#36: It ain't my life, just my passion!

[Claygasm]

Why are the west coasters heading to bed and I am still up????

I bet Clay will be at Ruben's wedding if he is back from the UNICEF trip. They are close friends - at least that is how they portray themselves, so I have no reason to doubt it. Clay could come in and out quite discreetly I am sure. I suspect there will be security anyway because from what I read they want their privacy. He may not sing. Perhaps he will just be a guest. Maybe even the token skinny white kid in the wedding party! Or maybe he will sing because I bet Ruben knows he has a good voice! But I just have a feeling, as good friends as they seem to be, that if it were at all possible Ruben would want Clay there and Clay would want to be there.

Now I think I am heading to bed too.

[muskifest]

Gibby...how's your back?

[claytonic]

This is the QVC one up at youtube.

His raspiness kind of works with this song!

Something About Us - QVC

In case anyone is not aware, if you want to quickly find the list of OMWH YouTube videos, click on the FCA Glossary link (top right of your screen) and scroll down to OMWH (alphabetically listed). Click on the more link.

If you find better YouTube videos than the ones listed for each track, please let me know.

[aikim]

Good Morning Everyone,

8 Days until Clay is on CNN for UNICEF! :whoohoo:

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[FearofH2O]

Wow claytonic, you have been very busy. I will be exploring that glossary. This is a good time to explore all things Clay.

I bought two music passes yesterday at Target. They were out on the shelf in full glory with some missing already. I also bought a baby gift for a young woman who went to the 2006 Christmas concert with us in Greensboro. She loved the concert and said she wanted to go with us to the next concert. Unfortunately there have been none nearby since then. But I wanted to give her a cd or maybe the music pass too.

[duckyvee]

Good news from Mediabase this morning!

OMWH has it's little red bullet back!

#28

121 spins

1 more spin than it had this time last week

[Cotton]

if you talk about how someone's hair looks like crap, or isn't stylish or current or hip, I personally think you'd better be sporting something suitable for Vogue. I have seen some of the more notorious critics and have said to myself and my friends, "Does she own a mirror? Why doesn't she work on her own issues before she starts on someone else's?"

Amen to that! And expounding on somebody not being a professional hair stylist, too. Not to mention putting down North Carolina as one big hixville and our housing market. I just shake my head. Hey. I was a Realtor. I know about some of the very fine homes in NC and you do not get the Clay Manse for $100,000!!!

Oh course, the bolded really is true of all the pot-stirrers, isn't it? If your own life were in satisfactory order, you wouldn't feel the need to tear down other people!

Cotton - In the first picture your hubby kind of looks like Sean Connery!

I, too, like the Sessions version of SAU the best! Especially when the camera focussed on his hands playing up and down that microphone.

He has actually been stopped getting on elevators, etc.! He's not as tall and slim as SC, and as soon as he opens his mouth it's a giveaway! He's an Army brat with a Southern Daddy and a NJ Mom who grew up mostly in Mass. Couldn't do a Scottish accent if you paid him. Too bad. he might have been able to get a gig or two if he could!!

And - OMG, CA's hands! I think God spent some extra time of those hands!

I love them caressing a mic.

But I also love when they are wrapped around a youngun!

He's just fascinatin', ain't he?!

SAU And when my soon to be 85 year old mom gets in my car, she asks for the song about Romeo and Juliet.

I hope I didn't mess up attribution here!

I just loved the bolded phrase! How cute its that?

In case anyone is not aware, if you want to quickly find the list of OMWH YouTube videos, click on the FCA Glossary link (top right of your screen) and scroll down to OMWH (alphabetically listed). Click on the more link.

If you find better YouTube videos than the ones listed for each track, please let me know.

In the words of Prince Herbert, "Oh, Wow!"

That is v.v. cool!

ETA:

:clap: for the little red bullet!

Go little engine, GO!

[ldyjocelyn]

Morning all!

Aikim, how cool to see a new countdown! I've missed it...

