#23: Lordy. He is one more hunkalicious dude!

[luckiest1]

I'd say Clay/Clayton is much more integrated these days. I don't see him live that often and the difference from JBT to the summer tour was astounding to me. I think the past 2 years, though challenging for him, has added a degree of maturity that serves him well. I love how comfortable he seems to be in his own skin, haters and critics be damned.

And I think this is why, the closer "Clay" gets to "Clayton", the more I love it. Because I want him to be comfortable in his own skin. I think there has always been a great divide between the on-stage and the off-stage guy, and the closer he gets to bringing the two of them together, the better, IMO.

I spent some time this afternoon reading backwards through his blogs. Man, I just love reading his words! And you can see how much more comfortable he is now than he used to be, talking to "us".

Grrrrrrr, still no resolution from the doctor or the pharmacy. Looks like I will be taking a trip north. Of course, they are predicting freezing rain tonight. Oh joy.

[FromClaygary]

I'd love to create DVD using Scarlett's wonderful xvid .avi files as they are great quality...but I'm using Sonic My DVD and the message I'm getting is "The software that's used to decode the media is not available on this system. Installing the correct decoders for the files you are working with may help to correct the problem"

Help? Anyone know what I need?

TIA!!

[FromClaygary]

Grrrrrrr, still no resolution from the doctor or the pharmacy. Looks like I will be taking a trip north. Of course, they are predicting freezing rain tonight. Oh joy.

So far, so good...nothing happening up here. But if it gets ugly, you can always do a sleepover....as long as you dont' mind dust It's been a while since I've been home!!

[JennaZ]

There are a few people, who shall remain nameless, who think they know better than Clay and his professional advisors. It's as if they could fix him and make him be what they want him to be if only they could get on his team and I do believe some aspire to that even if they know it is unrealistic.

I don't think Clay is perfect. In fact I think he has lots of growing up to do but don't we all. For a 29 year old guy, he is doing just fine. I prefer to acknoeledge someone's stengths rather than focus on the little things that actually, ya know, make them human.

I am so looking forward to what 2008 brings and I have good feelings about it all.

Great post, skybar! Glad to see you here!

The thing is, we fans don't really have access to the details of his professional life. We don't know all the options that have been presented to him. We haven't seen his spreadsheets, read his contracts, or sat in his management meetings. There really is a lot we don't know. And yet fans feel free to declare with absolute authority what he should and should not have done? Boggles the mind.

Yeah, Clay isn't perfect. But how does one define "perfect" anyway? It's not as if we could all even agree on what what the "ideal" might be.

One reason I don't like to focus on the things about him that don't thrill me is because to me, they're pretty trivial. So he looked a little puffy at one time? So his voice might have been slightly scratchy in a particular song? As Clay has pointed out, thousands have suffered from disasters in Mexico, Indonesia, and elsewhere. I like to save my angst for the issues that really matter.

And I can't help but think that his experiences may have given him a certain perspective. He may think his "problems" (lack of airplay, tabloids, etc.) are fairly minor compared to the devastation faced by so many others in the world. And one really looks at the things he has--a Broadway role, steady concert bookings, voice-over work for a nationally syndicated show, a network special, not to mention good friends, a supportive family, and fans who will do anything for him--it's hard to see him as the perpetual victim some do.

[MyMOAM2]

Taking that welcome below from liney23 and running with it :clay: Read pretty much everything here, post not so often. This is kind of my "sigh of relief" board to come to away from other negativity and nit-picking. I love to just enjoy Clay.

I'm with you, playbiller. Mr. Ambassador is Clayton Holmes Aiken, not Clay Aiken. He USES his Clay Aiken persona to allow Clayton to do what his heart tells him is important, but the person he shows to all the people he meets through UNICEF and BAF is Clayton---that guy who took Mike Bubel to a grocery store and admonished the 'normal' people who stared at him during a meltdown, the guy who got the YMCA to accept their first developmentally challenged child, the guy who got down on his knees in a tux to dance with a girl who most likely spent her life being ridiculed---he's always been Clayton. He's hawt Clay for the fans...but he's still always Clayton.

muski... I agree with every single WORD of the above! I actually wondered, as the CITH tour went on and his hair got lighter and the glasses didn't go away and the sidburns came back if he wasn't seeing if we would still see him as sexy and appealing as Clayton as we do Clay. I wondered if he wants to be more himself/Clayton all the time, not just when he is UNICEFing or BAFing or lecturing.

