#48: He is...therefore I fan.

[Scarlett]

I'm so glad to hear you had a good time, and experienced the "quiltmates" . A lot like Clay FANS, are they not??

Are you ready to kill us now for suggesting you go to the IQF in Houston? Or hug us?

Telling my fandom-initiation tale will have to wait until tomorrow night, by which point the conversation will probably have passed on...but I'm enjoying the ones so far! Carry on! Catch ya all on the flip side!

Yes, they are and they look like Clay fans, even!

I'm going to give you a huge {{{bearhug}}} about IQF the next time I see you (hopefully soon, and even better, at a concert), but aren't I going to a fiber craft event in TO with you and Bella in the Spring? (assuming that I'm in the country, since I have a new job that involves quite a bit of traveling)

Can't wait to read bout your fandom tale tomorrow!

Picture of quilting pals -- how easy would it be to Clayvert them? *g* (and that's the quilt shop in the house behind them. Isn't it pretty?)

[FearofH2O]

I didn't follow the boards during AI. Afterwards , I did read at TWOP but never joined in. I used my computers for work and was deathly afraid of getting a virus. I couldn't afford any downtime. Playbiller convinced me to get a ticket to the AI tour and introduced me to someone on line who lives in NC, I forget her board name, we IMed for a while and then agreed to meet half way to Charlotte for the AI tour. I lost touch with her for a few years but recently she emailed me to tell me she is still a Clay fan. Just not on any boards. Who knew?

After that the IT tour was in my hometown, Winston-Salem, so I volunteered to help the organizer of the CH party and thus I became involved in the fandom. The next day I met Clay at Krispy Kreme along with 149 other people. I met a lot of FCA'er in Las Vegas for the ice skating show, final Spam show in May and at various concerts and Galas.

calurker, I don't know anything about the AI Disney thing. I would imagine Clay was invited and decided not to go and if he wasn't invited, it's their loss.

[smittenwithclay]

After idol I googled Clay Aiken and found "thatstheclay" and was there a bit, and a few smaller boards...then I found CV and that was the first big board I really really called home..I have never experienced the joy that I experience when I am around clay fans, the chatter and EEEhing, they get me..traveling from concert to concert with them, meeting up and sharing hugs, waving at friendly faces across a concert (during intermission and before of course) these are things that make us special I think...I mean, of course we have a guy to support who sings like no other...but the comadrie, the friendships, the actual love between a bunch of people who most of them I havent met..is what makes it special:) the organization among the fandom is phenomonal to, its like a different world lol

and I cant wait for the next one!

[KAndre]

My start in the fandom? Hardcore? Hmmm, I don't think I was crazy during the AI2 tour (just went to the Houston show, did have front row tickets, did skip work to let people I didn't know from Adam to stay in my house and party with) - I consider myself to have truly lost my mind in November of 2003, when a woman that I actually referred to by her screen name (Sane as in "SaneAikenFan" - yeah right) impulsively bought tickets to the AMAs a month before the show and asked did I wanna go...and I said yes. And the tickets turned out to be the good tickets and me 'n abbyharp walked down the red carpet...the actual red carpet...just before Clay and Ruben. The first time I was within 10 feet of Clay. And the skankiest Pam Anderson alive but nevermind. Oh Lord, that was a trip and a half! And I believe the first place I met Scarlett - who I didn't really get to know until she showed up at my house to ride the vibrating subwoofer all the way to Dallas. I think she was wearing a long formal in navy blue. I had on gold. Much of the trip is fuzzy, in that good fuzzy way.

