I wrote this for Beavers on Idol on 05/30/2004, not knowing when Clay would release his next CD. Two years later, we still have no news, except that the album will be out “in the fall” as per Roger Widynowski, Vice President of Publicity for RCA Records. I updated the ending. I've also been trying to add photos for the past two days but it's not letting me. Talk about frustration!
Did Clive Davis Really know what he had in Clay Aiken?
Three years ago, American Idol, Season 2, came to an end. The winner was Ruben Studdard and the runner-up was Clay Aiken. Most people couldn’t believe the outcome of America ’s #1 talent show, most people thought Clay would win. I dare say, even RCA thought Clay would win. But it was what it was.
The weeks following the end of the show were a whirlwind of promotional appearances on the morning talk shows, Larry King, and anticipation of the release of the first single from each man. When the singles were released, both did extremely well, but a strange thing happened. The runner-up started to out-sell the winner. Approximately 393,000 singles of This Is the Night, Clay's first single, moved that week, unprecedented in the world of singles.
What was it with this Clay Aiken dude? What did people see in him besides that marvelous voice? What else was going on? Everyone knew he could sing the heck out of ballads and the sales of the single proved it. But could he do more? No one really knew at that point.
Clay was signed to RCA records by the legendary Clive Davis. Clive Davis is, first and foremost, a businessman, but he has an ear for the music business that is astonishing. He knew that Clay had this outstanding voice, but did Clive Davis really know what he had in Clay Aiken? I think that no one, not even the legendary Clive Davis, knew what they had in Clay Aiken.
Take a look at the songs on "Measure of a Man." Most of the songs are ballads or mid-tempo songs. Could Clay pull off up-tempo songs? Could he pull off rock songs? No one knew.
Fast forward to the American Idol 2 tour. Clay had two full solos on that tour, This Is the Night, and what was to be his first single release off his “Measure of a Man” CD, Invisible. From the first unveiling of that song in St. Paul, Clay rocked the house. Clay proved that he could rock out with the best of them. Problem was, his CD was already recorded by that time and most of the songs were mid-tempo songs.
Invisible got really decent air-play. It was slow-going for a while, but that song was perfect for CHR formatted radio - a catchy pop song that stayed in your head long after the song ended. With the release of “Measure of a Man” on October 13th, selling over 612,000 copies the first week, people were starting to take notice of the runner-up of a cheesy TV show.
Fast-forward once again to The Independent Tour with Kelly Clarkson. Clay opened his set with Kyrie, coming out from the back of each venue in full rock-star mode, bodyguards surrounding him as he made his way towards the stage, once again rocking the house. A funny thing happened on the way to the stage. Clay Aiken shed the image of a man who could only sing ballads. He proved that he could sing anything. He proved that he could take an audience of 8,000 people and hold them in the palm of his hand. Some of the musical choices in his set were expected. He covered most of the songs from “Measure of a Man,” but some of the other songs he chose to sing made his fans sit up and take notice. Clay got everyone up on their feet, dancing along with All About Love, a Christian Contemporary song; he sang his heart out on Fields of Gold, a song penned by Sting, and he took some vocal chances that amazed us on Prince's ever-delectable When Doves Cry.
So, did Clive Davis know what he had in Clay Aiken when he first signed Clay to a recording contract? I don’t think ANYONE could have predicted the meteoric rise to fame that Clay achieved. I don’t think anyone could have predicted that Clay Aiken, North Carolina Special Ed teacher, would win the hearts of millions of fans as quickly as he did. I don’t think that anyone realized that Clay Aiken, superstar, could go from This Is the Night to Invisible to Kyrie to When Doves Cry to Proud of Your Boy to his first appearance on Broadway, singing a duet with Heather Headly, and so completely captivate his audiences no matter what he sings.
Clay’s fans are anticipating a Christmas album in October of this year and they are looking forward to his sophomore CD, “Son of Measure of a Man” in the spring of 2005. Does Clive Davis know what kind of songs to put on the NEXT CD? I bet he does now. Does Clive Davis know what he has in Clay Aiken? I bet he does now
UPDATE: Since I wrote this, Clay has toured four more times, his “Not a Tour”, or NaT, ran through the summer of 2004, his Joyful Noise ’04 Christmas Tour, the JNT04, had a 6 week run, his Jukebox Tour, a delightful romp through the decades of rock and roll ran through the summer of 2005, and he ended 2005 with the JNT05, a Holiday Tour that spanned the country.
Clay was working with producer James Foster-Levy through much of the summer and fall of 2005. According to Clay’s blogs, he was very happy with the direction of the next CD. Then he announced that Clive Davis had the idea to sing some of the great songs of yesteryear, but putting a new, modern spin on them. In December, they decided to discard what Clay previously worked on and go with a concept album featuring some of his favorite songs of the past 25 years or so, along with some originals.
And the question still begs to be asked:
Does Clive Davis know what he has in Clay Aiken?
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Sunday, May 28, 2006
The Giant is Awakening
This article was first written and published on Beavers on Idol on June 27, 2005. With only slight modifications for 2006, I submit it for your reading pleasure..........
It's starting.
All across the nation, through-out the Clay boards, the fans are stirring. There is a palpable energy surging from one message board to the other. Like a game of telephone, we are starting to hear rumblings from the Giant. And it is good.
The past five months have been hard on Clay Aiken fans, especially the fans tuned into the internet. Clay sightings have been few and far between. His last concert tour ended the last week of December, 2005 and his subsequent TV appearances have been nil.
Clay went to Eastern Europe for a week on vacation, where he promptly got the sickest he’s ever been, and he posted some pictures of him and Kristy Barnes, the CEO of his Bubel-Aiken Foundation and his companion, on that vacation. He had some fittings for a photo shoot, where he was very careful to only be photographed from either above or behind, never a full frontal shot. Hiding the new hair do, Clay?
But it wasn't enough.
