#32: Man with titanium balls and the voice to back them up!

[me myb]

I LOVE CLAY FANS!!!

There is no way Clay would be allowed to quit singing or touring even if he wanted to. We fans have made real friends and have a need to get together and visit and laugh and share, - so I am thinking we would just continue along and not let him! hee hee

I came home from work today to find a box in my mail from a very wonderful Clay fan. She absolutely made my day!!!

EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FromClaygary filled a box with LOTS of Clay goodies for me and although I could not attend a CD Release party t his time, I now have a few of the goodies. Awesome, awesome stuff.!

OMG - I got all teary eyed searching through the "shreddies packing" for all the goodies.

Thank you FromClaygary, you cannot possibly know what a pick-me-up it was to receive that box today. :thbighug-1:

I will be cuddled in bed tonite watching a Christmas 2006 compilation and missing Clay but enjoying him to death.

Anyone else who may be feeling a tad low because of sales or whatever, just put in a Clay dvd and your heart will just fill up with JOY.

Let me tell you people, listening to those crowds and remembering all of our excited reaction to seeing him live, well I gotta say -

Our Guy is NOT going ANYWHERE ! ! !

(not without us anyway)

[Couch Tomato]

ETA: Ok deleted my post because I read things more carefully. Re: the OFC..I've always thought the problem was it came too late. All the factions had been made and so it became more of a battle ground. I don't know how that will change at this point. But for those that do post there, more power to you.

[Couch Tomato]

I joined as part of that big wave of new members during some other crisis, but I've forgotten now what that one was about. I didn't intend to be so quiet, but after the dust settled from whatever it was, you guys went back to being a pretty close knit group. Like, close enough to hurt each other's feelings sometimes. That scared me some.

Anyway. It wasn't insecurity that made me pick my board name. You see, my Clay fantasy was my own messageboard for *urkers to be called Clay Aiken for Dummies.

:bye2:

hee love your post. Hey some of my best friends are Claymate lurkers hee.

Yes we have our moments Dummie...but I think it's all worth it!

[merrieeee]

Hi there dummie. Hee I never thought I would actually call someone dummie and not get hit upside the head for it*g*

I guess to lurkers this must seem like a pretty tight knit group of Clay lovers. It was that way when I started to post but I didn't let it stop me! Heck I can be such a dummie (hee) at times I never even noticed whether I fit in or not!! And you know what I just kept on posting like I belonged. (Psst I think I fooled them. Shut up Kandre)

A lot of us have Clay friends in real life....some of us even belong to a posse but there is always room for more*g* So don't be a stranger. You're in our neck of the woods now,wherever that happens to be! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[00lsee]

So...How much bitch could a bitch slap slap if a bitch slap could slap bitch?

Jus' wonderin'.

Diane Sawyer said Spamalot would open doors for Clay. I believe it. It's gonna take time for that to come to fruition, tho, IMO. I've got time. I've got interviews and clack to watch and a CITH song to finally finish rating for some message board I belong to if I could just remember which one it was...

Fruition. See, you made me start thinking, mulling things over. Maybe, just maybe, this album that has seemed so long in coming isn't only the "fruit". Maybe it's also a seed. Some previous crops have not been as bountiful as I hoped. Perhaps the ground was inhospitable or lacking nutrients or perhaps other crops were more in demand or adverse weather affected the outcome. So, here comes a new album, a new fruit, a new seed. New seed being planted in a new field (format). And growth takes time. Staring at the ground, angry that new sprouts have not yet appeared doesn't mean they are not there. Yanking up the seedlings to analyze and criticize their progress doesn't make the fruit come any faster. Pontificating and death-knelling doesn't alter growth rates much, either. And sometimes, what feels like a storm is really very welcome rain. And sometimes, 'dormant' isn't really dormant.

The Chinese Bamboo Tree and Other Lessons on Patience

By

Charlie Dexter

Do you remember back in the 60’s when Simon and Garfunkel sang the 59th Street Bridge song? ( if you remember the 60’s you probably weren’t there…) The duo advised us to “slow down, we move too fast…” What a laugh thinking about the speed of the 60’s compared with how fast we are actually moving today! We live today in an instant results - or else - world. If a politician doesn’t produce instant results to our liking we boot the bum out and vote in some other bum. If a corporate CEO doesn’t produce an instant turnaround, then that bum is on unemployment too. If the drive through on airport way doesn’t give us fast - fast food we get testy and swear to never go back there again, until next time. It’s a fast pace world we’ve created for ourselves.

