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

[Iseeme]

Was reading this month's Vanity Fair and an article about Angelina Jolie. She was referring to the media with these comments and I thought they were worth quoting:

"People always slow down for a train wreck. It's like junk food. If you don't feel good about yourself, you want to read crap about other people, like gossip in high school. You don't understand why it's there, but somehow it makes a lot of people feel better."

And: "in my father's generation, the product was 80% of what you were putting into the world, and your personal life was 20%. It now seems 80% of the product I put out is silly, made-up stories and what I'm wearing!"

Sound familiar?

Solitaire - will always get chills when I see the Clack from AI3 - the confident way he walked out on the stage, the suit that fit like a glove, even the hair. He was just too good for that show!

[HeidiHo]

Eh, people come and go...they're entitled. This place is good, in my [pseudo]humble opinion, but it ain't necessarily for everyone.

Like I said – that’s life. I’ve left places before, for sure, for a variety of reasons. Interacting on a message board often requires a thick skin – it’s always been that way. Actually, it’s been worse, as I’ve mentioned before.

Heidi, I'll give you performer - will spork you over the singing though.

I can handle whatever sporking you may want to dish out – because I still think he is a better singer NOW, although he was always fabulous. <g>

I was at a friends house most of the day yesterday and on the TV, which was turned down, was some comedian. I heard the name “Clay Aiken” but it must have been a passing reference because I didn’t catch anything else about it. The man (Clay) is VERY well known – and I sure as hell didn’t know who the comedian was. He was talking about his mother, so…

Believe me – I “read the board”. That’s what generates my responses. <g> But I was out of the house all day yesterday, so…

Scarlett, having trouble understanding your ETA because I cast it in such different terms in my own frame of reference. In my mind I cast that whole poddie thing in terms of a big disagreement over facts and interpretations, with jumping on people a plenty to go around on both sides. Never felt like "we" were misfits or that we were ganged up on. I did find it to be an occasion when I was moved to gravitate towards those who shared my POV, cause it felt like the world had gone mad. I'll think on it and try to rearrange my frame a bit and see if I can grok what you're saying.

Yeah, I’m in the same boat as you. I never felt we were misfits or that we were ganged up on. I did feel that they weren’t willing to listen to any logical argument that we could throw their way – turns out much of that was because they were so sure they were talking to people “in the know”. Maybe this was because I avoid the OFC like the plague?

And, incidentally and IMO, it was a big disagreement on the LACK of facts and the interpretations. <g>

Also from page 70 (sorry, I was barbequing and losing at ‘80’s Trivial Pursuit) – not only is it tone, but it is specific WORD choices, as I have tried to explain to others. I read specific words by their actually meaning. Maybe it comes from doing and reading so much technical writing. (Pssst, Ansa, I don’t think adminy is a word. <g>)

eHP stands for the evilHoustonPosse. Someone else will have to inform the newbies who all is in the eHP - it seems to be growing, and I don't want to leave anybody out! :lmaosmiley-1:

Generally, it's a group of wild and passionate Clayfans from the Houston/Texas area who love to speed, party, drink all manner of alcohol and follow Clay around the country. They do have a designated driver, IIRC. They disagree on how early they need to be at the airport for flights to Clay events, and their natural habitat is in the first several rows at Clay concerts. They are great fun, either in person or on the board.

Er, I’m only an associate or possibly simply a tagalong, but I can vouch for a disturbing LACK of alcohol from their gatherings – so don’t try to use that to excuse…I mean explain their behavior. <g> I did get several looks of extreme horror when I said I wanted to be at the airport 2 hours before my flight. Hey, I usually can’t afford, time-wise, to miss a flight and I don’t mind having a cocktail at the bar while I wait. I’m a people watcher, so it’s not half bad.

To me the wonder of Butter cup was the way he came out and owned the stage like no other contestant on that show since. It was a polished professional performance. His confidence was so strong, I could physically feel it. The perfomance was a blur, but the confidence hit me in the face.

Ah yes – exactly. It was the way he carried himself, looked in the camera. I think that was the IT performance for me. <g>

Ldyj – hope your mom is doing better.

ALAWH is not one of my favorite songs on the album. As with all songs, I can’t explain why.

Thanks so much for posting that screencap, Aikim! I was there during real time, too. Clay's response to your post was so heartwarming!