From the CH:

Just got this in an email from my brother:

This new search engine should keep you busy for a little while. It's a

graphical view into search terms...scroll across the different methods of

presenting your search results.

http://www.viewzi.com/search/%22clay%20aiken%22

I haven't played with it yet, but YSRN at getclayaiken.com found this picture because of it:

It's from The Ugly Duckling recording session. Good Lord, does he look YOUNG there. Baby has grown up a lot...

[Cotton]

The Ugly Duckling recording session . . .

Those two people look mighty happy with that guy they're grinning at!!!

[liney23]

Good news from Mediabase this morning!

OMWH has it's little red bullet back!

#28

121 spins

1 more spin than it had this time last week

duckyvee... Go little cd that could!!! Nice and easy gets the prize! And, other cliches such like that there!

ldyj... thanks for bringing over the pic... that was a while ago, wasn't it!

fear... I haven't had time to get to Target yet, but can't wait to get my hands on that little music pass.

Babysitting today for 2yr old and 4yr old DGDs. Wish me well! I hope I can get the oldest one to take a nap... she has started not to sometimes. Be back this evening. Have a fun day, all! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[FromClaygary]

FINALLY managed to get caught up after 48 hrs on the road!

Falling

Wow!! That's kind of weird and scary, but very effective!

Good news from Mediabase this morning!

OMWH has it's little red bullet back!

#28

121 spins

1 more spin than it had this time last week

Yaaaaayyyyy!!! I think it can! I think it can! I think it can!!

Something About Us and it's "Stop the music" phrase....definitely on my list of Top 10 lyrics, and the song on my Top 10 Clay list.

To me, it's a little more subjective than simply "Stop playing that music and play our song". The phrase "Stop the music!" has come, colloquially, to mean "Hold it!!" or, in our board terms WHOA!!!

To me, it's used in that way here.....then, the softer "Play the song"....using the same idiom, to signify playing the beginning notes of their romance and their future. Beautiful music played together?

I think it's one of the most lovely lyrical phrases ever.

Clay may say he's not a romantic...but I think he lies!!

[Couch Tomato]

If anyone has any allergy relief tips please let me know. I've never had to deal with this before the claritan and the benedryl is not working. What else do I need to do?

Happy Weekend. Thanks for all the You Tube links to the OMWH songs Cotton and Tijala and Claytonic for posting them somewhere easy to grab. You're doing a great job with your glossary.

I love the quality of his voice in this song and the sounds he produces. Claymatron, I am with you on how he sings "fool." The tone in his voice then drives me to distraction.

Cagney, I love when people mention those lines or words that affect them...I listen with new ears.

I have to admit that I've always loved the song but the visuals are very powerful.

Loving the Stop the music, play the song discussion.

Duckyvee..thanks for the news. Weeeeeeeeeeee. I choose to be optimistic about this..I think it can I think it can.

[HeidiHo]

You forgot the part where “critical thinking” equals saying critical things. That one always bugged me. I’m a scientist – I don’t think “critical thinking” means what you think it means (tm Inigo Montoya). Heh.

OMG. A variation on one of my favorite "Princess Bride" quotes! I wrote an entire blog entry on that quote. It's not inconceivable to say I think I love you, Heidi. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Aw shucks. <g>

Love, love, love Princess Bride.

I think you look very pretty in those pictures, Cotton.

I'll share one..look at my beautiful lioness in her first dance recital..

She’s a cutie. <g>

if you talk about how someone's hair looks like crap, or isn't stylish or current or hip, I personally think you'd better be sporting something suitable for Vogue. I have seen some of the more notorious critics and have said to myself and my friends, "Does she own a mirror? Why doesn't she work on her own issues before she starts on someone else's?"

Amen to that! And expounding on somebody not being a professional hair stylist, too. Not to mention putting down North Carolina as one big hixville and our housing market. I just shake my head. Hey. I was a Realtor. I know about some of the very fine homes in NC and you do not get the Clay Manse for $100,000!!!

Oh, I HATE that!! That whole he’s from “the south” (code for “he’s an idiot”) or from a “small town” – one of my pet peeves. They make it sound like they don't have no TV or none of them fancy type restaurants and none of them thar colleges. It paints him and all NCers as ignorant or totally naive.

