichever comes first.

eta: Please note that in an effort to reflect the solemnity of this post, zena has refrained from the use of any frivolous emoticons. She hopes readers appreciate the degree of restraint required.

[luckiest1]

Awww, zena, what a sweet post. I'll add the emoticons. I have no restraint!

:F_05BL17blowkiss: :thbighug-1:

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! AYSTAFG will not be rescheduled! So now I just have to figure out how to tape 3 things at once!

[goldarngirl]

Awww, zena, what a sweet post. I'll add the emoticons. I have no restraint!

:F_05BL17blowkiss: :thbighug-1:

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! AYSTAFG will not be rescheduled! So now I just have to figure out how to tape 3 things at once!

That's what Clack is for.

[aikim]

Good Morning Everyone,

3 Days until Clay is on AYSTAFG!

8 Days until Clay Tapes The Skating Special!

28 Days until The Christmas Tour Starts!

54 Days until Christmas in Merrillville!

57 Days until The Skating Special Airs!

70 Days until the BAF Golf Outing!

81 Days until Clay is on Broadway! :whoohoo:

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[Cotton]

<snip>

He is a realist; a survivor, and a star no matter how badly someone cuts his hair.<snip>

Congrats on your milestone.

I just had to quote the part above.

AMEN, Sistah!

G'Morning, All!

[keepingfaith]

Everytime I get in one of these major swoons I always end up back at the AI2 videos. And this face gets me every time. Was he beginning to get a clue that life would never be the same?