[Scarlett]

My start in the fandom? Hardcore? Hmmm, I don't think I was crazy during the AI2 tour (just went to the Houston show, did have front row tickets, did skip work to let people I didn't know from Adam to stay in my house and party with) - I consider myself to have truly lost my mind in November of 2003, when a woman that I actually referred to by her screen name (Sane as in "SaneAikenFan" - yeah right) impulsively bought tickets to the AMAs a month before the show and asked did I wanna go...and I said yes. And the tickets turned out to be the good tickets and me 'n abbyharp walked down the red carpet...the actual red carpet...just before Clay and Ruben. The first time I was within 10 feet of Clay. And the skankiest Pam Anderson alive but nevermind. Oh Lord, that was a trip and a half! And I believe the first place I met Scarlett - who I didn't really get to know until she showed up at my house to ride the vibrating subwoofer all the way to Dallas. I think she was wearing a long formal in navy blue. I had on gold. Much of the trip is fuzzy, in that good fuzzy way.

Oh and remember how before the AMA we ate at this place with those waiters who assumed that we didn't want any change for our food no matter what we gave, eg. if you had an item that cost $6 and you handed him a $20 then he thought the $14 was a tip? And we took forever to straighten that out but in the end we were glad because that timed everything perfectly so that you and abbyharp were right there when Clay walked in?

[KAndre]

Yep, the evil waiter and the lovely 4 in heels me 'n abby were wearing!

[cha cha trusty]

So, I just want to ask everyone... how did you become a part of the fandom and when did you realize it was special?

OK - my turn - I LOVE ALL THESE STORIES!!

I had a very busy summer after Clay didn't win AI. Didn't go online, and didn't go to the AI tour. chachadotter#1 was getting married, living with us, had no car, and I had plans to attend the Beatlefest in Cleveland instead of the AI tour. (what a bad call that was!)

Two members of another online group were Clay fans, and we started branching off and talking about Clay. I was looking for something to do for his birthday in 03 and came across the Look What Love Has Done site. You could donate in his name and different boards had their banners up there. One in particular really intrigued me - LECHEROUS BROADS FOR CLAY AIKEN.

I started checking out their board, and finally figured out how to post on it sometime in December. In January, Clay was supposed to sing at the NCC Basketball game, the SSB and a song at halftime. Otherwise known as Bobblefest, since they were giving out free Clay Bobblehead dolls. (

)

One night about 2 am, I decided to check out the site and see if tix were still available. I ended up buying 2 tickets (they were only $20.00!) and I had no idea how I would get there or where I'd stay!

I coerced my frind Mary to drive to Charlotte with me and off we went, to meet 10 or 15 Broads I had never seen before! We had such a great time!! We went to one's house after the game and watched AI clack that I never knew existed until all hours of the night.

After that I was doubly hooked and started going to as many concerts as I possibly could! I ended up flying to St Paul and St Louis too. ldyj - I was there at the Hard Rock too! I should look for you in my photos!

I love this fandom as much as I love Clay. And this board is amazing, I hardly ever go anywhere else these days!! I've been here for about 2 years now, after a side trip thru the CH.

&

[Penny]

my story is this: I was in it from AI. I couldn't believe the voice. But I also liked Ruben. I voted for Ruben as much as Clay for a while. I started voting Clay only in the last three weeks, maybe 4.

After AI I Googled him and discovered Claymaniacs. I stayed there for a year maybe and saw every concert I could. I saw anything in Baltimore or DC or Philadelphia.

My husband can't stand him. Oh, well!!

I also found LBFCA, Lecherous Broads, and I go there mostly, though I travel around--obviously, since I'm HERE as well..

[claytonic]

Ever since I first saw Clay's photobooth pics, I've been trying to think of who they remind me of and, finally, it has dawned that he reminds me of a young Dustin Hoffman (excluding HEIGHT!!!!!!)

I was telling someone that Clay has numerous boards, certainly more than any other artist that I am aware of. I was asked "how many" and I said, off the top of my head, um way more than 50, and that wouldn't even include the ones that started and stopped. Would I be right in saying that?

[aikim]

Good Morning Everyone,

25 Days until Daylight Savings Time!

37 Days until The First Day of Spring!

55 Days until Judge Aiken is holding court on ANTM!

Everyone have a great day!

Kim

[Scarlett]

Thank you all for the great stories!!! I love reading them.