What was Clay doing? This was the longest stretch of time that the ClayNation has ever gone without a multitude of Clay mentions. What's happening with the CD? Is he recording? Is he in the studio? Has he chosen the songs yet? Does he have the arrangements laid down? Who is he working with? Who are the producers? The song writers? So many questions, so few answers.
Then two things happened.
First, Clay spoke in his blog on his Official fan Club site, saying that he will be recording covers and a few original ‘gems’. This was a total 360 degree turn-around for what the fans were expecting. The speculating and extrapolating were running rampant until.....
We heard that he would appear on American Idol.
I could never have imagined how excited that would make everyone. The exposure to the AI audience of over 200 million was invaluable and best of all, we’d get, finally, to see Clay again. So it was with anticipation that we watched the show. And fell in love all over again.
Never let it be said that Clay’s fans aren’t creative and enthusiastic. Last year (2005), to get us through the drought, one of the internet boards, Clayversity, designed a pin for their board members. Another internet message board, The Clackhouse, also decided to design a pin for their members. What started out small, grew and grew and grew all across the Claynation. Lanyards, and keychains, and pins, oh, my..... More and more boards jumped on board with designing pins (and keychains and lanyards), each designing their pins specific to their boards. The creativity of Clay's fans is astonishing; the designs of these pins are amazing. In the end, over 150 different pin designs were created and bought; to wear, to show our support, to trade with other fans What started out among a sub-set of Clay fans, morphed into a fun way to share our community with each other.
This year, we turned our attention to blogging. Just look at the links to the right of this post. Most of these bloggers, myself included, had never blogged before. We didn’t know or understand code, so we taught ourselves. And we're having a freaking blast doing it, too!
The 'Community of Clay' is alive and well, despite the fact that Clay hasn't been seen much lately. The 'O'fficial Fan Club is up and running and we hope to get news of either a single drop date or an album release date QUITE soon! We hope to get news of what Clay has been up to, news about the CD.
So.....All across the nation, through-out the Clay boards, the fans are stirring. There is a palpable energy surging from one message board to the other. Like a game of telephone, we are starting to hear rumblings from the Giant. And it is good. So we wait and we wonder and we speculate. The Giant is awakening from a long slumber and the fans are stirring.
It's going to be a terrific summer of Clay, version 2006.
Related Tags: Clay Aiken, Bubel/Aiken Foundation, Eastern Europe, RCA, Clay Aiken Official Fan Club, American Idol
It's starting.
All across the nation, through-out the Clay boards, the fans are stirring. There is a palpable energy surging from one message board to the other. Like a game of telephone, we are starting to hear rumblings from the Giant. And it is good.
The past five months have been hard on Clay Aiken fans, especially the fans tuned into the internet. Clay sightings have been few and far between. His last concert tour ended the last week of December, 2005 and his subsequent TV appearances have been nil.Clay went to Eastern Europe for a week on vacation, where he promptly got the sickest he’s ever been, and he posted some pictures of him and Kristy Barnes, the CEO of his Bubel-Aiken Foundation and his companion, on that vacation. He had some fittings for a photo shoot, where he was very careful to only be photographed from either above or behind, never a full frontal shot. Hiding the new hair do, Clay?
But it wasn't enough.
What was Clay doing? This was the longest stretch of time that the ClayNation has ever gone without a multitude of Clay mentions. What's happening with the CD? Is he recording? Is he in the studio? Has he chosen the songs yet? Does he have the arrangements laid down? Who is he working with? Who are the producers? The song writers? So many questions, so few answers.Then two things happened.
First, Clay spoke in his blog on his Official fan Club site, saying that he will be recording covers and a few original ‘gems’. This was a total 360 degree turn-around for what the fans were expecting. The speculating and extrapolating were running rampant until.....
We heard that he would appear on American Idol.
I could never have imagined how excited that would make everyone. The exposure to the AI audience of over 200 million was invaluable and best of all, we’d get, finally, to see Clay again. So it was with anticipation that we watched the show. And fell in love all over again.
Never let it be said that Clay’s fans aren’t creative and enthusiastic. Last year (2005), to get us through the drought, one of the internet boards, Clayversity, designed a pin for their board members. Another internet message board, The Clackhouse, also decided to design a pin for their members. What started out small, grew and grew and grew all across the Claynation. Lanyards, and keychains, and pins, oh, my..... More and more boards jumped on board with designing pins (and keychains and lanyards), each designing their pins specific to their boards. The creativity of Clay's fans is astonishing; the designs of these pins are amazing. In the end, over 150 different pin designs were created and bought; to wear, to show our support, to trade with other fans What started out among a sub-set of Clay fans, morphed into a fun way to share our community with each other.This year, we turned our attention to blogging. Just look at the links to the right of this post. Most of these bloggers, myself included, had never blogged before. We didn’t know or understand code, so we taught ourselves. And we're having a freaking blast doing it, too!
The 'Community of Clay' is alive and well, despite the fact that Clay hasn't been seen much lately. The 'O'fficial Fan Club is up and running and we hope to get news of either a single drop date or an album release date QUITE soon! We hope to get news of what Clay has been up to, news about the CD.
So.....All across the nation, through-out the Clay boards, the fans are stirring. There is a palpable energy surging from one message board to the other. Like a game of telephone, we are starting to hear rumblings from the Giant. And it is good. So we wait and we wonder and we speculate. The Giant is awakening from a long slumber and the fans are stirring.It's going to be a terrific summer of Clay, version 2006.
Related Tags: Clay Aiken, Bubel/Aiken Foundation, Eastern Europe, RCA, Clay Aiken Official Fan Club, American Idol
Saturday, May 27, 2006
On the Radio, the radio, the radio
Anyone who has been following the career of Clay Aiken knows that radio has not been very friendly to him. Speculation abounds, but some of the reasons thrown out there are 1). American Idol is karaoke, or 2). Clay's songs do not fit our format, or 3). He's NOT cool and we only play the cool kids, or 4). RCA hasn't 'promoted' him, a$ in $upport dollar$ as they have other people. Clay just hasn't received a lot of respect on the radio.
