#38: The man just oooooooooozes awwwwwness

[ldyjocelyn]

laughn, try this post from Gibby for a few. If I find anymore, I'll let you know. IIRC, these were from the broadwayworld.com webisode.

[Couch Tomato]

Well, shoot! I missed the first page. I was in an anesthesia/drug induced haze yesterday afternoon and evening, and fell asleep with my laptop on my lap while reading FCA.

Some of don't have the excuse of being under anesthesia.

My computer isn't keeping up with the boards lately. It can be slow when there are a lot of pictures. I guess it's time to think about buying a new one.

I like the way you think.

Nice to see Kipper's blog; it would have been nice a couple of months ago. In my fantasyland, or was it Iowa LOL, where anybody with a computer can say whatever they want, I thought Kipper's presence would get Clay more entre to the music mags. I do thank him for OMWH though... I love it, just in case ya'll hadn't heard that.

Something About Us is my latest greatest new repeat song...

I like the part that says: excuse me if I butcher the words

The words on every poet's tongue, every love song ever sung is about us, it's about us

From Romeo and Juliet, to plays they haven't written yet

It's old and new, it's a classic tale of two

and a perfectly perfect love

I'm not the "romantic" sort but that's just lovely to me.

One thing I noticed lately, upon my 1000th listen, is that the song uses words that make the song personal but then this one phrase:

People smile when they walk by

seems out of place... I guess I'm surprised it's not people smile when we walk by.

I guess I'm too literal..or a person that always got red marks on my papers for not using the same voice, or tense

LdyJ I know what you mean. I miss him too but am using the time for something productive including rebuilding the coffers for the next tour.

eta: damn what was that..like 5 edits..geesh

6 edits

[laughn]

Thank you ldyj! Yep, that's what I was looking for. I forgot that they were connected to Broadwayworld, so that's probably why my searches weren't working.

Thanks for the Broads link too. I love that little contest they have going.

[ldyjocelyn]

Gibby, hope you are doing well.

One thing I noticed lately, upon my 1000th listen, is that the song uses words that make the song personal but then this one phrase:

People smile when they walk by

seems out of place... I guess people smile when we walk by.

Depends on who exactly is doing the walking. I always took this as the "couple" sitting at a cozy table, or on a bench at a park...and others walking past them, noticing the couple play googly-eyes and holding hands with each other. When the people walking notice this...they smile, as in "aw, isn't that just so neat."

[Iseeme]

Oh Couchie - that's one of my two favorite songs on OMWH...especially the words "perfectly perfect!" I interpreted the lyrics to mean that people walked by the two of them and smiled when they saw them.

And yes, it would have been REALLY nice for Kipper to have spoken up a few months ago! But I suppose any time is good!

By the way - are any eHPers anywheres near that storm?

ETA: Hee - ldyj and I were posting at the same time......but had the same thought

[Bella19]

Next tour -- everyone plan for Chicago, we'll party there! Fairly centrally located, major hub, I think it's doable. And great pizza too -- Giordano's all the way!

Count me in - I've been hoarding airmiles for two years and have enough now to fly as far as Chicago for free! My kids will be visting the city in October with their dad and I'm so jealous.

I don't mean to negate anyone's feelings around here...but in a way, I don't really miss Clay all that much. I mean, I DO...and yet, it's nice to be "finding my life" again. Sure, I spend more time on the boards than I really need to, but at the same time, I'm watching TV shows and DVD's I didn't have time for before, I'm saving money (for the next tour), and such like that. He's still in my thoughts, to be sure, mostly through listening to Clay's music -- which I will never tire of at all. But, in a way, you know the old saying -- "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." I am positive that when he comes roaring back into our consciousness again, I will be just as fangirly as before.

And loving every minute of it!

That's pretty much how I feel. I've watched some clack, but don't "need" to see Clay all the time. I've plowed through a stack of books since May, am working on much needed jobs around the house and baking as many of the Barefoot Contessa's recipes as I have time for, which the gang at work just loves - hee!

Hope you're feeling better today.

[playbiller]

Hey, I just found Access Atlanta interviewed Trenyce and she will be joining Ruben and Frenchie in Ain't Misbehaving - and no, there is no role for Clay. Pffft. Seems like Debra Byrd is involved as well. I think it is really going to be interesting,but it does not seem to be coming anywhere near me, so I am going to miss it, saw the original on Broadway with Gregory Hines and Nell Carter though.