*waves to annabear -- I still wish you could come but you'll be in my thoughts!*

I was telling someone that Clay has numerous boards, certainly more than any other artist that I am aware of. I was asked "how many" and I said, off the top of my head, um way more than 50, and that wouldn't even include the ones that started and stopped. Would I be right in saying that?

There's a link to the "Finding Clay Aiken" website at the top of this page. On that page, there will be some options on the left -- click on "Clay on the Web". This brings up various types of web pages, a link to them and a total count. The number right now is 41, though I think we just did bit of clean up by removing old links. There may be new boards that aren't there yet.

:nature-smiley-014:

[merryclay]

Thanks for the job consolation guys. I'm lighting candles for all that are jobless and hurting.

After the anomoly, I went crazy. I didn't even know how to turn on a computer, but I learned that next morning. My first landing place was the CB. I would just read the homepage because I didn't know enough to click on forums. The rest is history.

[Kareneh]

Thanks, Scarlett, for bringing up this topic! This is fun stuff to read. I was without internet for a day and a half due to some problem with phone lines, so this was nice to come back to.

I miss being in Houston and being able to get together with the eHP! Have a brew or a glass of wine for me this weekend, someone?

My first real connection with the fandom ended up being at the AI Tour stop in St. Louis, and the preparty that was at the Hard Rock Cafe. It was my first time to be able to squee over Clay in a group that understood what I was feeling.

........One in particular really intrigued me - LECHEROUS BROADS FOR CLAY AIKEN.

.......ldyj - I was there at the Hard Rock too! I should look for you in my photos!

chacha, I just looked at my photos from that Hard Rock party (the wildest Clay party I have ever been to). I think it's the only time I've worn my purple LBFCA tee shirt to a concert. It took a bit of cajoling by some friends but we all agreed that it would be okay since we were all doing it together. I am so glad I did it, though, those pix of us all decked out in full regalia are hilarious. Firmly in the past, but still hilarious. St. Louis wasn't my first outing with fans. I ventured to the Cleveland Jingle Ball Concert in December of 2003. That was the first time I met any of my internet Clay friends. The full event with all the gory marvelous details is HERE. Jannet (Chardonnay), Lila (guitargirl) and I wrote that tome as soon as we got back from the trip. We were so anxious to get all the feelings down before they began to fade....I remember how sick I was with the flu but I stayed glued to my desk chair until it was all done. Those were the days! So much wonderful innocence and excitement. We, three, are still close friends on and off the boards. And I have been honored and blessed to make many more good friends since that first adventure to Cleveland. I've lost more luggage, too. But I have learned to haul much less crap with me.

I first found the message boards the day after the finale when I was gripped with the realization that Clay wasn't going to on my TV every Tuesday night anymore. I went to the internet for information, starting with the American Idol site, which led me to Bolt and then on to TWOP and FORT and so it went. I never posted anywhere until I found the LBFCA, and even then it took me a long time to step up to the plate. But then the floodgate opened and I began to write a lot. Nowadays, I don't write near as much but I am always around.....hanging out in the background. I'm among the first in line for tickets and blogs.....

And dang it! Not much in this fandom can shock me anymore.....except the fact that Scarlett ditched her Paul McCartney tickets to come to Council Bluffs and Kansas City with me. That still blows my mind.

So, here I still am, many more friendships later. This whole "Clay Thing" came along when I really needed a big diversion in my life. I needed a place to find fun and happiness when it felt like everything else was falling in on me. The strength I got from just having a place to go to be nothing but happy and funny helped me hold my life together when I thought I had made a total mess of it. Turns out I hadn't.....I just had to sort out the pieces and put together a new one. I didn't have to get overly invested, I just needed some place to go and something to look forward to......and if it isn't a concert....well, sometimes an email from a friend is enough.

Oh, I've written a couple of blogs since I've been back here. Sally Rand McNally I'm trying to do better. This semester I am only taking one class and so far it hasn't been too bad time wise. I've had my nose buried in a couple of non-school books though, and am about to begin the Twilight Series. We've started to watch Prison Break in the evenings....still on Season One (will they EVER get out of there?). I am almost finished with my Knoxville pictures and I think those are the only ones I have left (can't swear to that though).