He often doesn’t help the situation, but maybe he just doesn’t want to get into a battle about Raleigh.

[FromClaygary]

A few nice Spam and CD signing pics here:

Jasr's pics

[jamar1700]

If anyone has any allergy relief tips please let me know. I've never had to deal with this before the claritan and the

I'd recommend Nasal Irrigation. Specifically a Netti Pot. It helped me a lot.

For those of you that like the youtube... Netti Pot

I was like...who knew you could pour water into one nostril and have it come out the other side?

---

Other than that ... we had a huge nasty storm last night. Straight line winds that some estimated between 80 & 100 mph. My back yard is a jungle of downed branches and I lost some shingles from my back porch. I can't believe none of the branches hit the house. I was on the bus coming home from work and we had to abandon the bus on the street and run for cover in an Amigos. We all packed into their large coolers in the back and waited it out. In the dark. Good times. So much for my relaxing weekend. *sigh* I have 3 maples I'm not sure are going to make it. They look pretty rough. But it could have been so much worse and I'm thankful for neighbors with chainsaws & pickup trucks. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[Cotton]

jamar

ETA:

or the Sinus Irrigator

NeilMed

I've used this and it is very helpful. The most aggravating thing to me is keeping the Distilled Water on hand. You can microwave water, just make sure it cools!! (The NeilMed Kit explains everything very well.)

[keepingfaith]

Couchie, I use Alavert, the melt in your mouth, citrus-flavored tabs, and they work much better for me than either Claritin or Benadryl. Allergies come with different symptoms, but for the sneezing, eye-dripping miserable stuff, Alavert stays in my medicine cabinet.

[Gibby]

Gibby...how's your back?

Thanks for asking, Muski! It's okay. Not great, not terrible. It's not too bad if I don't take walks or go to the workout gym. Unfortunately, I need to do those things to keep weight off, and of course they make me feel better emotionally, too. So I'm really not excited about just resting! I'll get the results of the MRI next week, and will be seeing a new chiropractor on Tuesday to get yet another opinion. I've been using some over-the-counter patches that seem to help with the pain. I really don't want to become dependent on narcotics.

Yikes, we're on SAU, and I haven't posted about SL yet! I love SL. As others said, Clay's voice is so lovely, tender and restrained in SL. It's in the key of B major, and in either 12/8 or 6/8 time. That's what gives it the waltz feeling. Clay does a a great job of singing in this time signature by very slightly emphasizing the first beat of each three beats. Clay's vibrato in this song is sooooo gorgeous. His last note (sung on love) is heartbreakingly beautiful and tender.

I like the piano and acoustic guitar accompaniment, with just a little strings. The strings change from legato to staccato during the bridge, which is cool. The song doesn't resolve harmonically at the end, which is cool, too!

Cotton, I hear you about needing to harmony with these songs! I do, too, when I'm driving around town. I like it that there aren't a lot of backup vocals in this album, because we can better hear Clay's gorgeous voice. But I get into the music and have to add my own harmony!

Couchie, your lioness is absolutely adorable!

Cotton, you and your hubby both look great!

[Iseeme]

Good morning.

Couchie - I don't know what Netti Pot is but what finally got my allergies somewhat under control was a nasal inhaler. It's prescription though. Mine is called Flonase. You squirt it twice a day for a few days and then once a day. It lines your nasal passages so that you aren't inhaling pollen or whatever. It's really, really efficient. Probably on the same idea of what Jamar was suggesting. Once it starts working you can't forget to take it because it does build up in your system. There might be something over-the-counter that works on the same idea. Good luck.

Yay for OMWH! It sure seems to be chugging along!

I remember playing The Ugly Duckling for my g-daughter - who was about 7 when it came out. She liked the story but said "that guy talks funny!" That's when we had a discussion about accents and people growing up in different parts of the country!

[playbiller]

Allergy releif - I use salt water sprays - but there is a version of 4 Way spray that is not medicated, but includes menthol. If you can find that , it is great and you can use it whenever you want, opens up the nasal passages, or just use the salt water and suck on a menthol cough drop.

