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

[FromClaygary]

00lsee, this was from a note that I'd sent another FCA'er earlier this year. It's one way (& IMO an easy way) to make DVDs from YouTube files using freeware:

Scarlett, thanks so much for the basic step-by-step! That helps this non-techie a lot! I will give it a try today.

I simply do not understand the need to bad mouth Faye. Walk a mile in her shoes before you want to take issue with the way she raised Clay. I'm glad I don't see that happening on this board. Clay obviously loves his mother and family very much, and I find talking bad about her more disturbing than blasting his career choices.

I agree. When we were in Minneapolis, a friend of mine came to say Hi to Faye, and in the conversation mentioned that Faye must be so proud of the way she brought Clay up, to have him turn out so well (VERY loosely paraphrased from what I recall). Faye said "I did the best I could"; her tone was defensive and it really made me sad.

[Bookwhore]

Bwah!!!!!!

I think this is the funniest zapprudering project yet! It's so good to have proof that our guy is savvy and urbane enough to know to clip his flap threads. (snark)

[Couch Tomato]

I think this is the funniest zapprudering project yet! It's so good to have proof that our guy is savvy and urbane enough to know to clip his flap threads. (snark)

bwah

[annabear]

Just a reminder, Holiday on Ice is going to be repeated this morning on the Style Network at 9:00 a.m. CST, 10:00 a.m. EST

Unfortunately, I do not get this network; darn Direct TV!

Kim

I'm watching it right now....

I'm baaack! And I am finally watching some more of the HOI special.....

(and just for the record, I didn't call Shae-Lyn a skank, only the move she made. It's still highly unattractive in my book!)

Anyhow - we are probably waaaay past the flap-flap, but I have made a startling discovery!!

Clay is reaching back to adjust his .... ummm... mic-pack, and the flap of his jacket flips up! So... how could it be still sewn, if it's flipping up?? This occurs about 30 mins into the show - I am not sure because I missed the first 10 minutes or so!!

'Splain, Lucy!!!

You're right! At the end of All Is Well, we have a rear-view and when he moves to clap for Todd, the flap separates a bit!

I simply do not understand the need to bad mouth Faye. Walk a mile in her shoes before you want to take issue with the way she raised Clay. I'm glad I don't see that happening on this board. Clay obviously loves his mother and family very much, and I find talking bad about her more disturbing than blasting his career choices.

ITA with this.

Well, he's back on my TV with Sasha now - gotta go!

[playbiller]

I would call this the flip flop flap flap, but I think that should be saved for summer shoes.

Add to insulting his family to the way his friends were driven off the boards and it seems like friendships may have been damaged early on. These people are not pros and thought they were helping, no matter how they screwed up, they were only trying to help and it just showed naivety.

Off topic - I ws off in Bo world the other day and Bo opened a new store. I was shocked at the amount and variety of things for sale until I finally noticed it was CafePress. At first I was saddened and then I realized what a brilliant move it was. You get to have endless supply and great variety without stock sitting on shelves and a large initial investment and you have an experienced store packing and shipping your stuff. it is just a great idea. More people should take it up. I wonder how many are doing it already.

[Bookwhore]

I hope they don't show my local TV to the rest of the US. I swear it is no wonder that people think we are stupid hillbillies here. Every time they interview a local person about something, they always find some hick, looking like a toothless hobo, to show on TV. It makes me want to pull my hair out. That is not the way most of the citizens here look. We have two sizable universities here, not to mention a lot of transplants from other states who come here to enjoy our scenery and affordable lifestyle. Unemployment here has usually been very low.

This happens around here, too! I live in a rural county about 30 miles south of Kansas City. And every time something newsworthy happens around here (which isn't often), the Kansas City news teams seek out a toothless farmer in overalls & a straw hat with a plug of chewin' tabaccy tucked in his cheek sitting on a tractor with a houndog licking his balls in the background to get a 'man on the street' interview.