Hope to read more first get together stories! Please write some more, okay?

OMG! This was some freakin' long...sorry! :o

[aikim]

It is amazing how many of us were technologically challenged and then Clay Aiken came along and suddenly we learning things we didn't think possible. I knew nothing about computers...I was pretty excited when I typed in the address for the Fox website and actually found the Bolt board.

And the very first video I ever downloaded was Invisible from St. Paul...probably the first bit of clack...it was sideways and I remember leaning over to try and watch it...but so excited because I actually figured out how to do it myself!

The best was when I found all the AI videos at the Clayboard...I was a downloading fool!

Kim

[djs111]

Lessee - I discovered TwoP before I ever watched AI. I was a Trading Places fan, and loved the sarcasm in the recaps. I watched the first year of AI just for grins, just to see what Simon would say, and thought Justin skeevy and was happy for Kelly, but the day after the show I promptly forgot about all of them.

The next season I started watching for grins again, and was smitten with Clay on Wild Card night. I didn't really have anybody to watch with. One day I was reading Trading Spaces recaps and thought Oh! Maybe they have a place for AI here!

And that was that, I loved TwoP, figured out how to post without offending, um, Shack (okay, until I posted a perfectly harmless comment about Kelly writing a book :-O) and then migrated to RHT when Twop kicked us out, then to the Clackhouse, then ended up here.

I am here for fun and snark.

And I have made some very good friends, and have met and traveled with and stayed with some awesomely good people!

[TayforClay]

It is amazing how many of us were technologically challenged and then Clay Aiken came along and suddenly we learning things we didn't think possible. I knew nothing about computers...I was pretty excited when I typed in the address for the Fox website and actually found the Bolt board.

And the very first video I ever downloaded was Invisible from St. Paul...probably the first bit of clack...it was sideways and I remember leaning over to try and watch it...but so excited because I actually figured out how to do it myself!

The best was when I found all the AI videos at the Clayboard...I was a downloading fool!

Kim

This was me too - except I didn't know about right clicking and saving and I just watched, every day, several times a day (I'm sooooo sorry about that too). I was such a computer dummy and had never been to any kind of message board site. In fact, I just read the Guestbook for the longest time before taking the plunge into the forum part.

And even after finding the forum, I just read, for months - finally joined when I wanted to contribute financially to this wonderful thing that provided me so much entertainment. And then I moved on to a few other boards, stil mostly just reading, and I still mostly just read.

I hadn't watched the first season of AI until the last couple of weeks, when my daughter, who watched, said she couldn't believe I wasn't watching this music show. So then second season I watched from the beginning and was hooked on Clay immediately. When an article about the finalists appeared in People magazine, it gave a couple of websites, one of which was the Clayboard site. I thought Clay's voice was just the absolute best, then I read his answers to the AI application questionnaire and fell in love with the man as well as the voice.

And I love him more every day. He has taught me so much. Even though I know I would have loved his music anyway - because the type of music he sings has always been my favorite, even when I was little - I firmly believe God made me a Clay fan because He planned on giving me a grandchild with autism - and it was because of Clay's involvement with children with developmental disabilities that made me more aware. My littlest grandson (little boytwin who is 4 years old today) is on the autism spectrum. And it's because of Clay that I knew even a little bit about the disability when Noah was diagnosed.

I also have to say that I love this board. Oh, I love (some of) the discussions on other boards, but when I get frustrated with the picking, picking, picking, I come here and find no picking, just respect for Clay. I don't really know anyone personally on any of the boards, in fact have only met one person, and have never met Clay or been closer than several hundred feet from him. My concert buddy is my daughter and we've only been to one concert per tour, well only when he's been to Columbus, except we did drive to Cincinnati for the 05 Christmas tour. Hopefully, next tour, I'll be able to actually meet some board fans.

