Saturday, July 22, 2006

Of fathers, sons, Clay and life: "The Kite Runner"

It has been quite a while since I have blogged! I am on vacation, and away on-and-off, so away from the keyboard too. Clay is of course still on my mind, but I won't bore anyone by repeating the details of what the Claynation already knows: Clay's upcoming album will be called A Thousand Different Ways, and is strongly rumoured to be coming to stores near us on September 19th. Check out clayisouridol's cool poster announcing the (more-and-more-sure) upcoming event.

So I certainly do not have any Clay news, but I would like to share something Clay-related: part of my summer reading. I am now reading - for the second time in a row - The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini:

Posted by Picasa.

I know, I know - Clay blogged about this book on the Fan Club site back in April... What can I say, I'm a little late. Better late than never! In the meantime, friends and colleagues of mine had also recommended the book very highly.

Now, you might have noticed that I said I am now reading the book for the second time in a row. Not that I'm slow, but I just love this book so much, plus a big twist is revealed at the end, such that I wanted to re-read the early chapters in light of that information. I am discovering new layers of meaning and emotion in my second reading. It amazes me that this is the author's first novel, because it is truly a work of art - moving, passionate, perceptive, well-written, sensitive, rich, with many layers of meaning. Although set in pre-Taliban Afghanistan, followed by the U.S.A., the messages and feelings conveyed by the author are timeless and universal. I can see why Clay loved it when he read it. Plus, it is a story of fathers and sons - of love and tensions between men, which is an important thread of Clay's life, since he didn't really have a father/father-figure truly validate who he is, as a man and as a person. I always remember from Clay's own autobiographical book, Learning to Sing (see my post on the book), when he described how his stepfather, on his deathbed, asked every family member to come into his room to say goodbye, one by one. But he never invited Clay in to say goodbye; I felt so bad for Clay - and for his stepfather, who missed out on that moment of potentially intense closeness with his stepson before moving on to the other side of this world... In The Kite Runner, the protagonist also spent his childhood seeking closeness with his father, as well as his father's approval, but rarely receiving it.

If you haven't done so already, I highly recommend The Kite Runner, whether you are a man or a woman! It includes important life lessons for us all...

You can order the book at Amazon.com (U.S.) or at Chapters-Indigo.ca (Canada), among other places.

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Monday, July 03, 2006

Online fan club contest: find the acronym for Clay's upcoming album

Hello everyone,

Just a few days ago, Clay's online fan club posted an invitation to participate in the NANA (New Album Name Acronym) Contest. It seems that the title for Clay's upcoming album has been chosen, and it consists of four words. We are asked to guess the acronym of that title - that's the contest. Deadline: July 12th (here's hoping that means that a launch of either a single, or the album itself, is in the works for July!).

For my part, I feel sure there will be an "L" in the title (for "love"), considering two things: (1) we're talking a Clay Aiken album - and he is so full of love; (2) Clay himself has said it would be an album of favourite love songs...

I'm hoping for a "K" in the title (for "Kat"!), but perhaps that would be too much too ask?? ;-)

So here are my guesses for the acronym of Clay's new album:

- W.T.R.D.:
When
Tears
Run
Dry

- O.L.I.F.:
Our
Love
Is
Forever

- F.M.T.Y.:
From
Me
To
You

- C.L.K.F.:
Clay
Loves
Kat
Forever
(okay, I admit, that last one is a joke!)

Now, I won't actually send in any of my guesses, because according to contest rules and regulations, I'm not eligible, being in Canada. :-( The contest is "Open to legal residents of the U.S."... There are so many of us Claynadians, it would be nice if the fan club contests could be open to us too. If anyone wants to use my acronym suggestions above, feel free to do so and God bless! They won't do me any good if I can't participate in the contest. But if you win a personal meeting with Clay, pleeeaaassse take me with? :-)

-- ClayKat
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