I'm one of the ones that doesn't care for Faye, but I'm not going to run her down here on a public board. And I'll admit she must have done a whole lot right for Clay to love her so much and to have turned out to be such a quality human being.

[luckiest1]

I'm one of the ones that doesn't care for Faye, but I'm not going to run her down here on a public board. And I'll admit she must have done a whole lot right for Clay to love her so much and to have turned out to be such a quality human being.

And there's the difference - you don't have to be Faye's biggest fan just to give her the public respect she deserves, as Clay's mom.

Hee, I've been reading a novel this morning, one that I got for Christmas. The main character's name is Clayton and there was just a reference to the song "Wings of a Dove". CMSU.

[jamar1700]

I simply do not understand the need to bad mouth Faye. Walk a mile in her shoes before you want to take issue with the way she raised Clay.

Amen. I really really don't get the point. Is Clay supposed to suddenly "wake up" and start having issues with her?

Once I questioned my Mom about some parenting choice she had made and she just shrugged and said "we did the best we could with what we had at the time..." At that moment I thought ... what a cop out! But years later, as a single parent of 3 teenagers ... I lived it.

...

Anyone else have to re-read this slooooowley after initially not catching the next line?

a toothless farmer in overalls & a straw hat with a plug of chewin' tabaccy tucked in his cheek sitting on a tractor with a houndog licking his balls

in the background

Just me?

[liney23]

I hate to burst your flapping bubble, but you'll have to do some more research to fully debunk the flap flap. He wore two suits. The first half suit may have been the flap flap suit, cause you're right, the suit with the silver tie was unclipped. Have to go back and check out the suit with the burgandy to see what's up with its flap... LOL

BW...

I'm one of the ones that doesn't care for Faye, but I'm not going to run her down here on a public board. And I'll admit she must have done a whole lot right for Clay to love her so much and to have turned out to be such a quality human being.

I agree with this totally. Clay is a fine man and while most of that was his choice, Faye loved him "good enough" to give him the strength to do that.

[Bookwhore]

Very true JaMar. I shudder to think that someday DS or DD would write a book of, say...inspirational memoirs...and detail some of the bad parenting decisions I made. I'd be horrified! I'm the first to admit that some of my decisions were soooo wrong, but usually I did the best I could with what I had at the time. But many times, I didn't do the best I could...sometimes I did what was convenient, expedient or downright selfish. I think we all do. No one does their best 100% of the times. Those I are times I wish I could do over, and those are the things I took issue with in LTS.

I was talking with DS about this very thing just one week ago. He was beating himself up over a poor decision he made and he finally said, "I guess I just need to learn from this and not let it happen again." I told him yes, that's what he needs to do, but to also be prepared for the next bad decision, and the next and the next and the next, because that's what life is...one loooooooong learning experience.

Anyone else have to re-read this slooooowley after initially not catching the next line?

a toothless farmer in overalls & a straw hat with a plug of chewin' tabaccy tucked in his cheek sitting on a tractor with a houndog licking his balls

in the background

Just me?

For a librarian, I'm guilty of a deplorable lack of punctuation, aren't I? But it's too funny to go back and change. I think I'll just leave it.

[jamar1700]

For a librarian, I'm guilty of a deplorable lack of punctuation, aren't I?

At least you can spell.

Seriously, I was just reading along, setting up that mental image you were painting when suddenly it got veeeeeeeery weird.

[RIFAN]

Oh! I really am a newbie and a bad fan--I didn't even notice that he wore two different suits for HOI. I always focus on that beautiful face and those hands. Now I will have to go back and watch the whole thing again--anything in the name of research.

BTW--What the heck does "dog walker" mean?

[Couch Tomato]

I always remember that we have Clay's side in LTS and it's not a complete recollection of his growing up. I grew up similarly to Clay and I have to say that thought that well meaning people might have ripped me away from my family for my own good is scary. The walking a mile in other's shoes is so apt here. I think we had mostly good days as a family. And then we'd have some not so good days here and there. My mom is the closest person in the world to me and yeah maybe that bond was partly born and honed and polished and strengthened in fire. It doesn't make it any less special than people who had no dysfunctions. I love the relationship I see between Clay and Faye and there is no denying how tight they are. And frankly I think many of the traits I see in Clay came directly from Faye. Of course I don't know either one and it's all just speculation. I trust that this Xmas, although different, was a very special one for the entire family.

