ClayKat - a blog about Clay Aiken, life and me

Happy Birthday, Clay!

2011-11-30T19:22:00.003-05:00

Hello everyone,

Right in the depths of the late fall, dark and cold, Clay fans have a joyful moment to celebrate: the birthday of our favourite singer-man.

All the best of happiness, health and fulfillment to you, Clay! Know that so many of us are thinking of you today and wishing you well, "always and forever"!

Happy 33rd birthday, Clay!

Have you heard of Rick Rescorla? A 9/11 hero

2011-09-11T10:05:00.001-04:00

Today is September 11th. For anyone in North America, this date is a haunting one. It would be easy to spend the day feeling so very sad. But I want to take this opportunity to focus on human solidarity, on the strength of people, on love.

Specifically, I want to pay tribute to a man whom I only heard about a few years ago - perhaps on the 7th or 8th anniversary of the tragedy. I have no idea how come I didn't hear about him around that terrible day itself, 10 years ago. Everyone should hear about the bravery of Rick Rescorla.

I will tell you in my own words what he means to me. Below I will give some links for those of you who want all the facts, but now, I am speaking from the heart.

Rick Rescorla was head of security for Morgan Stanley, one of the companies whose head office occupied many floors of one of the buildings of the World Trade Center. There were around 2,700 people who worked for Morgan Stanley and Rick Rescorla felt responsible for the safety of all of them.

On September 11th, 2001, when the first plane hit the first tower to be attacked, Rick Rescorla gave the order to evacuate the entire staff of Morgan Stanley. Those in charge of the World Trade Center had asked everyone in both towers to stay put, saying things would be fine, but Rick Rescorla knew better. After all, he had predicted such an attack since the towers were first attacked back in 1993. He wasn't going to take any chances with the people whose lives and safety were entrusted to him. So contrary to those orders, he immediately went about organizing an orderly evacuation of all 2,700 people. 2,700! It must have taken a long time. Two by two, people walked down the dozens of flights of stairs and left the building to safety. They all lived.

A dozen people out of the staff of 2,700 of Morgan Stanley didn't live: one of them was Rick Rescorla. You can guess why? After evacuating his people, he - and a few others with him - went back into the building. By now, the tower where Morgan Stanley had its offices had been hit by a plane too. He began helping other people get out, helping the wounded down the stairs.

The last anyone saw of Rick Rescorla, he was walking back up into a tower to save people's lives. That image makes me tear up every time. He had to know he was likely going back up to his death, yet he did it, to attempt to save others. The tower went down soon after that. No trace of him was ever found.

Every time I think of Rick Rescorla, I wonder if I would have had that kind of courage. He saved the lives of 2,700 people! Morgan Stanley - to my knowledge - is the only company whose offices were in those two towers and who did not experience huge numbers of deaths among their staff. Thanks to the incredible bravery and foresight of one man. He trusted his instincts and his knowledge and experience with terror - and he acted swiftly, going against the grain, making the people he worked with his first priority, regardless of what anyone else said. They are alive thanks to him.

I am remembering and giving thanks for the hero that he was. Thank you, Mr. Rick Rescorla - and may you rest in peace. You are a lesson to us all.

For information on Rick Rescorla:

- Rick Rescorla Memorial: http://rickrescorla.com/

- Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rick_Rescorla

Today is a Clay-versary for me

2011-08-25T20:46:00.007-04:00

Hello everyone,

When I woke up this morning and noticed the date, I wondered why August 25th just made me feel happy... Then I remembered! Six years ago today is the first time I saw Clay Aiken live in concert (but not the last time!).

It was August 25, 2005 in Toronto, Canada and Clay was part way through his Jukebox Tour.

What a night! And what a ride since then...

I started this blog soon after that first concert, and wrote about that magical evening in a three-part post.

I re-read it myself to put myself back there and remember what it was like to be a Clay-concert-newbie. If you would like to read "Me and Clay's Jukebox tour", here you go:

And here's one of my favourite pictures from that concert (I didn't take it), snapped while Clay was singing "Tears Run Dry". Enjoy!

ClayKat

Some more pictures from the live video chat with Clay yesterday

2011-08-02T12:05:00.012-04:00

At the very beginning of the video chat:

Playing with the twist-tie from his bread bag (that he joked about):

Some pictures from the live video chat with Clay

2011-08-01T22:24:00.012-04:00

The face he made when asked if he ever eats Spam:

Giving us a quick glimpse of one of his dogs, Raleigh (Durham was somewhere else):

Clay on video chat this evening!

2011-08-01T10:14:00.004-04:00

Hello fellow Clayfans,

I seem to be following the ebb and flow of Clay's public life, since I don't come here very often these days, just as we don't see or hear from him too often.

However, this evening will be different: Clay will be participating in his first live video chat with us! You have to be a member of Clay's online fan club to be able to participate.

Will you be there? I know I will. I'll do my best to share with you afterwards, and let you know how it all went.

Hope to see you in the chatroom this evening (video chat begins at 8:30 p.m. EST)!

ClayKat

Happy birthday, Clay!

2010-11-30T10:22:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone,

Today is Clay's 32nd birthday, so I thought I would at least come out and play a bit to say that I'm thinking of him and of all of us who still admire the amazing man and the great talent that is Clay Aiken.

Wishing you lots of love today and forever, Clay! You're "Still The One", after all these years!

Happy, happy birthday!

Clay 2.0... part 1

2009-03-03T20:22:00.009-05:00

Hello Clayfans,

Many of us came to the Internet and technology through Clay - and we remain tech-involved because of Clay and the friendships we have formed online. Filming Clay anywhere and creating videos to be put onto YouTube. Recording his unearthly beautiful voice and his lovely, sweet face in a variety of places and moments, and uploading the mp3s and photos to the Internet to be shared with others. Building our first Websites and blogs (I started this blog after I first saw Clay live in concert - Jukebox Tour in Toronto, August 25th, 2005, what a night!).

Six years after Our Man burst onto the big scene and into our lives, Clay and his fans have a strong Web presence and Internet-related technologies are an integral part of our lives.

What about the newer online tools, the so-called "Web 2.0" tools (although even Web 2.0 is getting to be a passé term), meaning collaborative, user-created content? Twitter, anyone? Twitter is a free micro-blogging/messaging service.

Do Claymates tweet (= participate in Twitter)? Well, yes as a matter of fact, some of us do. Me, I lurk, so far - I'm at https://twitter.com/ClayKat - trying to figure out the hype around Twitter. I've found 4 other fans so far - or they have found me, I'm not sure! Come and join us - and tell me why Claymates need to be on Twitter.

More to come on other Web 2.0 tools and Clay in another post!

-- ClayKat

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ClayAiken

American Idol2

Clayton Aiken

A new look for ClayKat blog

2009-03-01T14:36:00.011-05:00

Hello Clay fans,

For ages now, I have been wanting to fold this blog into Blogger's new layout format, and clean up all the ragtag widgets that have been hanging out in the right column, some completely outdated.

I finally did it today, and I think the look is cleaner and sleeker now.

I'm also thinking of opening up the blog purpose. Broadening its horizons to encompass life in general, as well as my thoughts, experiences and feelings about Clay Aiken.

Two reasons for this:

I want to write more in general; and
Clay has been quite quiet for over a year now - except for Spamalot gigs 1 & 2 (which I was unable to attend) - so I haven't been very inspired to write much about him. Not that I admire him any less - don't get me wrong! I'm still - and plan to always be - a true Clay fan.

So we'll see where I go with this... I'll keep you posted (sorry for the pun!).

-- ClayKat

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Happy 6th anniversary, Clay fans!

2009-01-28T07:37:00.005-05:00

Hello fellow Clay fans,

Here we are again, another January 28th... it's our anniversary with Clay Aiken ! The day when, back in 2003, we saw a geeky-looking, tall, skinny yet adorable young man walk out in front of Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson of American Idol, right into our hearts. He showed surprising confidence, yet modesty at the same time. And a talent to be reckoned with. When he belted out that very first lyric, "Take..." from the song Always and Forever, well, that was it! That evening, American Idol served its true purpose: discovering real talent that would otherwise remain undiscovered, because outside the box of mainstream pop culture.

Like many fans like to say: "Game over, Idol found". We had never known anyone like Clay before, nor have we since.

When Clay walked into our homes and hearts, it was just 16 months after September 11th, 2001, that tragic day where people across the United States and Canada too, were shaken to the core with grief and fear. We needed to see joy again, feel hope, love. Needed to know that the world could be incredibly good, that people could be wonderfully and powerfully beautiful.

Getting to know Clay Aiken over the course of that winter of 2003 was a balm on our hearts. He brought a fresh-faced innocence to our lives, with his dedication to children and to the rights of marginalized, disabled people of all ages. He made us get back in touch with our fun-loving selves, such that it was ok to smile, to joke, to laugh - even when we are all grown up. His poise - Simon Cowell said that Clay was one of the rare contestants to take negative critique "like a grown-up" - humbled and moved us. And The Voice - did I mention his voice? Like cool water flowing down a creek on a hot day. Like honey on a sweet cake. Smooth, refreshing, soul-replenishing, joyful.