No matter what you think may be the reason, the fact is that Clay's 'Invisible' reached about #14 on the charts, when it was abruptly pulled from most Clear Channel stations after Clay and Kelly decided to let AEG promote their Independent Tour instead of Clear Channel. Again, speculation as to why 'Invisible' was pulled, but no doubt, it's been an uphill battle for Aiken to get played on the radio, and not having a new CD for the past 2-1/2 years hasn't helped.So it was with much surprise that I listened to this conversation on the syndicated Ace & TJ Show. Thanks to Good Baby Brush from The ClackHouse, who transcribed it:
1st Male DJ: And... it's been awhile, but getting past all the seizure and everything that happened with the kid, the heartwarming moment, and all that stuff, Clay. Aiken. Is. Awesome. God!
Female DJ: I love Clay Aiken
2nd Male DJ: Yeah
1st Male DJ: That guy is just unbelievable with his voice
2nd Male DJ: Yes
1st Male DJ: And you Claymates, you go overboard with all of your Clay fan stuff, and I don't care anything about what he does in his other life or the rumors or any of that stuff, that kid has one of the best voices I have ever heard in my life. God!
2nd Male DJ: And it is so effortless.
1st Male DJ: To watch him, just watching this clip a minute ago, he's singing this Elton John classic. And whether you know the original or you know the version that George Michael did with Elton John in the early to mid-90s. That's a tough song. And Clay Aiken is holding the microphone, and it looks like he's walking through his backyard. And it's just this HUGE voice that's so ...
Female DJ: This natural...
1st Male DJ: Effortless
2nd Male DJ: Not a fan of that song. At all
1st Male DJ: ohhh, I am. I think that's a brilliant song. Love that song.
2nd Male DJ: But I love hearing him sing it. And, you know I didn't watch it that year, I didn't keep up with American Idol, but I've heard some Clay Aiken stuff since then, and, yeah, he's really, really good.
Ace & TJ broadcast live in these areas: *LIVE in: Charlotte NC, Birmingham AL, Chattanooga TN, Myrtle Beach, College Station PA, Paris, TN, Union City, TN
Enjoy the performance again:
It seems as if the American Idol video was removed from YouTube.com so enjoy this of Clay singing "I Can't Make You Love Me" from the Vermont, 2005 Jukebox Tour.
And enjoy this video of Clay singing 'Back for More' in Vermont, about hearing a song "on the radio, the radio, the radio"..... Thanks to Spotlightlover for capturing this unique performance of a new song by Clay.
Related Tags: Clay Aiken, Clear Channel, AEG, Ace & TJ, RCA, Radio, American Idol
Kelly Clarkson
Friday, May 26, 2006
The Clay Aiken Reaction
It's taken me an entire day to process both the fan reaction and the media reaction to Clay's appearance on American Idol.
My reaction was classic Shadylil. As soon as my jaw dropped, I started laughing and laughing and laughing because Clay Freaking Aiken had done it again. He totally surprised the hell out of me. Here was a guy who was known as much for his hair style as he was for his voice and what does he do? He completely blows his former image out of the water. That, my friends, take balls of titanium and Aiken has them in spades.After Clay finished singing:
Clay Aiken wannabe Michael Sandecki is absolutely stunned when his hero walks behind him on stage. After the song ends and the cameras turn off, Sandecki remains in shock. He walks off the side of the stage and people sitting near the front try to shake his hand and offer their support but he’ll have none of it. He keeps his hands over his open mouth, never moving his arms, literally traumatized by the recent turn of events. His emotions get the best of him and he begins gently weeping before leaving.
The phone line in my house was humming with quite a few calls from friends to talk about Clay's appearance. My e-mail was receiving a workout and both The ClackHouse and Clayton's Place were posting so fast that it was hard to keep up. Thank God I had off yesterday.
The bloggers have been all abuzz about it. Check out Idle Wanderings for a list of links to various media sources, or The Clay Blog for the video of Clay's AI performance and the priceless reaction of Michael Sandecki, the uber-fan of the night. Check out Marhaven Musings to not only read about Clay's appearance, but to listen to his glorious voice singing Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun go Down on Me". For a comparison of American Idol's top ten best moments, go to Diamond Dust and start reliving some of those wonderful 'moments' in AI history.
I also want to take this moment to congratulate Taylor Hicks on his win as the American Idol of 2006. I love Taylor, loved him since the beginning. Whenever he goes on stage, I smile. He's an infectuous performer who spreads joy when he sings.
And to Katherine McPhee, honey, you're going to be a huge star! With a voice like yours, the opportunities that will open for you will be endless. Grab ahold of them and enjoy the ride.
Related Tags: American Idol, Clay Aiken, The Clackhouse, Clayton's Place, Elton John, Taylor Hicks, Katherine McPhee, Clay Aiken Official Fan Club
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Clay Aiken...Making an Entrance
Well, I was just thrown for a loop.
It's been 5 months since I've seen Clay Aiken. That's right, five months since the end of the Joyful Noise Tour and Clay Nation hasn't seen hide nor hair of Clay since then. He's written a few blogs, he's posted pictures of his vacation, and a few murky pictures of his fitting for the photo shoot, but a proper sighting of Clay? Not for five months. Five l-o-n-g months.
Until tonight.
Let me just say that when Clay Aiken makes an entrance, Clay Aiken MAKES AN ENTRANCE.
There has been buzz for the past several days that Clay would appear on American Idol. Nothing was confirmed and the message boards were humming and buzzing and speculating. Finally around dinnertime, most of the Official fan club members got an e-mail from the fan club that said this:
Be sure to tune in to the season finale of American Idol TONIGHT ... You don't want to miss this one!!
