#42: We're still having fun, and you're still the one!

[FearofH2O]

<snip>

Honeycrisps have arrived!! yay.

Now we're talking about important stuff. We just finished our first batch of Honeycrisps from Costco and they were great!

First son went through our savings for him in first year. We ended up $65000. in debt. It took a while to pay that sucker off. He baked cookies. made cheese from spoiled milk, went through grocery store dumpsters for vegetables, had jobs were they took him and others around in trucks and dropped them off in neighborhoods to put samples on door steps. He finished in four years.

Son #2 has been going to school off and on for almost twenty years. He is personally in debt for over 70,000. Thanks to the kindness of this administration, he was told he has to pay it off in 10 years at 8% interest or almost $1000. a month . He is in panic mode as he graduates with his masters in Dec. He has a wife, who won't work because she home schools, and a child. And he doesn't make that much money, as he is beginning a new career. We are discussing how to help him with his future inheritance, assuming there is anything left. :Kolobok_Laie_haha:

Hope everyone has a great day. Bottlecap I bought the candycorn kisses. They are okay but I still prefer the original candycorn.

[luckiest1]

More from CB via CH:

From ClayPhan:

Great show again tonight. Though, Rick Holmes was out. During the Camelot scene, Clay said to one of the dancers something like "come and touch me babay!!!" Then, when the girls are twirling those things around, one of the things broke and it landed out in the aisle. Galahad ran down from the stage to get it. After that song, when the thunder cracks, he yelled out, "Oh Sire!!!!" He seemed very animated tonight and his facial expressions are priceless. I'll post my sd video as soon as it's finished uploading.

From ClayPhan:

I also wanted to add that there was a drunk guy in the audience shouting things out as the show was beginning. The ushers pulled him to the back and "talked" to him. After he sat back down, he rudely kept yelling out during the show. At intermission, he started an argument downstairs. Security filled out something for him to come back and see the show another time and asked him to leave. Then, towards the end of sd, this other guy came running from behind the crowd. He was yelling out Clay's name and proceeded to yell out that he worked there and it was his birthday. Clay didn't believe him, so he kept asking the guy to see his id. This guy seemed a bit crazy. Clay kept a good distance and Jerome stayed close. The guy finally reached into his pocket and pulled out everything....money, metrocard, bank card, and his id. While he was doing this, Clay said to him (while laughing, "you're really starting to creep me out!!!" Clay grabbed everything and sifted through it for his id. When he pulled it out, he was a bit lost looking for the guy's birthday and then found it on there and was surprised to see that was actually his birthday. He said, "Well, happy birthday!!!" Then, he turned and went in. The guy started flipping out. Eventually security walked the guy out of there. I didn't get any of that n video, because I was honestly afraid of what might have occured...

From ClayPhan:

He honestly seemed like he was drunk. He kept saying that he worked there. Then he said he worked at the Broadway store in Shubert Alley. He wanted a pic with Clay, but I'm soooooo glad Clay just went inside. It was kinda scary. The guy started walking up to every person who came out the sd, harrassing them to go get Clay. Then, he opened the stage door and went inside. Clay was gone by then. Security kicked him out. Then, they were following him around Shubert Alley until he finally laft. The guy seemed extremely upset that he didn't get a picture with him.

Clayphan's video (of tonight) on youtube:

From ClayPhan:

I just realized.....in my video, at around the 2:24 mark, you can hear the guy yell out Clay's name the first time before he pushed through everyone. Clay responds with, "It's so helpful when people tell me my name".

here are my two pics from tonight

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x314/ho...28/P1060363.jpg

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x314/ho...28/P1060361.jpg

So far, no honeycrisps here. But I am on the lookout!

[00lsee]

Nice...jeans, Clay!

:013085001176249046:

[bottlecap]

The first appearance of the argyle sweater on The View in 2005 (via lindylo at CV):

[ldyjocelyn]

00lsee, I loved you post. Well, the one about Clay's butt was pretty awesome too...hee.

I told someone yesterday that this is turning into a "look at yourself" exercise. 00lsee provided a good example with her "OK...and...?" And I do think that there are some out there that are doing just that. It can be a hard process to do, because for some, it's uncomfortable to do that. Honestly, I feel that many who are going through this process are simply not posting on the boards for a while; they are dealing with it quietly, in their time, and will either leave the fandom or come back. I respect those people.