A fellow fan I met through the Online Fan Club has ongoing pain with her teeth and jaws. She cannot stand noise or music of any kind, in general. Until she heard Clay. His singing is the only music which doesn't resonate painfully in her head - in fact, his voice soothes the chronic pain she lives with daily. Astoundingly moving... There are stories upon stories about the ways in which Clay Aiken has affected people's lives in such powerful ways.

Six years ago already - hard to believe! It's been an amazing ride, and it's far from over yet. I hope to hear and see Clay for the rest of my years, at least! I was an instant fan that evening six years ago, and I still am - in fact, even more so - today, six years later.

Clay Aiken has made our lives better, has made the world a better place, with his heart, his words, his soul and his voice. Clay isn't a perfect human being, but he is one of the most extraordinary ones I know. Decent, committed, hardworking, honest, loving, faithful, gifted, bright, funny, witty, wacky - and did I mention The Voice?

I have over 1000 songs/pieces of music on my iPod, from Beethoven symphonies to James Taylor folk songs, Latin activist music (Silvio Rodriguez +), R & B (Dawn Tyler Watson +) to hard rock and heavy metal (yeah! Van Halen, Styx, Led Zeppelin, Dilana, Dream Theater and Aerosmith). I listen to music every day - it's my lifeblood. I love all the music I have, but something special happens when I come upon a Clay Aiken song... a smile comes to my face and in my heart, regardless of how I feel that day. Clay's voice is one of the most soothing, peaceful and soulful that I have ever heard - he still brings tears to my eyes on a regular basis. Even more now, six years later, that I know the person he is. The measure of the man that Clay is. And what a man! He is a role model, an inspiration to many, certainly to me. "Knowing" Clay, even from afar, as a fan, makes me want to be a better person. Contribute more to my community, be more loving to my loved ones, fulfill my own potential to the fullest.

Happy 6th anniversary, Clay fans! Here's to 6 more (plus 6, plus 6, plus 6, plus 6, plus 6, plus 6, plus 6, plus 6, plus 6, plus 6,...). I can't wait to see what Clay has in store next!

Most of all, I wish him every happiness in this journey of his life that he began just last year, as a young father and in a new relationship. His happiness is so richly deserved!

-- ClayKat

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Happy 30th birthday, Clay!

2008-11-30T17:00:00.005-05:00

To the amazing man with talents galore and a heart of gold:

So many of us are thinking of you today! Hope you're having a good one!

Love always and forever,

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Presenting... Celtic Thunder!

2008-08-24T09:51:00.009-04:00

Hello fellow Clay fans,

During my recent summer vacation, I discovered - completely by chance, on a local PBS station, while channel-surfing - an amazing new musical group called Celtic Thunder. Now don't me wrong, Clay is still my absolute favourite musician around, of course! But when I happened to fall upon Celtic Thunder's show, well, let's just say it was love at first listen.

I am of Scottish and Irish heritage (a few generations back), so I must have Celtic music running through my veins. It has always been a form of music that moves my soul in a very fundamental, to-the-core way.

Celtic Thunder is made up of five men - one Scot and four lads from Ireland - who range in age from 15 to 40. They sing both together and solo, traditional Celtic songs as well as music from a modern repertoire with an Irish take. Each of the five has a tremendously beautiful and powerful voice, and the sum of the five is something else to hear. Listen for yourself! Their Website offers this widget, which gives us a chance to hear so many of their songs, in full-length versions - not just snippets! Amazing. Next chance I have to get near a record store, I'm getting their CD, that's for sure.

They are all over YouTube as well, of course. So you can go check them out there and see them performing the songs you will hear. I quickly learned their names and voices by heart - they each have their own distinct, unique tone and style which are quickly recognizable, but their five voices blended together are overwhelmingly lovely.

Do you have (a) favourite(s)? I do... George Donaldson has a sensitive depth to his baryton voice, which I love. And tenor Paul Byrom, what can I say? Simply stunning. He brings tears to my eyes.

Lucky those of you in the United States (and in Toronto, Canada), because they will be touring near you this fall! They won't be coming to Montreal, unfortunately, so I won't see them live. Hopefully I will at some other time in the future.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying the songs here. Hope you do too!

-- ClayKat

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Congratulations to new Daddy Clay!

2008-08-08T16:26:00.003-04:00

Hello everyone,

We all heard the rumours, back a few months ago. Tabloids and gossip TV shows were saying that Clay's executive producer and friend, Jaymes Foster, sister to the famed David Foster, was pregnant - with Clay's baby. It quickly became a moot point on Clay's Online Fan Club, since people became passionate about different aspects of the rumours, and speculation and judgment ran rampant in all directions.

Was Clay or not the father of Jaymes Foster's baby-to-be? Had Clay and Jaymes wed, or were they planning to do so? Was the baby conceived in vitro or through traditional means? No matter the answers, everyone had an opinion. Me? I figured it was Clay's life, and not my business. I found some of the discussions somewhat distasteful, and especially, intrusive. I was thrilled with the idea of Clay becoming a father this year, because we know that for many years now, he has said that he is ready to take on that role, and we are sure he will be an amazing daddy.

I decided to sit and patiently wait, in case Clay let us know something in August. Eventually, most fans and our Websites became very quiet over the summer, waiting for August, hoping we would find out the truth at some point then.

I wasn't even thinking that we are now in August, what with the excitement over the Beijing Olympics, and on a personal note, hubby and me recently moving into our first real home together (we love it!).

And then, wham! We heard this morning - from Clay himself! Yes, he blogged on his Online Fan Club, and told us about the arrival into our world of little Parker Foster Aiken, this very morning! At 8:08 a.m., just minutes after the beginning of the Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies, Clay's little boy was born. And what a time to be born: 8 minutes after the 8th hour, on the 8th day of the 8th month of the 8th year of the millennium! I know I'll never forget the time of this little one's birth, since 8 is my favourite number.

Welcome baby Parker, and congratulations to Clay and Mommy Jaymes! My warm, sincere wishes for a wonderful, healthy and happy life together. Parker is one lucky baby, with amazing, generous, loving and talented people as parents. This is truly a happy day in the Clay fandom, and my thoughts go to Clay and his family as they celebrate the first day of life of this new little one!

-- ClayKat

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I love On My Way Here

2008-05-06T22:01:00.003-04:00

Hello fellow Clay fans,

Well here we are - May 6th! I needed a break from work and have many overtime hours anyway, so I left early this afternoon to go for a nice walk and pick up my copy of On My Way Here, then spend the evening enjoying it.

I loaded the CD into my iTunes file on the computer, and lo and behold, something funny occurred: it decided the album is called On My Way There! Hilarious! I haven't corrected the mistake yet - who knows, if I'm the only one with this bug in the title, it might be worth something some day. ;-)

I really like this album, more than the last one, A Thousand Different Ways - the overall sound is stronger, more mature and powerful, more... true to Clay and who he is. That golden voice, powerful and resonant. Lyrics which speak to Clay and what he has been going through over the past few years. I love it! I need to listen to the songs over and over to really get them in my mind and my heart - and to decide which one(s) I love most.

Do you have a favourite already? Let me know by participating in this poll:

-- ClayKat

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Getting excited about May 6th!

2008-04-27T11:18:00.007-04:00

Hello fellow Clay fans,

I'm generally very patient whenever I have to wait for something. When it's for something not so fun - a doctor's appointment delayed, for example - I figure it will come eventually, so no big deal. I read, think, write and wait. When it's something pleasant, I tell myself it will be a pleasure whenever the big day is actually here, so I just look forward to it in a general way. I don't waste time and energy thinking things like: "I wish it were xyz date already!"

Now, as we know, May 6th is the date that Clay's upcoming album, On My Way Here, will drop. We have known this for a while, and I was very zen about it all, until just recently. Thinking - "right, early May, well, that's nice". Then... Amazon.com put online snippets of all 12 songs from the new album... and all of a sudden, I'm so excited! Looking forward to May 6th, planning when and where I will go to get my copy of the CD. Listening to the snippets over and over again. Deciding which ones are my favourites. Falling for Clay, once again. He never ceases to amaze me - and yes, in my opinion, he is still absolutely, far and away the best male vocalist of our times.

Amazon.com had the right idea - just giving us enough to enjoy and long for The Voice once again... teasers! On My Way Here is giving me chills of happiness, and so far, it feels like it might be my favourite Clay album yet. There is something hauntingly beautiful and moving about each of the songs on this album, as well as the overall album itself. It works. It holds together well, is mature and wise, though somewhat sad, in my opinion. From what I know of Clay these days, the message of this album truly reflects where he is and who he has become. It feels like Clay is speaking to us, generously sharing his feelings, his thoughts, his fears and hopes. In some ways, it almost feels like it's too intimate, as though I were seeing right into Clay's heart and soul. Because of that, I feel the need to protect him and this album, such that I don't want to hear negative feedback about it. I want to avoid like the plague, sources of anti-Clay talk or negativity. Clay is a beautiful soul and he's giving us a gift with this album. That's all I need.