It would be hilarious to juxtapose the posts in that thread with the video and pictures taken of Clay on the rooftop after his last Spamalot performance. Add in a few of the good reviews, and the short video clips of him in Spamalot, and you would see how the angsting was so ridiculous. Good thing to keep in mind the next time fans predict the end of Clay's career!

Ah, if only. <g> Did a lot of them come back and admit that it was probably the best thing he has done to date?? That is only a slightly rhetorical question. <g>

So, yeah. Not all dot dot dots are created equal.

BWAH...omg...I don't think I've read her although I have been known to pick up a romance novel or two. I actually had a friend who wrote them. 00lsee, you'll only be naughty if you do that at TWoP... I've been given warnings for writing like that over there. They no likey.

I think I ventured into her territory (Barbara Cartland) when I was, like, 12 or something. <g>

Aren’t the dot dot dots called ellipses?? I am a fan, as you can see...

[keepingfaith]

I'm piling on the TLS love. With that performance, he took one of my fave songs of all time and made me forget about the BeeGees, with Robin Gibb in the house.

After watching rewind again, I could only sigh at Lamont Dozier's comments to Clay on the very first week of finals competition: Clay, you look like you've already arrived. You look like a professional. And that's the look of a star. He was so right, Clay had already arrived. Simon's comment about ICHM sounding like Motown: The Musical made me think, HELL YEAH! That's what I want, Motown: The Musical starring Clay Aiken with a full version of Reach Out, I'll Be There.

Kareneh, give a big hello to guitargirl for me when you talk to her again. I have so many wonderful memories from Houston to Dallas and back to Houston and then to Tulsa and back to Dallas. I have no memories of that final leg of the trip from Dallas to Houston. Must have been on autopilot.

[Couch Tomato]

but I can vouch for a disturbing LACK of alcohol from their gatherings

bwah...yeah between that disturbing lack of alcohol , the melt in your mouth cheese things, and my designation which I solidly object to... I remain slightly on the outskirts

[gbmifan]

It has been a very busy week. Went to Chicago for three days, then returned late Thurs. night, rode 35 miles on my bike on Fri., then today again rode 40 miles this morning. Have to ride another 40 tomorrow then a few days off before I do a five day bike ride in the upper thumb area of Michigan. Getting on that seat this am for the second day in a row was very hurtfull the first couple of miles till I got use to it. I am at this point trying to find all of our camping stuff for the long ride. It is going to be cooler. They are calling for daytime temps to be 68-71. That is better than last year. On our long day of 65 miles it was 95 and with the rode blacktop heat, and me and my hot flashes, I thought I was not going to make it. The cooler temps this time should help.

I really love how in ALAWH the song builds in the middle. It is one of those songs I always repeat when it comes on.

[luckiest1]

Completely O/T request: Can anyone who either lives in Quebec or has a knowledge of Quebec City please PM me? I have crossed the line into insanity and am considering driving 10 hours to do a bit of sight seeing and attend a free Paul McCartney concert on the 20th of July, and I need some help figuring things out. Thanks in advance! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Wow, gbmifan, I don't know how you do it! I went for a 15 minute bike ride the other day and my legs were like rubber......never mind how sore my ass was. LOL. Good for you!

ETA: Happy Birthday to lizzybutts!

Clay content: Don't have any. Looking forward to tomorrow's CNN special though!

[jmh123]

I also was knocked over by TLS. Everlasting Love made me wonder is there wasn't something sexy about the guy, by Solitaire I was sure, but TLS totally did me in. I would still like to have a recorded (or great live audio) version of the complete TLS.

I am so impressed gbmifan! I can't even imagine doing that!

[annabear]

Glad the temps are going to be more comfortable for you this year, gbmifan. That's a lot of riding!

Hope your mom is feeling better, ldyj. :thbighug-1:

Ooooooooh! Another TLS lover checking in!

Happy Birthday lizzybutts! :hb2:

Back to and

[gbmifan]

I ride a tandem and the back seat gets all the jolts from the wheel, so we have a shock post on the sit which helps a little. I train all summer because on Labor Day weekend I have another 5 day ride which has more miles in a day about 65/day from Lansing, Michigan to Mackinaw, Mi. I think it is a total of 340 miles. We ride with about 500 people on our route, but totally all routes with 2200 people converge on Mackinaw on Sunday of Labor Day weekend. It is a lot of fun but work especially in the hills!!!

[Bookwhore]

I could not possibly pick a favorite among Clay's AI performances. I loved them all.