BTW--What the heck does "dog walker" mean?

everyone has a designation based on number of posts...keep on posting and you will soon be able to guard Clay's body. As a newbie you get to walk Raleigh and Durham. heee.

ETA: and when I say side it's not for the purpose of laying blame. Each person in the family just experiences things totally differently. For instance, my sister is the baby and I felt she got away with murder and didn't have to deal with any of the stuff my brother and I did growing up. She was the favorite etc. OK, to hear her tell it, she felt left out sometimes because she was five years younger than me and 7 years younger than my brother. And all this exploded one day as we sat around reminiscing about what sort of hostess bakery item was everybody's favorite. heee. I couldn't remember hers and she lit into me like there was no tomorrow. Shocked doesn't begin to describe it. heee.

[00lsee]

jamar1700 This is out of left field, but could you please tell me where your avatar came from? I feel sure I've seen that interview before, but don't remember him swiping his hand through his hair in that abrupt way. It is making me wonder what was being said at the time and if he was irritated about his hair or something else. Or not irritated at all. Thanks.

[jmh123]

Also, I think Duke University and Research Triangle Park denizens would be QUITE surprised to find out how "backwoods" they are. Plus you can spend millions on a home in the RDU area - just because you spend a million for a 1000 sq ft shack in Los Angeles does not make LA better, it just makes LA overpriced. LA has its poor slums, too.

I remember when Research Triangle Park first opened. IBM was the first big corporation, and the first "Yankees" appeared in my school. I was in 6th grade. Looking back, it must've been quite a culture shock for them. At the time, I was just fascinated by the foreigners.

I was raised in Philly, and went on to live in Bloomington Il, Durham, NC (actually Bahama, but pop. 163), and Tampa, Fl.

eeeee - I used to know folks who lived in Bahama, but it's been so long ago I can't remember who they were. I lived in Durham once as well, way on the other end, but my world included a lot of trips up Roxboro Rd. for one thing and another.

I hate to burst your flapping bubble, but you'll have to do some more research to fully debunk the flap flap. He wore two suits. The first half suit may have been the flap flap suit, cause you're right, the suit with the silver tie was unclipped. Have to go back and check out the suit with the burgandy to see what's up with its flap... LOL

BW...

I'm one of the ones that doesn't care for Faye, but I'm not going to run her down here on a public board. And I'll admit she must have done a whole lot right for Clay to love her so much and to have turned out to be such a quality human being.

I agree with this totally. Clay is a fine man and while most of that was his choice, Faye loved him "good enough" to give him the strength to do that.

I was going to bring the second suit up, but AIW was sung in the burgundy suit, so if cha cha trusty can cap the flap flapping at the end of that number we'll have the suit flap flap resolved once and for all.

I don't want to be Faye's new best friend. Clay aside, I don't think we'd get along particularly as people--which says nothing at all about her as a person, just that we're different types--but I also think she raised a fine man, and ITA with the making mistakes thing. Every parent does, and we never did get her version, only Clay's. (As Couchie said better while I was writing.)

[FromClaygary]

I love the relationship I see between Clay and Faye and there is no denying how tight they are. And frankly I think many of the traits I see in Clay came directly from Faye. Of course I don't know either one and it's all just speculation. I trust that this Xmas, although different, was a very special one for the entire family.

I hope so too! I think it would be HUGE for Faye to be able to see Clay as a highly-functioning, responsible adult, who is esteemed for his sense of purpose and service as well as his talent. I also think it would do Brett a world of good to see this Clay.