But...I feel the ones that are ranting and raving and ranting and raving some more, just don't have it in them to take a look at their emotional responses, and don't want to look inward. They NEED someone else to blame, and I just do not have patience for that.

I finally had someone mention Clay to me last night -- actually a whole bunch of people, all at the same time. It was my bell choir at church, a bunch of really nice women. They know about my "obsession" with Clay, that I went to see him in New York in March, plus a bunch of other shows too. The first thing that was actually mentioned was Parker! So, I told the story of the 8-08-08 at 8:08 a.m. thing, and they laughed at that. Someone else mentioned the gay aspect, and I just told them Clay's quote about not wanting to raise a child to lie. They thought that was pretty cool, actually. Now, this is a bunch of highly Christian women, regular church goers...and they were fine with the whole thing. Gotta say that I love my church.

bottlecap -- thank you! I knew that orange shirt had been paired with that sweater before!

Is it sad to say that I almost bought two pairs of pastel striped socks yesterday?

[aikim]

Good Morning Everyone,

9 Days until The BAF Gala!

15 Days until Clay is Roasting Matt Lauer!

52 Days until Clay's Golden Birthday!

87 Days until The Closing Night of Spamalot!

107 Days until Golfing For Inclusion!

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[Scarlett]

00lsee, I loved you post. Well, the one about Clay's butt was pretty awesome too...hee.

I told someone yesterday that this is turning into a "look at yourself" exercise. 00lsee provided a good example with her "OK...and...?" And I do think that there are some out there that are doing just that. It can be a hard process to do, because for some, it's uncomfortable to do that. Honestly, I feel that many who are going through this process are simply not posting on the boards for a while; they are dealing with it quietly, in their time, and will either leave the fandom or come back. I respect those people.

But...I feel the ones that are ranting and raving and ranting and raving some more, just don't have it in them to take a look at their emotional responses, and don't want to look inward. They NEED someone else to blame, and I just do not have patience for that.

The rant-and-ravers exist to rant and rave. Yelling at them to go away doesn't affect them, in fact they enjoy it, but the people who are affected by the yelling are the ones who are silently going through the process. They don't post while they are silently trying to get through on their own, but when they see people posting things like "if you're not ok already then just go away" they feel that this is directed at them, although that line was really directed at the rant-and-ravers. That's why I don't think yelling helps -- the rant-and-ravers need to be taken down another way but meanwhile it's the silent ones who need help the most that are affected by it.

Ooops, too dark a post to start a day. Can I still say good morning?

:nature-smiley-014:

ETA: Hi Ansa! Yes, it is important for the people who are fine to post, both so that the numbers are accurate and also to express that they're happy and content and moving on back to Eeeeeing; that'll be a positive influence on those who are struggling to come and continue to Eeeee with them. Posting joy is always good!

[Ansamcw]

I just think that the ranters and ravers have had their chance and their continuing to rant and rave is more like propaganda right now. They know very well that they are not going to persuade the people that are posting to counter them. But they are there to influence that silent majority that continues to follow all this drama. Those that are silently trying to figure this out. That is why to let them simply have the run of the show over there can be very dangerous too. It will give the illusion that this is how a LOT of fans feel and may generate a group mentality to those that are silently reading.

If the goal is to heal at this point...then those OFC threads are no longer doing that. It simply perpetuates the bitterness. Essentially I do think that people should start looking to their own circle of friends...whether they made it on line or in RL and talk this out one by one. I honestly think doing a support thread on OFC is just not possible. Maybe in the smaller boards or in group emails...but not in that toxic environment.

College tuition? That is a scary thought. Right now we have two teens that want to be doctors... so they realize that a lot of it will depend on them. We will need scholarships badly. Thankfully with their grades that's very possible. But here in Quebec high school only goes up to grade 11. Then they go to CEGEP...which is like junior college...and my kids are expecting to go away for that already..to Montreal....and my eldest will only be 17 at that point. Its scary. But my hubby and his siblings all managed to get University degrees from great Canadian schools by bursaries, student loans and working their butt off whenever they can. Their parents was of course right there to help financially but everybody pitched in. With our kids my mom already has some funds put away...I do believe my brother is also willing to pitch in...so it truly will be a family endeavor. You do have the right attitude Muski...just have a positive attitude that it can be done...you can work it out, as the say...where there's a will...But keep your daughter in the loop of what your limitations are and what options are available. It looks like she is ready to be part of the solution and that's a great attitude. Just be thankful she wants to do this. In our community too many kids have no ambition at all and are on their way to welfare and relying in Unemployment.