My first concert was the AI2 tour in Oklahoma City. I remember being positively tense with excitement...I could hardly breathe. It was so hard to try to act like a normal person in front of my daughter. When we pulled up to the hotel and I saw the buses in the parking lot I couldn't believe it. I really don't remember too many details of that night, I think because of the oxygen deprivation (like I said, I could.not. breathe), but I do remember that overwhelming, paralyzing excitement.

That 's a lot to take in for a woman whose been drinking wine and hasn't held a penis in her hand for over 5 years!

In your hand? In your hand? Honey, we gotta talk.

[luckiest1]

My favourite AI performance, hands down, is Solitaire. That was the night I was blown away. Actually, I think it would be a really cool thing to do, to try and rank the AI performances and see which is favoured.

[00lsee]

It would be hilarious to juxtapose the posts in that thread with the video and pictures taken of Clay on the rooftop after his last Spamalot performance. Add in a few of the good reviews, and the short video clips of him in Spamalot, and you would see how the angsting was so ridiculous. Good thing to keep in mind the next time fans predict the end of Clay's career!

Speaking of...I saw the trailer for the new 007 movie,

today, and read a blog/forum post that made me giggle, relating it to your post about reactions before/during/after Spamalot.

The thread title was: This movie is going downhill by the minute

I have a horrible feeling that this movie is going to go unliked by many James Bond fans. It breaks my heart to say this but more and more people are starting to dislike where this film is going. I'm in the minority of people who loves everything about the film so far.

1. The 1st Teaser Poster: People are saying this is too bland

2. The Teaser Trailer: It has too much action. (I'm sorry but that is the point of the teaser... to tease)

3. The Spoilers: Ok, I'm not going to get into a long discussion about this but even if these spoilers turn out to be true, they have had a negative response so far.

4. The Quad Poster: It's bland, unispired and dull?

I'm sorry for saying this but so far people are starting to dislike where this film is going. No matter what is posted, someone has to have a problem with it. The Majority of people on these boards, I think, are really worried about this film.

I myself, love Daniel Craig's portrayal as Bond. I also love where Marc Forster is taking this. It's just that nearly everyone on these boards is worried about Quantum of Solace. That's what vibe i'm getting anyway. frown.gif

Can I just add on that I'm more excited about Quantum of Solace now than ever. biggrin.gif

So...Clay fans aren't the only ones with predictable jitters, apparently. The roller coaster in that ONE post just cracked me up.

[Iseeme]

Luckiest said:

My favourite AI performance, hands down, is Solitaire. That was the night I was blown away. Actually, I think it would be a really cool thing to do, to try and rank the AI performances and see which is favoured.

Me too!

Everything was just perfect that night......Clay in all black, backlighting, gahhhhhh...............

[liney23]

That 's a lot to take in for a woman whose been drinking wine and hasn't held a penis in her hand for over 5 years!

In your hand? In your hand? Honey, we gotta talk.

Bookwhore...

I didn't see any of the AI performances until I found them on the internet. I discovered Clay on Finale week. I loved Buttercup, Solitaire made me think... he killed that and knew it. I know he loved what Neil said, but I honestly don't think he cared what the other 3 idiots said cause he just knew! He had so much confidence in both those performances that night. Then TLS... O.M.G. That suit/shirt/tie combo was to die for! Then the song and ending in the best eyeboink in the history of 'em. O.M.G. Yes, I liked it, in case there is any doubt!

[HeidiHo]

That 's a lot to take in for a woman whose been drinking wine and hasn't held a penis in her hand for over 5 years!

In your hand? In your hand? Honey, we gotta talk.

Hey, I gotta stick up for Lotus here – a penis in hand can often be better than two in a bush.

I’ve had beer – that is the saying right? A bird in hand….? But anyway, there is a certain feeling of power….

Okay, I’ll stop now. <g>

I feel dirty.

[aikim]

My AI list - favorite to least favorite:

To Love Somebody

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Grease

Solitaire

Build Me Up Buttercup

Sugar Pie Honey Bunch

Somewhere Out There

Unchained Melody

At This Moment

I Could Not Ask For More

Tell Her About It

Everlasting Love

Someone Else's Star

Vincent

Mack The Knife

Kim

[Couch Tomato]

Another day of blasting Clay while working. Bookwhore, I've been thinking about what you said about As Long As We're Here... and you know what, I think I totally get what you are saying. Of course it has the opposite effect on me. I find it exhilirating for some reason..it feels like Clay is running to catch up the entire song heee..and today I'm totally capitavated by the when you're near me I breathe easy..blah blah blah. ..as he goes from soft to powerful gradually and then goes into his wail. I think I love this song for the same reasons I love Tears Run Dry and another song that doesn't get much love, Roseanna from NAT. WOW, to me thr way he did that song with the band intros and all was a tour de force. And I don't know a thing about his range but I always felt he was was pushing it and slightly on the edge of being out of control but never going over. I know that totally makes no sense but I'd put all three of these songs, two of them my top 2 Clay songs ever, in the same category. I love me some wailing Clay. OK I don't know what the hell I'm talking about...back to work.

bwah Heidi..ahem.