[duckyvee]

and I would have been at Wolftrap in 2005 -- if if uh!

Ah, Wolftrap - great venue, fun show. I'd go back in a minute!

[PermaSwooned]

Here's the link for Library Thing: http://www.librarything.com/ (Very imaginative, no?)

Any of you big readers, be sure and check it out. If you have blogs, you can add a cool widget that shows what you are/have been reading. There are author chats going on all the time. You can see a recommended list of books based on the books in your "library".

They get a lot of advance copies of new books, and you can request a free copy each month of one that looks interesting. It's kind of a lottery, so you're not going to get them all by any means, but I'm sure your name will come up eventually.

I found out about the site right here at FCA in the Books and Mags thread. This is bookwhore's original post about it:

For any other bibliophiles out there that are interested, here's a website where you can register and catalog your own books. It's stored on their server so it doesn't take up your harddrive space, and you can even search out cover art, there's a chat forum and recommendations and occassionally an author or two will post. You can set your account to public or private. It's free. Here's part of my library.

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/Creole54

This post brought to you by Nerds R Us.

If you click on her link, you'll see a "library" way more impressive than mine!! Oh look!! There's a book by Clay Aiken!!!

So Kipper finally speaks. Hmmm. I'm glad he considers that the album was hugely successful. Well, it did have a better opening and better chart position than Sting's last album. Of course that was all medieval music, wasn't it?

If I had to choose at gun point, I would say that dry heat is better than humid heat. However, extreme heat is...well...extreme. It was 113 in Indio last summer, and I could hear my skin sizzle when I stepped outside.

As Clay himself said, it was "HhhhhhhhAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWTTTT"!!!

[justclay12]

I thought Wolftrap was beautiful and loved the hijinks there, however, I was one of those unlucky bastards getting wet out on the lawn. I really need to learn how to get good tickets.

[cha cha trusty]

cha cha, I think you forgot Ohio in your list. Didn't we go into to Ohio on that summer tour 5-fer?

Lordy, Lordy, Lordy, Cotton!! That was a really long time ago!

But I'm fairly certain we didn't venture into Ohio that trip. I fairly certain I've never been to Ohio to see Clay! I think we talked about it!! But the farthest we went on that trip was Clearfield PA. Wasn't that the fair where we all ran into Q&A and then a little later got our pix taken with Jacob? We ran into a bunch of the Broads... (Filly Sue, Irene, Cheyanne, GoodPat, Cindy...) and then afterwards Shine and I ran after the bus when Clay jumped on it two seconds after the show was over! I got pix of it turning around!

(speaking of the NAT... No Nuts)

Just looked at a schedule, Clearfield was Aug 7 and Columbus was Aug 11. In between was Albany on the 8th. Did you go to Columbus that year? Later was also Clevland and Dayton.

laughn - maybe one reason you can't find shots like the banner ^^^ up there is because I took it a few minutes before I made the banner!

Here's the one I used to make the banner...

I had the Real Player stretched out to capacity!! Then enhanced it a bit for the banner.

On my way out in a few minutes to see Mama Mia with my sister. TTFN!

eta: there are lots more MOSAICS in the offering!!! I just put the newest batch on a webpage.......

[Scarlett]

Scarlett, WOW those pictures of Tasapio's!! Where is she?? We didn't lose her, did we?

ETA: Scarlett, more gorgeous pictures! Where is St. Bernard? Is that the Swiss Alps? Looks very similar to where my family is from, in the French Alps.

St Vallier

FromClaygary, She's spending time with her family but she was at the Orlando show last year. I miss her so!

St. Bernard pass goes from Switzerland to Italy; I used it to go from Martigny to Aosta. The easy way would have been to use the St. Bernard Tunnel, but of course I prefer the hard way the more adventurous route.

St Vallier is in a v. pretty region (w/ very nice people. one person spent 20 minutes helping me get through a nest of one-way streets) but it's further southwest. Did you go to Grasse and mix up your own perfume? My favorite kind from the area is by Fragonard.

