#47: That's not just any man... That's OUR man! You're a GOOD MAN, Clay Aiken!

[cindilu2]

Logged out at the OFC. Send email. Get email saying membership extended. Try to log back in. Invalid Account. Send email. New Password. Password Invalid. Send another email. New Password. Password Invalid. Six minutes later. Try log in again. Password expired-it has been over 24 hours!

There definition of 24 hours is a little bit different than mine. I officially give up.

Did they tell you 'soon'? The fanclub admin is just plain pathetic. Oy!!

I am lucky I guess - when I looked on Saturday it said mine expired on Jan 26, and now I see it expires on Feb 10 (didn't get any emails).

[Couch Tomato]

where do you look to see when you expire. It's funny I can't even seem to read the blogs anymore. Did other people who were having that problem get it cleared up? It's the main reason I sign up every year so would like to read them.

[justclay12]

I'm one who pretty much likes everything Clay sings but if I had my choice, I would rather have either new songs or covers that haven't been played to death already. I loved how Clay sang the songs on ATDW's but I didn't like it as much as OMWH because they were songs that I'd heard several times before. I didn't even listen to music that much in the 80's and I'd heard all of those songs so I know they must have been played a lot. However, as long as he never sings a song like You Light Up My Life on his next cd, which I hate to this day because it got played every 20 seconds or something, I'll be fine.

[smittenwithclay]

Gosh. I think I gots a cry in my eye.

I'd have to say that Proud Of Your Boy alone would be worth the price of admission. THANK YOU SO MUCH goldarngirl & Scarlett for the video. What a treasure. Clay is a good man. ETA: thank you also to deborah760 for the audio, and farouche and the cellcerter(s) for letting 'us' be there with you. We are a lucky fandom!

tribeca, I think the key words of georgiesmybaby's comment about the covers-hating are 'ad nauseum'. Nobody says anybody has to love everything he sings, evah. (Not even me ) And certainly, nobody says you have to love covers. However the fact is that he sings them, he's said he's going to sing them on his next CD, and by all appearances (including his own admission) he loves singing them. So complaining/criticizing ad nauseum about them at this stage of the game just seems... redundant. And yes, I'll say it again, there's a world of difference between repeatedly saying how much you enjoy/admire something and repeatedly saying how much you hate it, at least as it applies to posting on a fan-board. JMO and all the usual disclaimers.

wonderful post!

Im frustrated, Ive been here for almost a month (can you believe it!) and I havent gotten my time sheets yet, and I cant get paid until I get my time sheets and send them in...10 days after that I get paid...I came down here with nothing, and keep having to ask my mom for money...when if i would just get my time sheet I will be fine..weve called them, they say they sent them..we call them the next day..I understand a few days, but its been a week since they sent them and its coming from close by...we ask them to send another one, they dont listen....sigh sigh..as soon as I start getting paid for my work it will be much nicer being here lol not that i neeeed anything, but I dont like working for free either lol

[aikim]

Billboard.blogs.com

Idol Worship: Battle Of The Book Deals

Quote:

Clay Aiken, has found massive success with his publishing debut, 2005's Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life, which was a New York Times best-seller.

<snip>

Aiken pocketed around $700,000 for his, according to a source (Aiken stands to make significantly more for a post-coming out follow-up).

I would love it if this is true and Clay really is writing another book...goes to stake out a spot at the corner of Staff and Only (waves to Jamar!)

Kim

I read this over twice, and to me, I don't see where it's saying that a new book is in the works....just the author's theory that he would make more money if he wrote another one. Sorry, not trying to burst any bubbles.

That's why I said I would love it to be true...I didn't take it as fact...I have been around long enough to take everything with a grain of salt...but doesn't stop me from wishing.

Kim

[wandacleo]

Taste in music is really subjective. I like some of Clay's songs better than others because I like the SONGS better. (There's just NO WAY in hell I would ever like "The Girl from Ipanema" no matter how great Clay sang that loatheome song.) The problem arises when people act as though there's a moral issue involved in singing a particular song and bitches people get on their high horses and start blaming RCA, Clay's lack of ambition, etc. etc. etc. ad nauseum or think there's some conspiracy at work.

Small rooms sometimes need smaller songs.

Clay's choice for what he sings--not ours.

