#45: He Owns Us...

[ldyjocelyn]

CG, thanks for letting us know about couchie and muski, and I'm glad that you are at least able to add emoticons. I can check with Ansa to see if there is something else that needs to be done on our end, or maybe couchie knows when she gets back...

annabear -- travel safe!!!

Happy New Year Everyone! And here is your "Clay Aiken memory" for today:

[Scarlett]

Hi! Just checking in on a beautiful New Year's Day in NYC! The sun is shining, the sky is clear and though it's rather cold, everything is sparkly and fresh!

Glad to hear that couchie and muski are fine. Travel safely, annabear! KAndre, rest well then send us the pictures/recaps!

I'm moving to the Edison now as I don't have the heart to ask the Courtyard for a 3rd extension past checkout time -- hee!

Can't wait to see everyone tonight!! Still no red from last night? I'm determined to make everyone see red this weekend?

[ldyjocelyn]

OK, now I've seen everything. They are playing ice hockey in Wrigley Field in Chicago. Ice Hockey.

Why?

[Claygasm]

Ok, it works in Firefox.

BUT, why doesn't it work in Safari??? It always has before. Is anyone else out there on a Mac in Safari? Is anyone else having trouble?

I'm on a Mac and Safari and it looks OK for me.

So does this mean we are back to it being just my computer??????

OK, now I've seen everything. They are playing ice hockey in Wrigley Field in Chicago. Ice Hockey.

Why?

Because they can???

[aikim]

Hi! Just checking in on a beautiful New Year's Day in NYC! The sun is shining, the sky is clear and though it's rather cold, everything is sparkly and fresh!

Glad to hear that couchie and muski are fine. Travel safely, annabear! KAndre, rest well then send us the pictures/recaps!

I'm moving to the Edison now as I don't have the heart to ask the Courtyard for a 3rd extension past checkout time -- hee!

Can't wait to see everyone tonight!! Still no red from last night? I'm determined to make everyone see red this weekend?

There was no show last night...hence no red...looking forward to it tonight though!

Kim

[aikim]

Blog from one of the soldiers at Spamalot the other day...nice Clay mention:

http://blogsoverbaghdad.com/soldiers/2008/...loves-military/

[luckiest1]

That was a great blog, aikim, thanks for the link.

[jmh123]

Ok, it works in Firefox.

BUT, why doesn't it work in Safari??? It always has before. Is anyone else out there on a Mac in Safari? Is anyone else having trouble?

I'm on a Mac and Safari and it looks OK for me.

So does this mean we are back to it being just my computer??????

Possibly, but not necessarily. Depends on what version of Safari you have, what OS you have, and so on. All our techie people are otherwise occupied; a whole bunch of FCAers are away in NYC. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but the folks who are here just haven't got a clue how to solve your problem right now. Can you wait awhile?

I used to run a small website for my job, and I would do the code on my laptop, and then get to work on my computer there, and it would be all wrong, things missing, things not visible, out of alignment, and so on. Or it would look fine in IE, and like crap in Netscape, on the same computer. And I would have to figure out how to code it so it would look good on every possible browser and version, which was a joke because I knew almost nothing about it.

There is some weird disjunction between your computer and this site that just happened last night; that's all I know. There are Macs and PCs, there are different browsers, different versions of browsers, different upgrades to different versions of browsers, different settings for browsers, and the same again for operating systems. And I'm not a Mac person--dunno nuttin about 'em. If you really want to work with this yourself, get with ToldForThis by PM and ask her what version of the Mac OS she has, what version of Safari she has, what her settings are, and maybe you could find the problem. You can see emoticons and the whatchamacallem at the top of this box at CV and at getclayaiken, so it probably isn't your computer, but it could be, but I really just do not have a clue.

[jmh123]

Blog from one of the soldiers at Spamalot the other day...nice Clay mention:

http://blogsoverbaghdad.com/soldiers/2008/...loves-military/

What a great blog! I'm glad those guys got the VIP treatment.