If you had crossed the Alps between France and Switzerland, your equivalent would have been the Mont Blanc Tunnel. BTW, the "rescued by a St. Bernard dog" stories started there (St. Bernard Pass) because they were bred in the area.

I thought Wolftrap was beautiful and loved the hijinks there, however, I was one of those unlucky bastards getting wet out on the lawn. I really need to learn how to get good tickets.

I loved the Wolftrap show. Watched it with ImAllEars and we helped each other on Clack-taking. The only thing I didn't like was getting to the post-party 15 minutes late and finding out that the food had already run out. Thank goodness Solo was there to take me to the nearest fastfood place.

ETA: So far, no storms here. But then again, Rita was expected to hit South Texas too.

[Couch Tomato]

The only thing I didn't like was getting to the post-party 15 minutes late and finding out that the food had already run out. Thank goodness Solo was there to take me to the nearest fastfood place.

Hee you probably preferred the food at the fast food joint knowing you.

OK this is probably one of my nightmares, running out of food at a party so it's never happened to me..normally I'm eating on the party food for days afterward. I know it's different if it's a restaurant but 15 minutes must be some sort of record. The planners must have been aghast.

The other one actually happened to me eek...a tire blowout on the freeway. scary.

It's in Every One of Us...is that the muppet song? I LOVE it. Don't mind me I'm a little slow...but now I'm just obsessed. Can't wait for the next tour.

[Lotus]

This morning I took some time to read the Clay Aiken thread on FORT and found this posted by Crystal during AI2.

I post it here in hopes that you enjoy it as I did.

Possible Clay Aiken Product Endorsements

What comes after a music career is launched? Product endorsements, of course. Let’s consider the full spectrum of endorsements that might possibly cross Clay Aiken's doorstep.

Weight Loss Clinics

We have several testimonials of Clay being personally responsible for the weight loss of several women here at the FORT (me included, lost 5 pounds since the Wildcard show). Whether it’s because we can’t take time away from reading, writing, watching and dreaming about Clay to eat or whether we just want to look good in the off chance that we’d run into Clay on a street corner (yeah, I know, buy a lottery ticket, it's better odds – but people still win the lottery!), Clay has been the centerpiece of our success. Clay Aiken sponsored weight loss clinics – with Clay himself providing an occasional visit - will surely spur on masses of women to at least attempt to lose weight.

Flavored Lip Gloss

I know that Clay’s lip gloss hasn’t been a popular item among many of his fans here at the FORT, but if this product came with the chance to kiss Clay’s lips to determine the flavor, then I’m buying 6 dozen and taking out a second mortgage on my home to purchase stock in the company.

Tennis Shoes

Consider some hip styled shoes that look good both coming and going. Clay can put a pair on and then proceed to turn his right foot around (remember his “other talent” of being able to turn his feet backwards). You then get to see both the front of the shoe and the back of the shoe at the same time. This has the added advantage of enticing young boys ages 4-12 to purchase these shoes due to the intense creepiness of being able to turn one's foot around.

Cosmetic Surgery

Clay can be the poster child for the sensuality of mud flaps posing as ears. Men, young and old, will run to cosmetic surgeons to get their ears “pinned up” (as opposed to back) hoping to achieve the same sex appeal as Clay Aiken.

Therapy

Let's admit it now. We are all gonna need some intense therapy when those dreaded Clay Aiken withdrawls hit. Clay can sponsor Clayaholics Anonymous and Group Therapy Sessions across America (for that matter, around the world) as we all commiserate together.

Faster Internet Connections

Who else complains that they just can't download Clay's audio/video fast enough? Clay can endorse a faster internet provider. And even if it's not really faster, just provide us pictures of Clay while we are waiting and we won't even notice how long it's taking.

Viagra for Women

Well, actually, there's no product to sell here. I just want a 20 second spot of Clay Aiken on TV. That's effective enough for me.

Fountain of Youth

Mankind has been trying for years to find the so-called 'Fountain of Youth' and I gotta say that Clay Aiken is the closest thing yet to delivering on this promise. No matter what age we really are, I think we all feel 15 again. Thank you Clay.

----

I have yet to receive my 2008 fan club package. What was the flavour of the lip gloss?

[justclay12]

The only thing I didn't like was getting to the post-party 15 minutes late and finding out that the food had already run out. Thank goodness Solo was there to take me to the nearest fastfood place.

