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

[luckiest1]

Wow, just watch the lurker count grow when things get hot and heated in here!

OK the damned fireworks are pissing me off. Neighbour is doing them in his yard. Dog is going mental. Soon they will start at the park. So much for getting my 8 hours of rest tonight. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[FromClaygary]

Tijala, thank you SO much for that picture!! I lost a computer to a power surge about 2 years ago, and with it all my older pictures, so I'm very pleased to once again have a picture of this one!!

FC, so sorry to hear you lost your pictures. I'll take a better picture of the quilt for you. At the time I didn't have a good place to put the quilt for the picture, but I do now. Hopefully in a day or two, I can get that for you.

Eeeeehhh!! Thanks so much again!

So those watching Canadian Idol...how is it this year?..I think I just got so disappointed last year when all my favorites got eliminated right away and we were left with pretty generic singers...

I'm enjoying it! Not much in the female department, I don't think; but I really, really like Omar Lunen; like Theo Tams and Gary Morisette and the other guy I voted for last night (WHY???!! can't I remember that dude's name!). I think there have been some good performances, and I like the CI judges for the most part. And hate me if you will, but I enjoy Ben!

WOW, did anyone else watching CI just get blown away by Theo Tams? So far, he's my pick to win. And there are still 6 out of 20 left to sing.

Liked him, definitely~not blown away, although I think he's a great pianist more than a great singer. Did vote for him though!

[jamar1700]

eh...nevermind.

[Scarlett]

PuddinsJoy, eeeeeee!!!!

[luckiest1]

I'm enjoying it! Not much in the female department, I don't think; but I really, really like Omar Lunen; like Theo Tams and Gary Morisette and the other guy I voted for last night (WHY???!! can't I remember that dude's name!). I think there have been some good performances, and I like the CI judges for the most part. And hate me if you will, but I enjoy Ben!

Yeah, I like the judges too, which is the main reason I will give CI a chance at the beginning of the season, but I won't watch AI. I liked Omar Lunen too! How many are going home tomorrow?

Saw a pic of Jaymes on another board (supposedly taken yesterday) and she doesn't look 8 months pregnant to me. Today I'm leaning towards the negative side of the IIT equation. Ask me again tomorrow and I may have changed my mind.

Say What? Lord wouldn't it be delicious if Clay were able to give a huge F U to the media for this story? LOL I get giddy thinking about it.

Well, apparently others do see 8 months pregnant. I guess maybe I'm thinking of the beach ball I used to carry every time.

[merrieeee]

Wow, just watch the lurker count grow when things get hot and heated in here!

eeeeek you mean it's "not just us"? Who knew!

IMO it is great to be on top. :medium-smiley-070:

[FromClaygary]

Well, for me - he is an enigma. A mystery.

But I still trust him. My son is a mystery and an enigma, too.

I mean I've known him for 33 years. I've lived with him. I raised him. But still he and I are very different. Plus he's a guy! So - I don't always know how his mind works.

But I trust him in that he is a respectful person (most of the time - except when he loses his temper!) and reasonably intelligent. So I trust that he's not going to do something that will make me lose faith in him.

I trust Clay, too. I trust that he is who he has shown he is from the very beginning. He tries to live "right". I believe he tries to be honest and fair. I believe he respects himself and others. Until they give him a reason not to respect them. I have seen up close how Quiana feels about him. I have met Diane and Faye. Even though I don't "know" Clay, I have listened to him when I believe he was speaking from the heart.

I do NOT think he's perfect. But I believe in him.

Not to live as I want him to. But I believe he will continue to live by his own code. But I believe he has a code. I believe he's ethical.

And I quit worrying about him a long time ago. A long time before the mess of '06. I believe he has proven way more capable of making life and career decisions that are right for him than I would be.

I look forward to what he will do next. I look forward to 5 years down the road. I believe he will still be entertaining long after I'm gone.

I would have never in a million years even thought of something like SPAMalot. Never! And look at what he did with it.

I've seen evidence of who Clay surrounds himself with. And that is another thing that tells me he's a man of character.

Baby "news"?

IIT, it's his life. Noone can dictate what forms love may take. Who knows the nature of the relationship? I surely don't. And if J and C are in love, more power to them. If he agreed to father a child, to share parenthood with J to help her have her last chance at being a parent, then I'm sure he thought about it, weighed the pros and cons, and made the best decision he could - for him and Jaymes and the baby.

I can barely run my own life. I'm sure not going to judge the way he lives his.

I don't really care how he looks when he's passing through LAX. I think he dresses like DS in his off time. I don't really care that much about his hair.

Although there are times when he looks so damned good he makes me melt!

So - yeah, on some level I believe I 'know' Clay Aiken.

And I kinda like him!

LOVED!! this!