Somehow I missed that it wasn't cool to like the Grateful Dead, but apparently it is, or was. Here's a blog about that: Paying Respects

An excerpt:

Despite their countless devotees, the Dead still managed to evolve into one of the most maligned groups in rock. This is partly the fault of their fans, who—in the '90s especially—grew to include not only annoying trustafarians, but also a fair amount of disrespectful party boys. It is also partly the Dead's fault for continuing to give those fans the good times they craved, rather than attempting to stymie them.

That said, the Dead's reputation as bloated tone-deaf noodlers is criminal, because whether you like them or not, all you need to do is listen to Anthem of the Sun to realize they were some of the most skilled and adventurous players outside the jazz world. It's even more criminal that many haters formed their opinion without ever listening to the band.

But like all trends, all it takes is a few well-connected hipsters to grow their hair long and spread the word before you've got artists like Ryan Adams telling Harp that he thinks the Dead are "punk as fuck." And voila: The Dead's reputation as a quintessential American band is now widely accepted.

[Claygasm]

Ok, it works in Firefox.

BUT, why doesn't it work in Safari??? It always has before. Is anyone else out there on a Mac in Safari? Is anyone else having trouble?

I'm on a Mac and Safari and it looks OK for me.

So does this mean we are back to it being just my computer??????

Possibly, but not necessarily. Depends on what version of Safari you have, what OS you have, and so on. All our techie people are otherwise occupied; a whole bunch of FCAers are away in NYC. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but the folks who are here just haven't got a clue how to solve your problem right now. Can you wait awhile?

I used to run a small website for my job, and I would do the code on my laptop, and then get to work on my computer there, and it would be all wrong, things missing, things not visible, out of alignment, and so on. Or it would look fine in IE, and like crap in Netscape, on the same computer. And I would have to figure out how to code it so it would look good on every possible browser and version, which was a joke because I knew almost nothing about it.

There is some weird disjunction between your computer and this site that just happened last night; that's all I know. There are Macs and PCs, there are different browsers, different versions of browsers, different upgrades to different versions of browsers, different settings for browsers, and the same again for operating systems. And I'm not a Mac person--dunno nuttin about 'em. If you really want to work with this yourself, get with ToldForThis by PM and ask her what version of the Mac OS she has, what version of Safari she has, what her settings are, and maybe you could find the problem. You can see emoticons and the whatchamacallem at the top of this box at CV and at getclayaiken, so it probably isn't your computer, but it could be, but I really just do not have a clue.

I can wait. I won't even be around from tonight on. Heading to my mother's for dinner, tomorrow work and then New York to do something-or-other! I won't be home until late Monday, only to turn around and go to work again Tuesday! So there is no rush.

I have no head for any of this so I will just wait for the techies to find the time to investigate.

[HeidiHo]

The reason I love my husband so much (cause he took a picture of me with my boyfriend)

Everyone going to NYC...travel safe. muski, good luck with your travels -- I can't imagine trying to arrive in Times Square on New Year's Eve!

Girl!! Clay AND Rick?!?!? Lucky beyotch. <g> I love Rick almost as much as I love Clay.

I didn't get to go to this round of Spam - trying to save money and vacation time for Europe only to have my boss dicate that I take 30 hours vacation so that everyone would have to feel the pinch of the economy. How that helps I don't understand, since me taking time off reduces revenue. What evah.

Happy New Year, all!!! I went to the Music City Bowl game and cheered myself hoarse for Vanderbilt, then went and played cards and drank champagne with those same friends. Very nice New Years Eve, but I was REALLY tired by the time I got home last night. Today is it is a fire in the fireplace, champagne brunch and football.

Anyone here have a Blackberry? I just got a blackberry storm and, while I love it, the battery dies a lot faster than my Treo. I’ve followed the directions for conserving power but no luck. We’re talking 24 hours of power.

Blog from one of the soldiers at Spamalot the other day...nice Clay mention:

http://blogsoverbaghdad.com/soldiers/2008/...loves-military/

Oh, that was great. Made me weepy.

[tribeca]

that soldier's blog was really sweet

I hope everyone is in New York safe or got home safe.

We are leaving tomorrow morning on Amtrak. My niece has been counting down the hours since Monday & already has a snack bag packed.