Heh. So we did. There was some lame joke running throughout the show highlighting some really bad auditions and giving an award for the worst. So the third skit featured 'wannabe's', people who tried to be like other performers, i.e. Cher, Michael jackson, Clay. Now these people were really bad. The person who 'won' that skit was Michael Sandecki, who vaguely looked like a poor man's version of Audition Clay. Sang REALLY bad. But as he was singing, out strides Clay Aiken.
Not the Clay Aiken we all know and love, oh, no! THIS Clay Aiken was totally different than most people remember him. Gone were the spikes, the blond highlights, in its place was some British-mod-rocker look that found us with our jaws on the ground.
Who in the world was this guy?
That's Clay Aiken?
That? CLAY AIKEN???
Oh, yes, indeedy, THAT was Clay Aiken. All Ray Davies-looking and everything, singing his ass off, as usual.
Who's going to be talking about the winner tomorrow? They'll be talking about Clay Aiken and how he brought the house down, just by walking on stage, looking totally hot, and singing his ass off.
Already, the news outlets are buzzing. Yahoo News Search had this up within minutes of Clay's appearance. So did MSNBC.com. And FilmMagic.com.
Taylor Who?
Related Tags:
Clay Aiken
American Idol
Taylor Hicks
Katherine McPhee
Ryan Seacrest
Simon Cowell
Paula Abdul
Randy Jackson
Ray Davies
The Kinks
MSNBC
FilmMagic
It's been 5 months since I've seen Clay Aiken. That's right, five months since the end of the Joyful Noise Tour and Clay Nation hasn't seen hide nor hair of Clay since then. He's written a few blogs, he's posted pictures of his vacation, and a few murky pictures of his fitting for the photo shoot, but a proper sighting of Clay? Not for five months. Five l-o-n-g months.
Until tonight.
Let me just say that when Clay Aiken makes an entrance, Clay Aiken MAKES AN ENTRANCE.
There has been buzz for the past several days that Clay would appear on American Idol. Nothing was confirmed and the message boards were humming and buzzing and speculating. Finally around dinnertime, most of the Official fan club members got an e-mail from the fan club that said this:
Be sure to tune in to the season finale of American Idol TONIGHT ... You don't want to miss this one!!
Heh. So we did. There was some lame joke running throughout the show highlighting some really bad auditions and giving an award for the worst. So the third skit featured 'wannabe's', people who tried to be like other performers, i.e. Cher, Michael jackson, Clay. Now these people were really bad. The person who 'won' that skit was Michael Sandecki, who vaguely looked like a poor man's version of Audition Clay. Sang REALLY bad. But as he was singing, out strides Clay Aiken.
Not the Clay Aiken we all know and love, oh, no! THIS Clay Aiken was totally different than most people remember him. Gone were the spikes, the blond highlights, in its place was some British-mod-rocker look that found us with our jaws on the ground.
Who in the world was this guy?
That's Clay Aiken?
That? CLAY AIKEN???
Oh, yes, indeedy, THAT was Clay Aiken. All Ray Davies-looking and everything, singing his ass off, as usual.
Who's going to be talking about the winner tomorrow? They'll be talking about Clay Aiken and how he brought the house down, just by walking on stage, looking totally hot, and singing his ass off.Already, the news outlets are buzzing. Yahoo News Search had this up within minutes of Clay's appearance. So did MSNBC.com. And FilmMagic.com.
Taylor Who?
Related Tags:
Clay Aiken
American Idol
Taylor Hicks
Katherine McPhee
Ryan Seacrest
Simon Cowell
Paula Abdul
Randy Jackson
Ray Davies
The Kinks
MSNBC
FilmMagic
Sunday, May 21, 2006
The Anomaly...A time to Celebrate!
The Clay Blog reminded me that today is the third anniversary of The Anomaly. What, may one ask, is The Anomaly? It's when the planets were out of alignment and Ruben Studdard beat Clay Aiken on American Idol, Season Two, in May, 2003. It was like an alternate universe, where you KNOW that Clay should have won, but he didn't.
As much as that hurt me three years ago, I kind of celebrate it today. I celebrate because without AI, I would have never known Clay Aiken. He would have stayed in North Carolina, finishing up his degree in Special Education, and today, he'd be teaching in a classroom.
Because of American Idol, America had been privileged to hear the golden voice of Clay Aiken and soon, the entire world will hear him sing. I remember something his mother said, something like, "We don't know why God gave Clay that voice of his, but it had to be for a reason". I'm not religious, but if Clay has brought the same level of happiness to others as he has brought to me, well, that prophecy had been fulfilled.
So I celebrate today. I celebrate that Clay Aiken has come into my life, that Clay has fostered friendships the world over that he probably never dreamed of. He has always said, "I want to make a difference. it's not necessarily how I make the difference, but I want to be sure that I do", or words to that effect.
Well, Clay, I guess you never thought that the biggest difference you'd make was the friendships that have sprung up all over America and the world because of your voice.
I predict bigger things are in store for Mr. Aiken, but right now, I'm celebrating what he has given me so far, friendship, laughter, joy. And an amazing group of women ranging from 8 to 80 who are bright, articulate, intelligent, and who support each other in good times and bad.
Here's to you, Mr. Aiken!
Related Tags:
Clay Aiken
North Carolina
Special Education
American Idol
Ruben Studdard
As much as that hurt me three years ago, I kind of celebrate it today. I celebrate because without AI, I would have never known Clay Aiken. He would have stayed in North Carolina, finishing up his degree in Special Education, and today, he'd be teaching in a classroom.
Because of American Idol, America had been privileged to hear the golden voice of Clay Aiken and soon, the entire world will hear him sing. I remember something his mother said, something like, "We don't know why God gave Clay that voice of his, but it had to be for a reason". I'm not religious, but if Clay has brought the same level of happiness to others as he has brought to me, well, that prophecy had been fulfilled.
So I celebrate today. I celebrate that Clay Aiken has come into my life, that Clay has fostered friendships the world over that he probably never dreamed of. He has always said, "I want to make a difference. it's not necessarily how I make the difference, but I want to be sure that I do", or words to that effect.