One of my favourite lines, from the title track, is: "faith has conquered fear". It seems to me, from what I know and have heard of On My Way Here, that phrase sums it all up. Clay has dealt with a number of horrendous, challenging situations in the past few years, as well as good things like the love from us fans. He went through a time of great sadness and a sense of fear and overwhelm. He is still looking and longing for true love. And he has grown from all these experiences and feelings, moving through and beyond these challenges to reach a certain serenity. What a Measure Of a Man is our Clay!

Many of the songs on the upcoming album pull at my heartstrings, whether through the lyrics, the music or both. In particular:

- On My Way Here - "I wouldn't change what I've been through... I did what I had to, on my way here"
- Ashes - "...so I can rise up from the ashes"
- Falling - "trying to hold on to something for so long"
- The Real Me - "but you see the real me"
- Weight of the World - "everybody gets down, down, down"
- As Long As We're Here - "As long as we're here, alive on this earth, I'm gonna love you, for all that it's worth"
- Grace of God - "there's gotta be some rhyme or reason why we turn away"

and of course, a song we already know and love:

- Lover All Alone - "on my own, it's hard to tell my heart it'll be all right"

Check these out for yourself - enjoy!

- the snippets on Amazon.com.
- on Clay's offical Website, listen to the full title track from the album, On My Way Here
- a video of Clay in studio singing "On My Way Here"
- and for your viewing pleasure: pictures from the album photo shoot, online at Clay's MySpace page. I love the wistful picture of Clay from behind, with him looking out over the Hudson river and New York City. But my favourite picture is still the album cover picture, as I wrote in my last blogpost

There are lots of options for purchasing On My Way Here, with some including (a) bonus track(s). I haven't sifted through all of them, or figured out which option I will choose. But if you want to know all the information, to make the best decision for yourself, see my favourite source of Clay information - you'll find it all: Clay's Daily Double.

-- ClayKat

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Clay's new album is "on its way here"!

2008-03-22T10:37:00.009-04:00

Hello everyone,

By now, most of us have heard that Clay's upcoming album is scheduled to drop on or around May 6th. We have also heard that it might be called "On My Way Here". Well, now we have confirmation of the album title! In the last 48 hours, the Amazon.com listing for Clay's new album started posting an album cover image. And here it is:

I was chatting with other members of the Online Fan Club last night, and for many of us, seeing this picture is making it that much more real - the new album is really on its way into our lives and our hearts. And what a beautiful picture of Clay on the cover. Though I'm not a huge fan of the super-blond hair he has been sporting since late December, I find that it looks very natural in this picture; it suits him. The expression on Clay's face is also quite whimsical and pensive - reflective, I think, of what Clay wants to share with us through this album.

To me, the picture shows Clay's maturity. He has been through a lot these past few years. Much of it good - I believe he truly does appreciate and care for us fans, and he sees the love and admiration that we hold for him. But there have also been many dark times: the ridiculous made-up story some guy (who will remain nameless) told publicly about him and Clay; the fabulation of a female "fan" and her supposed relationship with Clay (not). There really are some sick people in this world, sadly, and as a celebrity, Clay has been directly confronted with some of them. In very personal ways.

These are all experiences that while lived, are extremely draining on an emotional level. Clay himself has told us that he was taking antidepressants for a while, and that he occasionally has anxiety attacks. But if one can move beyond them, these challenges make a person stronger, more mature and fuller as a human being. I see Clay as having done that. He is wise beyond his years, always has been. And now, he is growing into a man with an even richer, multi-layered personality and outlook on life and humanity.

Clay, I'm watching you - and I'm so proud!

-- ClayKat

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What Clay and I have been up to

2008-03-01T14:37:00.009-05:00

Hello fellow Clay fans,

It has been too long! I have to write when I'm inspired to do so, and for the past month or two, I have been busy and somewhat preoccupied with a number of things in my personal and work lives. Mostly good things, such as buying a first home with my sweetie! But also challenges, such as dealing with the fact that a long-time co-worker was recently fired - and in my opinion, unjustly fired... Lots of emotional events and issues to deal with. But overall, life is good, so I'm dealing well.

I have been pretty much keeping up with news about Clay and what he is up to. Now, we all know he has been acting in the Broadway musical Spamalot, since January 18th. He's on a run until May 4th, and it is keeping him very busy. Many people seem surprised at how well he is doing, playing a number of parts, the biggest one being that of Sir Robin (check out Clay's Spamalot blog). It doesn't surprise me at all, to hear that he is doing well. Clay is a consummate performer, a multi-layered talent, a resourceful and dedicated artist, and a hard worker. He can do whatever he sets his mind to - even dancing! I would love to see him on Broadway, but it's not going to happen, and that's ok. I enjoy reading the stories fans share with us of their experiences at the show, and at the backstage door, where Clay has been greeting fans and autographing playbills. Check out Clay's Daily Double's ongoing coverage of Clay in Spamalot, and especially, the thread called "What's Hot From Spamalot". The stories and pictures will put a smile on your face!

Clay has told us that he is taking advantage of the fact that he is in New York City to finalize recording for his next album. He says it should be launched on or around May 6th. I'm very much looking forward to this album, for a number of reasons. The most important being that this album will be the most true to Clay himself, his values and his tastes, of all his albums. He has said as much himself. Just check out the video called "Clay Aiken Spills the Beans About Upcoming Album" on Raleigh, North Carolina's WRAL news' Website, which has a special section on Clay called "Claymania".

It seems fairly sure that the album will be out this spring, in any case. And we know what that means... summer tour! I certainly hope that he will tour this summer, and I hope that I will be able to be there. Maybe he'll return to somewhere in eastern Canada (please, please, Clay?).

In the meantime, those of you who are seeing Clay in Spamalot, enjoy! And tell us all about it!

-- ClayKat

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Always and Forever, Clay

2008-01-13T21:59:00.001-05:00

Here's a bit of eye candy for those of us Clay fans. These pictures cheer me up as we go through this grey winter.

-- ClayKat

p.s. click on the montage to get a larger version

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"Oh, What a Night"! Back from seeing Clay

2007-12-08T21:10:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone,

We got back from the States late this afternoon, after a long drive back from seeing Clay in concert last night! What a night... there were so many firsts, it's hard to know where to begin. For starters:

- this was my first Clay Christmas concert (I've seen him only two other times: during the Jukebox Tour, and during this past summer's An Evening with Clay Aiken tour - but never during one of his Christmas tours)
- for the first time in my life (yes, it's true), I used (our new) digital camera
- this was my sweetie's first Clay concert ever

Before

We arrived late at the pre-party, which was a real shame, but there was no helping it. We just didn't leave home early enough. So I didn't get much of a chance to get to know other fans attending the concert there, but there will always be next time. Plus, we have the Internet to get to know each other, now that I have put some names to faces - both real names and screen-names.

I was absolutely amazed by the efforts the party organizers put into everything. A beautiful room in a local pub/restaurant, nicely decorated, with Clay's lovely voice in the background, gifts, a great dinner, a silent auction, fun, games and more! Kudos to everyone who worked so hard to prepare the party, with my apologies for not being there on time.

After the dinner party, everyone trotted down the street to the Palace Theater, a historic building with a stunningly beautiful interior. What we first saw from a distance warmed our hearts: And then, came this moment - his name in lights! And closer still... The moment was finally here - seeing Clay again, this time on a more serious occasion than the two other occasions when I had seen him live.

During

The two-hour concert flew by, of course. It seemed to me we were there maybe 30 minutes, and then all of a sudden, he was singing All is Well, and that was it... The arrangements were perfect and Clay was in fine form, as usual. That voice is always such a surprise to me, the richness, the depth, the beauty of it. The way it stirs my heart, reverberating so deep inside. I know his voice, inside and out. Yet everytime, I am bowled over again when I hear him. I listen to a huge variety of singers/musicians, all kinds of music, from pop to classical to hard rock and metal. Yet each time I come back to Clay, I am overwhelmed by the wisdom and purity he shares with us in those golden notes. To me, Clay is the finest male vocalist around today, hands down. And what a joy he was last night.

Christmas classics, some woven into medlies, some sung in full, some Clay alone, others with his accompanying singers, Angela Fisher and Quiana Parlor - two extraordinary talents themselves. With classical orchestral accompaniment. Very beautiful. Other than that, visually the show was quite sombre - everyone in elegant black, Clay dashing in his black suit and tie, and his coal-coloured shirt. For those of you who like Clay in glasses, you would have been happy yesterday: he was wearing his rimless glasses, which to me, make him look so distinguished - like a wise, favourite teacher. The blond highlights in his light-brown hair, parted to the side. Sweet Clay.

I was wondering how the Christmas stories written by fans, would fit into the evening. And I have to say that Clay is a masterful producer, because each of the four stories was perfectly woven into the show. And what moving stories they were! One humorous and whimsical (a Jewish little girl who was curious about Christmas, and went to meet Santa for herself), one full of a sad strength through grief (a woman who lost her adult son in a car accident, a week before Christmas), the other two told of the losses, yet small joys that can be found in the most unexpected places (a young woman travelling in Europe, far from her family yet finding Christmas in a country church in a tiny village in England; and another young woman having faced many lonely childhood Christmases, celebrating the holiday in an atmosphere of surprising joy, with an elderly woman she was caring for). I very much enjoyed the stories and am so proud and touched by what those fans chose to share with all of us.

