#46: Avoid the crazy, enjoy the good, and chill.

[ncgurrl]

I would do him in a New York minute, too. It is just that some nights it would be with the lights out.

He'd probably agree, right? I know he would if it were me.

Do him by the brail method?

OOH. A two for one reply opportunity.

JMH, Since it would be my 20 year old fantasy me engaged in the encounter Clay would be disappointed it was in the dark.

Wandacleo, Something like that but the raised bits would be a somewhat larger. I am pretty sure I could still read the message, though.

[smittenwithclay]

SMITTEN, have you started your "new life" in Calif. yet??? Sure wish you all the best.

yup Im here, so far not much different then being back in oregon except my family isnt here lol

[cha cha trusty]

HERE'S TO NOT CARING!!!!

to add my 2¢ to the makeup question....

I agree that he probably has gotten his eyelashes darkened permanently from time to time. It does wear off eventually, and he probably procrastinates getting it redone. Don't we all?? Procrastinate that is. I actually did get my eyelashes dyed once and I loved it. I am one who does not like to go in public w/o at least eyeliner on. I have very pale lashes.

There are pictures I like of him with his eyes dark and natural, and some I like and some I don't... I can't think of any clothes I haven't liked him in, but being a photographer, I have seen some poses and lighting I absolutely hated! But I've always thought "It's a bad picture" not "Clay is ugly" BECAUSE HE IS NOT!

THIS is one of my favorite pictures (thanks for posting it!)

I also agree that some people feel invisible on message boards now and again. Even me.

I read everyone's posts most of the time, I just don't comment on all of them. Sometimes I skim if I am really behind!

RE: SPAMALOT -- out of curiousity I just checked the website for tix for tonight and the best 3 tickets were Mezz far left and far right and center Row K. So I guess the last few shows are also going to be almost sell-outs. So sad to see it go! Maybe there is a movie in the works? And maybe Clay will play Sir Robin? The cast list didn't mention the actor playing SR tonight. And the main page still has Clay's picture on it!

Still waiting for my computer guru to call. I have a feeling he might not make it today.

to wanda!

[djs111]

KAndre - Bwahahahahaha! keep those recaps coming.......I have done the phone thing and the getting yen thing and the bus thing and the champagne on the plane - good times! - when I worked in Kawasaki, I took the Limousine Bus to the Pacific Meridien in Shinagawa precinct, then took a taxi to Kawasaki.

Yes, the airport is a long way from Tokyo - during the day, you can see Disneyland, too!

More!!!!! Please!!!!!!

[aikim]

Just peeking in from work...leaving in about 15 minutes to go home and spend another evening working on my computer issues.

Sometimes I like make-up on Clay, sometimes I don't...depends on how it is applied...I think on AI...it was hit or miss...sometimes looked like they laid it on with a spatula or overdosed on bronzer (Diane Warren night).

But, I think if Clay was doing it himself for Spamalot, he did a pretty good job overall and I never found it jarring.

Kim

[Lotus]

cha cha trusty

There are pictures I like of him with his eyes dark and natural, and some I like and some I don't... I can't think of any clothes I haven't liked him in, but being a photographer, I have seen some poses and lighting I absolutely hated! But I've always thought "It's a bad picture" not "Clay is ugly" BECAUSE HE IS NOT!

Exactly..."It's a bad picture". I think of the Unicef raising of the snowflake photos. In some he was beyond gorgeous and others were used by the tabloid press of examples of him gaining...what did they say? 50lbs?

I just went to 3, yep 3, different places to get my passport picture taken. 3 because in the first 2 I looked ghastly..the third is sort of ok.

I do think tho that sometimes the press looks at all the photos taken of Clay at a particular event and then posts the least flattering one.

Clay is going to do what he wants to do despite what we might think would be best for his career or goals.

It's like back in the early 60's when we were on peace marches and marches against racial discrimination, the advice was that we dress our best in order to make the best impression on those observing. I don't think that dressing our best made anyone change their mind.

[keepingfaith]

Anecdotal and nothing more than feeling the need to remember Bill ....