[duckyvee]

My favorite AI Clay performance is a tie:

Tell Her About It because he started out so slowly and I thought, "Don't do it, Clay. Don't turn it into a ballad." And then he blew it wide open and I stood up in my family room all by myself and cheered.

Mack the Knife - just because I think it was a masterful performance.

[Claygasm]

Oooo duckyvee! I LOVED Mack the Knife!!!! I thought it was a fabulous performance made all the more fabulous because it followed the Vincent debacle!

I think that and BOTW are my two favorite. They were the two that had me standing up and cheering all alone in my living room!

Man that seems so long ago.......

[Iseeme]

Favorite to least favorite:

Solitaire - will always be my favorite Clay song although The Real Me is catching up

Unchained Melody - always been one of my favorite songs - he kicks major butt on the glory note

Mack the Knife - this was masterful

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me - sentimental favorite because of Wild Card night

To Love Somebody - beginning to see the Aiken lung power with this song

I Could Not Ask For More - love Diane Warren

Somewhere Out There - Disney needs to snap Clay up for a movie soundtrack

Everlasting Love

Someone Else's Star - first time I ever heard this song.....loved it!

At This Moment - Billy Vera and the Beaters....hah!

Sugar Pie Honey Bunch - cute Clay

Tell Her About It- in command Clay

Build Me Up Buttercup - eh!

tie: Grease (just don't like the song) Vincent (still can't watch this vid - it's just too painful to see him struggle!)

ETA: CG, I was standing and yelling after BOTW. He stood up there seemingly calm and in charge and just belted out a fantastic song!!! The only time I ever heard him sing it better was on the Jerry Lewis telethon and his voice wasn't the best that day (day after the AI tour ended) - but it was beautiful and it was so neat to see Jerry so impressed!!!!

TITN has always bothered me a little bit because I think Clay really has to stretch his voice to hit a couple of those notes....and it sounds like he's straining. I always worried whether or not he'd hit the note so could never just sit back and enjoy. And then there was the near-debacle on Oprah. I think he was supposedly sick that day though. I love the song except for the high notes. And of course, who could EVER forget TITN in Raleigh for AI tour. I still get all schmoopie when I watch that one.

[liney23]

aikim... I stole your list to convert to my list...

My AI list - favorite to least favorite:

Unchained Melody (I love the faster version)

To Love Somebody (So gorgeous - him, I mean)

Solitaire (he nailed it)

Sugar Pie Honey Bunch (that hand gesture killed me... sorry, Faye)

Grease (the audio is utterly fantastic)

Build Me Up Buttercup (just plain fun, esp. him giving it to Slimon)

Tell Her About It (he sure fooled a bunch of people on this one)

Everlasting Love (loved the outfit, loved the glory note)

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me (even Elton didn't sing this one as well)

Somewhere Out There (song, so-so... loved Gladys Knights "magical" comment)

Don't care for the rest enough to make a comment.

At This Moment

I Could Not Ask For More

Someone Else's Star

Vincent

Mack The Knife

Another day of blasting Clay while working. Bookwhore, I've been thinking about what you said about As Long As We're Here... and you know what, I think I totally get what you are saying. Of course it has the opposite effect on me. I find it exhilirating for some reason..it feels like Clay is running to catch up the entire song heee..and today I'm totally capitavated by the when you're near me I breathe easy..blah blah blah. ..as he goes from soft to powerful gradually and then goes into his wail. I think I love this song for the same reasons I love Tears Run Dry and another song that doesn't get much love, Roseanna from NAT. WOW, to me thr way he did that song with the band intros and all was a tour de force. And I don't know a thing about his range but I always felt he was was pushing it and slightly on the edge of being out of control but never going over. I know that totally makes no sense but I'd put all three of these songs, two of them my top 2 Clay songs ever, in the same category. I love me some wailing Clay. OK I don't know what the hell I'm talking about...back to work.

bwah Heidi..ahem.