Clearly, this concert and this tour are more serious than Clay's summer tours. Like many, I somewhat missed his playful banter with the audience, but regardless, this show worked and was a piece of art and pure joy, as it was.

I'm going to put up some of the pictures I took, but like I said above, be forewarned! They are completely newbie pix, and quite blurry; it was my first time ever using a digital camera... That being said, here goes, for posterity - and for my own archival history!

And for a bird's eye view of the stage:

My sweetie was a Clay-virgin and I was wondering how he would enjoy (or not) the show. He enjoyed it quite a bit, and was impressed with Clay's rich voice, professionalism, producing talents and his commitment to encouraging local performers wherever he goes. He's not exactly Clayverted, but it did go over well with him! And God bless him, he accompanied me, driving the 5 hours it took to get there, and 5 back today. He was serene about being one of only three men among 40-some women at the pre-party, and one of a very few men at the concert itself. He got asked regularly things like: "were you dragged here?", "you didn't come to the concert alone?" and he took it all in stride. Perhaps he did it for me, since today is my 44th birthday. He wanted to make me happy - and he succeeded, once again, as he so often does!

After

After the concert, my sweetie found it very cold outside, so he decided to go back to the hotel rather than wait at the buses, as I planned to do. I saw quite a number of husbands leaving at that point, as the diehard fans (mostly women) went out to stand and wait by Clay's buses. I was more than prepared: double pair of socks, hat (I never wear hats), warm gloves, scarf, my heavy winter coat, wool skirt and jacket... I got ready to dig in and enjoy some waiting time chatting with other fans in the line. And enjoy it I did... for a very long time! It was actually a lot of fun, talking with and meeting other fans, sharing our histories with Clay, discussing the concert, his music, him, joking with the people there. Then Quiana and Angela came out of the theater and directly over to some fans! That was very nice of them - Angela autographed a sheet of paper an excited little girl had brought with her. Quiana chatted with a group of young fans. They both stayed around quite a while until they became chilly themselves, and headed over to one of the buses. We also saw Jesse (Vargas, Clay's pianist/conductor/music arranger) and Sean (McDaniel, Clay's drummer) head over to the buses, stopping on the way to spend some time with the Vargas girls (Jesse fans - hi girls!).

There were two doors out of the theater where we were, each one close to one of the two buses. We were pretty sure which one Clay would come out of, and waited hopefully, a hundred people or so. For the first hour... when nothing happened, and we saw pizzas being carried into the theater door, a number of frozen people gave up and left. Then fifty or so of us waited some more, spending the time yacking and sharing. Quite a while later - still no sign of Clay, though lots of comings and goings of Jerome, Clay's bodyguard and Jamie (?) and/or Mary (?), Clay's assistants. Still we toughed it out, hoping for a glimpse, a smile, a wave. None of us expected Clay to go down the line shaking hands, as he often does during his summer tours. It was too cold, and being flu season, not the best idea for Clay, so I fully approve. But a least a flash of that smile, a "hello"? We hoped, and waited.

Almost two and a half hours after the concert ended, a couple drove by in their car, saying that had glimpsed Clay being whisked out of the second theater door, behind Jerome, and onto his bus, with only a small word to the five or so fans who happened to be at that end of the line. Some fans I saw were hurt, some angry. Personally, I found myself to be feeling quite zen about the whole thing. I had spent a late evening with people who are touched in different ways by Clay, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn't see Clay or get to say "thank you", but I feel it is his right to greet his fans, or not, whenever he wants. If it happens - great. If it doesn't - it's not a big deal. It would perhaps have been nice if one of his fellow tour people had let us know that he wouldn't be stopping to say hello, so we didn't keep waiting for nothing. But I don't regret a minute I spent out there, beside Clay's buses! Things happen for a reason, and I was able to shake Clay's hand this past summer, but I couldn't say hello this time - and that's fine.

Well, I will undoubtedly remember something else to share with you, but for now, that's all. For those of you attending concerts to come, enjoy! Take whatever comes with an open heart, and you will be pleasantly surprised, no matter what happens!

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Clay concert tonight! On my way...

2007-12-07T10:37:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

The day is here! Today my sweetie and I whisk ourselves off for a car-trip south of the border to see Our Man Clay. I can't wait! I'll tell you all about the concert when I get back...

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

The circle of giving through Clay

2007-12-01T11:32:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

Yesterday was Clay's 29th birthday. Now, we all knew that. But did you know some of the initiatives fans took to wish Clay a happy birthday? Here are just two of them, and they are wonderful! Make me proud to be a part of the Clay nation.

An Online Fan Club member came up with the idea of collecting new books to be donated to a Christmas drive for children, in honour of Clay's birthday. The drive is in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where Clay sang last night - and apparently the books were piled people-high in the lobby of the venue, as fans brought in box after box! Congratulations to the fan (you know who you are!) who came up with this amazing idea, got people organized, alerted the local drive, asked the venue if it would be workable (they responded with an enthusiastic "yes") and made it all happen, with her supporting crew. I heard that as of last night, there were over 1,200 books gifted, as well as more than $600 in gift cards for purchasing more books!

Over on The Clayboard, members set a goal to raise enough money by Clay's birthday ($10,000) to fund a summer camp for inclusion, part of the Bubel-Aiken Foundation's work. You can imagine the outcome: of course, Clayboarders came up with almost $12,000 for Clay's birthday, surpassing their goal.

It's an endless circle of giving in the Clay nation: Clay has given - and continues to give - so much to us, his fans. He gives to the community (through, among other things, the Bubel-Aiken Foundation) and to the world (through UNICEF and of course, his voice). He makes us want to be better people, so we give to our communities, to him, to each other - among other things, through initiatives such as the two described above. What can be better than that? In my opinion, life does not get any better than in moments such as those, in love and solidarity and tribute given in such beautiful ways.

What a tremendous way to start off the Christmas season!

And now for another pleasant way to enjoy the season: check out these pictures from last night's concert! Thanks to toni7babe and jtgranny:

Peace to all of you,

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Happy 29th Birthday, Clay!

2007-11-30T08:58:00.000-05:00

Dear Clay,

The joy and peace you bring to my life are immeasurable.

I thank the powers that be that you came into this world 29 years ago today.

I wish you much joy, peace and happiness in your life; today, for the coming year and for many more to come. Looking forward to seeing you a week from today!

Happy birthday dear Clay! I can't wait to see your reaction to the surprise fans have prepared for you in Kalamazoo this evening. :-) You are going to love it!

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Trepidation, nerves, excitement! Clay's coming up soon...

2007-11-23T08:17:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

The suspense is getting to me...

As I await for clews (Clay-news) on whether:

my story has been chosen for the concert I will be attending in two weeks
my name will be picked for a meet and greet

... well, my middle-aged heart is pitter-pattering in ways it hasn't done for a few years now.

It doesn't help that Clay has blogged quite often in recent weeks, giving fans feedback on his progression through the thousand-plus stories of ours he has been reading - and each time I have realized that my story is the kind of story he is looking for... A gal goes quickly into fantasy-land! I've already been on that stage in my mind - not that I like stages, but lordy what would I give to be onstage with Clay Aiken.

Or anywhere close to that young man with the wise soul, the sparkling smile and silken voice. I would love to just thank him, especially for the joy he brings to my life in so many ways.

In one of his recent blogs, Clay told us to prepare in a certain way for his concerts, in case our story is chosen. And I'm actually thinking of going out this evening to get what I would need - in case mine is chosen! But then, perhaps I would be jinxing myself if I did so!

All I can say is - I'm going to have tears of joy for whoever is chosen for either the meet and greet or the story-reading - and I am so looking forward to his upcoming concert. It is the day before my birthday too, and I can think of no better gift than seeing Clay again, for my third time ever.

On top of it all, my sweetie will be going with me, to his first Clay concert! That is a source of happiness, and of trepidation too - will he like Clay? I know he likes Clay's music and he admires the person that Clay is, but he is nowhere near the fan I am, so how will he like Clay in concert? I believe he will thoroughly enjoy it. Over the years, we have heard stories of some sceptical people, forced by family members to accompany loved ones to a Clay concert, and who have found his concerts to be one of the best they had ever attended! I am so hoping that will be the case for my sweetie. No matter what, I love him for coming with me and for being happy for me - because I will be happy seeing Clay again, no matter what.

Good luck to all of you who have submitted stories and/or submitted your name for a meet and greet! Can't wait to hear live on Monday night about the kickoff of this Christmas tour.

Take care,

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

My story's in... finally

2007-11-08T09:21:00.000-05:00

Hello Clay fans,

Well, let's see... I've known now for over a month, that I wanted to submit a Christmas story to Clay's upcoming Christmas in the Heartland tour contest. So when did I submit it? Last night, just a few hours before the 11:59 p.m. EST deadline for the city where I'll be seeing Clay. So much for good intentions! Oh well, at least it's in, finally.

It was much harder to write than I had expected. After all, I love to write. Perhaps it was because I chose to write about something very real and raw, some sad Christmas memories. I end my story on a positive note, because now Christmas is a happy time of the year for me, but bringing back up some painful memories had its effect on me, such that the actual writing draaaaagged on.