Well, Clay, I guess you never thought that the biggest difference you'd make was the friendships that have sprung up all over America and the world because of your voice.
I predict bigger things are in store for Mr. Aiken, but right now, I'm celebrating what he has given me so far, friendship, laughter, joy. And an amazing group of women ranging from 8 to 80 who are bright, articulate, intelligent, and who support each other in good times and bad.
Here's to you, Mr. Aiken!
Related Tags:
Clay Aiken
North Carolina
Special Education
American Idol
Ruben Studdard
Friday, May 19, 2006
Computer condoms
"It doesn't make sense. And if it doesn't make sense...."
Judge Judy
"Condoms are for safety and protection, right? Well....what, then, makes them so frustrating to install?
Oh, you thought I was talking about condom condoms? Oh, no, no, no, my dears, I was talking about anti-virus/spyware protection condoms. Get your mind out of the gutters, smutters. When I talk protection, I talk anti-virus/spyware protection.
So.
I had to update my anti-virus/spyware program today. Actually, I had to update it about three weeks ago, but I put it off. Seems like I do a lot of that lately. Anyway, tonight I purchased my updated version and installed it. First it told me that I had to un-install the 2005 version. Well, ok, but since that's your older version, how about just overwriting the fucking program intead of making me wait while you un-install it? Makes no sense.
So, $24.95 poorer, I installed the 2006 version of my anti-virus/spyware program. All well and good. Except at the end of the process where it tells me: You may not have the most up-to-date version of your anti-virus/spyware program. Click here to update.
OK. Why, may I ask, would you install an updated 2006 version and NOT GIVE ME THE MOST UP-TO-DATE ONE???
Makes no sense.
So....I go to the little icon in my start bar and click on it and up pops a window that says:
Your firewall wall is............ON
Your anit-spyware is..........ON
Your virus protection is......OFF
WTF??
OK, all I want to do is turn the virus protection on. Easy, right?
Except not.
There is no where to click to upload it. Nowhere. Nada. Zilch.
I started clicking my freaking mouse all over the freaking window. I have no clue why, I was pissed. Well, I must have clicked the right area because all of a sudden, there it was. I got to upload the most up-to-date version that I should have received for my $24.95.
*sigh*
I'm in the wrong business.
Just because:
Judge Judy
"Condoms are for safety and protection, right? Well....what, then, makes them so frustrating to install?
Oh, you thought I was talking about condom condoms? Oh, no, no, no, my dears, I was talking about anti-virus/spyware protection condoms. Get your mind out of the gutters, smutters. When I talk protection, I talk anti-virus/spyware protection.
So.
I had to update my anti-virus/spyware program today. Actually, I had to update it about three weeks ago, but I put it off. Seems like I do a lot of that lately. Anyway, tonight I purchased my updated version and installed it. First it told me that I had to un-install the 2005 version. Well, ok, but since that's your older version, how about just overwriting the fucking program intead of making me wait while you un-install it? Makes no sense.
So, $24.95 poorer, I installed the 2006 version of my anti-virus/spyware program. All well and good. Except at the end of the process where it tells me: You may not have the most up-to-date version of your anti-virus/spyware program. Click here to update.
OK. Why, may I ask, would you install an updated 2006 version and NOT GIVE ME THE MOST UP-TO-DATE ONE???
Makes no sense.
So....I go to the little icon in my start bar and click on it and up pops a window that says:
Your firewall wall is............ON
Your anit-spyware is..........ON
Your virus protection is......OFF
WTF??
OK, all I want to do is turn the virus protection on. Easy, right?
Except not.
There is no where to click to upload it. Nowhere. Nada. Zilch.
I started clicking my freaking mouse all over the freaking window. I have no clue why, I was pissed. Well, I must have clicked the right area because all of a sudden, there it was. I got to upload the most up-to-date version that I should have received for my $24.95.
*sigh*
I'm in the wrong business.
Just because:
Related Tags:
condoms
anti-virus/spyware protection
Judge Judy
firewall
Clay Aiken
American Idol
Computer
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
How Clay Aiken changed my life
So....how did discovering Clay Aiken change my life? Pull up and chair and set a spell.
In the Spring of 2003, I discovered the Clay message boards. Never really knew that there were message boards in cyber-space before, I only frequented HGTV and thought their message boards were a unique feature to the website.
Well, I got an education. There are message boards out there for just about any interest in the entire world. Who would've known? So I started reading the message boards. I started to get to know some individual posters. We ended up meeting at my second Clay concert, the AI2 Tour in Philly. Color me surprised because I never even thought about meeting anyone on-line, let alone in real life. I met one poster, then another, then another, and so on, and so on, and so on.....you know the drill.
And imagine how I felt when I met several of my dearest friends through the message boards and we discovered that we all live within an hour of each other. Several of them live within 15 minutes of my house. These are ladies I never would have met otherwise. They are teachers, they are retired, they are cooks, they are VP's of their company. They are saleswomen and social workers and nurses and writers and students and businesswomen and lawyers. They are America and I met them on the internet. How cool.
We started hooking up to go to Clay Aiken concerts.
Let me explain what a Clay Aiken concert is. It's not just a concert, it's a happening, an experience, a good time. We get together before the concert to break bread, and assemble after the concert to drink spirits. And during the concert, there is this joy that radiates from Clay to us, and from us back to Clay. As an entertainer, he's a throw-back to old vaudeville days. He sings, he dances, he tells jokes, he banters with the audience. Oh, yes, he sings with this amazing voice that has the power to pull emotions from deep within: laughter, sorrow, pathos, reverence. And he does it by just opening his mouth and letting loose.
Clay Aiken performing several Elvis songs at a concert in Cary, NC in August 2005.
The incredible people I've met through the Clay Aiken message boards are precious to me. We fly all over the country to see not only Clay, but each other. We meet in between tours, we celebrate births and marriages, we support those going through divorces or the death of a loved one. We've made a cyber-community because we all had one thing in common....our love of Clay Aiken's voice, but it's our friendships that hold us together.