[FromClaygary]

I'm so glad to hear you had a good time, and experienced the "quiltmates" . A lot like Clay FANS, are they not??

Are you ready to kill us now for suggesting you go to the IQF in Houston? Or hug us?

Telling my fandom-initiation tale will have to wait until tomorrow night, by which point the conversation will probably have passed on...but I'm enjoying the ones so far! Carry on! Catch ya all on the flip side!

Yes, they are and they look like Clay fans, even!

I'm going to give you a huge {{{bearhug}}} about IQF the next time I see you (hopefully soon, and even better, at a concert), but aren't I going to a fiber craft event in TO with you and Bella in the Spring? (assuming that I'm in the country, since I have a new job that involves quite a bit of traveling)

Can't wait to read bout your fandom tale tomorrow!

Picture of quilting pals -- how easy would it be to Clayvert them? *g* (and that's the quilt shop in the house behind them. Isn't it pretty?)

Eeeeeehhhhh!!! You mean you can really, really come to the Creativ Festival with us?? That would be AWEsome!! It's April 24-26th, just FYI for planning purposes....know what you mean about the travelling! It makes planning life interesting...

Hee....Clay makes great music-to-quilt-by! ....and what a cool house that is! Is that the shop that's closing? Too bad, what a neat location!

My fandom initiation....I never missed a moment of Clay on AI, but for some completely stupid reason (as I was on quilting message lists at the time) never thought about going on the internet to check him out while AI was on. Really didn't have time to, I guess, as my job at the time was all-consuming. I basically just worked, slept and watched Clay. When the show was over and I NEEDED more I thought for the first time in my life about travelling somewhere for one of the AI concerts...but again, there was that job issue and I couldn't get anywhere. Oddly enough, I was in Seattle two DAYS before the show was there, and couldn't stay.

I found ClaytonAiken.com out of desperation one day and finally took the HUGE step of downloading a video. As my computer didn't immediately freeze up in horror, I DL'd another one....and one day thought "what's this forum button?" What can I say, my son's a compter tech and had browbeaten me about DL'ing things That was pretty much the end of my life as I knew it then. You all already know about being up til 3 AM reading and downloading....I was just a little behind the times!

I stayed on CB for about 2 years. I met another fan from Calgary there, and we met in person at Starbucks one evening, to "see" about travelling to the IT in Spokane together. We really hit it off and had one of the BEST trips ever~we laughed the whole 8 hr drive. My family thought I was insane, and so did hers. After the show in Spokane, we came THIS close, literally, to following the bus to the next stop in Denver~to hell with the job! It's as well we came to our senses, because that was the night we were all worried we might have lost Clay and crew....there was a major storm in the Rockies and the bus just about didn't make it. Can you imagine us in my little car??

In Spokane there was a preparty, and there I met a bunch of other fans from the Calgary area, all of whom became good friends, and many of whom are still fans and we're still in touch. Me myb, Zippy888, Tijala and others.

When the NAT was announced, I talked my original Calgary friend into going to "Mecca" to see this one. Scarlett, we went to the three same concerts as you! Greensboro, Greenville, Charleston. Remember the rainstorm in Greenville that night? I thought we were going to have to break out the ark!

When we decided we were going to go, I thought it would be good to see something of the area while we were there~so I contacted someone I knew from the CB was the "head honcho" of the Greensboro fan group. I asked if there might be one of the fans that would be interested in giving us a "tour of the premises" while we were there, in exchange for gas money/lunch/dinner/whatever.

She hooked us up with Holly and Skeeter, two of my Raleigh area frends....and I've probably been down there more than I've been home, since then! It IS home, really....and I adore the friends I've made and the experiences I've had there. I would never have believed. My friends in this area of the world are one of the huge reasons I made the decision to move out East.

Scarlett, you and I have come to both the quilting and the Clay fandoms from opposite directions; but you'll find JUST the same kind of people in both, indeed. I had many of the same kind of experiences with quilters before Clay came into my life~travelling, meeting and bonding with them. What a ride! I'm so glad to be a woman, and to have these opportunities. And especially glad to be still here with you all and with Clay. I hope it never ends.