During the early 1980's I worked with a wonderful man named Bill. Bill was the manliest of men, a military veteran, and widower whose wife of 20 years had been deceased for about 5 years or so when I met him. After knowing him a few months and getting to be friends, he told me that he was gay ... well, actually, he said homoSEXXX-shual in his inimitable way. He had a deep voice and did hilarious imitations, including one I'll never forget of Charley Pride singing, "Roll On Mississippi." Anyway, he was charming, from a well-known family, and knew all the right people. But, he didn't particularly like to hang out with them, hence the still-memorable get-togethers at his posh home, where he lived with his partner Eduard-- two people I will always miss. Bill loved Dynasty, particularly "Alexxxx-sisss" and he started having Dynasty parties at his house every week to watch the show. The first night I attended, Bill met me at the door, and he WAS Alexis. I didn't recognize him at first with the wig, full make-up and elegant clothes. And he invited all his friends, gay and straight to participate. There would be a houseful of his friends masquerading as Dynasty characters -- Krystle, Fallon, and more, but only Bill could be Alexxxx-sisss. And there were faux catfights that were so funny I'd be writhing on the floor. One night he wore a floor-length gown, a gorgeous red chiffon thing that was gathered in the back in the upper thigh region with a giant jeweled clasp. He called this particular gown "Diamonds Out The Ass." He had tiaras too. Anyway, Bill was so glammed up at home it was hard to adjust to "Executive Bill" back at the office. Either way, I loved him dearly. He was one of the kindest, most generous and joyful people I have ever known in my life and I'll always miss him.

[cha cha trusty]

keepingfaith - wish I had met Bill - he sounds like a hoot!

KAndre - more more!!

Lotus - more proof that you're never alone at FCA. I thought he looked adorable in the snowflake pictures!

just cause.....

btw - I think it's time to change my avie!

eta: this is a good one too!!

[bottlecap]

I'm askeered to know what it says about me that I've consistently lusted after been attracted to a man who I thought was straight and single but now know to be gay, a dad, taken and apparently in the midst of a gender reassignment...

[Couch Tomato]

I'm askeered to know what it says about me that I've consistently lusted after been attracted to a man who I thought was straight and single but now know to be gay, a dad, taken and apparently in the midst of a gender reassignment...

it says you have great taste!!

[Claymatron]

I'm askeered to know what it says about me that I've consistently lusted after been attracted to a man who I thought was straight and single but now know to be gay, a dad, taken and apparently in the midst of a gender reassignment...

it says you have great taste!!

and you're not alone!

[ncgurrl]

So, now we are tasting him, are we?

[cha cha trusty]

So, now we are tasting him, are we?

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

finger-lickin' good!!!

[wandacleo]

I'm askeered to know what it says about me that I've consistently lusted after been attracted to a man who I thought was straight and single but now know to be gay, a dad, taken and apparently in the midst of a gender reassignment...

Maybe you are looking with friendly eyes.

PS: That snowflake picture with Clay holding the little girl is my all time favorite!

His goodness just shines through.

[KAndre]

Bill sounds like my kind of dude!

djs, even beyond Narita being waaaaaaaaaay out there, we had to go through Tokyo throught the other side waaaaaaaay out there for freakin' Hachioji!

to continue:

Well, having recovered a little with my bus nap (and I am absolutively positive the bottle of champagne, port with the cheese, and a couple of glasses of a nice pinot blanc on the plane had nothing to do with my nap), Paul and I head out for Christmas dinner. This is definitely not the States - there was no Christmas references anywhere, but a number of stores had pretty light displays. Paul is trying to herd me toward familiar sights such as Denny's or KFC or TGIF because he "warned" me that it's hard to tell what you're eating. I roll my eyes at my child, and start looking for something interesting that isn't a pachinko parlor, which were EVERYWHERE and NEON was their middle name. I was a little confused at first, because you would see columns outside the building listing all these restaurants but I didn't see any of them until I realized the numbers following the name indicated the floor. Apparently somebody has a deep aversion to putting restaurants (as opposed to snack shops) on the first floor (today is the first day back my knees aren't calling me evil names). I was also thrilled to note the high quality plastic food outside that made restaurant selection and menu ordering really simple. I finally chose La Chat Noir because they had spaghetti that Paul was willing to eat and cafe mocha. Me and my child seriously bond over cafe mocha. I had a toasted egg sandwich that was freakishly good and my child order two plates of the spaghetti, a sandwich and two dessert. I wait patiently for the day that the metabolism gods rain on his frickin' parade. Ahem. Since I said I would pay for all food, I began to wonder if paying for the hotels would be cheaper. We sat by a window and people watched; I thought to myself, "I thought Tokyo would be much more crowded, like New York" But there were what I would call an average number of people walking around at around 9 or 10 pm - it wasn't until later that I found out we were in some sort of suburb.

