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#37: Whenever he's ready, I'm ready for whatever he's ready for.


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64 members have voted

  1. 1. What should be the next thread title at FCA?

    • The man just oooooooooozes awwwwwness.
      16
    • He is so sexay when he's following his Passion!!!
      5
    • He looks really, really, really good while exuding all that good stuff.
      4
    • One hawt hunk of packin' perfection!
      11
    • He's a man of character and integrity and talent.
      15
    • Kurei Eikun? I LOVE that guy!
      10
    • Sometimes Clay is just the sex, YKWIM??
      3


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I guess I'm not stuck in a moment Iseeme. Look at the list of all the ambassadors, have they flown high in every moment of their careers. If you think the album is over and that there's no point in putting out a another single then fine, but even if that is so, something else will come down the pike. Here's the thing, there will be other projects for Clay. Does the success of Spam mean nothing. Does the fact that OMWH hasn't sold like gangbusters mean it's all over and woe is me should be our be our topic du jour every day?

Since I'm not in the it's all over camp, or that his entire career is determined by this one project then I'm not sitting around worrying right now. And even if , let's say he gets dropped by RCA, it still won't be all over for him. John Travolta after all has had how many comebacks. He is in a business that comes with ebbs and flows as others have already said and doing the should done this or he shoulda sang that definitely is a meaningless exercise IMO. Would I like Clay to be going only up up up - yes but that doesn't happen to anyone. Go pick some artists and go through their careers and you'll see that hardly anyone has been a hot even gold selling artist every single time.

I have no doubt Clay understands all the ramifications of what's happening with his career. And he and his team or the ones that can determine what happens next. So in the meantime I will look at this year like this: He had a phenomenal run on Spamalot. He released an album that he was giddy about and that I love. He is still being invited to presitious gigs, like singing before the President of the United States. He is still doing things close to his heart, like helping others. And while being a celebrity helps him make a difference - Clay's a man that will continue to do that even if he is not in the spotlight. Even if TBAF has to struggle to get grants and funding like every other non profit out there he will make it happen.

Is that pie in the sky? If you want to think so. I understand all the points you're making but my reaction to the same set of data is just different. I just have faith that Clay has a career for the long haul in some capacity. I can't focus on the rest or make it the center of why I'm here. But that's just me. I understand everyone has a different levels of concern. But as an observer of this career, if he falls, I will be there to see him pick himself up and move on.

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My thing is, honestly, what might seem to some as not making "sense" about the timing of the release of Clay's CD - is being stated by people who haven't actually released any CDs. Or, I would bet, kept track of promotion in this kind of detail prior to Clay's. Or really seemed to pay that much attention to other music careers prior to Clay's. From someone's whose family is waaaaay into a niche market in music - as I have said before - Clay is doing better than 95% of full-time working musicians. You want to talk about people who have careers for decades with a small fanbase? Talk about Jazz artists. Every the Grammy winners don't sell all that much. But they are still doing OK. I tried to pick something to compare music too - and settled on golf. The thing is, at this point in Clay's career, he's a pro - he's made the cut in the majors like three times - and he's good. Makes a pretty damn good living not winning the freaking majors. I looked at the top 100 money winners in golf this year - I recognized a grand total of 8 names. And the only reason I recognized those was because my company had a tent at the PGA Tour championships a couple of years. It doesn't make those I haven't heard of bad golfers - it's just if their name isn't Tiger Woods I don't really have any interest at all. I've played Clay's CD for my friend (she was trapped in the car with me). She likes good music. She wasn't converted. She's played U2 for me (being trapped in her car). I like good music. Ain't bought a U2 CD yet. Lots of people who like "good music" don't like particular artists. The joy of subjectivity. I like a couple of songs by Buble - none of his Sinatra covers - because I don't like Sinatra. Hear the first wail of Groban and flee if possible. Don't deny that it's "good music" - I just don't want it. I like rap that's "good music" (one of my bugaboos is people explaining that they don't like rap and therefore it's crap - no, you just don't like it. Nothing wrong with that - but there is a difference.)