Couchie... Rosanne is one of my favoritest concert songs. I would kill to have him to a full-length concert version of this. Which is your favorite version??? I'm just ok on TRD... sorry!

[KAndre]

KAndre puts her strawberry margarita down for a second to cover some [hic] stuff...

The eHP is a group of sweet, mild-mannered women that occasionally travel around spreading sweetness and reasonableness and light randomly (and anyone who thinks they can prove different are either dead or accomplices, so there! And we have doctored totally untouched photographic proof to prove it!

We aren't exactly a no alcohol zone - we simply have a designated alcohol consumer along with our designated driver/hitter - Oooo! I think I made a sports funny! And we don't actually miss planes - honestly, the adrenaline rush you get from covering security to the gate at the farthest end of the terminal in less than 12.5 seconds is unmatched! And come hell or high water, we ain't missed a concert yet! Of course, it helps that Scarlett has this total exhibitionist thing going on...

I do love Buttercup with a deep and true love - but To Love Somebody fills me with the kind of obsession that I know better to confess to a therapist...that performance got me to download the "good" files from Neurox - forever and a day for the original performance (38 freaking MBs on dial-up - AND I had to find the codex for .m2v files) and praying that the connection doesn't stop - I then went on to download all 360 MB of the freakin' episode. I immediately bought a high-speed internet connection. And my first external hard drive. And the realization that occasionally, that pasty white boy can be hot enough to set fire to my TV and my libido. The rest, as they say, is history. Never liked Solitaire but was tickled pink that Neil Sedaka cried over his rendition.

Loved Vincent - wanted to slap the shit out of Paula. Skank. Grease made me KNOW this was my dude - a live and kicking sense of humor will occasionally outweigh the penis in the hand...

First time seeing Clay live? Houston, AI2 tour, front freakin' row. And it was a classic case of positive reinforcement. A seriously fun Clay fan party prior to the event, a seriously great concert - I was hooked.

Bookwhore, darling - the hand is necessary at the beginning - at least to determine if there is any point of proceeding...guys seem to object to calipers...

Me 'n Couchie occasionally share taste - I love TRD so much more than BFM - man, that's just a pretty song. And Rosanna just rocked.

Hmmm...best to least? It would have to go:

To Love Somebody

Vincent

Build Me Up Buttercup / Grease

Unchained Melody (the NOTE)

Everlasting Love (Yes, Clay has two the NOTES!)

Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me

Someone Else's Star (he did a song I had never heard before and made me love it)

Sugar Pie Honey Bunch

At This Moment

I Could Not Ask For More

Tell Her About It

Mack The Knife

Solitaire

Somewhere Out There (mice - ptui!)

Here, There, Everywhere (sorry, kf - if he had done, oh let's say Let It Be or Eleanor Rigby, I would have been his to own...uh, never mind.)

[Couch Tomato]

I'm not quite sure what my absolute was because when my computer crashed I lost all of my carefully crafted favorites in my ipod...and when I tried to get everything out of my ipod back to itunes....well let's just say I have actual nightmares and can still hear the crunch crunch crunch of all my files being eaten away. To this day I haven't gotten everything back how I had it. Greenville is probably what I listened to most but I have all the versions from FCAM in my ipod.

eta: just to bwah and tell KAndre that she cracks me the hell up

[Cotton]

Another day of blasting Clay while working.

Holy Hand Grenades!!!

I thought you were - you know - like - blasting - like BASHING - Clay!!

Or somebody at work was!!!

I had to take a moment!

On another note - don't you people be bashing my Mack the Knife!!!!

My Daddy used to sing this with his dance band and for Clay to Pull that song OFF - without making it cheesy - was a MAJOR COUP!!

He was KOOL as KOOL can be. Just Pure T Oozing sexay on that song!

Ultra.

Mega.

Grown Up, Kool!!

But you ain't gonna make be get into a top to bottom list of his performances.

Nope.

Can't do it.

Like choosing my favorite child.

Oh. Yeah. I only have one child! hee

Later, y'all, I'm reading a gripping novel!

Step on a Crack! James Patterson - with a coauthor whose name I don't recall.

Just so you don't forget . . .

:013085001176249046:

[KAndre]

Hey Cotton! You gotta opinion on Clay's posterior?

And Mack the Knife woulda been higher on my list if Clay had done the Steve Martin shark thing with his fingers...