These friendships have taught me many things. They taught me how to use a computer, download video, write code in HTML, computer graphics, how to be a better, faster typist. They've opened my ears to different kinds of music and books and art. They taught me to listen without pre-judging someone by their looks, they taught me how to communicate my thoughts in an articulate manner, and how to disagree without disrespecting anyone. They taught me that age is just a number and how much fun it is to party with people much older and much younger than I am.
But most of all, they taught me how to have fun again. How to feel like a teenager again, how to let loose without worrying what anyone would think of me. My life has been enriched because of these relationships and I'm having the time of my life.
So thank you, Clay. Thank you for being you and for facilatating these friendships. They are incredible.
Thanks to Buzzietech for this amazing picture taken in Raleigh, NC, 08/06/2003
Related Tags:
Clay Aiken,
Philadelphia,
Raleigh,
Friendship,
Message Boards,
HGTV,
Vaudeville,
Computer Graphics
In the Spring of 2003, I discovered the Clay message boards. Never really knew that there were message boards in cyber-space before, I only frequented HGTV and thought their message boards were a unique feature to the website.
Well, I got an education. There are message boards out there for just about any interest in the entire world. Who would've known? So I started reading the message boards. I started to get to know some individual posters. We ended up meeting at my second Clay concert, the AI2 Tour in Philly. Color me surprised because I never even thought about meeting anyone on-line, let alone in real life. I met one poster, then another, then another, and so on, and so on, and so on.....you know the drill.And imagine how I felt when I met several of my dearest friends through the message boards and we discovered that we all live within an hour of each other. Several of them live within 15 minutes of my house. These are ladies I never would have met otherwise. They are teachers, they are retired, they are cooks, they are VP's of their company. They are saleswomen and social workers and nurses and writers and students and businesswomen and lawyers. They are America and I met them on the internet. How cool.
We started hooking up to go to Clay Aiken concerts.
Let me explain what a Clay Aiken concert is. It's not just a concert, it's a happening, an experience, a good time. We get together before the concert to break bread, and assemble after the concert to drink spirits. And during the concert, there is this joy that radiates from Clay to us, and from us back to Clay. As an entertainer, he's a throw-back to old vaudeville days. He sings, he dances, he tells jokes, he banters with the audience. Oh, yes, he sings with this amazing voice that has the power to pull emotions from deep within: laughter, sorrow, pathos, reverence. And he does it by just opening his mouth and letting loose.Clay Aiken performing several Elvis songs at a concert in Cary, NC in August 2005.
The incredible people I've met through the Clay Aiken message boards are precious to me. We fly all over the country to see not only Clay, but each other. We meet in between tours, we celebrate births and marriages, we support those going through divorces or the death of a loved one. We've made a cyber-community because we all had one thing in common....our love of Clay Aiken's voice, but it's our friendships that hold us together.
These friendships have taught me many things. They taught me how to use a computer, download video, write code in HTML, computer graphics, how to be a better, faster typist. They've opened my ears to different kinds of music and books and art. They taught me to listen without pre-judging someone by their looks, they taught me how to communicate my thoughts in an articulate manner, and how to disagree without disrespecting anyone. They taught me that age is just a number and how much fun it is to party with people much older and much younger than I am.
But most of all, they taught me how to have fun again. How to feel like a teenager again, how to let loose without worrying what anyone would think of me. My life has been enriched because of these relationships and I'm having the time of my life.
So thank you, Clay. Thank you for being you and for facilatating these friendships. They are incredible.
Thanks to Buzzietech for this amazing picture taken in Raleigh, NC, 08/06/2003
Related Tags:
Clay Aiken,
Philadelphia,
Raleigh,
Friendship,
Message Boards,
HGTV,
Vaudeville,
Computer Graphics
Sunday, May 14, 2006
You give me fever
Just because it exists.
Thank you k4Clay2. Thank you, Clack-providers.
Thank YOU, Mr. Aiken
Thank you k4Clay2. Thank you, Clack-providers.
Thank YOU, Mr. Aiken
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Life changing moments
There are all sorts of life-changing moments in our lives. Marriages, births, deaths...those are the really big ones. I don't want to talk about the big ones today, just a few that have happened to me, small, but what a difference they made in my life.
I remember 1964. February. The Ed Sullivan Show. The Beatles. I remember sitting on the floor in my living room, in front of the TV and screaming my head off. I was 11 years old and that moment changed my life. That moment brought music into my life in a whole different way. Previously, I had participated in my elementary schools' choir and the plays and anything I could to be able to sing, but hearing and watching The Beatles made me realize what music could do to one's life. How it can be the soundtrack to your experiences.
I didn't articulate that at age eleven, it took many, many years for me to put that feeling into words, but that night in 1964 certainly changed my life for the better. I ran out and bought my first album, Meet The Beatles, and listened to it over and over and over for hours upon end, alone in my room, just me, John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Each subsequent album brought more of the same. The many listenings, the quiet moments spent in the privacy of my room, hearing The Beatles put into words thoughts that I couldn't. As The Beatles' musicality progressed, so did mine. I listened to more challenging songs and chord progressions and deeper thoughts shared through song. It influenced me enough that I choose to major in music while in college.
The Beatles stayed with me all through high school and when I got to college, I discovered many other bands that affected my life. Pink Floyd, through headphones while stoned....Careful with That Axe, Eugene. Oh. My. God! Now THAT was an experience. Frank Zappa with his zircon-encrusted tweezers riding his pigmy -pony while DynaMo-humming. Good times, good times.
Through-out my 20's, music was an everyday experience because several of my friends played in bar bands and we spent almost every evening going out to hear them play and partying afterwards. Coming home drunk at 4:00 am and going to work the next day by 8:00 am is something only a twenty-something can do. Once you get a little older, you appreciate the value of more than 3 hours sleep.