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CG - you make some very good points. There is no way Clay would be a UNICEF Ambassador without his celebrity!

I honestly don't know that releasing another single will make much of a difference in whether this CD is a hot seller. That implies you listen to the radio.

Now this is pretty much a defeatist attitude...there is no guarantee of course that a second single can become a radio hit..but if you want this CD to really tank... then not doing anything will be a sure way to do that.

I think TV apperances are far more important and have a wider audience.

This all goes hand in hand. If we want Clay to do more TV appearances in the fall then he needs to bring out another single to sing. Will they invest in the expnse of more TV promotions? We really don't know but Clay and TC had this vacation in place even before the promo period started so I think this down time was part of an overall plan.

And I do agree with CG that the timing of the release - if the UNICEF trip was planned - is kind of suspect. Releasing it so soon after Spamalot, when clearly he was tired, is suspect. I wonder if we'll ever know what the rationale was...

suspect? how? There were a lot of advantages to releasing right after the spamalot...there is the momentum and piggy backing on the spamalot promo.. Also after this baby stories came out...then it really was better that OMWH came out before that. Cos if he was only starting promo this fall...no one would be interested in the music.

And quite frankly, do any of you honestly think that UNICEF is more important to Clay than his career? I mean in your heart of hearts and zen aside and all that? If he wants to continue making a difference on that scale - he needs his career and the celebrity that comes with it! I'm sure he's aware of that..... :whistling-1: Now I'm not saying that what he does isn't all-important to him.....it's just that you can't put the cart before the horse!

yeah I honestly do think its that important to him. Fortunately I haven;t seen any situation where he had to choose. But at this point he has his celebrity...the horse is there...so why does he have to sacrifice his humanitarian efforts. You really don;t have to be a huge superstar to make a difference. Check out who the other Unicef ambassadors are?

How many are multiplatinum recording stars?

oops...as I post this I see others have responded...I hope I wasn't being redundant...off to read other posts.

scarlett...you are something else...from posting something wise to multicultural smutting... :F_05BL17blowkiss:

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Everyone is making good points. But - the fact that I haven't released a CD doesn't mean I have NO business sense or haven't watched the promotion of other CDs. Maybe I haven't been as ardent a fan of anyone else as I have Clay, but I have bought a few CDs uhhhh tapes uhhhhhh 45's uhhhhh LPs? in my life and have followed careers. ALL I'm saying is it's suspect or curious or whatever word you want to use. And nowhere did I say that I thought Clay's career was over because of this CD. Nowhere. Nor would I, because I don't think it is - not by a longshot. What I AM saying - and maybe didn't say it well - is that it's a damn shame that we're hanging on threads and counting spins and cheering when those spins go up a notch or two....it's a little like grasping at straws IMO at this point. And all I said about releasing a single is I didn't think it would make that much difference IF the visual of Clay singing to a television audience isn't there to back it up. And that's because not only do I not listen to the radio - no one in this small community can even GET radio reception. So my sphere of knowledge is yet again limited. But I never listened to the radio when I was in the Bay Area, either.

I'm not saying what SHOULD have been done. And I've always qualified my opinions with the blatant fact that I know little or nothing about the entertainment business. I always approach this from a business sense and the almighty dollar, which is the bottom line of any company. And I DO know something about business having been in the corporate world for nearly 30 years!!!! Just wondering why what was done or NOT done took place. Just posing questions. Just asking why!