Hee you probably preferred the food at the fast food joint knowing you.

OK this is probably one of my nightmares, running out of food at a party so it's never happened to me..normally I'm eating on the party food for days afterward. I know it's different if it's a restaurant but 15 minutes must be some sort of record. The planners must have been aghast.

The other one actually happened to me eek...a tire blowout on the freeway. scary.

It's in Every One of Us...is that the muppet song? I LOVE it. Don't mind me I'm a little slow...but now I'm just obsessed. Can't wait for the next tour.

Yes, that's the muppet song. It took me awhile to get that one because I'm not much into the gospelly type songs but I love when he comes in singing back-up for himself. That is the one thing I like about recorded over live, because it's double Clay.

And Scarlett, I love the video you guys took there. You both are two of my favorite Clack gatherers and I so appreciate you for sharing them with us.

[luckiest1]

I have yet to receive my 2008 fan club package. What was the flavour of the lip gloss?

Heh, I've never broken the 'tamper resistant' seal, but it lists peppermint oil as an ingredient, so maybe peppermint?

What? Doesn't everyone carry theirs with them?

That library thing site is really cool. I created one last year and I always check it before I go and purchase another book, to make sure I don't already own it. My memory is so bad that I can read the same book twice and not always clue into the fact that it's not new to me.

So we've established who is a Beatles fan and who is a Rolling Stones fan here. Any Elvis fans? That's my next excursion. I leave Friday for Collingwood's annual Elvis Festival.

[Iseeme]

Was never much of a Beatles fan or the Stones - just specific songs but not their whole repertoire - but I do love Elvis!!!! PBS airs Elvis singing Gospel every so often and it's fabulous. He had such a beautiful voice. I think my favorite Elvis song is Can't Help Falling In Love With You and I just about fell to my knees the first time I heard Clay sing it. Always wanted to hear the full version from him and not just a longish snippet.

Who's been to Graceland? An annual Elvis festival? What do they do there?

[keepingfaith]

Looks to be like the hurricane is going to directly hit the King Ranch -- scene of the crime where Dick Cheney shot that poor man in the face with birdshot -- and the true site of the fictional Benedict Ranch in Giant.

I hope the hurricane doesn't mess too much with South Padre Island, truly the finest beaches I have seen, including the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. THe SPI beaches from Port Aransas south are gorgeous and nothing like the beaches of the upper Texas coasts. Galveston Bay is a depository for the Sabine, Trinity and San Jacinto Rivers, and the Ship Channel, coupled with the extremely shallow continental shelf causes the murky waters of Galveston -- or at least that's what I've always been told. The Padre Island beaches have blue water and white sands and are real treasures for water sports, shell collecting, abundant fresh seafood, fishing and functioning as a bona fide beach bum. I met my share back in the 70's, including the legendary Boomerang Billy who was a mainstay at Port Isabel for many years. He made boomerangs and sold them on the beach. I know at one time he held the Guinness record for throwing a boomerang. He was also a shark fisherman holding several records for that. I heard he made a fortune selling shark-tooth necklaces after Jaws become a phenomenan. I remember him as always walking up and down Port Isabel with his deeply bronzed body in Birdwells and wearing an Australian bush hat on his sun bleached hair with dark, dark sunglasses. That's the only way I ever saw him. He was quite the character and after he died the local bar on the beach was named in his honor.

Here's some South Padre pics:

That last picture is of the causeway across the Laguna Madre connecting Port Isabel on the mainland by Brownsville to South Padre Island.

I was out just a while ago to run to Walgreens, and the skies are gathering darkness over the Gulf and the palm trees are getting blown over a bit, but no rain here yet.

[luckiest1]

I went to Graceland. On my honeymoon. What.