I mean, who knows what is in the man's head at any given moment, but he has kept the two separated pretty much by appearance these years. Wonder if he's just tired of needing to.

Or, Clay may come back with a vengence when he does promo for Spamalot!

WELCOME to the newbies/delurkers!!! This is the bestest board eveh!!!

You know, if it was Clay's intent to merge the two (Clay/Clayton), he sure succeeded with me. I was all "Lord of the Manor" or perhaps "AIW" hair exclusively and gawd.no.sideburns................until he and Jamie pulled that slooooooooooowwww transition on us during the tour. And then he goes and hugs that little Mexican boy with that "newly blonde" hair and sideburns. I am toast.

Thanks to Cha Cha Trusty back a page or two for that link to the blog with the David Bowie and Clay versions of Drummer Boy.

Brian Cormier Blog

I had been on a little bit of a Bing kick this Christmas and this was the icing on the cake for me. Had never seen the Bowie version. Boy, Clay's is so much better. Not prejudiced here, but truly, Clay did not drown out Bing and dueted so, so well with him. I have always loved Clay's duets anyway because he is so gentlemanly about sharing and what results is a true duet. Love that man !

The first song on that blog........I will Capture Your Heart......is from the movie "Holiday Inn", whch I just bought this Christmas. It is a kind of sequel to "White Christmas". IN my searches, I also found a website that sells DVDs of Bing's old Christmas shows. This one is from the year he died and includes the Bowie duet:

Bing Christmas Specials

wonder if Clay has some of these

OK, enough rambling. Hope everyone is enjoying their time off !!

[cindilu2]

I've spent the afternoon drinking wine (shuddup - it's five o'clock somewhere) and reading a book, and listening to MOAM on repeat. I FLOVE this cd.

That is all.

[liney23]

And I can't help but think that his experiences may have given him a certain perspective. He may think his "problems" (lack of airplay, tabloids, etc.) are fairly minor compared to the devastation faced by so many others in the world. And one really looks at the things he has--a Broadway role, steady concert bookings, voice-over work for a nationally syndicated show, a network special, not to mention good friends, a supportive family, and fans who will do anything for him--it's hard to see him as the perpetual victim some do.

Jenna... (bolding mine). Well, you see, for many the way they show love is to worry about/try to fix the object of their love. For many, if Clay stops struggling/stops seeming like the victim of bullies, then how can they show their love. That's, IMO, is why so many are nit picking the HOI show. It was wonderful exposure for him and he did "good enough" to sell a bunch of cds and all they focus on is the nits... so they can worry about him and predict disaster that they somehow MUST (they sigh!) fix for him, thus showing him how much they love him and how much he needs them.

I've spent the afternoon drinking wine (shuddup - it's five o'clock somewhere) and reading a book, and listening to MOAM on repeat. I FLOVE this cd.

That is all.

cindilu... As I am slaving away at my desk, that sounds like a lovely afternoon to me... enjoy!!!

[bottlecap]

Paging Scarlett....

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.

I'm about as untechie as they come, but these type of questions come up occasionally at CV, and I try to save links to websites when someone answers. Here are a couple that I've saved, with a disclaimer that I haven't actually used these sites to try to do conversions.

http://media-convert.com/

http://www.geovid.com/Flash%20to%20Video%20Conversion/

I'd love to create DVD using Scarlett's wonderful xvid .avi files as they are great quality...but I'm using Sonic My DVD and the message I'm getting is "The software that's used to decode the media is not available on this system. Installing the correct decoders for the files you are working with may help to correct the problem"

Help? Anyone know what I need?

I have Nero pre-installed on my laptop that I use for burning. It has a button that will allow you to go online to the company website and download patches and whatnot, and I think I can also pay for updates. Does Sonic have a similar feature?

[Couch Tomato]

Quick...before she gets home... one of us had a nice salad and water...someone else had salad, and pasta, a brownie, and clam chowder and pizza. No names. hee

love your point about perpetual victim Jenna. Some sort of compromise is involved in every job I've had..there are even aspects of some of jobs that I haven't liked...and even though I've liked all my bosses..they're still bosses. And I'm not a victim. It's just life. This weak put upon Clay being carried along in the wind is not attractive. And no matter how much it is denied, I wonder how much of this characterization was born in the back channels of Clay Nation - after all they were hearing all these horrible things from "real' Clay.