Guess its time to say

:013085001176249046: and maybe I can find out how to say it in Italian. We can be multi-cultural in our adoration of the cutesingerman's fine, fine tush!

p.s.

yeah I honestly do think its that important to him
Also NEVER said UNICEF wasn't important to Clay. Said I didn't think it was MORE important to him than his career. I also don't think he needs to release another single to have something to sing on a television show!!!! He has an entire CD of wonderful songs to choose from!!!!! (oops, are all those exclamations points like three dots? If so, I'll edit! )
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Sorry KAndre about my comment earlier about rap. My son does enjoy it, I just don't get it. I think it was easier for me to take aim at rap though because a lot of the lyrics that get attention have a lot of words and images that are pretty nasty, whereas in opera, something else I don't like but I noticed many here do, I wouldn't even consider making pot shots. So I will make sure I think about the next time I post because it is just my opinion and like you said every hears things different. I can tolerate Grobin better than you though since I don't head for the hills. I like his voice well enough but there is only about 3 songs that I really like enough to listen to again. Same with Buble. I downloaded his Home and a couple of others but didn't want to get anymore because most sound the same as the next one.

And Couchie, Muski, Ansa, and Scarlett, wanted to say yeah that. If I didn't have dial-up right now, I'm be looking for that emoticon, but its taking forever to come up.

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I'm really glad that Clay was chosen as a featured ambassador on the CNN special. That's a real tribute to the dedication he has shown to that cause and the money he has been able to raise for them, IMHO. I could have used much more Clay and many fewer commercials, though. I am always shmoopie over the Clay with assorted babies clips, because he seems to be so focused on each one and SO enjoying the experience. He really got me in the one from the first McDonald's World Children's Day even when he was focusing an adoring look at that little baby he was holding with her surgical drains draped over his arm. Not many people are willing to hold a child that ill in my experience, sometimes not even when they are the parents. That really got me.

I love OMWH. I'm thrilled he got to make the album that he wanted and I'm proud to gift it and play it for others because I think it's wonderful music and represents Clay well. I'm still hoping more people will get a chance to see/hear/experience him performing this music, because he really shines when he gets the opportunity to do that. I don't think Clay is ready to retire from the biz, so I'm ready for whatever is next.

Thanks for the comments on my Houston pictures. I edited one more. Go me!! That's 9 out of mumbledyhundred.

I found myself quite taken with kissy Clay. I'm all puckered up, Clay!!! Head on over in my direction!!

326990903_ywKCN-L.jpg

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Cotton, that article scares the crap out of me which is why I really want to see a pic of Clay or get a blog or something so I can know that he is home safe and sound. The situation over there though is why sometimes I have a hard time seeing that Clay is going to be a dad soon. I don't have a problem with it either way because I don't tend to think conventional is necessarily the best, but it does seem odd to me that Clay would agree to go to a pretty dangerous country, no matter how many safeguards are put in place, with impending fatherhood looming.

And lajeterfan, I agree (figured I better start being agreeable since my last 2 posts had me disagreeing) in that Clay is so much more than a singer and I can't wait to see what he has in store for us.

Not to detract from Clay's UNICEF work, but think of the fathers that live in those countries, and think of the military fathers that are deployed around the world and don't get to see their children until they are six months or a year old, and may have endured life altering injuries. I honor the work that Clay does, but I'm not inordinately worried about his safety.

For all we know, he could be on a further UNICEF mission in Africa or Asia, or on an island vacation. Or he could be in his backyard in North Carolina flipping burgers.

Hey Hey LdyJ, this is the first anniversary of the night you slept with those crazy sister strangers!

I hadn't thought about it this way and you're right. That's why I like this board and open discussions because sometimes I see things differently and can agree. Then again, sometimes I'm never going to agree, no matter how many times someone posts something. And I hope he is doing something relaxing but shamelessly hoping he is also thinking about what he is going to do to excite us for the next tour. Of course, I'm easy, he could just sleep on stage and I'd pay money to watch him do it.

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No problemo, justclay - I have the same discussion with my BIL (only it's pop music he calls crap - and to him rap is just another form of pop - and he loves the Beatles probably almost as much as kf - he was simply trained as a classical musician.)

Having "business sense" in general though doesn't translate to the specific all that well - especially when it comes down to timing and [shudder] marketing. The corporate world is about as monolithic as people are - my experience in banking wouldn't translate to retail - and coming to banking from medicine was like landing on a different planet. And that's what my 20 years of Corporate America tells me.