[aikim]

I don't think Cindilu was saying that you have to agree with the majority or not post; I think her point was that there are posters who you could set your watch by with regards to their posts...sometimes it is like a needle stuck on a record player and you just wish someone would nudge them and get them to move on.

Sorry for all the cliches, LOL!

Kim

[Couch Tomato]

Clay makes me laugh because he really is his own person. I still don't know how his mind works and probably never will which makes me very happy.

Smitten..WTF..are you working for an agency? Can't you just go there and get one. Can they fax it. Email it? Do you have a car? I can come pick you up and take you there if it's any where in the bay area. Do you have a supervisor? Can you tell her you'll soon be eating out of garbage cans and what can she do to help you get paid. That's ridiculous. I can take a lot of stuff over a lot stuff *yeah I know that makes no sense* but NOBODY and I mean NOBODY messes with my money - especially money I have worked for.

[djs111]

I understand a few days, but its been a week since they sent them and its coming from close by...we ask them to send another one, they dont listen..

Can they fax them or email them? No online entry? Bummer.

The ad nauseum thing? I really don't care if someone doesn't like something, it is just an unpleasant waste of time when someone equates differing opinions with "telling them they are wrong" or "telling them how to think" or whatever, when people just have a different opinion. The "subjective" concept seems to have been mislaid sometimes, as has "expressing a differing opinion is not the same as saying you are wrong".

I dunno, maybe they need validation or something, which is kind of silly on a fan board.

Also have no interest in the martyr stuff, I tend to stop reading as soon as I read a martyr-poor-wittle-me intro to a post.

On any board.

Heeeee.....if Clay sang songs from his latest CD he would prolly be accused of using his charity to sell CDs, I would bet.

[smittenwithclay]

Smitten..WTF..are you working for an agency? Can't you just go there and get one. Can they fax it. Email it? Do you have a car? I can come pick you up and take you there if it's any where in the bay area. Do you have a supervisor? Can you tell her you'll soon be eating out of garbage cans and what can she do to help you get paid. That's ridiculous. I can take a lot of stuff over a lot stuff *yeah I know that makes no sense* but NOBODY and I mean NOBODY messes with my money - especially money I have worked for.

its kind of a vicious circle, getting around is complicated because I have my Oregon drives license, and cant get my california drivers license until I order my birth certificate, I need money to order my birth certificate as well as getting my drivers license...and I need to get paid before I can do any of that, and I need to get my california license in order to get put on the insurance of the people I take care of, so I can drive around..so right now Im stuck, and cant get around...When I got here I knew I was going to have to do the paperwork and that would take awhile, and I knew they would prorate it, but I had my paperwork turned in 2 weeks ago, and still havent gotten my time card, so Ive done my part..Ive called and one person tells me they dont have the information on when it was sent, another person tells me that it was sent on the 21st..I knew that I wasnt going to get paid right away, but I certainly thought by now I would at least have gotten my time card so I can fill it out and send it in...were down to nagging them daily.Im going to give them this week and then Im going to stop being nice lol I work for an in home care agency through the county...I havent worked since February of last year, so I understand Im a little impatient, but I think Ive been plenty patient..luckily my rent comes with the job, as well as other living expenses..so Im not going to be out on the street or anything, but that doesnt make it any less important.

[jamar1700]

eta: Where is ansa?????

ooh thanks for reminding me... it's time for her feeding. I keep her chained up in the basement.

---

eh...after the stink he made about keeping his personal life private I sure don't see him writing a tell-all book about it...just me perhaps.

--

Off to download stuff...

[luckiest1]

Sooooooo, I just got to watch the rest of the clack. It really was a more intimate setting than the Raleigh gala, from what I can see. I didn't have a problem with Ben's playing, I thought he played beautifully on RHW especially, very soft and low key. Gah, what lucky people to have had Clay sing that arrangement again. And the POYB to "Granny"? God, I don't know how she didn't start sobbing. I like this new trend of singing the song to the winner of an item, like he did with the Someone Else's Star shirt. Now, all I need is a few thousand dollars........

Hope we will get some auction clack as well. Did Clay help Joe out as much as before? I don't remember reading too much about that.....but I was kind of speed reading last night, I was so overtired.

Ok, off to pick up my laptop and see what they've done to it. I gave them permission to wipe it clean if they had to. But I'm hoping they didn't have to. Hope I kept all those codecs.