ETA: Love it Bottle!!

[bottlecap]

HA! My Spanish is non-existent, so although I could pretty much figure out what the header of Clay's blog meant, I put it into Babelfish for translation:

"Them desire prospered New Year"

Thread title?!!

[muskifest]

HA! My Spanish is non-existent, so although I could pretty much figure out what the header of Clay's blog meant, I put it into Babelfish for translation:

"Them desire prospered New Year"

Thread title?!!

Is that smut?

[skybar22]

I have to admit that I was concerned about Clay for a while because he was so silent for so long but after he went on LKL and said he was done and taking back his life, and when he announced to the world that he was on Paxil for his anxiety, I knew he was a tough cookie and no one was going to destroy him. It is a sign of deep strength for someone to go on national TV and talk about needing Paxil or any other medication to deal with anxiety. Basically Clay set some clear boundaries and has since followed through and is not looking back. I love his strength and his wisdom and everything else too! He's one yummy man from any angle I look at him. The dude really does have an inner strength that I seldom see.

[muskifest]

Quick...before she gets home... one of us had a nice salad and water...someone else had salad, and pasta, a brownie, and clam chowder and pizza. No names. hee

YEah, but one of them with the salad and water also had two helpings of chocolate pudding with whipped cream and nuts...so let's just call it even, shall we? :F_05BL17blowkiss:

After reading Clay's blog, I wondered if he'd attacked any Coke machines at United baggage claim with those big ole' feet?

[Clayzorback]

Quick...before she gets home... one of us had a nice salad and water...someone else had salad, and pasta, a brownie, and clam chowder and pizza. No names. hee

love your point about perpetual victim Jenna. Some sort of compromise is involved in every job I've had..there are even aspects of some of jobs that I haven't liked...and even though I've liked all my bosses..they're still bosses. And I'm not a victim. It's just life. This weak put upon Clay being carried along in the wind is not attractive. And no matter how much it is denied, I wonder how much of this characterization was born in the back channels of Clay Nation - after all they were hearing all these horrible things from "real' Clay.

No it isn't attractive, couchie. Clay is no victim. He has choices in his career. I bet a lot of the victim stuff came from backchannel insiders. I'm putting my money on you for the salad and water diner.....Hee.

I am sitting here eating a chicken, broccoli, cheese, and rice casserole I made. It was pretty good. I had never tried it with bread cubes on it before. I googled for a recipe and used it. I will definitely make it again with some minor changes.

My outside lights are all in the garage and everything Christmas is now put away until next year. What a good feeling that is.

Speaking of Christmas and the Clay and Bing duet. If he re-issues MCWL next year, this is sure one song I wish he would get the rights to, and add it on the new cd. He does do a much better job than David Bowie, I agree.

Meant to tell you cha cha, your site looks good with all the UNICEF stuff up. Can someone tell me where I can go read about the back flap? PM me if you need to. There are just too many sites and not enough time to search for it. TIA....

[jmh123]

From the CB, another Mexican article on Clay's visit, with new pics: http://www.cuarto-poder.com.mx/

[ldyjocelyn]

I just needed to see this picture again on this page. I think I need an insulin shot, it's so sweet.

Regarding "Clay vs. Clayton": interesting theories. I guess I think there will always be a bit of a divide between the two, just because of the craziness that comes with being a celebrity -- something that I don't think Clayton would want to deal with, but Clay can. But it does seem that there is some merging between the two, at least with his looks. I'm cool with that. (BTW -- this last paragraph is ALL PURE SPECULATION. Like I really know what goes on inside his head....)

Regarding "Clay as perpetual victim": Good God, one of my biggest pet peeves in this fandom. There have been so many times that I've wanted to stand up and scream "He's a 29 year old MAN!!!!" He's dealt with so much in his life, to be sure, and of course, it isn't fair. But then, life just isn't fair most of the time for any of us either, and in many ways, he seems so secure with who he is.

While I do think part of his "victim" status within some of the fandom is because of how he came to us ("gotta vote!!!!"), I also sometimes wonder if it's also because of him being from a rural area -- as if smart people can't come from rural country areas. Well, first of all, I was raised on a farm, and Raleigh is definitely BIG CITY to me. But more than that, I always feel when people think some things of him because of his raisin', I wonder if they'd think that about ME, since I'm a rural country girl too. Just a thought.

bottlecap, I love that as a thread title!