How has your story-writing been? I can't wait to see what Clay will do with these stories of ours, how he will incorporate them into his show scenario. And it makes me happy just thinking of the joy some fans will experience, being asked to read their story on stage, with Clay!

(Of course, one of those fans will be me! Here's hoping!)

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Clay's Christmas challenge... let's get writing

2007-10-07T12:20:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

As an official fan club member, it is always exciting to discover that Clay has blogged. We love to hear what he has been up to, and read what he has been thinking. And now Clay has given us a wonderful challenge: to write up, in 20 sentences at most, our Christmas memories. He will read all entries and select three from each concert of his upcoming Christmas in the Heartland tour. The authors will be invited up on stage to read their entries.

Oh. My. Goodness.

No way I'm passing up this opportunity:

- I love the talented and wonderful person that is Clay, so I wouldn't miss any chance to actually be near him
- Christmas has always been an emotional time for me - for most of my 43 years, a time of challenging sadness; but for the last 13 years, with my sweetie: a time of love and closeness. I have lots to say there!
- Clay has been a big part of the reason that I now like and really enjoy Christmas
- I love to write
- I love Clay - did I say that?

We can submit as many different entries as we like for each concert we are planning to attend (one in my case). I just brainstormed and came up with 12 ideas already... so in the next couple of weeks, here I come Clay - you'll be hearing from me!

Lordy, the thought of being selected, having Clay read my name and call me up on stage... it's almost too much excitement to think about. Well, one step at a time.

Let's get writing, Claymates! Good luck to one and all,

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Cute and sexy Clay slideshow

2007-09-15T21:18:00.001-04:00

Hello Clay fans,

And now for some hawt pix of our favourite singer... Enjoy!

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Clay slideshow - summer 2007 pictures

2007-09-02T17:19:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone,

I recently found a neat little free widget service which allows one to make an online slideshow out of photos. So I thought I would test it out with some of my favourite pictures of Clay from this summer's tour.

Enjoy!

My thanks to all the clack gatherers who took these pictures and shared them with us online.

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Let's blog about Clay today, World Blog Day

2007-08-31T11:21:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone,

Today is the third World Blog Day, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to talk, once again, about my favourite singer and one of my favourite role models: Clay Aiken. Here's what the organizers/initiators of this Day say about it:

What is BlogDay?

BlogDay was created with the belief that bloggers should have one day dedicated to getting to know other bloggers from other countries and areas of interest. On that day Bloggers will recommend other blogs to their blog visitors. With the goal in mind, on this day every blogger will post a recommendation of 5 new blogs. This way, all blog readers will find themselves leaping around and discovering new, previously unknown blogs.

Now, I get that the idea is to get to know five previously unknown (to onesself) bloggers. I will partially do that, but I also can't resist sharing some of my current favourite Clay blogs, because they're just so very good.

Here's what is suggested to do, for those of you who want to join in the fun and blog today (whether about Clay or not):

BlogDay posting instructions:

1. Find 5 new Blogs that you find interesting
2. Notify the 5 bloggers that you are recommending them as part of BlogDay 2007
3. Write a short description of the Blogs and place a link to the recommended Blogs
4. Post the BlogDay Post (on August 31st) and
5. Add the BlogDay tag using this link: http://technorati.com/tag/BlogDay2007 and a link to the BlogDay web site at http://www.blogday.org

Here are the 5 blogs I have chosen to share with you. Enjoy!

1. Clay's Daily Double (my favourite)

My #1 source of information, links, clack and everything else on Clay - I highly recommend it. Sometimes I think the gals at CDD know what Clay's up to before he does himself! Last year, Clay's Daily Double was named the Best Clay Aiken Website 2006 by the Clammy Awards, a well-deserved recognition.

2. The NeutralZone (new to me - I like what I've read)

The NeutralZone is a gathering place to discuss Clay Aiken’s music, and other topics of interest, with common sense and common decency. We would like posters to be able to share ideas and opinions, both positive and negative.

I like that this blogger has a very respectful way of allowing dissent on anything, including anything-Clay. I of course love Clay, but he is also a human being, not perfect, so I think it is courageous of this blogger to open up their blog to different ideas and opinions, while clearly stating that disrespect will not be allowed.

3. Excuse Me While I Take A Moment

Well, who in the online Clay fandom doesn't know Jemock, author of this blog? This fan has a quick wit, an incredible sense of humour and she candidly shares her thoughts about Our Man. If you can read one of her posts without smiling - or more like it, cracking up hysterically - well... I wouldn't know what to say to you!

4. WebWeaver's World (I've visited before, but clearly not often enough)

A blog about my passions. May include some or all of the following: geek stuff (web design & development, CSS, accessibility, usability), environmental activism, my adopted home of New Zealand ('cos it's so totally wonderful), international & green politics (rants from a left-wing perspective), gardening, cats, literature, rugby, and my Teevy boyfriend, Clay Aiken.

I enjoy the diversity of blogging subjects of this blogger. She integrates her passion for Clay into different aspects of her life, and she has many interests - check her out.

5. All That Is Clay Aiken - The Voice, The Heart, The Man

Why this blog? Just because I like it. The blogger enjoys Clay and posts often - which is a good thing in the coming-and-going world of blogging where some remain dormant for years...

So go check out some Clay fan blogs! There are lots out there! Enjoy. And happy Blog Day 2007!

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Friendships and joy through Clay

2007-08-26T11:10:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

Summer's drawing to a close, and Clay's tour - officially called "An Evening With Clay Aiken" (but unofficially: "Between a Soft Rock and a Hard Place Tour") - ended in Orlando, Florida a week ago today. Has it really only been a week? It feels like much longer ago that I was attending online cellcerts (CELLphone conCERTS) and hearing what witty, hilarious and/or touching thing Clay was doing or saying at a particular concert.

I feel fortunate to have been able to see one concert this summer (see my concert recap here) and I hope to be able to attend one of his upcoming winter concerts not too far from me, in December.

The joy that Clay brings to my life is difficult to describe. There is, of course, his Voice. In my opinion, (one of) the strongest male vocalist around today. There is no other I hear who moves me so much - to love, to ache, to cry... to feel. There are incredible voices out there, but Clay is in a league of his own.

And then, there is his personality and his charisma: Clay's charming self-deprecatory banter, his goofiness, his ability to laugh at the small things in life and not take himself too seriously, his all-encompassing and focused attention to the person he is with, his love and respect for all human beings, no matter our colour, gender, age, disAbility, size...

His compassion and social activism, well, there's no question he wins me over there. He is committed to working for inclusion, particularly inclusion of children who happen to have an intellectual disability and are marginalized because of this, but who are nevertheless children, deserving of love and inclusion in all aspects of life.

And last but not least, Clay gives me joy through the connections I have made with other Clay fans. I guess I started this blog almost two years ago now, for two reasons: to connect with other Clay fans, and to express my feelings about Clay using my favourite medium: the written word. Now, my blog isn't the biggest or most-visited Clay fan blog or site, for sure, but I have "met" other fans through this, as well as through Clay's official online fan club. I visit the fan club's message boards, and occasionally, other boards such as The Clayboard, but somehow for me, what I like best is to chat live with other Clay fans.

Almost a year ago now, the online fan club set up a new feature: a chat room. It didn't take me long to knock on the door, go in and get to know a bunch of regular online chatters. Mostly women, of all ages and geographical locations, but all brought together by our admiration for Clay and the joy that he gives us. Some chatters I connect with more than others, of course, due to personality and interests, which is normal. And who knows? Perhaps real-life friendships will result from some of these online bonds of affection and common interests. I hope so. I think they will.

This morning on YouTube, I discovered a montage put up just hours ago by "suereu", called "Clay, Thanks for the Memories". If you are a Clay fan, you will love it! For a walk back down some of the fun and touching moments of this summer's tour, check it out:

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Oh ye of evil intent, stay away from Clay

2007-08-11T14:33:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

I debated making this rant-post, but in the end I decided to post it, because this is MY blog and I post what I like, particularly having to do with Clay Aiken and my feelings about him and his work.

I just need to share my anger at some people who for some sick reason, get kicks out of goading Clay, in his very face, in his home-state... Clay's summer tour stopped in Cary, North Carolina last night, and as well as the huge crowd of Clay fans, there was a certain someone in the audience with bad intent, a person who has slandered Clay and made false accusations in early 2006. If that guy - who will remain nameless because I will not provide links nor an easy way to find his garbage - had a shread of decency in him, he would not have bought tickets to Clay's concert, for goodness' sake! He would have stayed far away. It just makes me sad to think how Clay must have felt last night, during the concert, knowing those nasty eyes were on him.

I am happy to learn, despite my and others' feelings about this man, that there were no incidents having to do with him, at the concert. However, the handshake line that Clay often does after his concerts, was cancelled for security reasons. Ah, let's see... what could those be? Could they have to do with the evil-doer? In my opinion - of course that's why the handshake line was cancelled! So thanks to that ill-intentioned guy, hundreds of peaceful, Clay-loving fans did not get to shake Clay's hands - and I bet that Clay himself was somewhat shaken by the situation.