As for Clay's UNICEF activites - I don't see Clay's charitable efforts as the avocation to his vocation of music...he has put as much effort into his humanitarian efforts as many do for their careers and for as long time - if it's not as important as music, I think it's pretty damn close.

Hmmm.

Bablefish says "我愛Clay's 屁股" I will practice as soon as I find some pronunciation!

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I guess I'm not stuck in a moment Iseeme. Look at the list of all the ambassadors, have they flown high in every moment of their careers. If you think the album is over and that there's no point in putting out a another single then fine, but even if that is so, something else will come down the pike. Here's the thing, there will be other projects for Clay. Does the success of Spam mean nothing. Does the fact that OMWH hasn't sold like gangbusters mean it's all over and woe is me should be our be our topic du jour every day?

Since I'm not in the it's all over camp, or that his entire career is determined by this one project then I'm not sitting around worrying right now. And even if , let's say he gets dropped by RCA, it still won't be all over for him. John Travolta after all has had how many comebacks. He is in a business that comes with ebbs and flows as others have already said and doing the should done this or he shoulda sang that definitely is a meaningless exercise IMO. Would I like Clay to be going only up up up - yes but that doesn't happen to anyone. Go pick some artists and go through their careers and you'll see that hardly anyone has been a hot even gold selling artist every single time.

I have no doubt Clay understands all the ramifications of what's happening with his career. And he and his team or the ones that can determine what happens next. So in the meantime I will look at this year like this: He had a phenomenal run on Spamalot. He released an album that he was giddy about and that I love. He is still being invited to presitious gigs, like singing before the President of the United States. He is still doing things close to his heart, like helping others. And while being a celebrity helps him make a difference - Clay's a man that will continue to do that even if he is not in the spotlight. Even if TBAF has to struggle to get grants and funding like every other non profit out there he will make it happen.

Is that pie in the sky? If you want to think so. I understand all the points you're making but my reaction to the same set of data is just different. I just have faith that Clay has a career for the long haul in some capacity. I can't focus on the rest or make it the center of why I'm here. But that's just me. I understand everyone has a different levels of concern. But as an observer of this career, if he falls, I will be there to see him pick himself up and move on.

couchie... WORD!

KAndre... my DIL is as big an eminem fan as I am a Clay fan. I have listened to his music. As long as I don't listen particularly to the words, I like the beat and sit there tapping my feet and enjoying it. Would I buy a cd... NEVER! But, I don't go running for the hills if I hear him. :cryingwlaughter: I've heard hip hop that I liked the beat of, too. My preference is for good ole fashioned rock and roll.

When you love someone, one of your fears is of losing that loved one. So much of the angst of the fandom is for that very reason. Could we lose Clay... yes. Are we likely to... no! He's too ambitious and too talented. Especially now that he's had a successful run on Broadway that he enjoyed the heck out of. He'll fight to maintain his career so he gets more chances to do fun things. I kinda think he likes getting the chance to do stuff he didn't even dream of before AI and he'll do whatever he can to keep all those options open. And, IMO, he's not done with this cd yet, I'm sure of it!

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Also after this baby stories came out...then it really was better that OMWH came out before that. Cos if he was only starting promo this fall...no one would be interested in the music.

Now, Ansa, this is opening a can of worms, IMO! :cryingwlaughter: For a couple of reasons. One is the use of 'no one'--which is definitely an "absolute", and we do try not to use words suggesting absolutes, right? Since the term NO ONE implies that you are speaking for everyone and that's dangerous!

Another reason is that I imagine that for some people the baby stories will mean that they're not going to be interested in the music, whether the promo came before or after. For some, the repeated reference to the stories as fact will indeed (and for others, already has---(it's hard to erase such sensationalism after it's saturated the media, IMO)--- overshadow the music in any case---might not be right--in fact, it most certainly is not--- but I'd say it's fair to say it's true for some.