My next obsession was Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. Maybe it was my music education, but I loved the classical rock that they did. Saw them in concert many times and even today, I still listen to their music, especially masterpieces such as Pictures at an Exhibition, or Brain Salad Surgery, or Trilogy. Greg Lake's songs touched a piece of my soul, especially Epitaph, recorded when he was with King Crimson on The Court of the Crimson King album, still, today, one of the best albums ever recorded.
Once I hit my 30's, my career took over and music was regulated to the car, or as background to housework, gardening or working at home. Until 2003. January. American Idol auditions. This skinny kid walked out, all arms and elbows in a geeky outfit and glasses. I actually thought he was a ringer for Simon to rip him a new one, but when Clay Aiken opened his mouth and sang Always and Forever, my mouth dropped open and I immediately called my friend Linda, and we both said, "Did you hear that kid's voice???" That was it. That's all it took. I was his, hook, line, and sinker. Every week. Every Tuesday at 8:00 pm I was watching that show just to hear Clay Aiken sing.
Fast-forward three and a half years later.
I'm still here, still listening to that marvelous voice, still enthralled when he opens his mouth and out comes beauty. That night in January, 2003, was a life-changing moment for me. Next blog I'll tell you why.
If you want to read more about music and influences, go to:
The ConClayve
Technorati tags:
Clay Aiken
The Beatles
Frank Zappa
Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Pink Floyd
American Idol
I remember 1964. February. The Ed Sullivan Show. The Beatles. I remember sitting on the floor in my living room, in front of the TV and screaming my head off. I was 11 years old and that moment changed my life. That moment brought music into my life in a whole different way. Previously, I had participated in my elementary schools' choir and the plays and anything I could to be able to sing, but hearing and watching The Beatles made me realize what music could do to one's life. How it can be the soundtrack to your experiences.
I didn't articulate that at age eleven, it took many, many years for me to put that feeling into words, but that night in 1964 certainly changed my life for the better. I ran out and bought my first album, Meet The Beatles, and listened to it over and over and over for hours upon end, alone in my room, just me, John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Each subsequent album brought more of the same. The many listenings, the quiet moments spent in the privacy of my room, hearing The Beatles put into words thoughts that I couldn't. As The Beatles' musicality progressed, so did mine. I listened to more challenging songs and chord progressions and deeper thoughts shared through song. It influenced me enough that I choose to major in music while in college.
The Beatles stayed with me all through high school and when I got to college, I discovered many other bands that affected my life. Pink Floyd, through headphones while stoned....Careful with That Axe, Eugene. Oh. My. God! Now THAT was an experience. Frank Zappa with his zircon-encrusted tweezers riding his pigmy -pony while DynaMo-humming. Good times, good times.Through-out my 20's, music was an everyday experience because several of my friends played in bar bands and we spent almost every evening going out to hear them play and partying afterwards. Coming home drunk at 4:00 am and going to work the next day by 8:00 am is something only a twenty-something can do. Once you get a little older, you appreciate the value of more than 3 hours sleep.
My next obsession was Emerson, Lake, and Palmer. Maybe it was my music education, but I loved the classical rock that they did. Saw them in concert many times and even today, I still listen to their music, especially masterpieces such as Pictures at an Exhibition, or Brain Salad Surgery, or Trilogy. Greg Lake's songs touched a piece of my soul, especially Epitaph, recorded when he was with King Crimson on The Court of the Crimson King album, still, today, one of the best albums ever recorded.
Once I hit my 30's, my career took over and music was regulated to the car, or as background to housework, gardening or working at home. Until 2003. January. American Idol auditions. This skinny kid walked out, all arms and elbows in a geeky outfit and glasses. I actually thought he was a ringer for Simon to rip him a new one, but when Clay Aiken opened his mouth and sang Always and Forever, my mouth dropped open and I immediately called my friend Linda, and we both said, "Did you hear that kid's voice???" That was it. That's all it took. I was his, hook, line, and sinker. Every week. Every Tuesday at 8:00 pm I was watching that show just to hear Clay Aiken sing.Fast-forward three and a half years later.
I'm still here, still listening to that marvelous voice, still enthralled when he opens his mouth and out comes beauty. That night in January, 2003, was a life-changing moment for me. Next blog I'll tell you why.
If you want to read more about music and influences, go to:
The ConClayve
Technorati tags:
Clay Aiken
The Beatles
Frank Zappa
Emerson, Lake and Palmer
Pink Floyd
American Idol
Friday, May 12, 2006
Deal? Or No Deal??
Deal??? or No Deal???
What would you do?
What would you do if there were two cases left, $25,000 and $1 million, and the Banker's offer was $425,000? Deal? Or No Deal?
I've always said that if I ever got on that show and if the Banker offered me $100,000 or more, I'd deal, but, as one contestant said, it's a whole lot easier to say that sitting in your living room than it is when you're standing on that stage.
On the other hand, $425,000 in hand is worth two in the bush.
Deal? or No Deal?
What would you do if offered front row tickets for a Clay Aiken concert or a meet & greet? Which one would you pick? If you could only have one or the other....which one? There is a bit of gambler in each of us and I ask myself what I would do in these two situations.I'd take the deal of $425,000 in a freaking heartbeat, but I think I'd rather meet Clay at this point than get front row seats at one of his concerts. I've had front row many times (many, many, many times) and they can always be purchased through a ticket broker. But a chance to meet the singer that I've loved since January of 2003? It's a no brainer.
Thanks to the lovely lady who took the lovely picture of Mr. Aiken.
Clay Aiken
Deal or no Deal
Harry Mandel
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
American Idol
Is anyone watching this?
This is a tough year. There are many talented people, but not one stand-out. Not like Season 2, where Clay Aiken stood head and shoulders above the best. It's down to the final 4. Who will go tonight? Elliot? Katherine? Chris? Taylor? At this point, it's a crap shoot, unless you believe the internet rumors that say Chris or Taylor are in the forefront. They all have their fans.