Funny about families~my sisters (2) and I are each 13 yrs apart from one another. I'm the baby. I barely knew my oldest sister as she was an adult with a child when I first "knew" her; we had nothing in common. My older sister was my "parent" at times, when she was home and my Mom was in hospital for years. Strange relationships. My sons are 13 MONTHS apart (the older two) and then 9 yrs younger (the youngest), and they are all great pals. Now, they're old enough for the things they did as kids that I didn't know about (luckily) to come up when we're together. Now, it's quite entertaining, as noone died. Then, not so much. :lmaosmiley-1:

[Claygasm]

So this portion of a google alert that was visible to me made me LOL. Looks like predictions for 2008

Scandalous bad girls (ie Paris, Lindsay, Nicole) will be replaced by Hollywood bad boys. Zac Efron, the Jonas Brothers, Pete Wentz will all follow the king of all bad boys: Clay Aiken

BWAH!!! Wonder what he's planning for the new year!

5. Use Nero or Roxio or some other DVD Burner to create the DVD

For Roxio,

a. Open MyDVD and create a new project

b. Click on Add Files and select the .VOB files that were created by DivxToDVD

c. Save or Burn

So Scarlett (or some other Mac savvy person)....on my laptop that has iDVD as a built in application, would I then use what I've converted via the DivxtoDVD, with iDVD to burn a DVD? I've never done one before...

CG?

Don't look at me! I was going to ask the same thing!

5. Use Nero or Roxio or some other DVD Burner to create the DVD

For Roxio,

a. Open MyDVD and create a new project

b. Click on Add Files and select the .VOB files that were created by DivxToDVD

c. Save or Burn

So Scarlett (or some other Mac savvy person)....on my laptop that has iDVD as a built in application, would I then use what I've converted via the DivxtoDVD, with iDVD to burn a DVD? I've never done one before...

CG?

Muski, these steps are for a PC. For a Mac, how about installing Perian instead? It's supposed to allow iDVD to recognize XviD, FLV and many other formats.

(and then Front Row and NicePlayer will be able to play these too)

But I had faith Scarlett would know the answer! Muski, you try this and let me know if it works, ok?

Faye: There is something about her I do not like and that was before I even read LTS. But whether it was because of her or in spite of her, Clay turned out great, and he obviously loves her, so who am I to judge. :8:

[playbiller]

I don't even want to be Clay's best friend. I just feel family and friends are not enlisted forthe public life, but are civilians in this war zone of criticism.

[Couch Tomato]

Now, it's quite entertaining, as noone died. Then, not so much. :lmaosmiley-1:

Exactly. While everyone is affected by their childhood in some way or the other - most of us aren't stuck there for the rest of our lives. We grow. We experience new things. We get over it. None of us would even be the same people if we were raised entirely different. Oh lord I can even laugh at some things now that I couldn't have back then. For instance when my brother was 16 he ran away from home. Well he didn't really run away becaue my mom and me drove him to the bus station and put him on a bus. We knew where he was and where he was going. My dad was the only one in the dark. That's some of the fire that makes you closer. Now I can see people saying. OMG how could she do that - make a 14 year old keep that secret.....whatever. It worked for us. But I'm a firm believer in the genes aspect because my dad never grew up with his dad at all. Yet they are the same person as my brother came to discover LOL. Families... you can't pick 'em. heee.

ETA: I agree Play. And that's probably one of our few rules here..that the family/friends get the same respect as Clay. I think it's probably easier for him to see stuff written about himself rather than the people he loves.

[playbiller]

Here is a present for our newbies who might have missed it.

You don't have to download it, just click on play, it is not a good video, but the story is the thing.

[jmh123]

I don't even want to be Clay's best friend. I just feel family and friends are not enlisted for the public life, but are civilians in this war zone of criticism.

ITA. Well maybe not the Clay's best friend part.

I'm with you on the genes, Couchie. My brother, sister, and I could not be more different in every way. I'm not saying that nurture isn't a major factor, but I think nature has powerful influences we may not even be aware of.

[Gibby]

Really, any time Clay does not follow the "accepted career path which will make him a rockin' pop star", it is blamed on his location or his mom.