[KAndre]

See? Ansa says what I wanna say only with that social thingie intact!

I want sympathy for not understanding the ranters and ravers! And resisting the urge to yell at them. Though not resisting the urge to lay out sweet and reasonable arguments of why I'll never, ever, ever understand their point of view. Apparently Clay has never ever pushed a hot button for me. Nothing he's done has bothered me all that much. And some people (not in here) seem to imply that's a titch abnormal. But then again, I'm absolutely convinced Clay loves me best of all his fans. I still want sympathy for being not sensitive! I like owning my cheerfulness about Clay and being able to share that cheerfulness with other cheery (and especially if they are fuckin' cheery) fans.

[luckiest1]

Fuckin' cheery fan checking in!

The rant-and-ravers exist to rant and rave. Yelling at them to go away doesn't affect them, in fact they enjoy it, but the people who are affected by the yelling are the ones who are silently going through the process. They don't post while they are silently trying to get through on their own, but when they see people posting things like "if you're not ok already then just go away" they feel that this is directed at them, although that line was really directed at the rant-and-ravers. That's why I don't think yelling helps -- the rant-and-ravers need to be taken down another way but meanwhile it's the silent ones who need help the most that are affected by it.

That sums it up for me. I know people who are struggling, I know people who have decided not to be a fan anymore, and I know people who are ready to move and celebrate Spamalot and the stage door and the upcoming gala! Thankfully, most of my acquaintances are in the latter group.

About kids & college & tuition & student loans....each kid is different. Where one might work their butt off and be very appreciative of parental or extended family financial assistance, another might take that as a given and party their first year away. Still others aren't really ready for college directly after high school and would benefit from a "victory lap" or even a year of working in the real world.

[annabear]

Hi 00lsee! Loved your post.

Gibby, thanks for your kind comments on the montages. Hope you are enjoying the Merrillville CITH. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I will be enjoying the Merrillville CITH, but I have to remove & re-install my download mgr., so thanks in advance to you both! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

I actually think I need to take my computer in for service because it's acting a bit weird, but I don't have time to be without it. That's an argument for a laptop. But that's an argument for money... blech...

College? I had enough scholarship money to cover my books freshman year. My mom helped me out a bit, but I worked and had my own loans. Ultimately, no matter where I went it was just too expensive for me to keep racking up debt when I had no clue what I wanted to do, so I quit and went to work full-time. Actually, I did have an idea what I wanted to do back then, but I listened to people (guidance counselors, relatives, etc.) who I naively thought knew better than I. Fast forward 12 years and I'm finally back in school, paying for all of it myself, but also making the decisions for and by myself.

[Cotton]

Good grief!

Where are these ranters and raving continuing their mess!?

Oh, good morning!

I woke up thinking about Clay this morning. I don't know why. I don't even remember what about actually.

I'm looking forward to seeing him next weekend. I wanna see him smiling and being his usual self. Goofy, sexy, sweet, funny. All the smorgasbord of yumminess he always is. I hope he has fun at the gala and that TBAF makes a bundle of $$ even though I won't be one of the ones making much of that happen!

Don't I wish.

I covet that JBT jacket with a purple passion.

ETA:

BTW, I stole borrowed used some of your thoughts as a jumping off place for my last post in that support thread - which I have now edited for my blog over at OFC. Thanks for the inspiration!

[Claymatron]

Fuckin' cheery fan checking in!

The rant-and-ravers exist to rant and rave. Yelling at them to go away doesn't affect them, in fact they enjoy it, but the people who are affected by the yelling are the ones who are silently going through the process. They don't post while they are silently trying to get through on their own, but when they see people posting things like "if you're not ok already then just go away" they feel that this is directed at them, although that line was really directed at the rant-and-ravers. That's why I don't think yelling helps -- the rant-and-ravers need to be taken down another way but meanwhile it's the silent ones who need help the most that are affected by it.

That sums it up for me. I know people who are struggling, I know people who have decided not to be a fan anymore, and I know people who are ready to move and celebrate Spamalot and the stage door and the upcoming gala! Thankfully, most of my acquaintances are in the latter group.