Luckiest1, I'm glad I'm not the only grinch about the fireworks; the city ones over the harbor that I'm watching right now are beautiful....but I'm afraid some of these jackasses setting them off in the backyard are going to set my house on fire! Every . freakin' . weekend!! the fireworks! Lordy, I'm beginning to appreciate Alberta's fireworks laws.

[luckiest1]

Yeah, it's mainly the backyard ones that piss me off. The public ones are ok, but there is a wild party going on at the neighbour's house along with the fireworks, too. Some of us (in fact, most of us) have to work in the morning!

[Scarlett]

Wow, just watch the lurker count grow when things get hot and heated in here!

eeeeek you mean it's "not just us"? Who knew!

IMO it is great to be on top. :medium-smiley-070:

Topping from the bottom is more fun!

And I lurve fireworks!!! Especially the ones in Frisco last year, just because!

[jamar1700]

eh...nevermind again.

I'll just go watch baseball. Even I'm tired of myself.

[FromClaygary]

Yeah, I like the judges too, which is the main reason I will give CI a chance at the beginning of the season, but I won't watch AI. I liked Omar Lunen too! How many are going home tomorrow?

I'm not sure! 4 maybe? Until we get down to top 12?

Yup, I hearya about the getting up thing....what is it that people don't understand about fireworks at 2 AM not being appreciated by everyone?? Really, I guess it's that they just don't give a crap. Kind of like most people these days. Sad, really.

[calurker]

I just finished reading Karen eh's blog...what a great story....it took no time to read it( so well written)...the humour , the pictures....make sure you don't miss it.The toilet bits are a hoot... I can't imagine ever peeing over there...my bladder would just have to explode or I would have to get a portable catheter

I think we all pretty much agree that we only know the Clay Aiken that caught our attention on AI in 2003.We don't really know the Clayton Aiken that lives his private life in North Carolina. The aspects of his personal life that were revealed to us in LTS and in a few early interviews are sparce and totally memorized by now. Due to a series of smut filled tabloid stories , out of context quotes and space fillers made up by those who need hits for their sites.....some fans or so-called fans presume to know more about the man than they actually do.(the imagination can create very imaginative truths) In fact, as time goes on, instead of learning more about him we are being shut out of his private life and I think probably this is a good thing.....for Clay and for those of us who truly want to enjoy this man as an entertainer. His private life should not be for the entertainment of the fans, but his public life where he talks and acts and sings should be for everyone who is interested to enjoy and it should be fulfilling for Clay. He has to make the desicion how this is accomplished. Not everything is going to be a hit and that's OK....he's strong, stubborn, determined and I think it will take more than tabloid gossip and innuendo to end his career. He's not taken the easy road yet.

All the talk of wanting Clay to have his "fairy tale" wedding....what do we know?..nothing. Just for supposition's sake.....let's sayIIT.....who's to say he didn't have his "fairy tale wedding"...wouldn't surprise me in the least. Yes , it is possible that we would not know....we're not as tuned in as we were years ago, we're not psychic(at least I don't think anyone is)...it takes ages for information to reach us. I don't know Jaymes but I'm sure if Clay has picked her as a friend that she has a quality he admires and what WE think doesn't matter a hill of beans anyway.....it's his happiness...I never asked Clay if he liked my husband, wouldn't matter if he didn't..that was my choice not his.

I myself have decided not to take sides on the IIT/INT fence. As long as the music keeps coming and Clay continues to push forward(could be a bad choice of words at this time) .......I'll be buying CD's and going to concerts and watching his interviews and waiting to see what he is going to come up with next.The rides's been real interesting so far...can't wait to get a peek around the corner. :013085001176249046: (I just love that emoticon)

These are my views...JMO....let it go in one ear and out the other if it makes you happy....just chaulk it up to "one more opinion duly noted." :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[annabear]

what is it that people don't understand about fireworks at 2 AM not being appreciated by everyone??

Substitute music so loud it shakes the walls & rattles the windows for fireworks at 2 AM and I think your PITA neighbors could be related to my PITA neighbors, luckiest & Claygary.

Really, I guess it's that they just don't give a crap.

Yep, unfortunately.

[calurker]

One more thing.......My daughter's been watching Canadian Idol and she says the males are stronger this year and it will probably end being an all male competition. The female audience will be thrilled I'm sure.

Guess I'll have to start watching this week .....do some actual critiquing.

[luckiest1]

I think my little pug puppy has barked herself hoarse........or she's hiding under a bed somewhere. Poor thing is traumatized with all this racket!

Eeep, spoke too soon. What's up with these screaming fireworks? Seriously sound like someone screaming. Ugh.

calurker, :F_05BL17blowkiss: .

ETA: OK, I think the worst of it is over. Heh, Happy Canada Day y'all! Night!

[Cotton]

KarenEh! Loved it!