I really enjoyed your post, djs! But I'd add RCA to the list of who to blame for Clay's lack of a rock stah career.

:whatutterclaptrap: :Beating_A_Dead_Horse_by_livius:

Very true JaMar. I shudder to think that someday DS or DD would write a book of, say...inspirational memoirs...and detail some of the bad parenting decisions I made. I'd be horrified! I'm the first to admit that some of my decisions were soooo wrong, but usually I did the best I could with what I had at the time. But many times, I didn't do the best I could...sometimes I did what was convenient, expedient or downright selfish. I think we all do. No one does their best 100% of the times. Those I are times I wish I could do over, and those are the things I took issue with in LTS.

Oh, I agree that parents will never be perfect. At one time I was quite bitter at my parents. Fortunately in my early twenties I realized that they did the best they could with where they were in their lives at the time. And I give myself that grace as a parent, too. I know I'm human, and will make mistakes. Now that my daughters are teenagers, I've actually told them that I will make mistakes, but that I hope they will realize that I do love them through it all. I think they do!

We all might do things differently if we had it to do over again, with the knowledge we have now. In hindsight you can see things you couldn't see at the time. I'm sure that's true of Faye, too. She probably wishes she would have done some things differently, just as many of us do when looking back at our lives. It must really rankle to have complete strangers criticizing her life, when they don't know what she had to deal with, and when she may regret a few things, too. But it looks as if Clay loves and respects her, so I'm taking my cue from him. She must have done more right than wrong for him to turn out so well.

[jumpingjacks]

Growing up in a highly dysfunctional home with lots of abuse I found out you can either let it beat you down or build you into a functional, successful, independent adult. Admitting that things sucked was my first step...wanting to break the cycle of abuse was my second....opening the curtain and looking at the mess is not easy and once it's open it can't ever be closed again but it is also the only way to step out of the dark.

Clay and Brett sure seem to have a close connection to their mom.

[muskifest]

FWIW, I think the "hick" references used by some of Clay's own fans are just used to explain why he has not followed their advice or instructions, or expressed any interest in adding them to Team Clay.

djs...love this!

My hubby and I were just saying the other day how the entertainment industry only perpetuates any stereotypes. Look in the casting choices in movies, the people on those Jerry Springer type talk shows, etc. If the scenario is ignorance or sloppiness or poor hygiene--HEY! give that man a Southern accent! Pisses me off. I was born and raised in North Carolina---in a tiny town outside of Gastonia. My cousins sound like Jamie! I think the only reason I don't have a pronounced Southern accent is that I was always moving between that little town in the summer and then back to Virginia for school. At the beginning of every summer, my relatives and friends in NC would tease me about sounding like a "Yankee" but by the beginning of school again in Richmond, those friends there would call me a 'hick'. Whatever.

And YEAH! to the Research Triangle argument. NC is a very progressive state in terms of education and industry (Charlotte is becoming a banking mecca---they stole Bank of America from San Francisco!) and has amazing universities to its credit. (I went to one of them---Go DEACS! :3: ) Clay's no more a country bumpkin than I am and I ain't no country bumpkin!

Scarlett :F_05BL17blowkiss: Thanks! I might just have to try this out! (I'll let you know how it goes, CG!)

Flap? Flap in the back? Who's looking at the flap in the back in that cap? I'm looking at Clay's pregancy--about six months, wouldn't you say? :lmaosmiley-1:

[jamar1700]

jamar1700 This is out of left field, but could you please tell me where your avatar came from? I feel sure I've seen that interview before, but don't remember him swiping his hand through his hair in that abrupt way. It is making me wonder what was being said at the time and if he was irritated about his hair or something else. Or not irritated at all. Thanks.

It's from the 2nd Valetine Kimmel. If you look close you can see he has on the Jimmy T-Shirt. I don't remember the context of what he was doing or saying at that moment but I don't recall him being irritated at all. I think the slow mo makes it choppier than it really was.