[bottlecap]

From the CB, another Mexican article on Clay's visit, with new pics: http://www.cuarto-poder.com.mx/

EEEEEE! Looks like Brett's taking pictures. Does he understand the need for speed with Fresh Hawt Clack?

[jmh123]

While I do think part of his "victim" status within some of the fandom is because of how he came to us ("gotta vote!!!!"), I also sometimes wonder if it's also because of him being from a rural area -- as if smart people can't come from rural country areas. Well, first of all, I was raised on a farm, and Raleigh is definitely BIG CITY to me. But more than that, I always feel when people think some things of him because of his raisin', I wonder if they'd think that about ME, since I'm a rural country girl too. Just a thought.

I can definitely relate to this. Ever since I started reading the boards, it's made me think that there are probably people out there mocking me because of my clothing choices, fashion faux pas, my accent, and so forth, the same way they put Clay down. It isn't a good feeling. And these are people who like him.

[Couch Tomato]

He's one yummy man from any angle I look at him.

thread title?

With regards to the rest, yes, very strong. One of my favorite interviews ever was the People Magazine article that came out during ATDW. I think it got overlooked...if you all have it. Re-read it. I have such admiration for Clay and such a strong belief in his ability to handle whatever comes with grace and dignity and smarts too.

I'm putting my money on you for the salad and water diner.....Hee.

good thing you don't have real money on it heee :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[zena]

Hi, FCA, this girl is finally finished chasing Christmas around. Today is officially crash day.

I spent the wee hours last night catching up 20+ pages I've missed.

And these quotes were some of my "favorite things".....

Suspension of reality...that's what I love most about live theater. Waiting to see Clay step out of his Clayness and into Sir Robin is so exciting...I can't wait!

I love live theater too, and my yearly theatre subscriptions to theatres here in Winnipeg surely do make the long winter pass more easily. But New York: Broadway is far beyond what I have experienced or even can imagine. The bolded part, oooooh, jumpingjacks, you said that so well. I just betcha "Sir Robin" is going to fit his Clayness like a second skin.

And jumpingjacks , I'm really hoping the search for a kidney match works out.

we like wordy. Welcome annabear.

Hey, annabear, welcome to FCA from one of the wordiest!

There is negative and there is negative. But there is a way of saying things hurtfully or just saying them straight.

Just because someone has a different opinion than you still doesn't make either one of you right...or wrong. (. I don't think someone with an opposing view should make you feel badly about your own and visa versa.

Negative, to me, is not in not liking something, but the negative is the endless complaining and not seeing the beauty, as if the ugly is more than the beauty. Like saying something nice would kill some people if they couldn't say some nasty more

I think the difference between constructive criticism and bullying is in the number of times you say it and how many minds you think you can change....

That is my point though, laljeterfan. Anyone, you me, any of us, posting on a message board is just as much an expert as any other. I never take what someone else says as fact, even if they tell me they are an expert with whatever it is they are talking about. I just don't. It is only their opinion.

I think the difference between constructive criticism and bullying is in the number of times you say it and how many minds you think you can change....

I don't like to play games, and "saying it straight" is my kind of talking! And there is so much wisdom in these paragraphs, I think you all should send some of them into the "quotable quotes" section of Readers Digest. :thumbup:

Y'all all need to post like me. If you can't (or worse, don't wanna) post like me, I don't think you really tried. But if y'all are serious about this free will stuff - the way I look at it is that the fandom is a community, for better or worse, and we are all affected by all the members - and sometimes scrolling doesn't help. Happiness, unhappiness, satisfaction, dissatisfaction, positivity, negativity, horror and glee tend to be contagious, and I think people's opinions are affected by a general atmosphere - if only to be contrary - especially on the Internet. That "no man is an island" stuff have some basis in reality. It's hard not being influenced by people you have voluntarily been drawn together by a common interest.

Defensiveness on either side is bad. Avoid it. Aggression can be fun - if you are entertaining. If you are not, you will be crushed. Passive aggressive just works my last nerve. Tone in any communication counts for a lot.

They tell me that Clay is just standing out there with his naked voice (OH, if only it were his body), balls proud, singing his heart out without a safety net.

Why can't that be enough to fill us with joy??

wandacleo, sans any personal agenda, it is enough; more than enough. So many of us in this needy demanding world have forgotten how to be content.

My favorite things?