Well, that's enough of a rant for me! I want to focus on the light, the good, people's strength and beauty. Not dwell on the bad things people do in this world. But I needed to get this off my chest today. Who knows. I may delete this post later on.

I hope to goodness' sake that this evening things will be back to normal for Clay's concert in Asheville, North Carolina. I wish this very much, for all of us fans, especially those of you who will be there this evening! And most of all, I wish this for Clay and his family, so they can just enjoy the evening surrounded by love, as it should be.

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

I touched Clay! And he touched my heart

2007-07-28T17:34:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

How fitting is it that this post - my first after I finally passed the 100-post mark - is the one right after my second-ever Clay concert, and the first time where I actually touched him!!

The concert

Where to start? I was hundreds of miles away from my home (no Canadian stops on this summer tour), out in the U.S. countryside and the day was a brilliant blue and sunny, warm and fragrant. Early in the day, I went for a long walk through the town, down by the lake, through the woods, enjoying the moment and looking forward to the evening, when I would see Clay for only my second time ever. After a shower and a rest, I took off to walk to the outdoor venue, down a lane through the woods. On my way there, I met other Clay fans going to the concert, early as I was. Clay fans are one of the groups of people where I feel right at home, surrounded by decent, trustworthy people, even though I don't know them. I don't mean I would blindly trust people I don't know, but it seems to me that anyone who loves Clay has to be - to my mind - a person who not only appreciates his voice but also his values: respect for all people, inclusion of marginalized people in all aspects of life, love of God and of life itself, love for children and animals, social commitment, the importance of giving back to one's community and trying to make this world a better place.

We arrived at the gates just before opening time, at 6:30 p.m. People were already lined up to get onto the grounds - as usual, mostly women, and although there were people of all ages, they seemed largely to be of the 30s - 50s age range. The gates finally opened, and we streamed onto the grounds, visiting the kiosks, filling out the forms to win a first-row seat (I didn't win), buying food and drink, and Clay tour memorabilia. I didn't even have supper that day, it was so hot and I'm not very hungry when it's hot. Also, I was just so excited to see Clay again that that took precedence over everything, including hunger. :-)

I looked for a few fellow Official Fan Club members who were sitting elsewhere, but every time I checked, they weren't in their seats, so we never met up, unfortunately. I chatted a bit with different fans, who were very nice, all from the U.S. - I don't know if there were other Canadians at the concert. And three excited young girls who were there mostly... for Clay's pianist, Jesse Vargas, rather than Clay himself! I kidded them about that.

The venue was not sold out, which was too bad, but I imagine a Wednesday night concert for a stage out in the countryside, must be harder to fill than an urban venue. In any case, what we lacked in numbers, we made up for in energy and enthusiasm, throughout the evening.

Right on time, the orchestra came onstage and began to tune up, followed by Jesse Vargas, Sean McDaniel (Clay's new drummer) and soon after, by fellow/backup singers Quiana Parler and Angela Fisher. And then... The Voice sounded offstage, we did not know where. Everyone began looking all around, down the aisles, off to the side of the stage, the back of the venue... Was he going to come down an aisle? Mingle with the crowd? Excitement was thick in the air, and finally, Clay came out onstage and the crowd went wild!

Clay did pretty much the same songs that we had heard were sung at the other concerts on this tour: many songs from A Thousand Different Ways, a TV-show music medley, a couple of The Measure of A Man classics, and another medley which was a spoof on contemporary pop music hits. I won't repeat the set list, since you can find it on all the major Clay sites - check out especially Clay's Daily Double for all the most up-to-date information - but I would like to share some of my thoughts and feelings as the 2-hour concert flew by.

The last medley actually pleasantly surprised me. I had been expecting to like it, since I love anything Clay does, he always adds that special Clay-twist - but the songs that I had heard were part of that medley, I don't really care for much. So I figured that it would be ok, but not great. Well, I was proven wrong! It was one of the most fun parts of the show. Clay had everyone up out of our seats, clapping, grooving, laughing and thoroughly enjoying his medley. I could tell it was a bit of a spoof on the hit songs, not exactly a tribute to them, especially since Clay had begun by saying that he feels that most contemporary pop music one hears on the radio is "crap" - and yes, I quote him there!

Some of the best moments were, of course, for those of us who know Clay, his banter with the audience and his fellow singers and musicians. At one point he said that he watches too much TV, and he said it is making him fat. A few people in the crowd wooped and shrieked, and Clay said: "What, you're happy that I'm fat??". The bugs on the stage were something else, for some funny reason, and Clay was having a difficult time with them - he seemed to swallow one, and gagged in his mike and laughed with us about it. He batted and swatted them, and Angela and Quiana began taking hits at Clay's back, to get the bugs off him. Someone brought out a can of bug spray, and Clay just ran with it, spraying everyone, including himself, and the surrounding air. It was hilarious!

Clay also shared a stressful-funny moment that afternoon, when they discovered, at rehearsal time with the orchestra, that they had forgotten their sheet music back in Detroit, Michigan! Along with their comfy padded stools for sitting on stage. They were apparently madly faxing and e-mailing the scanned sheet music from Michigan so that the orchestra could play the concert that very day, and began rehearsing only around 4:30... must have been a madhouse! And as for the stools, Clay, Angela and Quiana had basic wooden stools to perch on onstage, undoubtedly not nearly as comfy as their regular cushioned, back-rimmed stools. So Clay began complaining that his butt hurt and he missed their own stools, which were being delivered to them as he spoke, from Michigan. On the grounds before the concert, a local business had given out blue sacks which could be inflated into seat cushions, so some people from the front-row of the audience handed a couple of the sack-cushions to Clay to sit on. After thanking the concertgoers, he tried inflating them by blowing them up and joking that he hoped no one had put their butt where his mouth was! And then what did he do? He handed the cushions first to Quiana and Angela - such a gentleman, so thoughtful! I love Clay for those small gestures. As it turns out, I ended up chatting last night in the fan club chat room, with the woman who had given Clay her sack-cushion at my concert! Small world...

A surprising thing for me was that Clay was really sweating on stage in the midsummer heat and the bright stage lights - one could see the sweat running down his cheeks, his face was glistening and the hair right around his face was stuck to his skin. Clay is always so clean and dry - I have rarely seen him sweat - so that was actually quite funny and sexy to see him all sweaty! I surprised myself feeling that way, since I usually don't like the sweaty look on guys. But Clay looked hawt (no pun intended)!

The concert went by in what seemed like the blink of an eye... but I am so happy I went. It was great to see Clay live again. The man could truly sing the phone book and get us all excited about it - what a great time the evening was! He is a true entertainer, with the most beautiful voice I can ever remember hearing - I'm not kidding! - and such charm and wit.

Before going to the concert I had already decided that I would do whatever I had to to shake Clay's hand. The first concert, I didn't know that Clay greeted his fans after concerts, so I had just left. I had also heard that it was almost impossible at the particular venue I went to this time, since we could not get close to his bus due to a fence all around, but I figured I would ask around and follow the crowd after the concert, and hope...

The handshake

When I got out of the theatre, I saw people gathering in a certain area near the fence, and quickly joined them. Soon, there was a real crush of people - certainly hundreds of the concertgoers stayed! I just saw on a fan recap that venue security estimated the waiting crowd at over 500, perhaps as high as 800 - they had never seen anything like it, nor had they seen an artist who took the time to greet fans in that way.

We were all very excited and lively, chatting and hoping we would get a greet from Our Man. At first we weren't sure it was going to happen, but Jerome (Clay's personal bodyguard during concerts) peeked over the fence and told us, smiling, that yes, Clay would be out to greet us, but we had to be in a line. It took us quite a while to get organized in single-file, which Clay wanted, to be sure he could greet every person waiting there for him - what a sweetie! All in all, we waited about an hour. But the hour went by fast, as we talked about the concert, Clay, sharing our excitement. I was next to a young girl, B., who hadn't intended to be there in the line, but had gotten swept away from her Mom by the crowd - and she no longer knew where her Mom was. She was a delightful young lady with a radiant smile and we talked about all things Clay, how he would be a natural on Broadway, lots of things. After the greet with Clay, I walked with her until she found her Mom again, at the very other end of the handshaking line. I wanted to make sure she was ok and back with her Mom. I know that's what Clay would have done!

Some funny things happened while waiting. We overheard one of the venue security people saying to another: "I actually voted for Ruben [Studdard - winnner of American Idol the year Clay was on, year 2]" - a few of us told him he had better keep that down, he was among Claymates! We kidded him about that. We began a "wave" at our end of the line, but it kept dying down at the middle point of the line. And the Jesse Vargas fans chatted with Jerome, giving him presents - for him, for Sean, and of course, for Jesse.

Now I admit it - I'm a true, diehard fan, have been since "Take..." in January of 2003. Clay's the best, and so even just the possibility of a brief handshake/hand graze meant so much to me. All these years of admiring the young man, loving his talent, his charm, his sense of humour, his charisma, his sensitivity, his social commitment ... Standing there, I could hardly believe that I was to see Clay pass by right in front of me, touch his hand. I knew it would only be a graze as he went down the huge line.