[Clayzy]

These stories are so fun to read! Isn't funny how things that happen pretty much by chance have such lasting repercussions?

[Couch Tomato]

Scarlett... thanks for the pictures I have no talent when it comes to working with material. I think I gave up after I sewed my pants together on the wrong side in home economics class in high school. I never tried again

FCA isn't really updated. I've been so lax. I need to do that.

ETA: Oh yes, does it count that I charged hundreds (well, thousands) of dollars on airline tickets, concert tickets, hotels, etc for New Zealand Claymates I'd never met, trusting that if they loved Clay they were good people?

It's just little things like this that I tell my family about to prove..see I'm not crazy

I consider myself to be a pretty shy person in real life, but get around Clay fans and that shyness seems to disappear...it is just so comfortable.

Kim

I'm not shy but yes isn't it nice to have that starting point. But really we've been chatting so long that sometimes when you meet people you have a ton of things to talk about, most of all Clay.

I was one of the first members on this board, but it wasn't really my "home" board until I couldn't take what I saw as the angst over ATDW one minute more, and I found refuge here. We were small but mighty, and I've loved watching this board become a true "board."

And you didn't want to be a mod at the beginning where anybody who said yes got to be one.

:thbighug-1: I'll forgive you for bringing up the incident. hee. I remember you telling me you were going to try to upgrade tickets...and I was already going to have to eat off the dollar menu at fast food restaurants and I said absolutely NO UPGRADES for me. Next day around noon you emailed me to say... FIRST ROW IN BOSTON bwah...only first row ever. Thank the goddess for our ticket angel.

I'll tell Solo's and PerusingOne's story first since neither of them wants to increase their post count beyond bodyguard...

bwah..

I sense a theme here!

Starts humming "Strangers in the Night..."

Kim

ya think

Ok I was surfing the net years before Clay. I was on TWoP for some other shows..can't remember which ones now -- and so was there for the start of AI. Every week I'd go read and participate in convo about the performances that week. I liked so many of them. Then I added Clay's performance thread as well. But I would read it on the night of the shows and then maybe the next day and then I'd come back the following week to participate at show talk and then peak in Clay's thread. Then Clay's thread became this massive massive thing and was turning into a fan thread which is a no no over there so they started an additional thread for Clay in another area. I tried to read it but those people were off their rocker. I mean I liked Clay but COME ON PEOPLE. Geeze. So I stuck to the AI general threads and Clay's performance thread throughout the show. Then he lost. I didn't even realize how much I wanted him to win because I love KLO too and she had a string of fabulous weeks too. And actually was on an African American board that had AI threads and I was there as much as TWoP. But after he lost even that out of control thread wasn't enough..I needed more more more!So was not only was at PROC, had a few other regular stomps as well.

So at PROC I mostly just read and skimmed a lot looking for Clay news. Didn't want to miss one single appearance. I'd post every now and then and it felt like I was talking to myself. Didn't care, was there to get my Clay news. When the AI tour came around I didn't buy tickets. Didn't even think about going. Didn't even think about downloading ANYTHING on my dialup computer. Although I had been on message boards for years I hadn't done any downloading. Then that invisible clip hit and I was up all night until I figured it out and after that I was toast. I got tickets to the show in San Jose, then beat back one of my phobias and got tickets to Sacramento and then thought what the heck...I'm going to LA too. LOL. The Sacramento show was first and I went to the pre party... where I felt like... why am I here. I don't know these people. Like I said I felt like more of a lurker and not really apart and thought I was just in there talking to myself.

Then I met Permaswooned. I think I was looking pretty lost. She and her husband were so warm. Then I went inside -- where I think I had a few ticket exchanges to do..hey actually I bought tickets for webweaver (Australia I think). Then I was sitting there in the pre party still fealing like.. I don't know these people... when Churchmouse, who was sitting across from me looks at me and screams in joy..COUCHTOMATO LOL. I guess I wasn't invisible. And that was just the beginning. heh. And then I went on to LA to sleep with my first stranger..Perusing One. Didn't even know her last name when I got to the hotel first..and somehow talked that woman into checking her list and letting me in the room heee.