In my opinion, it's time for Elliot to go. While he has a decent voice, he's often pitchy and that vibrato of his makes him un-listenable to my ears. I think his subtle make-over made a world of difference, but I can't see myself listening to a record that he records.
By far, of the last four, Katherine has the best voice, but she's been uneven in her performances and hasn't always picked the best songs to show off her voice. Her 'Black Horse and Cherry Tree' was terrific and if she'd record an album similar to that genre, I'd buy it. One good thing, Tommy Mottolo really seemed to like her and if Kat can get away from the evil machine that is AI, and IF Tommy would sign her, I think he could Mariah-fy her and she see big success.
Chris. Evidently the rumor that Fuel asked him to front their band is true. Too bad he was unable to take that offer because if he wins, I fear TPTB, specifically Clive Davis, will pull a Bo Bice and give him pop songs to sing when clearly he needs alt rock songs. Can you imagine Chris singing "The Real Thing'? *shudders*
Which brings me to Taylor. He makes me smile. Every performance he does, I smile. he's not the best singer, he's not the best dancer, he's not the best entertainer, but there's something infectious about his voice. I would love to hear him in a club. I look forward to seeing him in person.
I can imagine any one of these singers making their living in music, with the exception of Elliot, but I don't see any of them as The American Idol. I don't see that Clay Aiken magic, that mystery, that kind of talent.
Too bad, because they are all likeable.
Well...that was a shocker. Somehow I didn't see Chris leaving. I thought he was the choosen one. Oh, well.
Clay Aiken
This is a tough year. There are many talented people, but not one stand-out. Not like Season 2, where Clay Aiken stood head and shoulders above the best. It's down to the final 4. Who will go tonight? Elliot? Katherine? Chris? Taylor? At this point, it's a crap shoot, unless you believe the internet rumors that say Chris or Taylor are in the forefront. They all have their fans.
In my opinion, it's time for Elliot to go. While he has a decent voice, he's often pitchy and that vibrato of his makes him un-listenable to my ears. I think his subtle make-over made a world of difference, but I can't see myself listening to a record that he records.
By far, of the last four, Katherine has the best voice, but she's been uneven in her performances and hasn't always picked the best songs to show off her voice. Her 'Black Horse and Cherry Tree' was terrific and if she'd record an album similar to that genre, I'd buy it. One good thing, Tommy Mottolo really seemed to like her and if Kat can get away from the evil machine that is AI, and IF Tommy would sign her, I think he could Mariah-fy her and she see big success.
Chris. Evidently the rumor that Fuel asked him to front their band is true. Too bad he was unable to take that offer because if he wins, I fear TPTB, specifically Clive Davis, will pull a Bo Bice and give him pop songs to sing when clearly he needs alt rock songs. Can you imagine Chris singing "The Real Thing'? *shudders*
Which brings me to Taylor. He makes me smile. Every performance he does, I smile. he's not the best singer, he's not the best dancer, he's not the best entertainer, but there's something infectious about his voice. I would love to hear him in a club. I look forward to seeing him in person.
I can imagine any one of these singers making their living in music, with the exception of Elliot, but I don't see any of them as The American Idol. I don't see that Clay Aiken magic, that mystery, that kind of talent.
Too bad, because they are all likeable.
Well...that was a shocker. Somehow I didn't see Chris leaving. I thought he was the choosen one. Oh, well.
Clay Aiken
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Withdrawal pains
Thanks to Invisible926 for this gem of a picture. My internet service was out for the past 2-1/2 days. Talk about withdrawal pains. Kind of like seeing Clay Aiken in concert, then having to go home to a silent house when all you want to do is to hear that amazing voice, live, for the rest of your life.
I missed Desparate Housewives, which I watch each week, but find kind of silly. So why do I watch it? It's like a train wreck, I am compelled to. And I really, really, really like Felicity Huffman. I like her character and I like the actress.
I also missed Grey's Anatomy. I love Doctor shows. I love Dr. Bailey on the show.
But the worst? Missing my news programs. I had to wake up on Monday morning without my GMA. Where were Charlie, Diane, and Robin? Ack! No news, no entertainment, and no weather! How do I know how to dress for work without my morning weather? But I survived and I just got my internet back tonight. Whew!
I'm trying out a new color. Let me know if you like it.
Sunday, May 07, 2006
A little about me
Where to start, where to start? Heh, I should be mowing my lawn, but here I am.
I am a rocker. I grew up listening to The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Yes, Jethro Tull, Todd Rungren, Billy Joel, Frank Zappa, yada, yada, yada. So why do I have a Clay Aiken-friendly blog? Simply, because he has the best voice I've ever heard. Ever.
I haven't listened to Top 40 radio since I was 18 years old...quite a long time ago. Once I moved to Massachusetts for college, I discovered WBCN, a Boston alternative format that played entire albums. Imagine my surprise and learning curve when I discovered all the above mentioned artists. My God, there actually WAS good music out there in radio-land. And I found it. And I've been listening to rock radio ever since.
So....Mr. Clay Aiken is an anomaly for me. And I'm loving every note that comes out of his voice.
I have to finish the lawn before it gets too dark.
Later
I am a rocker. I grew up listening to The Beatles, The Stones, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Yes, Jethro Tull, Todd Rungren, Billy Joel, Frank Zappa, yada, yada, yada. So why do I have a Clay Aiken-friendly blog? Simply, because he has the best voice I've ever heard. Ever.
I haven't listened to Top 40 radio since I was 18 years old...quite a long time ago. Once I moved to Massachusetts for college, I discovered WBCN, a Boston alternative format that played entire albums. Imagine my surprise and learning curve when I discovered all the above mentioned artists. My God, there actually WAS good music out there in radio-land. And I found it. And I've been listening to rock radio ever since.
So....Mr. Clay Aiken is an anomaly for me. And I'm loving every note that comes out of his voice.
I have to finish the lawn before it gets too dark.
Later
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