Just like it's true that for some, stories about Clay's private life don't have a damned thing to do with their decision to buy the CD! I happen to be one of those and I'm betting y'all are, too...unfortunately, since the post-Spamalot promo was short and sweet and then the TMZ story started the domino effect with other media highlighting NON-musical refererences to Clay, I'm afraid that IMO now a pretty sizable chunk of the public's immediate association with Clay Aiken is not about his new, wonderful collection of songs and vocal talents. That's why I'm really, really hoping that the powers that be really do have a Phase II promo plan to unleash at whatever time they deem advantageous!

But you know what? I happen to think that Clay is a happy man these days. I think he considers himself a very, very blessed man. And he IS! A career that has already included television, radio, live concerts, charity benefits, Broadway, platinum-selling music---all in five years!, old friends that have remained true and new ones wherever he goes, family, fans, the UNICEF platform to make a difference in something that really means something to him, worldwide travel and new experiences...and unlimited potential! Wow. I'm just gonna bask in HIS happiness! Feels good.... :F_05BL17blowkiss:

ETA: Perma...yep to this! re: Clay's quick appearance on the CNN special.

That's a real tribute to the dedication he has shown to that cause and the money he has been able to raise for them, IMHO.

And :Thud: to that kissy Clay picture! I hadn't seen that one before... :Thud:

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I like some of Josh Groban's songs. Here's one that's kind of cool - called Machine. Of course, I'd love to hear Clay sing it!

justclay - if dial-up is slow for you, just memorize the code for a few of your favorite emoticons. Here's one you might like:

:word:

The code is

: word :

(without the spaces)

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Bablefish says "我愛Clay's 屁股" I will practice as soon as I find some pronunciation!

Per artquest,

I worked on Clay's name with a friend who's a native speaker. <snip> She suggested 克雷 where the first character is "ke" (no particular meaning) and the second character is lei, a surname meaning "thunder." Pronounced 'Ke-lei". Cool, huh?

The character that shows possession is, pronounced "de" with no tone. Butt or arse is: 屁股, pronounced pì gu. Love is , pronounced "ai" (4th tone). So "I love Clay's butt!" is 我爱克雷的屁股. Pronounced: Wo ai ke-lei de pi gu. I think.

Smooches to you both!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Now, if only a kind-hearted icon-editor could help us make a new emoticon... (pretty please?) :flirtysmile3:

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OK, so far I like Machine better than anything I've heard Groban do so far - it reminds me of a drawling Michael McDonalds - still just not quite "poppy" enough for my taste. But Lord, the expressions he makes when he's singing! Couldn't watch the video - just had to listen.

Eeeeee! I got 3 out of 5 characters right! No, I got 3 out of FOUR! Yay me! Woo Hoo! Now get artquest to tell us how to say, "Your butt is fine - come along with us."

Oh wait...should I have put that in a PM?

Naaaaaah!

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Hey! I think I made one yesterday! I think it was from hockey! Or an assassin. Wait, that's a cleaner. A hitter or something. So there.

hee I think it was designated hitter...

Well to me I don't know if clay's little controversies help or hurt. Other than the swamp creature which I feel was not as widespread they have been minor little things.... and frankly I think just hearing the man's name in any capacity just might remind a person he's out there. Who's to know. And guess what..some of the articles did mention broadway success or the name of his album. Not all of them for sure, but some did.

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OK, so far I like Machine better than anything I've heard Groban do so far - it reminds me of a drawling Michael McDonalds - still just not quite "poppy" enough for my taste. But Lord, the expressions he makes when he's singing! Couldn't watch the video - just had to listen.

Yeah, Josh does make some pretty distracting faces when he sings. I usually just listen, too. Maybe he would have benefited from having Simon Cowell insults hurled at him about how he looks when he sings! Heh.

Anyway, that doesn't seem to have discouraged all of the many, many fans who have been to his concerts or bought his music. Probably a lot of his appeal is that he sings in Italian, Spanish and French as well as English.

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Okay, this Chinese Clorn is CMSU! :cryingwlaughter: I have to go see how to get the Japanese katakana of this expression in writing!