Last time we went Rick came to the stage door and there were only about 5 of us. ( a few people came by from other shows & said they just wanted to say hi to Clay). I looked like an idoit because Rick signed my playbill I took his picture then he went & signed the other 4 people's stuff and came back to sign mine again. In my mind I was thinking what to I do do I flip the book over so he doesn't see he already signed it? Am I that forgettable that he can't remember signing my book 2 minutes ago? While thinking this he was just looking at me and then just walked away.

[Thankful4Clay]

I have a BlackBerry and I charge it every couple of days. I guess it depends on how much you use it. I use it to browse the boards while I'm at work on breaks and lunch and I use it occasionally as a phone.

[jamar1700]

*imagines Clay practicing his hooah's*

[wandacleo]

Aikim Thanks for sharing the blog. It's wonderful to read about the respect shown the soldiers (who--God knows--deserve it), and really wonderful to know that Clay thought of something special for them. He's such a sweet man.

We're so lucky to have him.

[duckyvee]

*imagines Clay practicing his hooah's*

He is such a hoot. I can't wait to see him! Only 3 more days.

Thanks for bringing that blog, aikim. It made me a bit teary, too, especially the part about the couple giving up prime seats to 2 soldiers in SRO.

[aikim]

You're all welcome...actually I found the blog over at CV...but it really was nice to read today. And yes, we are very lucky to have him!

(yep, I was trying to imagine him saying "hooah" too!)

Kim

[Scarlett]

<snip>

Can't wait to see everyone tonight!! Still no red from last night? I'm determined to make everyone see red this weekend?

There was no show last night...hence no red...looking forward to it tonight though!

Kim

Oh, right. I knew that... (no not really -- thanks for the explanation, aikim!)

[liney23]

bottlecap strolls into FCA headquarters, and stumbles over a coconut shell. There's a strong odor of fried meat products in the air and the floor is sticky with what seems to be spilled mead. A broken yellow umbrella is jammed in the potted plant in the corner, a rubber chicken is stuck in the microwave, and a melting jello mold that still looks slightly vulgar is sitting on top of the refrigerator. All the Clay posters are covered with bright red sparkly lipstick marks. A slightly frostbitten Ryan Seacrest is huddled under an overturned baby carriage mumbling about a bunny biting his bum. Polaroids are scattered about which might provide answers about what went in here.

Contemplating the mess, bottlecap has some thoughts:

1. Who exactly is going to vacuum up all the green and silver sequins and the multi-colored confetti that seem to be stock to every surface?

2. Is the Grail dishwasher-safe?

5. er 3.

bottlecap grabs a white top hat that's perched on a lampshade, pops it on at a jaunty angle, and strolls out of FCA headquarters to see what 2009 has in store.

bottle... BWAH!!! You didn't call me, so I missed the fun, dang it!!! Save the sequins for me, please!

Yawns, rubs eyes...jaw drops in utter disbelief at the after New Year's carnage at FCA Headquarters...gets roomba out of the closet...sets it in motion and quickly exits stage left..hears muffled high pitch scream behind the door...door slams open and Ryan runs out holding his butt...giggles...oops forgot about him.

aikim.... I like that roomba, it has the good taste to know trash when it sees it!

Blog from one of the soldiers at Spamalot the other day...nice Clay mention:

http://blogsoverbaghdad.com/soldiers/2008/...loves-military/

I loved that blog... did you notice all the soldiers around Clay were female? He's such a sweetie!!! I'm so proud that the soldiers got treated so well. Big difference from Viet Nam soldiers... I guess some might have actually learned a lesson or two??? Hope springs eternal.

Fear... I hope you get to see your grandchild this year!!!

I am filled with hope for the future. We are in such a mess that whole systems need to be abandoned and new ones put in their place... ones that will work better for the country and the world. As with any remodeling project, it is a mess to live with while it is happening, but great when done. I truly believe we will be a much stronger American and world in a few years and I'm glad I'm young enough to watch it happen and to help as I can.