Unfortunately, we are trying to live our fast paced lifestyle in what is naturally a slow paced world. Zig Ziglar, the famous motivational speaker, once told the story of the Chinese Bamboo Tree. It seems that this tree when planted, watered, and nurtured for an entire growing season doesn’t outwardly grow as much as an inch. Then, after the second growing season, a season in which the farmer takes extra care to water, fertilize and care for the bamboo tree, the tree still hasn’t sprouted. So it goes as the sun rises and sets for four solid years. The farmer and his wife have nothing tangible to show for all of their labor trying to grow the tree.

Then, along comes year five.

In the fifth year that Chinese bamboo tree seed finally sprouts and the bamboo tree grows up to eighty feet in just one growing season! Or so it seems….

Did the little tree lie dormant for four years only to grow exponentially in the fifth? Or, was the little tree growing underground, developing a root system strong enough to support its potential for outward growth in the fifth year and beyond? The answer is, of course, obvious. Had the tree not developed a strong unseen foundation it could not have sustained its life as it grew. The same principle is true for people. People, who patiently toil towards worthwhile dreams and goals, building strong character while overcoming adversity and challenge, grow the strong internal foundation to handle success, while get-rich- quickers and lottery winners usually are unable to sustain unearned sudden wealth.

Had the Chinese bamboo farmer dug up his little seed every year to see if it was growing, he would have stunted the tree’s growth as surely as a caterpillar is doomed to a life on the ground if it is freed from its struggle inside a cocoon prematurely. The struggle in the cocoon is what gives the future butterfly the wing power to fly, just as tension against muscles as we exercise strengthen our muscles, while muscles left alone will soon atrophy. My problem with exercise is not getting instantly stronger after each work out! I pray for more patience every day and I pray to get it right now!

We live in a quick-fix society. We get frustrated if we have to wait more than 2 minutes for service or a stop light to change. We want instant solutions to every complex problem and every fractured relationship. In short – we want it all now! Maybe its time to reflect on an old, old poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that is as true today as it was when he wrote it over 100 years ago:

“The heights by great men reached and kept

Were not attained by sudden flight,

But they, while their companions slept,

Toiled ever upward through the night.”

I can be patient. Doesn't come easily to me, but I'm learning. I have every faith in Clay Aiken.

Clay Aiken for dummies? Hey now, I see your angle...LOL

I'll just be over here dance, dance, dancing with KAndre. And how much of a movie nerd am I, merrieeee, that I recognized the Titanic reference? Hee!

[muskifest]

:garfieldodie-grouphug:

hey! dummie posted! (waves)

This CMSU!

I don't have any Clay friends in real life- I'm actually pretty much closeted except for family, who think it has something to do with menopause

:lmaosmiley-1:

I hear that, honey!

And this?

You see, my Clay fantasy was my own messageboard for *urkers to be called Clay Aiken for Dummies.

Kewl idea!

Welcome, dummie! Don't be a stranger...

I like to bitch as much as the next person...

what?

You're surprised?

But I'd rather just bitch and roll, you know? Let it out, hear a WORD or YOU'RE FULL OF SHIT and roll on....Sort of a I'll-show-you-my-innerbitch-if-you-show-me-yours kind of thing Then it's time for some or some or some

Had a GREAT walk, thanks! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[goldarngirl]

Welcome dummie. Glad to see you got goodies me_myb.

Is anyone watching DWTS with the jazzy version of Yeah that Usher redid for the show. Is it bad I just want to go back and hear Clay sing it to me??

[KAndre]

Nah, not bad - but honestly? That performance totally kicked all kinds of ass! That impressed me with Usher! He doesn't have Clay's versatility but worked well with what he's got.

looks around for Scarlett...

And performances like that is why Clay 'n me keep saying - Clay can do choreography, but the man is NOT a dancer. Usher is frankly a good dancer, but not a GREAT dancer. Clay is not a dancer at all. But I'm willing to choreograph the horizontal tango for him any time. Any time at all.