My original plan went something like this (Couchie will recognize typical eHP planning):

Thurs - 25th: Land, see Paul's ship, having Xmas dinner

Fri - 26th: Explore Toyko, maybe see imperial palace

Sat - 27th: Go to Kyoto, wave at Mt. Fuji as we pass because I'm certainly not going to walk my ass up there, explore

Sun - 28th: Explore Kyoto

Mon - 29th: Back to Toyko, wave at the Emperor if he's in the Palace and say "Howdy"

Tue - 30th: Wander aimlessly around Tokyo

Wed - 31th: More aimlessly wandering, get to airport on time

My child was to get a hotel in Tokyo for Thur and Fri; the Tourism hotel thing for Kyoto for Sat & Sunday; and finish out in Tokyo the rest of the week. Paul got us the Hachioji Plaza for Thursday and Friday (which was very nice); I assumed he got the Hikari Super-Express Early Rise like we agreed (silly, silly me!) for Saturday and Sunday; the b ochanomizu for Monday and the Shinjuku Washington for Tuesday. I assume there was some cost saving in running from hotel to hotel - and since his manly pride was tied up in his paying for the hotel, I didn't quibble. Now, after our nosh, we headed back to the hotel. Paul specifically made sure to get room with high speed access - but oddly enough there was no WiFi and it didn't seem to be common anywhere - even the Starbucks didn't have it. Nevertheless I pulled out my little notebook and plugged it in and waited patiently for my child's mocking laughter to die down (he is of the opinion that my portable comuter is just a giant cell phone). He went to plug in his monstrosity of a desktop replancement behemoth and lo and behold, he didn't have the appropriate adapter. And yes, two years he's been here. I think I sprained something to keep from laughing at him, told him he could use my notebook and went to sleep (except of course I woke up at 3 am and couldn't go back to sleep and went to play with the toilet.) At 7 am, I go downstairs for a desk clerk to show me where the hell I am on my handy dandy Tokyo map, because after looking for 2 hours, I couldn't find it. After looking at the map (which mainly showed the 23 wards), the clerk turned the map over and said, "Ah!" and pointed out a big green woody looking area outside of Tokyo. "Ah." I said. "Not close to the Imperial Palace, huh?" and got a delightfully blank look. But he let me know it was only like 45 minutes to an hour get to Tokyo Station. Double sigh. Finally, by 10 am I couldn't take watching the boy sleep (snore) any more and was mentally transported to 7 years ago: Get up...get up...baby, don't you want to get up. Get up...[poke]...get up...[poke poke]...get up get up GET UP...and the only response was grumbling, rolling over and more snoring. Finally, a single synapse fires in response to the word, "breakfast" and up he gets. Before he disappears into the shower (he's the only person I know who spends more time in a shower than a certain member of the eHP), I casually ask, "When do you think Japanican is going to deliver the packages for Kyoto?" He tosses back, "Oh I cancelled that! You didn't really want to stay in a (here I'm exchanging the casual words he used "rinky-dink little hotel? I got us one with big ol' beds!" with the words my brain used) an exquisite, uniquely Japanese experience that I have no earthly idea when I'll get to do again because you know they had the hot springs and tatami mats and the slippers and rice paper instead of a couple of Serta mattresses I can get at any Days Inn back home? But no, I didn't say that out loud. But I did say, "Sweetums, you DO know the package with the nice traditional Japanese inn included the Shinkansen tickets? Right? Right?" He said, and I quote, "Uh". Those of you with children, and those of you who were a child at some point could recognize the sound. "I'll just get us the tickets now". I close my eyes slowly and open them slowly again, "Sugar sweetums, I'll gladly pay for the tickets - but you do know this is the last weekend before New Year's? A really big holiday here, right?" "Moooooo-ooom, I can handle this! I'm a MAN (donkey) now!" I go take my shower while he desperately searches the train site for tickets - any tickets. Any tickets at all. Writing off Kyoto (hell, I'll be back someday), I suggested to my child cancel the hotel in Kyoto and look for something "in Tokyo". "What do you mean," he asks. I show him the map. He says a bad words that I apparently wasn't supposed to know he knew. It turns out all he actually knows about Tokyo is in Roppongi (at this point, djs and others familiar with Tokyo should be laughing their ass off). It turns out he prepaid for the hotel (because it was cheaper) and was horrified to find out that the refund could take up to 45 days. A conversation ensues, in which he uses "unfair" a lot and I watch him get a life lesson. I tell him to go take his shower, look up the hotels he's picked (which are actually in Tokyo proper) and notice that the b ochanomizu is actually cheaper than the Shinjuku Washington on Tuesday night, by a significant amount. I ask him why are we switching hotels? He says another bad word that I am not supposed to know he knows, and he goes on line to look at his reservation at the Washington, and while looking, sees he can cancel it on line - and does before I can stop him. I sigh. I suggest that it may be wise to check their cancellation policy first - and of course it's another 45 day wait. By this time he is up to his credit limit. I make the remainder of the hotel reservations, though he says he would prefer to spend the night back at the base (I believe to use more of the knows I'm not supposed to know he knows). I recognize the signs of a snit. Sure, a mature snit, but a snit nonetheless. We go off to have lunch and to see his base and his ship. I agree to go to Denny's to make him feel better. I have no idea what the hell it was they served me. It was tasty though. On to Paul's ship!