Latter group member and another fuckin' cheery fan here!! :F_05BL17blowkiss:

About kids & college & tuition & student loans....each kid is different. Where one might work their butt off and be very appreciative of parental or extended family financial assistance, another might take that as a given and party their first year away. Still others aren't really ready for college directly after high school and would benefit from a "victory lap" or even a year of working in the real world.

I was lucky in that both my kids put themselves through university. My son completed high school, took a year off to work and then went back to school. He held 4 different jobs and it took him 6 years to get his degree, but he did it. My daughter quit school at 16 and took a menial job. Decided she was wasting her time, took a job bartending, spent 4 years getting her high school degree and another 10 getting her university degree. My son ended up being a Provincial police officer (his degree was in criminology) and my daughter teaches Special Ed in Toronto. Both have great jobs with lots of security and I'm very proud of them and grateful that they did it on their own. I would have loved to help them out financially, but I think the moral support and encouragement was important too.

[KAndre]

KAndre thinks for a moment...

We are also happy to party with "just makin' out 'cause I ain't that kind of girl/guy" cheery fans. But you're gonna have to abbreviate.

[ncgran4clay]

Good grief!

Where are these ranters and raving continuing their mess!?

Oh, good morning!

I woke up thinking about Clay this morning. I don't know why. I don't even remember what about actually.

I'm looking forward to seeing him next weekend. I wanna see him smiling and being his usual self. Goofy, sexy, sweet, funny. All the smorgasbord of yumminess he always is. I hope he has fun at the gala and that TBAF makes a bundle of $$ even though I won't be one of the ones making much of that happen!

Don't I wish.

I covet that JBT jacket with a purple passion.

ETA:

BTW, I stole borrowed used some of your thoughts as a jumping off place for my last post in that support thread - which I have now edited for my blog over at OFC. Thanks for the inspiration!

Well, I want the Wango Tango shirt!! I've tried to gently coerce my Clay buddy Cam to go halfers on the shirt. We can share joint custody of it afterwards. We can take turns keeping it to sniff, sleep with etc. But I think Cam is scared my cat Morris who has staked out his territory in my bed would piss on it for the hell of it out of jealousy!! :Kolobok_Laie_haha: Somehow I don't think the change I've been saving would be enough anyway!! Oh well, I've been known to have very vivid dreams so maybe I'll dream I can smell it, feel it etc. ( too bad the jeans he had on don't come with it, they were some real LOWriders). :013085001176249046:

[djs111]

I like owning my cheerfulness about Clay and being able to share that cheerfulness with other cheery (and especially if they are fuckin' cheery) fans.

You rang??????

[muskifest]

Thanks for all those weighing in on the college tuition thing....(and thanks for the 'massage', KAndre... :F_05BL17blowkiss: ) Knowing my daughter, I have no doubt that she will do all that she possibly can (and probably more than is healthy for her) to 'put herself through college'. Actually, she and I have talked about that 'year off' between high school and college---volunteer work with Peace Corps, etc.; or some sort of internship, etc. We're not eliminating any paths at this point. It's application and scholarship research time now for her and financial aid application time for us, so we all have our work cut out.

Love the two ClayButt pics! BWAH! And I'm not necessarily a ClayButt woman, you know?

That story about the drunk/obnoxious man at Spam last night got me thinking about...wonder if Clay's going to get more OTT MALE fans now that he's out as a gay man? I mean, I can't imagine that guys haven't already found him...uh....

HAWT!

...so now?....

[Couch Tomato]

I want sympathy for not understanding the ranters and ravers! And resisting the urge to yell at them. Though not resisting the urge to lay out sweet and reasonable arguments of why I'll never, ever, ever understand their point of view. Apparently Clay has never ever pushed a hot button for me. Nothing he's done has bothered me all that much. And some people (not in here) seem to imply that's a titch abnormal. But then again, I'm absolutely convinced Clay loves me best of all his fans. I still want sympathy for being not sensitive! I like owning my cheerfulness about Clay and being able to share that cheerfulness with other cheery (and especially if they are fuckin' cheery) fans.

LOL too funny Kandre. WelL I kinda confess he pissed me off when he did that fake kiss with Carmen on Idol cuz I wanted her ass gone and I thought his good will would extend her stay LOL... but can't really think of anything since.