I don't think I'd have been able to successfully make that trip!

Not without depends, anyway!!!

Kudos to you! I'm amazed at your openness to adventure and learning!

I think Clay should take you with him on his next UNICEF trip.

:F_05BL17blowkiss:

[Couch Tomato]

heee ok I don't feel tension anymore just high spirited convo..and interesting topics... Happy to see some newbies not running screaming into the night...

See djs - that's where you're completely wrong about what I posted! I don't want to see into his bedroom (well, let me think about that a minute.....is he alone?

LOL... good to know smut surivies..

I think everybody does whether they'll admit it or not.

I honestly don't care. Doesn't affect my life in the least little bit. It only affects his and this could be the thing to give him whatever it is he needs and wants. I do care that he's healthy, happy, content and fulfilled... just not the particulars on how that happens. The one theory I can't get behind is that Clay has given up on life or love IIT. I can't put him in this pathetic light just becasue his choice is probably not something I would have thought he'd do. Although why am I the only one in the SAY WHAT car in regards to a new picture of Jaymes LOL.

Lots of Clay songs though (waaaaaaa) or at least it feels that way. Last song tonight is Sorry (waaaaaaaa) again

I feel so lucky that we can call so many songs Clay songs.

So let me just pose a question......for discussion sake if nothing else.

Why do people say "I trust Clay" if they feel they don't know something about him? How can you trust someone who is a complete stranger? Because he has golden pipes? Because he's cute and funny and handsome? Hell I married someone like that (not with the golden pipes) and believe me, cute and funny and handsome don't mean squat in the trust department.

So if he's a complete enigma, a complete mystery to us - how can "you" say you trust him?

Hmmmm had to think about this because I'm not sure if I talk in these terms. I do feel he is a good man that tries. Simple as that. I'm not trusting him with MY life so whether I'm wrong or right is of litle importance. I trust that Clay will make the descisions that work best for him with regards to his own life.

Talked to good friends from other boards over the phone, and what I've heard is that there's a lot of sadness over a presumed (IIT) loss of the picture-perfect storybook life for him. Belle and Iseeme have expressed it here but it seems to run a lot stronger on other boards, with people really hurting almost as much as though they've lost a loved one. I hold my friends' hands over the phone because I care for them and it saddens me to hear them but because of my past experiences I am still a bit put off about fairytales being woven for someone else.

I didn't know about this and I guess I don't really understand. I've always understood that the ties that bind us to him run deep on the emtional scale. I've had my share of emotional ups and downs but if true then to me it means this is his heart's desire and why would that sadden me.

After being in lurk mode for quite some time all I have is this :

I just don't understand the success of TMZ. I don't understand how the "mainstream media" is using them and the likes as a source for "news". It just boggles my mind. I don't understand why people give that site "hits".

I am sorry some fans are upset with the latest "story". As for me I am waiting to hear from Clay.

OMWH is such a great album, I am enjoying it so much ! Clay's best work this far !!!I hope the little song that can "On My Way Here" keeps climbing the mediabase chart.

I can't wait to heart those songs LIVE in concert !!!

:F_05BL17blowkiss: to all of you !

ahhh..thanks underthespell..and let me say I don't get it either. With news and entertainment now so inextricably bound - nothing suprises me. But it does make me want to hurl to see these people trotted out and allowed to spew their garbage and given pseudo legitimacy.

Yes. To me it does - how can you "know" someone who doesn't know you?

I'll take it a step further and say you probably don't even really know some of the friends and family that you actually have a relationship with, generally speaking.

[goldarngirl]

One more thing.......My daughter's been watching Canadian Idol and she says the males are stronger this year and it will probably end being an all male competition. The female audience will be thrilled I'm sure.

Guess I'll have to start watching this week .....do some actual critiquing.

Well I think we started out with a large male contingent in the competition, so if a girl gets through to the top numbers she sure deserves it. I think it was 15 to 9. I AM happy that they dumped the female/male thing and just made it contestants.

PS FromClaygary I llike Ben for the most part too.

[Couch Tomato]

edited for clarity & other stuff

oh I forgot this big thing I was holding in all day at work yesterday..you said something like..there's a first time for everything...

and I wanted to type...

not you making a post without editing

[playbiller]

I think my little pug puppy has barked herself hoarse........or she's hiding under a bed somewhere. Poor thing is traumatized with all this racket!

Eeep, spoke too soon. What's up with these screaming fireworks? Seriously sound like someone screaming. Ugh.

calurker, :F_05BL17blowkiss: .

Than you can appreciate how thrilled I am that the town has moved the fireworks back to the football field less than a 1/8 mile from my house. I need to get back to the beach where Holly and I can sit on the bench by the beach and watch the fireworks from the casinos a across the harbor miles away.