Honestly never felt at home on a Clay message board until Clack House was born. Had a ton of good times there. That's one of the reasons I was so reluctant to start this board. So happy I did.

[annabear]

Honestly never felt at home on a Clay message board until Clack House was born. Had a ton of good times there. That's one of the reasons I was so reluctant to start this board. So happy I did.

Me too! :thbighug-1:

[Bella19]

I'm going to give you a huge {{{bearhug}}} about IQF the next time I see you (hopefully soon, and even better, at a concert), but aren't I going to a fiber craft event in TO with you and Bella in the Spring? (assuming that I'm in the country, since I have a new job that involves quite a bit of traveling)

Eeeeeehhhhh!!! You mean you can really, really come to the Creativ Festival with us?? That would be AWEsome!! It's April 24-26th, just FYI for planning purposes....know what you mean about the travelling! It makes planning life interesting...

EEEEEEEEEEe! Great minds think alike - I just looked up the dates for the spring Creativ festival too! Spring Creative Fesitval If you can both make it, you can watch me buy waaaay too many scrapbooking supplies that I may never use.

Ahh, the fandom and where mine started....

I wasn't an internet newbie when Clay came along - I'd been on Trek boards for years, in particular Deep Space 9 - went to lots of conventions with my older daughter too.

After watching the finale 6 years ago, I didn't even go to the AI tour in Toronto. My younger daughter and I were away at a rented cottage that week and I spent most of the summer and fall organizing two house moves, for my mum and the girls and I. It wasn't until November that the girls pointed out MOAM for me, which I promptly bought. At that time, the only online site I'd check was the old RCA site and board. Fast forward to the spring five years ago and I'd discoverd the Broads and the CH. When the NAT was announced, my older daughter gifted me with tickets to Syracuse for my bday and went with me - she's the enabler child. I was so excited to see women wearing purple at the venue - t's, boas and tiaras! DD thought it would be rude to talk to people I didn't know - hee! The dear girl pushed her way through to the merch table for me and said we didn't need much dinner, so I should buy whatever I wanted from the concert. That was the last time I saw Clay live until the JBT in Darien Lake....

By March 2005, one of the Cdn fans in Ontario organized a lunch at the Eaton Centre in Toronto. I was thrilled that there were real, live Clay fans in Ontario and, good grief, my city! We had reps there from the CB, the Broads, and the CH - lonely old me. That eventful lunch is also where I met my very dear friend, Claymatron, who I've shared so many wonderful memories and trips with now. Because of my lovely friend, I also met the London ladies - goldarngirl, luckiest1, cindilu2, canfly, alspaz and, of course FromClaygary.

I don't think Scarlett remembers this, but I had a five minute conversation with you after the CH dinner in Canandaigua before the concert. Hopefully our next conversation is much longer!

[Claymatron]

I was another one with no internet experience before Clay came into my life. We had a computer at work (hubby and I owned our own business in a city just outside of Toronto) but I only used it for my accounting and as a work processor. One of our biggest customers insisted that we receive and send our PO's and invoices by an internet tradeweb so we had it set up.

Meanwhile, because there was nothing else on TV we got hooked on AI2, and both of us were Clay fans from the first. We actually stopped watching the show during the time he was dropped from Group 2 and then came back on the Wildcard show. It was SOOOO frustrating not being able to vote because we were Canadian. I actually had my cousins in Michigan voting on my behalf and was so frustrated when they couldn't get through for one vote the night before the finale.

Anyway, like most, I was devastated when he didn't win and so afraid we were going to lose him until one of our employees, a computer geek, suggested I search the net for information. I can do that? Wow, what an amazing invention!!! I found claytonaiken. com and posted in the guest book. In fact met up with a bunch of other fans there who started e-mailing each other and after about 3 months, discovered the CB forum and what it was.