[YSRN]

See, LadyJ, and I'd rather just call the bitches out by name if I wanted to talk trash about someone.

That way, it would be clear who I'm bitching about. And 50 innocents wouldn't get caught in the crossfire. And if I didn't have the balls to just point a direct finger, then I guess I have no business bitching. I know that's not the deal here, but it's just how I personally feel.

Next time ya'll wanna bring up something I said elsewhere or want to complain about me personally, feel free to just use my name. You have my permission. I'm an individual. Not part of some anyone.

couchie... I know... it is my peeve. I really only try to bring it up now when it's directed right at me... heh. I'll stfu now.

And seriously -81% Yikes. But, really, I look at the others on that list and think... wow, the industry sucks donkey balls.

Last night I watched about 100 montages, cuz I was trying to clean up my hard drive to make room for stuff. I deleted nothing. Oy! But, but, but... the two that were my favorites last night were Rock 'n Remember - ncclaymate and Homeward Bound - MrsLoki. HB, of course, made me cry, a.gain. LOL! The first one, at 11:55 cracked me up. I don't remember where it's from tho. Clay started to sing Reach Out I'll Be There, and he couldn't cuz he was trying to get back on stage but his "pants were too tight". Hee. The whole thing was fun as hell. I really, really, really want a concert. Badly.

[goldarngirl]

Nah, not bad - but honestly? That performance totally kicked all kinds of ass!

It was good, he is a great entertainer, no question. I guess I prefer his original version.

[00lsee]

Sidenote: Just FYI, I wasn't trying to be preachy with the bamboo thing. It just went along with the thoughts I was having.

[KAndre]

Oooo, I love the original too, that was just interestingly old school, and I didn't think it would translate to a jazzy feel as well as it did.

00lsee, since you are dancing The Freak with me, preachy is probably the last thing on anyone's mind.

Dance, dance, dance!

[merrieeee]

Oh Kandre...I like the beat! I'll just have to join in.......

dance

dance

dance

[laljeterfan]

So...How much bitch could a bitch slap slap if a bitch slap could slap bitch?

Jus' wonderin'.

Diane Sawyer said Spamalot would open doors for Clay. I believe it. It's gonna take time for that to come to fruition, tho, IMO. I've got time. I've got interviews and clack to watch and a CITH song to finally finish rating for some message board I belong to if I could just remember which one it was...

Fruition. See, you made me start thinking, mulling things over. Maybe, just maybe, this album that has seemed so long in coming isn't only the "fruit". Maybe it's also a seed. Some previous crops have not been as bountiful as I hoped. Perhaps the ground was inhospitable or lacking nutrients or perhaps other crops were more in demand or adverse weather affected the outcome. So, here comes a new album, a new fruit, a new seed. New seed being planted in a new field (format). And growth takes time. Staring at the ground, angry that new sprouts have not yet appeared doesn't mean they are not there. Yanking up the seedlings to analyze and criticize their progress doesn't make the fruit come any faster. Pontificating and death-knelling doesn't alter growth rates much, either. And sometimes, what feels like a storm is really very welcome rain. And sometimes, 'dormant' isn't really dormant.

The Chinese Bamboo Tree and Other Lessons on Patience

By

Charlie Dexter

Do you remember back in the 60’s when Simon and Garfunkel sang the 59th Street Bridge song? ( if you remember the 60’s you probably weren’t there…) The duo advised us to “slow down, we move too fast…” What a laugh thinking about the speed of the 60’s compared with how fast we are actually moving today! We live today in an instant results - or else - world. If a politician doesn’t produce instant results to our liking we boot the bum out and vote in some other bum. If a corporate CEO doesn’t produce an instant turnaround, then that bum is on unemployment too. If the drive through on airport way doesn’t give us fast - fast food we get testy and swear to never go back there again, until next time. It’s a fast pace world we’ve created for ourselves.

Unfortunately, we are trying to live our fast paced lifestyle in what is naturally a slow paced world. Zig Ziglar, the famous motivational speaker, once told the story of the Chinese Bamboo Tree. It seems that this tree when planted, watered, and nurtured for an entire growing season doesn’t outwardly grow as much as an inch. Then, after the second growing season, a season in which the farmer takes extra care to water, fertilize and care for the bamboo tree, the tree still hasn’t sprouted. So it goes as the sun rises and sets for four solid years. The farmer and his wife have nothing tangible to show for all of their labor trying to grow the tree.