Note: Since my posts can be muddy and hard to understand, I have to assume that nothing was meant personally for me, unless my name is used. Of course, not everyone here knows my real name, heh, and there is a damn good reason for that!

Why I should edit for tactful ness - For example

[Thankful4Clay]

eh...nevermind again.

I'll just go watch baseball. Even I'm tired of myself.

Bottom of the ninth. It's been a good game.

Go Twins!!

[Couch Tomato]

I actually find that a very good question. I used to say things like "that's just not Clay", "that's just not what he'd do", and, yes, "I trust him". Since I've decided the best approach for me in this fandom is to say I really don't know him at all, I agree, those types of statements no longer make any sense to me.

gothedistance..the simple fact that Clay has been able to suprise me so much says a lot to me about what I don't know. He's a really intriguing man. The fact that I can see this story being complete hogwash or absolutely true sorta crstyalizes that for me.

Well, apparently others do see 8 months pregnant. I guess maybe I'm thinking of the beach ball I used to carry every time.

I am surrounded by 4 8 month pregnant women at work...where's the darn picture? Is it top secret?

[ldyjocelyn]

So let me just pose a question......for discussion sake if nothing else.

Why do people say "I trust Clay" if they feel they don't know something about him? How can you trust someone who is a complete stranger? Because he has golden pipes? Because he's cute and funny and handsome? Hell I married someone like that (not with the golden pipes) and believe me, cute and funny and handsome don't mean squat in the trust department.

So if he's a complete enigma, a complete mystery to us - how can "you" say you trust him?

To me, it's pretty close to the situation of flying -- I'm putting my life in the hands of a pilot I've never met in my life. But I still trust him, because I'm pretty sure that the pilot has been trained, and is supposed to be doing his job. In our day-to-day lives, we all at some point trust people we don't know. I trust Clay to run his life, because he's the one living his life -- just as I do the same for every single one of us on this board.

Also a fan may think of Clay as not-really-a-stranger, but would he know them on the street? Would he not consider that person on the street a stranger? Even if they ran up to him and explained that they are a huge fan and posted on the message boards as *insertboardnamehere* ... he still probably doesn't feel like he knows that fan personally. Sure we've had 5 years to get to "know" him but he hasn't had the same opportunity.

To me Clay is a stranger...I have not met him; I don't know him...but he is someone I admire and someone I enjoy being a fan of...and when someone says they are hurting over a supposed decision he made...well, that comes across to me as a little too invested. That kind of hurt I would reserve for my child or husband, not a celebrity that I barely know.

Agree with both you ladies here. "Knowing" in this instance to me is a two-way street.

Storybook weddings? Sure, love the idea. And I understand that some people had their hearts set on that for Clay. Frankly, I think I might have thought that too at one point in time. The thing is -- I've changed my ideas about Clay several times, because he constantly ends up surprising me.

God, I'm tired, I need to work on my thoughts on this. I might come back to this. Oh wait....this summed it up quite well for me:

All the talk of wanting Clay to have his "fairy tale" wedding....what do we know?..nothing. Just for supposition's sake.....let's sayIIT.....who's to say he didn't have his "fairy tale wedding"...wouldn't surprise me in the least. Yes , it is possible that we would not know....we're not as tuned in as we were years ago, we're not psychic(at least I don't think anyone is)...it takes ages for information to reach us. I don't know Jaymes but I'm sure if Clay has picked her as a friend that she has a quality he admires and what WE think doesn't matter a hill of beans anyway.....it's his happiness...I never asked Clay if he liked my husband, wouldn't matter if he didn't..that was my choice not his.

Bravo....

We got new windows in our house today. Now, I'm dealing with a fine layer of dust over almost everyting in the house. Blech.

[aikim]

I think my little pug puppy has barked herself hoarse........or she's hiding under a bed somewhere. Poor thing is traumatized with all this racket!

Eeep, spoke too soon. What's up with these screaming fireworks? Seriously sound like someone screaming. Ugh.

calurker, :F_05BL17blowkiss: .

Than you can appreciate how thrilled I am that the town has moved the fireworks back to the football field less than a 1/8 mile from my house. I need to get back to the beach where Holly and I can sit on the bench by the beach and watch the fireworks from the casinos a across the harbor miles away.

Note: Since my posts can be muddy and hard to understand, I have to assume that nothing was meant personally for me, unless my name is used. Of course, not everyone here knows my real name, heh, and there is a damn good reason for that!

Why I should edit for tactful ness - For example

Hee! I love this! I need to carry that around with me since I have been told many times that I do not have any tact!

Kim

[Thankful4Clay]

Well, apparently others do see 8 months pregnant. I guess maybe I'm thinking of the beach ball I used to carry every time.

I am surrounded by 4 8 month pregnant women at work...where's the darn picture? Is it top secret?