[ausdon]

AUSDON, since your time zone is different, and I'm going to guess, are you from Australia???

BJ

Yep! G'Day Mate!

K'Andre

[Clayzy]

So, now we are tasting him, are we?

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!

finger-lickin' good!!!

Dude, if I'm licking Clay, it ain't gonna be his fingers!!

Oh my God... I smutted!

[djs111]

It turns out all he actually knows about Tokyo is in Roppongi (at this point, djs and others familiar with Tokyo should be laughing their ass off).

Bwahahahahahahahahaha!

Looks at backside in mirror.

Damn.

Bwahahahahahaha!!!!!!!

Looks again......

Nope, still there.

Ok, even if I can't laugh my ass off, I am enjoying your travails, um, travels, immensely!

Roppongi does have a lot of little hotels, it is the embassy area of Tokyo. I worked in a little office there for a month. The Japanese secretary was a bit incensed over the cost of my hotel room at the Pacific Meridien, so one day she took me to see a less expensive place a few blocks from the office. Little tiny rooms that had little tiny windows and smelled like ashtrays. Only worse. At that time, the way a room got to be a no smoking room was that they would put the ashtray in the drawer in the night table.

Nope. I clutched at my throat and starting wheezing and said I was highly allergic to cigarette smoke.

A couple of days later she got even with me - I needed an analog line to connect to Tampa, and the office had just been switched to digital. So she smiled and said my job title said engineer, so how come I couldn't change one line back myself? Snap!

I admitted that I was not really an engineer, so then she called the phone company.

(OK, I have to admit that was a computer nerd joke, sorry!)

KAndre, what did you order at Denny's?????

[Couch Tomato]

oh my virgin ears

KAndre love your recap. I want to tag along on a trip with you...but you won't come with me to Anarctica..have no idea why. When are you going somewhere warm.

[annabear]

Anarctica

2010, right?

[merrieeee]

I just realised that in less than 3 weeks I will be seeing Clay eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee and he is going to sing just to me!!!!!

Who else is going to GFI?

[Clayzy]

Wait, I've missed something. (Shocker, I know!)

What is this GFI?

[Couch Tomato]

Wait, I've missed something. (Shocker, I know!)

What is this GFI?

Golfing for Inclusion -- it's a benefit for TBAF.

[Clayzy]

Ohhhh. Duh. Sorry, I have a hard time with acronyms. It took be forever to figure out what ALOTBSOL meant!

While I'm asking questions, what was this Celine Dion thing I seem to remember seeing earlier?

[wandacleo]

Celine: At the Gala, one of the things that was bid on was attending a Celine Dion concert with a group of friend in a private box with Clay and a friend.