The Elvis Festival runs from Thursday through Sunday. I've been attending off and on since about 1994. My kids have grown up with it, and son #1 is a big Elvis fan. He does a mean impression too, but we've never been able to convince him to compete. There is an amateur competition, a professional competition, and then there are a number of shows. There is free street dance Friday afternoon/evening, a parade Saturday, there are gospel services, usually a few weddings, and special guests (some years we've had the Jordinaires or other people who have worked with Elvis). The whole town gets into it, and Elvii are everywhere, heh. It's fun. I have my favourite professional guys, who no longer compete, because they've already won in previous years, but they usually return to perform in a show or two. I was excited to see my all time favourite guy, Ray Guillemette, who hails from Chicopee, MA, will be back this year. He won the amateurs way back in '94, then the pros a few years later (I think he also won in Memphis one year), and then he lost his leg in a motorcycle accident. But he's been back performing again the last few years. He is a real inspiration.

Here's the link to the site if anyone is interested to see what it's all about:

http://www.collingwoodelvisfestival.com/

[ldyjocelyn]

kf, those pictures are gorgeous. All of you in South Texas -- please stay safe!

I just got a get well gift from the staff at my library -- personalized M&M's with "Get well ldyjocelyn" on each one! I think it's a whole pound of them! Woohoo! Party!!!

Fairly big Beatles fan (although that's mostly more because of my husband, who is a HUGE Beatles fan -- his Beatles poster is right next to my Star Trek: The Next Generation poster in our living room!), and have several of their albums on my iPod. I would love to attend the Beatles Festival sometime though.

I never could get into the Stones, though, nor (sorry luckiest1) Elvis. The Stones? [begin shallow] I could never get past Mick Jagger's lips.[/shallow] But I do think that Charlie Watts is one of the coolest drummers out there. Totally unflappable, and gets a great sound from a minimal drum set.

And again, shallow -- but to me Elvis is almost always "older Vegas Elvis," so it's hard for me to get past that. Clay's Elvis portion of the JBT helped me get past that in some ways.

I guess Clay is good for music appreciation, ya'll!

luckiest1, my hubby and I went to Cleveland for our first wedding anniversary. For what? The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, of course!

[rohdy]

Luckiest....ELVIS? Me!

One of my uncles gave me his Elvis record collection back in the early 60's. He still wants it back..... I'm sorry to say that I clearly remember trading my GI Blues album for one by that new group....The Beatles? Eeeek. Love them as well, but now I wish I had my GI Blues.

Your question also sent me on a search. The year my youngest graduated high school in '98 there was a young man in choir with her.....very, very shy.....but said he did Elvis. He auditioned for the spring talent show with Viva Las Vegas....he was amazing! The night of the show he performed Heartbreak Hotel, and this shy quiet guy who roamed the halls, had the girls rushing the stage, screaming at his feet. It was just to dang cute.! So I googled him to see what he's been up to...turns out....he's still doing Elvis!!!!

Leo Days

There are a couple of Youtubes there.... he's good!

[luckiest1]

Yeah, I love the early Elvis much more than the later Elvis. It's a good mix at the festival. And I, too, loved the Elvis set in the Jukebox Tour!

ETA: wow, rohdy, looks like he's doing well, if he's headed to Memphis for the semi finals! I believe the amateur winner in Collingwood also qualifies. These guys are quite talented!

[treenuts]

So we've established who is a Beatles fan and who is a Rolling Stones fan here. Any Elvis fans?

Just Costello!!

Presely? Nope. Does that make me an outcast? Nothin' new there To each their own.

Now I could talk about The Cure, Greenday, The Clash all day long. But I don't think anyone else here would.

Maybe I should just STFU before I get my membership revoked

Lotus, I enjoyed the old FORT post. Especially this:

Viagra for Women

Well, actually, there's no product to sell here. I just want a 20 second spot of Clay Aiken on TV. That's effective enough for me.

STILL works for me!

what

[rohdy]

Dang.....it looks like Collingwood is a good 4 hours or more from me.....if it were closer I would have loved to talk hubby into going!

If I read Leo's info right, he placed 1st at the Collingwood festival back in '98! Dang! And I much prefer his early Elvis to the older Elvis.

South Padre is gorgeous!!!

What category is Dolly currently at? Last I read, she was a 2.

Stay safe Texas.

[Lotus]

I have yet to receive my 2008 fan club package. What was the flavour of the lip gloss?

Heh, I've never broken the 'tamper resistant' seal, but it lists peppermint oil as an ingredient, so maybe peppermint?

What? Doesn't everyone carry theirs with them?

What? Peppermint? I thought HE is allergic to peppermint. I was hoping it would be cinnamon.