[muskifest]

Small rooms sometimes need smaller songs.

and smaller pianos

[aikim]

eta: Where is ansa?????

ooh thanks for reminding me... it's time for her feeding. I keep her chained up in the basement.

---

eh...after the stink he made about keeping his personal life private I sure don't see him writing a tell-all book about it...just me perhaps.

--

Off to download stuff...

Why not? I could certainly see him writing about it if he thought it would help someone else. If it were written in the same vein as LTS, not a lurid tell-all, I don't see a problem.

Kim

[Couch Tomato]

Ok I was thinking. I know some of you Clay encyclopedias can help me. Remember when Clay did the Billboard radio interview/countdown back in 2003/04 and they played his favorite song at the end. And it was some unheard of R&B duet? I can't remember the artists..I think Patti Austin and James Ingram or it could be Peobo Bryson and Anita Baker heh. Anyway, if it's James Ingram I just have to laugh. Really, although a great singer he is not all that well known. The majority of his hits came as a result of his work with Quincy Jones. Q has a stable of singers he calls up for stuff and James is one of them. Clay and I are probably one of the couple of folks that actually bought James Ingrams's solo debut album. I don't think it did well and don't think he's had many since then...at least I don't think so. The man can sang though. I love his duets with Patti Auston -- Baby Come to Me and How do you keep the music playing.

ETA: And let me make this clear..Clay would have had to buy the album at a garage sell since he was probably 3 when it came out.

[ncgurrl]

The ad nauseum thing? I really don't care if someone doesn't like something, it is just an unpleasant waste of time when someone equates differing opinions with "telling them they are wrong" or "telling them how to think" or whatever, when people just have a different opinion. The "subjective" concept seems to have been mislaid sometimes, as has "expressing a differing opinion is not the same as saying you are wrong".

I dunno, maybe they need validation or something, which is kind of silly on a fan board.

Also have no interest in the martyr stuff, I tend to stop reading as soon as I read a martyr-poor-wittle-me intro to a post.

On any board.

I guess I have been told ...

[muskifest]

Why not? I could certainly see him writing about it if he thought it would help someone else. If it were written in the same vein as LTS, not a lurid tell-all, I don't see a problem.

Oh, ALL RIGHT! :glare:

I'll spill the beans. I swear, there's no keeping a secret in this fandom.

Yes, it's true. Clay is writing a tell all, but the really exciting part is that he's asked me to write all the sex chapters!

Of course, I told him that I'd really have to get into the characters I'm writing about, really find out what makes them hot tick. I need to shadow them 24/7...do what they do, participate in their activities, have lots of pillow talk sessions to make sure I represent them accurately and fairly.

I especially requested a good vantage point for causing observing his "O" face...He got a little shy there, so I told him if he'd prefer we could just begin with him demonstrating for me telling me about the experience...slowly and in much detail, ideally while sipping some cabernet, lying in front of a flickering fire and giving each other sensual massages.

He said he'd get back to me on that one...

...soon

[georgiesmybaby]

tribeca, I think the key words of georgiesmybaby's comment about the covers-hating are 'ad nauseum'. Nobody says anybody has to love everything he sings, evah. (Not even me ) And certainly, nobody says you have to love covers. However the fact is that he sings them, he's said he's going to sing them on his next CD, and by all appearances (including his own admission) he loves singing them. So complaining/criticizing ad nauseum about them at this stage of the game just seems... redundant. And yes, I'll say it again, there's a world of difference between repeatedly saying how much you enjoy/admire something and repeatedly saying how much you hate it, at least as it applies to posting on a fan-board. JMO and all the usual disclaimers.

Tribeca, so not you I was referring to. I really don't see the type of post I was referring to on FCA, more other places I lurk.{{{Tribeca}}}

Didn't mean to ignite any issues, firmly believe everyone has a right to voice any opinion, but it personally bothers me and makes me scroll when people complain time and time and time again-and not in a lighthearted, jesting or playful way- about hating this or that song or the covers issue, particularly if those same posters never seem to discuss anything they do like about Clay or his choices, musical or otherwise. And I realized later that what I said could possibly be perceived that way since I have not posted all that much here. And that is so not me. It's their right to post that sort of thing, but also my right to be bugged by it when it is as outlined above. Or at least I think and hope it is. IMO, YMMV and all of that jazz.