I don't think everybody is ranter and raver. I think in a way I understand that they want people to show them sympathy and understanding and they want to work their way back on the boards. I think it's kinda been that way with every "gate" after awhile it stops being about Clay but about the fandom's reaction to their issues. We've all seen the little polls - are you stil here because of clay or the friends you've made. Many people say the friends they've made so is it any wonder why they want understanding from the people who have become a big part of their social circle. And yes I do understand, Scarlett, that my words have probably alienated some people but really although KAndre joked about it - I was sincere in my post last week about also needing some understanding as well - undestanding that I'm tired of Clay being treated like he's done something evil. I do think it goes both ways.

I've made lots of friends too - but I'm HERE because of Clay and when I'm not I hope I will remember everything he has given me the past 5 year - especially the joy - and walk away as some have done. I can still keep my friends if there is really something that connects us besides Clay. Of course some will just develop more of an adversarial relationship with the fans like that one woman who said she was over clay but wasn't leaving cuz that's what we wanted.

But on this one thing I've been pretty consistent over the past 5 years - which I believe makes me an angel winger or my definition of such - and honesly I'm proud of it - I have always taken "Clay's side."

Can he do no wrong. Of course he can. But I always go back to my - he's a good man that tries. The diversity of this fan base meant someone was ALWAYS pissed about something and it got tiring. What gets me is every time something pops up - everyone brings out all their old slights and repeat again wanting sympathy. Clay didn't appreciate ME enough - he dissed me at a meet and greet in 2004 - I made a joke and he didn't laugh - he didn't appreciate me at the Raleigh show cuz I was an out of towner that bought tickets - or he continued to sing that song. The list goes on and on and I think that's what gets me more about these "convos" than the new fresh gate. In 2006 after we knew of some of his fears and about the paxil - someone STILL told a perfect stranger - a fan - in the Kimmel line all about Hockeygate. It's like you're having a fight with your sister and she brings up something you did when you were 12. In this case there was no fight - just fresh ears to listen - on a day of what should have been fun. I just can't respect that or understand why we are still talking about something all those years ago as if it were a fresh pain - why people hold on to that and feel like they need to repeat it at every opportunity. With Clay coming out it's like carte blanche to look at his every utterance the past five years and dissect him all to hell. So if people aren't over hockeygate - I can see this going on and on forever.

Loved both stage doors videos. I like that Clay recognized some people as stage door hogs LOL. Loved his reaction to the "naked' line.

I didn't even try for stage door last time around -- but I will this time.. I'm sharpening my elbows. Watch out!

[jmh123]

Another denizen of the fucking cheery car here, just saying hey!!

couchie!!!

[muskifest]

I'm sharpening my elbows. Watch out!

:o

Aw, HELL! And Couchie's a TALL one, too!

[muskifest]

Oh! I just found out here at work that the woman whom we've had speak at a number of our conferences and who is a staunch supporter of the kind of work our organization does for public education is (enter presidential hopeful here)'s official education advisor!

Another reason for my choice of presidential candidate!

[Cotton]

I'm here for Clay, too!

Although if anything eve happened to change that - can't think of a thing - but if I were no longer a fan, I wouldn't stay on any Clay board.

Yes, I've enjoyed getting to know a lot of great folks, I can only think of one local gal that I honestly think I'd still go out to lunch with and chat with, etc.

I check in to find the latest Clay news, the latest picture. I don't read all the recaps, but just enough to get that little Clay fix now and then. I don't watch all the SD videos, but I watch one once in a while if someone points to something interesting about that particular stage door.

But I'm really looking forward to the gala and . . .

WHAT COMES NEXT?!!

I'm sure he has something he's cooking up to wow us again and I can't wait for him to make me laugh, smile, swoon and just feel GOOD!

Cuz he makes me feel GOOD, y'all!

I'm in the cheery car, too!

And I still can't stop looking at the People cover! I know we might not, but I sure hope we get more pics of Parker now and then.

I asked this once before but never saw an anwer - was there ever a posting of the cover photo without the text?

[Couch Tomato]

Cotton - no, not that I've seen.

[Cotton]

I mourn the loss of ClayAikenpix!

We always got some good shots from her.

I wish they'd post some pics at OFC. It's been ages since they posted any pics! Ages!

Thanks, couchie!

[Couch Tomato]

I'm sharpening my elbows. Watch out!

:o

Aw, HELL! And Couchie's a TALL one, too!

awww aren't you being nice by just calling me tall. It's not me looking over heads that ya'll need to worry about heee.