Then, along comes year five.

In the fifth year that Chinese bamboo tree seed finally sprouts and the bamboo tree grows up to eighty feet in just one growing season! Or so it seems….

Did the little tree lie dormant for four years only to grow exponentially in the fifth? Or, was the little tree growing underground, developing a root system strong enough to support its potential for outward growth in the fifth year and beyond? The answer is, of course, obvious. Had the tree not developed a strong unseen foundation it could not have sustained its life as it grew. The same principle is true for people. People, who patiently toil towards worthwhile dreams and goals, building strong character while overcoming adversity and challenge, grow the strong internal foundation to handle success, while get-rich- quickers and lottery winners usually are unable to sustain unearned sudden wealth.

Had the Chinese bamboo farmer dug up his little seed every year to see if it was growing, he would have stunted the tree’s growth as surely as a caterpillar is doomed to a life on the ground if it is freed from its struggle inside a cocoon prematurely. The struggle in the cocoon is what gives the future butterfly the wing power to fly, just as tension against muscles as we exercise strengthen our muscles, while muscles left alone will soon atrophy. My problem with exercise is not getting instantly stronger after each work out! I pray for more patience every day and I pray to get it right now!

We live in a quick-fix society. We get frustrated if we have to wait more than 2 minutes for service or a stop light to change. We want instant solutions to every complex problem and every fractured relationship. In short – we want it all now! Maybe its time to reflect on an old, old poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that is as true today as it was when he wrote it over 100 years ago:

“The heights by great men reached and kept

Were not attained by sudden flight,

But they, while their companions slept,

Toiled ever upward through the night.”

I can be patient. Doesn't come easily to me, but I'm learning. I have every faith in Clay Aiken.

Clay Aiken for dummies? Hey now, I see your angle...LOL

I'll just be over here dance, dance, dancing with KAndre. And how much of a movie nerd am I, merrieeee, that I recognized the Titanic reference? Hee!

OOlsee-for this and many other posts over the years(particularly the part I bolded), at this board and other ones, I think I love you! (And I'm pretty stingy with my love- no slut here, that's fo shur!))) :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[Couch Tomato]

couchie... I know... it is my peeve. I really only try to bring it up now when it's directed right at me... heh. I'll stfu now.

oh I wasn't saying it was your peeve to marginalize what you said. Hey I'd rather you tell us off than leave

thanks for the montages...saved them to look at later.

As for naming names...nah, think that would be a disaster. But mostly I don't think one sentiment or person is the problem..I'll go back to what LdyJ says and it's tone/atmostphere that may frustrate. Not trying to have lastworditis (my pet peeve hee)...just wanted to respond to that.

My favorite montage is done to Bryan Adam's Heaven. I'll post a link when I find one

KAndre..I love your style.

Scarlett..you crack me up. So you got to do everything you wanted in LA. What a surprise

[KAndre]

BTW, I'm stealing this:

So...How much bitch could a bitch slap slap if a bitch slap could slap bitch?

It's so ME!

And Scarlett didn't get to do everything she wanted - more squeamish members totally rejected the nekkid men!

I've started on my recap....it's gonna be one...covering Friday to Monday...and NAMES will be NAMED!

[Ansamcw]

yup that Usher number was awesome...loved what they did with Yeah...

Clay and Usher totally different entertainers.

YSRN...I was not the person that posted part of your post...but its possible that its the idea behind the post and not the poster that was at issue that is why your name was not mentioned. I think when people post about things they read in other boards I really prefer that the names are not on it because I just take it for granted that it is not about attacking the poster per se but maybe just disagreeing with an opinion.

[Couch Tomato]

Well that siting just fueled the "I hope is on AI crowd"; sheesh, give it up already!

(and if he is on, I will be very disappointed)

Hey, my hope didn't need to be fueled because it was already be burning, and I will be a little disappointed if Clay's not on AI.

I'm all alone... [tm King Arthur and bottlecap]

posthoing to say...this cracked me up earlier.

I love Spamalot!! and bottle!!