[Couch Tomato]

Hi FCA... I'm in NYC! whoo hooo... I ended up getting in only 30 minutes later than I was originally supposed to. Went outside to cheaply bravely catch the bus to the subway and then the subway to my hotel but when that air hit me I got on the bus that would take me directly to the hotel. heee..what's a few dollars when your ears and other parts are literally freezing. Scarlett, yep the cold does seem to be a bit "refreshing" and cleansing though. So the bus took me from the airport to grand central and another van was going to take me directly to the hotel. So I'm in the van and this car comes racing up besides us honking his horn....turns out luggage was flying out the back door. I can't believe I said out loud..lord jesus don't let it be mine. hee. Had to apologize later to the people in the van for my selfish prayer LOL. Anyway, he made some crazy dangerous ass u turns and luggage was retrieved. Got to the hotel..it's 9 in the morning.no way I'm getting a room at that time..so I checked my bag and walked to Muski's hotel. Poor thing..I woke up her up which she took rather graciously. We went out looking for breakfast.....we went into this one place..cuz we saw someone's waffles through the window. Sat down. Looked at the menu. Saw that eggs, toast and potatos cost 17. Got up and left hee.

Anyway mostly today I just did a lot of walking, site seeing, and finally checked into my hotel. I have secured one more ticket for tomorrow afternoon's show...so yay. I'll get to see Clay 3 times. Looking forward to seeing the show with the new cast.

Anyway, I'm here. My phone is somewhat nuts..so leave a message if you're trying to reach me..and I'll check it periodically. Also, when I call it says private caller..and for the life of me I can't fix that. I need one of you phone hos to help me hee.

happy new year fca

[muskifest]

HAPPY NEW YEAR, FCA!

I'm finally in my RIGHT room at my hotel (story later)...took a nap and now will brave the frigid temps to see if there's a good same-day ticket to a non-Spam show I can get at a cheapo price. I have a great New Year's Eve travel story for you that I'll write up later....

Hope to meet up with Couchie again later (we had breakfast together ) for some chow.

It's cold as a witch's tit here! But at least there's no precipitation today....

Later, all!

[luckiest1]

Glad to see everyone checking in from NYC. Have a blast!

[bottlecap]

*imagines Clay practicing his hooah's*

Is it inappropriate to admit that I've uttered more than a few "Hoo-Yah's" because of Clay over the years?

So, anyway, I just created a 2009 folder in my photobucket account. Here's hoping it fills up soon.

[aikim]

Glad you made it to NYC Couchie and Muski...I would have left too...$17! I am cheap...I think I would have headed to the nearest McDonald's although I imagine it would have been more expensive too!

Kim

[ausdon]

Well, I'm pretty sure 2009 can't be as full of surprises as 2008 was, unless I wake up one morning to find Clay crooning in my kitchen, David tapdancing in the shower, Reed doing yoga in the dining room, and Rick and Tom standing on the garage roof taunting the neighbors. That's not going to happen, right?

:cryingwlaughter:

bottlecap strolls into FCA headquarters, and stumbles over a coconut shell. There's a strong odor of fried meat products in the air and the floor is sticky with what seems to be spilled mead. A broken yellow umbrella is jammed in the potted plant in the corner, a rubber chicken is stuck in the microwave, and a melting jello mold that still looks slightly vulgar is sitting on top of the refrigerator. All the Clay posters are covered with bright red sparkly lipstick marks. A slightly frostbitten Ryan Seacrest is huddled under an overturned baby carriage mumbling about a bunny biting his bum. Polaroids are scattered about which might provide answers about what went in here.

Contemplating the mess, bottlecap has some thoughts:

1. Who exactly is going to vacuum up all the green and silver sequins and the multi-colored confetti that seem to be stock to every surface?

2. Is the Grail dishwasher-safe?

5. er 3.

bottlecap grabs a white top hat that's perched on a lampshade, pops it on at a jaunty angle, and strolls out of FCA headquarters to see what 2009 has in store.

Like the way you think Bottle!

HAPPY NEW YEAR FCA

We had a lovely NYE - went to the beach with friends and watched the early fireworks (about 8.30) . It was a balmy night and we could also see all the other fireworks up and down the coast-cool. A good time was had by all and we headed home by about 9.30 thus avoiding the worst of the tired and emotional revellers and the plain crazy/criminal drivers.

Happy times to all and esp those hardy souls in NYC. Can't wait to see what next year brings in Clayland!

Of couse if Bottles' musings come true I may have to sell my house and make a little visit............