Can we be fined for practicing medicine without a license? :8:

I can't use much of the allergy medicines because of high blood pressure.

here is what I am talking about

[Iseeme]

Can we be fined for practicing medicine without a license?

EEP!

[Cotton]

Thanks, Gibby!

Ouchie for your back!

Hope you get some relief SOON!

(the real kind, not the Clay kind!)

[Scarlett]

Yikes, we're on SAU, and I haven't posted about SL yet! I love SL. As others said, Clay's voice is so lovely, tender and restrained in SL. It's in the key of B major, and in either 12/8 or 6/8 time. That's what gives it the waltz feeling. Clay does a a great job of singing in this time signature by very slightly emphasizing the first beat of each three beats. Clay's vibrato in this song is sooooo gorgeous. His last note (sung on love) is heartbreakingly beautiful and tender.

I haven't weighed in on SL and SAU either. ITA that SL is absolutely gorgeous. This is the song that if I put it on repeat in the morning I'd never get anything done because I'd just sit there listening until I realize that it's already late in the afternoon and I'd been sitting there all day. *sighs* Probably as close to heaven as you could anywhere near here. This is why in the car I stick to GOG, FIEKY, OMWH --> so that I'd at least get somewhere that day.

SAU - I adored the snippet. When the CD came out, I was more attracted to other songs but that was probably me and some baggage I had at that time. In a small intimate concert, I think this will be the best song in the program. I would love to go to a show where he sings a whole bunch of songs like this.

I have no advice at all about medicines ( and I hope you don't think me snooty for saying this) but I do have to thank everyone for helping me realize how much I should be thankful and happy about. Except for 1 instance of an extremely low iron count and my 3 babies of course, I haven't really had anything since childhood *knocks on wood* whether major or minor. It's so easy to ignore the things we're used to having and not realize how precious health and basic needs and individual freedom can be. And I'm glad this guy we follow helps remind us of this from time to time.

*waves good morning to my Sweet Baboo!!!* (following your lead on 2 o's)

ETA:

I think OMWH is the sort of music you should just sit and listen to -- and most people's lives are just too hectic (maybe unnecessarily so). There's too much noise in day-to-day living and songs that actually talk to you or require attention aren't convenient. I like strong voices that sing songs with beautiful melodies and lyrics that make sense, but I also have the time to sit and dream a bit. I try to imagine the busy mom with 2 pre-school kids running between chores or someone trying to hold down 2 or 3 jobs or someone in a hospital about to undergo a barrage of tests -- they need the message these songs hold but it isn't likely that they would have the time or capacity to listen. If they were already Clay fans, they would know to prepare their iPods ahead of time but if they weren't, it would be unlikely to have this get on their list of things to do. I wish everyone in the world would get caught in an elevator for 30 minutes with nothing but a CD player and OMWH. Can't Clay just sell a bunch of small mp3 players already pre-loaded with OMWH so that folks can just grab these and/or gift them to friends who need a positive song or two?

[DurhamClayfan]

I loved Something About Us when I first heard it, then I began to think it was boring compared to some of the other songs on the album. But now, when I listen to it I hear the emotion in Clay's voice and think back to a time when I felt this way. When there was nothing more wonderful than sharing every waking moment with the one you love. My, how times change! I envy those of you who have been in a relationship for many years and are still "In love"!

Scarlett, I find that by having a CD in my car, bedroom, and kitchen I have time to listen to Clay whenever I want. When I'm in my car I often try to listen to the radio but after one or two songs and stupid jokes from the DJ's I'm ready for OMWH. At home, when I'm cleaning I turn on OMWH in the kitchen and bedroom so when I move from one room to another the same song is playing.

Well, It'a time to go and turn on those CD's so I can clean!

HAPPY SATURDAY EVERYONE!

[wandacleo]

Couchie,

Your doctor could prescribe stronger antihistamines and Flonase--that's what I take. Over the counter meds are at lower dosages.