When I finally felt his skin and saw him up close, it was wonderful, though a big blur too. As he touched my hand, I sort of lightly grabbed his hand and held it, saying: "Thank you, Clay!". Then I let go. I realized he's really here, a real man living his life in this world full of love, challenges, pain and beauty. I was glad to be there, and especially, glad that such a person as Clay is in this world... He is a ray of sunshine in a world which is too often, a source of exclusion, injustice, sadness and pain. I choose to build my life around rays of sunshine, light and love - and Clay is certainly part of that in my life.

For all of you going to a Clay concert soon, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! If you have never been and are wondering whether it is worth it - IT IS! Go, enjoy, live life to the fullest - open your heart to Clay and his voice. And like he says: use your voice for good in this world.

-- ClayKat

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Clay, here I come!

2007-07-07T15:48:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

Well, I certainly have been neglecting this blog. But let me reassure you, I haven't been neglecting Clay!

I've been spending my more-or-less-twice-weekly Clay-time in these ways:

- keeping up with the latest Clay news by faithfully reading my Bloglines news feeds on Clay, including of course the latest information and clack provided by the wonderful team at Clay's Daily Double
- checking my Google Alerts (keyword - of course - "Clay Aiken")
- visiting the Online Fan Club (OFC) chat room, where I have met some great people who admire Clay as much as I do - and some of whom I'll be meeting later this month at Clay's concert
- preparing for and getting excited about Clay's concert!

Clay's summer 2007 tour, officially called "An Evening With Clay Aiken" and unofficially referred to as "Between a Soft Rock and A Hard Place", began this past Wednesday, July 4th, in Frisco, Texas. I spent the evening in the chat room, because a concert-goer was on the phone with someone having a link to the chat room, such that we got her commentary live from the concert. I didn't think a cellcert (CELL-phone con-CERT) would be that exciting, but it sure got us all going, and now I am so looking forward to my concert, coming up in a few short weeks.

Not only is Clay an incredible musical talent and a model humanitarian, he is a consummate performer and entertainer - such great fun to be with, in any shape or form. And that reminds me - please wish me luck on July 12th: that's when six concert-goers (OFC members only) from my concert will be chosen to attend a Meet & Greet with Clay. I never win anything, so I don't have any expectations, but a girl can dream... Let me know if any of you win, I'll be so happy for you!

I'll be back here before the end of the month at the latest, to share how the concert went!

Take care and enjoy the summer,

-- ClayKat

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Let's contribute to Clay's Afghanistan Appeal

2007-04-14T13:15:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

Like Clay fans everywhere, I have been busy reading about Clay's recent trip to Afghanistan, as a UNICEF USA Goodwill Ambassador in Education. The story broke for me through this article on Clay's Daily Double, as usual my first source of news on OMC.

We have known for some time that Clay would be leaving this spring for another UNICEF-sponsored trip, but we did not know where nor when. Tears came to my eyes when I learned of the destination of this last visit - tears of worry for his safety and tears of pride in the commitment shown by Clay to human rights and to ensuring access to education for children the world over. Then I learned that Clay was actually home by the time we had the news - for safety reasons, it wasn't leaked earlier - so that was a relief.

So that explains why Clay has been reading at least two Afghanistan-based novels in the past year - he has probably known for some time that he would be heading there, and wanted to get a taste of life in that country, the history and socio-political situation. Knowing Clay, I'm sure he read non-fiction as well to prepare: books, articles and other sources of information on the history and people of Afghanistan.

UNICEF put out a press release two days ago, in which they let us know of Clay's work in Afghanistan over the previous week. And if you want to know all the details, this press release provides a detailed account of Clay's activities and his thoughts on education in Afghanistan today.

One thing I find fascinating, and which remains with me after reading the interview with Clay which was included in this release, is the positive take Clay shows on what he saw in Afghanistan. He tells us that a lot of good work is being done, communities are getting involved in breaking down barriers and girls are now going to school in numbers unlike what had been seen over the past 20 years - although girls are still at a great disadvantage with regards to education, Clay notes. He describes the beauty of the country and the Afghan people, and his amazement to witness the joy Afghan children and adults have for learning - which Clay contrasts to feelings western kids have about school! Clay is such an incredible young man; he makes a challenging journey, seeks out and finds the strength and beauty in humankind and focuses on that, rather than on the pain and the divisions between people. He knows that the mass media focus on the latter. So Clay looks to build on people's abilities, and share what he has seen with us in North American, rather than have a paternalistic attitude of "oh, those poor people in Afghanistan, everything is bleak, there is no hope, etc. etc.", as some are wont to do.

Upon his return and through UNICEF, Clay has challenged us all to participate, by contributing to the Clay Aiken Afghanistan Appeal: $100,000 in 10 days! When I first read about that appeal, I immediately thought: no way - that much money in just 10 days? Then a half-second after that, I thought: who am I kidding? We're talking about Claymates here - we are generous, and loyal to Clay! We will make him reach that goal, and perhaps more.

Here we are, just a couple of days later, and Clay has already reached 90% of that goal!! Wonderful news. Check out the campaign thermometer here, to see where things are at right now.

Have you made a contribution? It can be for any amount above $10 (for an Internet donation) and here is where to go to contribute:

- if you are in Canada, you want to answer Clay's UNICEF appeal by going here
- if you are in the USA, you can go to this page to make a donation

I hope you will all contribute, even if we help Clay reach the 100% goal by tomorrow! Funds are always needed for educational projects in Afghanistan, and it would be great if by the end of the 10-day period, Clay could say that he reached 200% of his goal!

-- ClayKat

p.s. from April 16, 2007 - check out Clay's field notes from his Afghanistan trip, on UNICEF USA's blog

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Can't wait for Clay's upcoming concerts!

2007-03-31T12:26:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone,

And another month ends yet again. Here in my city, spring has pretty much arrived - we can get snow in April, but it's much less likely now - the sun is out, it smells of grass, leaves and buds, and smiles are on people's faces. As for me, a smile is in my heart, because I bought a ticket this week, so now my Clay-concert-going is official!

For those of you who wonder, I will be attending the concert in ... AnyCity, U.S.A., sometime in July. Seriously, I will be heading down the road (a 8-hour-some bus trip) towards a venue which is well-liked by Clay fans from what I have read, and where some years ago, the infamous "Terry" got Clay's attention during a concert. There - 'nuf hints.

I have read some of the board threads where people are already discussing Clay's song-list. Some are happy, some are not. What can you do? Clay will do whatever he wants, and I will be there, no matter what he sings. Heck, he could sing jazz - don't throw tomatoes, but I don't like jazz - and I would pay to hear him sing. I just love the man and his voice that much. Sing the telephone book, the newspaper, I don't care. I know it will be done well, beautifully done, with humour, love, and the spirit of fun and sharing that Clay brings to everything he does. Bring it on, sweet Clay!

One of the amazing things for me is that the summer concerts - the ones that are closest to me - will be taking place during my vacation time! Couldn't have chosen a better time, Clay! My hubby and I haven't yet decided what we will be doing this year, but I know where I will be for a few days out of our weeks' off, anyway! I won't drag him to Clay's concert since he is not a big fan like I am, but I am looking forward to meeting some of you and some Online Fan Club members at the concert.

Fifteen dates have been set for concerts during this tour, and we were told there would be about 20 concerts, so I imagine some more are yet to be announced. If any will be taking place closer to my city, I'll be there too! I'm crossing my fingers.

In any case, I've got my eye on a tidbit we heard recently as well: that Clay will be singing a Christmas concert on December 7th, in Albany, NY. Tickets only go on sale in September, and when they do, I'll be all over them. My birthday is right around then, Albany is really not far for me, plus it will be a Friday - much easier to take time off work on a Friday, to allow me to get to the concert.

Looks like 2007 will be a year for me to make up for lost time with Clay. I have been a fan since "Take..." at his AI2 audition in January 2003, but I have only seen him once in concert: during the summer of 2005's Jukebox Tour (although Clay has toured some 8 times since 2003, if memory serves me well).

So I am very much looking forward to this year when I will be enjoying this young man's incredible gifts on multiple occasions. Who knows - maybe I'll even get to shake hands with Clay! Hope to see you there!

-- ClayKat

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Clay, I'm coming for you this summer!

2007-03-03T12:18:00.000-05:00

Well, after being away for so long from ClayKat, I almost shouldn't call this a blog anymore! I'll try to be here more often, but with full-time work, family life, volunteer work, social life, health issues, another blog and lots more, let's say that my time is limited... though my admiration for Clay is certainly not!

Plus I'm a member of Clay's official fan club - and they offer a chat room, which is such a great way to share my love of Clay with others -- live! I have been spending most of my "Clay" time there in recent months.

So why blog today? Because I am so excited! I heard this week that two dates have been set for a Clay summer tour... and more to come.

Clay's Daily Double has set up a special 2007 ATDW Summer Tour blog where one will find the most up-to-date information as it becomes available. So far, we are told that Clay will be in San Diego, California on August 2nd and Chautauqua, New York on July 20th. I presume there will be concerts in many other places in between as well (eastern Canada, please, Clay!!).