One person I met through the CB guest book was going to the Toronto AI show there, she offered to pick up a program for me and then later phoned and asked if I'd like to go to Albany with her to see the tour there. Would I??? That was the start of it. I saw the Albany AI2 show, then the IT in Nassau Colliseum in Long Is. NY, went to the NAT in Syracuse...where I met cindilu2, Clio (twice) and New Hampshire. Then because we closed our business and moved, I met up with the London folk and joined their group. (waves to goldarngirl, luckiest1, heinz, cindilu2, alspaz, canfly and now FromClaygary)

Now, having seen Clay at least once in every tour (sometimes as many as 5), plus Spam and the Gala, for a total of about 30 times, I'm ready, with my wonderul travel buddy, Bella19, to get on the road and, once again, follow the man.

Thank God for an understanding husband!

[Lotus]

I am enjoying reading your stories of conversion to Claydom but I'd like to interject a small request here.

I have been doing some sorting of Clay photos and there is one from the BAF Gala 2008 that I would love to have.

Do any of you have a photo of Clay when he turned around in his leather jacket after successfully zipping it up, flung wide his arms and shouted "Yes!!" to the delighted screams of the audience?

[00lsee]

Quick question, but important: Does anyone know how to password protect an entire folder in My Documents? It is tedious to password protect each and every document within a folder. I'd love to just slap a lock on the contents of an entire folder (without having to zip/compress it first).

[preden]

I was another one with no internet experience before Clay came into my life. We had a computer at work (hubby and I owned our own business in a city just outside of Toronto) but I only used it for my accounting and as a work processor. One of our biggest customers insisted that we receive and send our PO's and invoices by an internet tradeweb so we had it set up.

Meanwhile, because there was nothing else on TV we got hooked on AI2, and both of us were Clay fans from the first. We actually stopped watching the show during the time he was dropped from Group 2 and then came back on the Wildcard show. It was SOOOO frustrating not being able to vote because we were Canadian. I actually had my cousins in Michigan voting on my behalf and was so frustrated when they couldn't get through for one vote the night before the finale.

Anyway, like most, I was devasted when he didn't win and so afraid we were going to lose him until one of our employees, a computer geek, suggested I search the net for information. I can do that? Wow, what an amazing invention!!! I found claytonaiken. com and posted in the guest book. In fact met up with a bunch of other fans who started e-mailing each other and after about 3 months, discovered the CB forum and what it was.

One person I met through the CB guest book was going to the Toronto AI show there, she offered to pick up a program for me and then later phoned and asked if I'd like to go to Albany with her to see the tour there. Would I??? That was the start of it. I saw the Albany AI2 show, then the IT in Nassau Colliseum in Long Is. NY, went to the NAT in Syracuse...where I met cindilu2, Clio (twice) and New Hampshire. Then because we closed our business and moved, I met up with the London folk and joined their group. (waves to goldarngirl, luckiest1, heinz, cindilu2, alspaz, canfly and now FromClaygary)

Now, having seen Clay at least once in every tour (sometimes as many as 5), plus Spam and the Gala, for a total of about 30 times, I'm ready, with my wonderul travel buddy, Bella19, to get on the road and, once again, follow the man.

Thank God for an understanding husband!

Me too hadn't done much with computers before clay, he has brought so much into my life. First going to see spam and him for first time in march 08, meeting 2 wonderful ladies goldarngirl and FromClaygary who have brought so much to my life, going to first cluncheon in August, meeting some others great ladies from Ontarion, luckiest1, heinz, cindilu2, alspaz, canfly, and also me myb from Calgary who also I got to spend time with in NYC in Jan 09 seeing clay six times in spam what an amazing experience. I hope did not forget others from Ontario, meeting many fans there too. The best is yet to come as some other person mentionned. I'm so looking forward to hear if I'll be able to see a concert this year. I'm so very thankful for all of you here.