Australia: Love it. Have visited once-Bisbane, Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, Sydney, Melbourne- but would love to visit again. I sort of found it to be a cross between the US and the UK, but with only the best bits of each. Aussies were so friendly and open. I have travelled the world, but never felt more welcome than I did there. Before that visit I was warned off of Australian men - by a gay man. Not sure if he was worried about my well-being, or just wanted to increase the field for himself.

A belated Happy Australia Day! One of my best non fan friends lives just outside Sydney. I met her when I was living in London. I am trying to convince Claylove to come to Australia with me if I go back for a visit, and Couchie you should come too.

The juxtaposition of WYSYLM and Australia discussions reminded me of something that happened at the height of MOAM promotion. My friend used to work in clubs and knew Human Nature, the group that had the Australian number one hit with WYSYLM. Yes they did-numero uno. Anyway, they sent me this autographed CD in the mail:

Back then I knew zip about images on the internet, so this is a crappy low res version and I cannot find the CD. Hey, IT'S NOT CLAY , so why would I have it in safe-keeping? lol What it said was: "Dear Pam, hope you love our version more." :image13:

FTR: if Clay ever does tour the UK, I am SO there. I am a little worried about navigating in a wheelchair, haven't been back since I've needed the chair, but I miss it a lot and would love to visit, especially if in combination with Clay doings. I keep having Tube nightmares, hearing "mind the gap" and wondering how easy/difficult it would be to traverse London in a wheelchair, but I am game to find out.

[justclay12]

muski, where do I sign up to get that book, and how soon will it be out? And I expect pics because I'm one of those visual people so I need it to get into the story and all.

[claylove]

Ok I was thinking. I know some of you Clay encyclopedias can help me. Remember when Clay did the Billboard radio interview/countdown back in 2003/04 and they played his favorite song at the end. And it was some unheard of R&B duet? I can't remember the artists..I think Patti Austin and James Ingram or it could be Peobo Bryson and Anita Baker heh. Anyway, if it's James Ingram I just have to laugh. Really, although a great singer he is not all that well known. The majority of his hits came as a result of his work with Quincy Jones. Q has a stable of singers he calls up for stuff and James is one of them. Clay and I are probably one of the couple of folks that actually bought James Ingrams's solo debut album. I don't think it did well and don't think he's had many since then...at least I don't think so. The man can sang though. I love his duets with Patti Auston -- Baby Come to Me and How do you keep the music playing.

ETA: And let me make this clear..Clay would have had to buy the album at a garage sell since he was probably 3 when it came out.

HEY! georgiesmybaby and I were just IMing earlier today about how we both loved James Ingram. In fact, when I was listening to the stream and Clay started singing "I Don't Have The Heart" I was freaking out cause I have loved that song ever since it first came out back in the day. Classic R&B rocks... current R&B not so much. hee

[aikim]

muski, where do I sign up to get that book, and how soon will it be out? And I expect pics because I'm one of those visual people so I need it to get into the story and all.

I'll just wait for the audio version

Kim

[merrieeee]

Can I get a braille version? I'm kind of a touchy feely person myself!

Joe the auctioneer was not there so Jerry Aiken did it. Let me put it like this....I missed Joe.

[jamar1700]

Why not? I could certainly see him writing about it if he thought it would help someone else. If it were written in the same vein as LTS, not a lurid tell-all, I don't see a problem.

Like I said he's spent the better part of several years deflecting interest from his private life. I don't see him selling it.

I also said...probably just me.

---

<---- loves old school R&B! From the 60's to the 80's!

Jerry Butler, Sam Cooke, The Temps, The 4 tops, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, The O'Jay's, The Spinners, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Ashford & Simpson, James Ingram, Jeffrey Osbourne, Peabo Bryson, et.al.

[aikim]

And most of those years deflecting interest in his private life was pre-coming out...if he was still that concerned we wouldn't know about Reed...I think the only part of his private life that is off limits is Parker.

Kim

[georgiesmybaby]

[

<---- loves old school R&B! From the 60's to the 80's!

Jerry Butler, Sam Cooke, The Temps, The 4 tops, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, The O'Jay's, The Spinners, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Ashford & Simpson, James Ingram, Jeffrey Osbourne, Peabo Bryson, et.al.

And don't forget Luther. I really miss him.