[ldyjocelyn]

Thread title poll at the top of the page!!!!!

[Claygasm]

And seriously -81% Yikes. But, really, I look at the others on that list and think... wow, the industry sucks donkey balls.

Just what are donkey balls? Do you mean the donkey's balls? Or is it something else????

I've just always wanted to know that!

[annabear]

Well hell! I had all these quotes pulled out to reply to about all the sh...stuff that went on tonight. I had so much to say, but when I hit reply, there was nothing here but this blank box.... y'all are verra verra lucky!

Had a good dinner with friends, reminisced about seeing Spamalot, blasted OMWH in the car, fell in love with Clay Aiken - again - and now I'm off to sleep. Everyone have a good evening! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[Couch Tomato]

And seriously -81% Yikes. But, really, I look at the others on that list and think... wow, the industry sucks donkey balls.

Just what are donkey balls? Do you mean the donkey's balls? Or is it something else????

I've just always wanted to know that!

waiting for our librarians to google, wiki, whatever it is that they do

[pkmiller]

I don't think anyone here is happy with Clay's numbers. And I want people to feel free to express concern. I feel fairly confident that we have enough variety that we won't fall into the "pit of despair." And I really don't want the album to get lost in the mix because it is special.

WELL I JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW THE CHIPMUCKS SOLD MORE CD'S THAN CLAY!!! Who in the hell didn't go out and buy another CD last week?

Okay, I feel better now...thanks.

[YSRN]

couchie... I know... it is my peeve. I really only try to bring it up now when it's directed right at me... heh. I'll stfu now.

oh I wasn't saying it was your peeve to marginalize what you said. Hey I'd rather you tell us off than leave

thanks for the montages...saved them to look at later.

As for naming names...nah, think that would be a disaster. But mostly I don't think one sentiment or person is the problem..I'll go back to what LdyJ says and it's tone/atmostphere that may frustrate. Not trying to have lastworditis (my pet peeve hee)...just wanted to respond to that.

Oh, I know... I knew that... it's true, it's totally my peeve. I think I mighta got the point across already. I hate being repetitious. LOL!

I know how you guys feel about naming names and I'll continue to respect your rules. But honestly, if someone doesn't agree or appreciate something I say here or elsewhere, I would prefer they simply call me on it and talk TO me, not about me, even in general terms. And haha, I got the last word! WooT!

I expect Play will find some comic about donkey balls before we can count to 10.

Who in the hell didn't go out and buy another CD last week?

Oops!! Guilty! Bad, bad fan!

[playbiller]

Heh, I went out and bought one today, not because I was reading the boards, but because I wanted it - it was the big cover Costco one. Unfortunately, I was the first to buy one., the box was full.

About naming names, you may notice that I directly address individuals here, sometimes on the board, sometimes in PM. I am not going to drag names or quotes over from other boards. Sometimes I don't provide links to blogs, just my choice. I speak in generalities, except for the FOFC - friends of Fake Clay. it seems the number of people invovled are more than I thought, I went back and reread some PMs people had received last year. Surprise, there was some information I had forgotten. Live and learn. Anyway, I want people to be able to answer me back. My usual suspects might not be yours. I get quite upset when some fans are called out on different boards and I do not understand why thier names/board names are allowed. It seems almost stalkerish.

I stand by the issue that fans have been leaving because the tone was set to negative high. I do not like it when people wish Clive Davis to die. I don't like when anyone is wished to die - exception - when I know someone believes in teh death peanalty and tI know they have committed a federal crime, I do believe that they should get their wish and have the death peanalty applied to them. People who don't believe in the death penalty, should not sent to death. Seems only fair, and no changing your mind after you have been charged.

I don't like it when the supposiition leaves just opinions and actually names people that Clay has to work with on a regular basis. I feel that is fans interferring with Clay's career and is wrong in every business sense and since most people who say these things have jobs, it only makes it worse.

I realize these are my opinions, but when ever I speak to anyone else in the corporate world they tend to agree. it is just somve very vocal fans that feel they have a right to interfere with Clay's personal life and business career becaue they bought a few tickets or records..

edited thank Couchie there is no edit counter

ETA - no,.no no donley balls from me, I prefer the generic.

Well, OK

donkeyballs tell time