Clay friends becoming just "friends." You know what I discovered about the eHP this trip. They are funny, and generous, and rambuctious, and hysterical, and teases and they just love Clay and each other and want to have fun. Oh and Scarlett is in charge. heee.

Oh, Couchie, that warmed the very cockles (no smutting allowed) of my heart.

I took my notes for my Minnesota CITH recap off the back burner today, and I promise it'll be

done , well, that is, of course if I have enough harddrive space.

ps. Don't know what Couchie's talking about. I'm sitting here quietly waiting for the toaster that KAndre gives out to minions.

ETA: Can't post it too many times: Gurgle! GUH!!!

This picture, Gah, first time i've for a blonde guy.

Scarlett, is there a minion handbook? Lena wants to know.

I'm with you, playbiller. Mr. Ambassador is Clayton Holmes Aiken, not Clay Aiken. He USES his Clay Aiken persona to allow Clayton to do what his heart tells him is important, but the person he shows to all the people he meets through UNICEF and BAF is Clayton---that guy who took Mike Bubel to a grocery store and admonished the 'normal' people who stared at him during a meltdown, the guy who got the YMCA to accept their first developmentally challenged child, the guy who got down on his knees in a tux to dance with a girl who most likely spent her life being ridiculed---he's always been Clayton. He's hawt Clay for the fans...but he's still always Clayton.

He's amazing and I'm feeling pretty damned smug that I recognize how very, very terrific he is.

muskifest, when I read this at 2 am last night, I wanted to give you the kingdom and dub you Lady Muskifest.

I applaud your smugness rationale, and raise you one more "very" on the very very terrific guy who understands perfectly well who Clayton Holmes Aiken is and where his heart and purpose is.

Ta Da!

eta: to my utmost relief, i have recovered well enough from my food poisoning to handle the eating and enjoyment of chocolate and the other finer foodstuffs of christmas.

[playbiller]

It is more than that though, I would think a lot of people come from farmland. Although I consider myself raised in teh suburbs and not to far from Newark, we hada dairy farm in the neighborhood and we picked berries from by the railroad tracks for dinner. I don't think many would be doingthat today as apartments filled in the open land and the dairy farm became a subdivision. I laugh when people describe Clay as country, you have to be pretty far off the beaten path to be country to me, especially in our internet connected area, where all our local farms have websites listing their in season crops.

I think this whole Clay has gained weight thing has something to do with him looking like a boy. I thought when he was heavier, he looked older and more manly, in the sense that he looked like his age and filled out and more CEO like. The loss of weight took years off his looks which was kind of sad for me, it made him look more boy again.

[gbmifan]

I have been reading around ever since the HOI special was on. I do not understand the constant criticism. I knew before it aired about the ruffness in his voice on DSIAFCD. So what! Everyone who watched anything prior to this knew. Why go over and over it after it was aired. I had to really listen closely to pick it up, and doubt anyone who just watched it for the entertainment factor picked it up at all. Clay did look a little heavier, we knew that to. He has lost weight in the last seven weeks since this was filmed. I look at him when he was really thin, and hope he never goes back there. He looks great now. Those pictures from Mexico are great. I find the constant reminding people that they were not happy with his looks, sound, or the flap very unnecessary. I guess I am easy, as I like about 99% of what he does.

[wandacleo]

I think some people want to see Clay as a victim because they are man-hating bitches who want Clay to remain their little boy forever.

(Snort.)

[Couch Tomato]

I honestly think with every "wrong" move Clay makes, choses, has foisted upon him, or fumbles away due to the stupidity of his team - many feel the window is closing on his opportunity to be a superstar. We want bragging rights, and proof that we were right. Never mind that he still has a career after all these years.

I want the world for Clay..or let me put it this way..whatever he wants for himself, I hope it comes true. However, if his career is to remain at this level right now for the next 25 years I'd be fine with that. Because being able to put out records, go on tour, do TV, interviews, a stint on Broadway is not small potatos. But I think his career will be like most stars - it will have ups and downs. But he's shown his resiliancy and willingess to take risks, try new things, and work hard.

[jumpingjacks]

I just betcha "Sir Robin" is going to fit his Clayness like a second skin.

And jumpingjacks , I'm really hoping the search for a kidney match works out.

Sir Robin may very well become Sir CLobin by the time Clay gets done with the role!! Heh!

Thanks...I'm hoping the search for the new kidney is almost over...time is on my side.