Probably a lot of his appeal is that he sings in Italian, Spanish and French as well as English.
Oooh, Gibby! Does this mean that I have lots of appeal since when I sang with the Bay Area Chorale, we sang one Christmas in French, German, Italian and Swedish, in addition to English? :lilredani:;)

Oh...I'm watching Extreme Makeover and Ty Pennington is featuring a Marine who lost his leg in Iraq and has since become an inspirational speaker to other vets who've had amputations or other severe, life-changing trauma. One of the things this guy said was, "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger"...

Heh....heroes come in all kinds of 'packages', don't they? :wub:

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ARGH! IE shut down and I lost all my quotes. Maybe it's just as well. There were a bunch.

So after :word: for lots of posts, the only thing I have to add is that people sometimes seem to forget that we don't know everything about Clay's life and his career. We don't know what he does when we're not watching. There's a whole helluva lot more about his life and career that we don't know than there are things that we do know. We don't know what his goals are, what his ambitions are, what his plans are. We don't sit in on the meetings with record company executives, or bigwigs like Mike Nichols, or with his management. We're not with him when he's chatting with his friends and acquaintances in the business, or when he's doing private performances or making preparations for his next career move. If you add that lack of knowledge about his real life to the fact that none of us are in the same line of work, haven't been the kind of success that he has been in the music or entertainment business, I don't see how anyone can seriously think they know better than he what he ought to be doing. When I say I trust Clay to make the right choices for himself, it is because he is in on those meetings, he does have all those friends and acquaintances, he does know his goals and aspirations--what he wants from his life and his career, and he has been successful and deeply engaged in his line of work for five years. What wouldn't he be the best person to make decisions? Why not assume that you just don't know all there is to know, and that if you did, his decisions and actions would make more sense? It's kind of like reading one page out of every 50 of a novel and then criticizing it because it didn't make sense to you.

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ARGH! IE shut down and I lost all my quotes. Maybe it's just as well. There were a bunch.

So after :word: for lots of posts, the only thing I have to add is that people sometimes seem to forget that we don't know everything about Clay's life and his career. We don't know what he does when we're not watching. There's a whole helluva lot more about his life and career that we don't know than there are things that we do know. We don't know what his goals are, what his ambitions are, what his plans are. We don't sit in on the meetings with record company executives, or bigwigs like Mike Nichols, or with his management. We're not with him when he's chatting with his friends and acquaintances in the business, or when he's doing private performances or making preparations for his next career move. If you add that lack of knowledge about his real life to the fact that none of us are in the same line of work, haven't been the kind of success that he has been in the music or entertainment business, I don't see how anyone can seriously think they know better than he what he ought to be doing. When I say I trust Clay to make the right choices for himself, it is because he is in on those meetings, he does have all those friends and acquaintances, he does know his goals and aspirations--what he wants from his life and his career, and he has been successful and deeply engaged in his line of work for five years. What wouldn't he be the best person to make decisions? Why not assume that you just don't know all there is to know, and that if you did, his decisions and actions would make more sense? It's kind of like reading one page out of every 50 of a novel and then criticizing it because it didn't make sense to you.

WORD

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Yeah, Josh does make some pretty distracting faces when he sings. I usually just listen, too. Maybe he would have benefited from having Simon Cowell insults hurled at him about how he looks when he sings! Heh.

Anyway, that doesn't seem to have discouraged all of the many, many fans who have been to his concerts or bought his music. Probably a lot of his appeal is that he sings in Italian, Spanish and French as well as English.

I guess if Clay releases songs in Korean and Chinese he could have a few billion new fans. Didn't he say at the Omaha Meet 'n Greet that they like sappy songs over there? *squees at Gibby because we met at Omaha*

Okay, this Chinese Clorn is CMSU! :cryingwlaughter: I have to go see how to get the Japanese katakana of this expression in writing!

Is this a sign that there'll soon be manga fanfic? :)

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