I'll be on the lookout for more dates & places, with the hope of something closer to home; if not, I'll be off to NY for sure! The amazing thing is that it falls exactly during my vacation time, which makes things much easier for me. For the Jukebox Tour, I had to take a day off work at a busy time, though at least I had lots of overtime hours, so I was able to get permission.

I'm so looking forward to seeing Clay live again... he is the best! The voice, the man, the smile, the personality, the charisma, the banter, the snark!! Claymates, here we come, time for a Clay tour!

In the meantime, here's a thudworthy picture taken - I think - during December's Christmas tour... those gorgeous eyes!! Click on the picture to access the original, large format of the photo. Enjoy!

-- ClayKat

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A four-year journey... and counting!

2007-01-28T12:30:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

It seems hard to believe, but it was actually four years ago today that Clay Aiken came into my life - oh, sorry, our lives.

This talented and loving young man doesn't know it, but knowing him has given me so much joy in my life, a greater appreciation for everything, a desire to be better, and focus more on love in every aspect of my life.

It has been an extraordinary journey for us Claymates, following OMC (Our Man Clay) over the past few years, watching him grow as a singer and as a man, and growing along with him, and each other.

I never would have thought I would become a devoted fan of anyone, to the degree I am with Clay - I found that sort of tacky and desperate, before. But when Clay appeared on my tv four years ago, walking out quietly and confidently to sing to Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson (how I wish Paula Abdul had been there that day - I would have loved to see and hear her first reaction to Clay!), when he opened his mouth and pearls of sound came out, I was hooked, then and forever.

I had tape-recorded American Idol that evening, so at the end of the show, I replayed over and over the audition of that geeky-looking kid from Raleigh with the confidence to say he could have been in the previous year's top ten, each time with tears in my eyes. I did so many times for the next few weeks, each week hoping Clay would move on to the next stage of Idol. And despite being voted off at one point, he did make it to the end, the final two officially. But unofficially, he was the real, true winner of American Idol that year - it doesn't seem possible to me that he lost, after having been the only person in the top 10 that year to never have been voted into the bottom three, having received consistently the highest number of votes, etc. The voting system had to be rigged on finale night, for whatever reason at the time, and however that happened technically. I don't see any other way in which Clay could have lost to Ruben, because he was certainly way more popular, and in my opinion - though I do like and admire Ruben - way more talented and charismatic.

Four years later, we know that Clay has generated the biggest fan base, sold the most CDs and concert tickets, of any American Idol top-10 finalist ever (after five completed seasons now!), including the winners - except for Kelly Clarkson, an amazing talent herself.

Regardless, even if Clay had not won in any way over the past few years, I would still love and admire him - the singer, the man, the human being who is such a contribution to peace in this world, just by being who he is.

Congratulations on the past four years, Clay! Here's to at least 44 more! Let's celebrate, ClayNation!

-- ClayKat

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GoodSearch - search the Internet and raise money for the Bubel-Aiken Foundation

2007-01-14T19:58:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

I always believe that as much as possible, it's important to show solidarity and contribute to community actions and non-profit organizations. So when I learned about Good Search, which makes donations to charitable organizations upon every search, I always try to do searches from their search engine, rather than just Google everything (although I love Google and all its online services, don't get me wrong! I'm subscribed to lots of Google Alerts and have Gmail and Google Docs accounts, all of which I use regularly).

Whenever you want to find something on the Internet, check out Good Search. When there, in the field which asks "Who do you GoodSearch for?", type in all or part of a charitable organization you want to support and verify that it is in the list of recognized organizations, choose it, then do your search. A donation will be made each time you do a search, and the next time you return to Good Search, if you haven't erased your computer cookies, it will remain memorized.

Because this is a blog about Clay Aiken, I of course want to support an organization that is important to him, and a main one would be the Bubel-Aiken Foundation, which Clay set up in the summer of 2003 with Diane Bubel, and whose mission is "Creating communities where ALL children can learn, live, and play together."

If you have a blog or a Website, you can put a button which will link to Good Search. Check out the button I put in the right-hand column of my blog, which actually links directly to Good Search, with the Bubel-Aiken Foundation as designated charitable organization: . If you show the source code of this page, you will see the code to copy and put on your own blog or Website.

Let's work together in small and big ways to make this a better, more inclusive world - as Clay would have it!

-- ClayKat

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Clay in my dreams...

2007-01-07T19:42:00.000-05:00

Well, it finally happened. It was bound to occur eventually, given the big Clayfan I am. I'm not sure whether to be happy or... worried. I dreamt of Clay last night.

Before you go thinking any funny thoughts, no! It wasn't that kind of dream! Though it was sweet and cozy. I don't remember everything, but I do remember being in a big house - not a house I know from somewhere in real life, though. There were a lot of people around, and I recall sitting at a large round table at breakfast, among various aunts and uncles, cousins and other family members of Clay, people of all ages. Lots of people, yet the mood in the house was quiet and peaceful, no stress, no yelling, no loud noises. The man himself was still upstairs sleeping, and I was expecting his Mom Faye Parker to come down any minute to join us for breakfast. At one point I was thinking to myself: "Why am I wearing jeans and a t-shirt? I should have worn nicer clothes than this". Whis is funny, because I never wear jeans. I think I have this idea that southerners dress up more often.

I have vague memories of what had happened the evening before, alone with Clay, and I was aware that there were lots of people in the house. We were lying down and chatting, and I felt so at home with him. He had his former look: the spiky, short hair, and somehow, though he was his current age, I was also his age - about 15 years younger than I am in real life. I remember thinking how much we had in common and how comfortable I felt with him, just being myself. And I even thought of other Clay fans in my dream, telling myself that I almost felt guilty, because other Claymates would so want to be where I was at that moment.

I think I'll leave some other details of the dream for myself - gotta keep some of the mystery personal! Suffice it to say we were decent. :-) I wish the dream had gone on longer. I woke up when Clay and I were talking and sharing an emotionally intimate moment together...

-- ClayKat

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Happy New Year 2007!

2006-12-31T12:35:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year's, Clay and Clay fans!

-- ClayKat

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2006 photo tribute to Clay

2006-12-29T00:10:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

I have never done a photo montage, a video or anything of that sort. My medium is the written word, not so much images... but when it comes to Clay, how can I resist? I felt like playing around with a montage function and ended up making a montage of Clay's new look, from pictures taken throughout this past year (not by me though!). Many thanks to scrpkym, zippy888 and ImFeelingItDawg for your pictures. I hope my memory is correct in that I can use them, as long as I give credit - if not, please let me know!

-- ClayKat

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Merry Christmas Clay Aiken and Claynation!

2006-12-23T13:44:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

My goodness it has been a long time since I blogged here! Incredible how time flies these days. And it's not because I haven't been thinking of Clay. It's just that I have been working on my other blog and busy with end-of-year stuff at work, as well as preparations for Christmas celebrations with the family.

I have also been following the cellcerts (CELL-phone con-CERTS) provided by other Clay fans live, through the chat room of Clay's official fan club, as he has been joining orchestras in the U.S.'s northeast in their Christmas concerts. Check out Clay's official Web site to find out where he has been belting out Christmas tunes to fans old and new! His last concert will be this evening, in Greensboro, North Carolina - apparently, quite close to his home town of Raleigh. So he will then be able to go home, rest and enjoy the holidays with his family. I'm very happy for him, because he had a few days of being quite sick during this tour, with an inner ear infection which made it very challenging for him to go onstage under bright lights and sing. But sing he did, our sweet man Clay! Apparently the concerts were all nevertheless true to Clay form, wit, talent ... and snark!

I'm not sure I'll have time to blog again before Christmas, so here's wishing all of you, including you, Mr. Clay Aiken, a wonderful, peaceful holiday season, full of love and laughter!

Here's a little card I made for us all:

Happy holidays!

-- ClayKat

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Happy 28th Birthday, Clay!

2006-11-30T07:01:00.000-05:00

Dear Clay,

Along with all your other fans, I wish you much happiness, peace and lots of love today and for the coming year. Happy Birthday to you, my favourite singer ... and one of my favourite people !

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Clay's CD release party in my city - what a blast!

2006-11-04T12:37:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

I know this could sound a little ridiculous, some six weeks after the fact, but hey, better late than never? At the time, soon after September 19th, the release date of Clay's latest CD - A Thousand Different Ways - I wanted to share the fun I had at the CD release party which took place in my city. But as life would have it, that was not possible until now.

We were just under 20 people, which is a nice group size. A few Clay fans had organized the evening, and what a great job they did! A second-floor room was reserved in a popular downtown café, and it was lovely and private. As I climbed the stairs to the second floor, I heard Clay's rich tones, then saw at the top of the stairs, a poster montage in Clay's likeness. I knew I was in the right place, and I realized I was smiling from ear to ear! Finally I was to meet fellow Clay fans in person! G. and H. met everyone at the door with a friendly greeting and a personalized name tag. The table was decorated with blue and silver balloons specially inscribed to celebrate Clay's release of ATDW. Posters, pictures, DVDs and CDs were all around, decorating the room. A recording from Clay's 2005 Jukebox Tour was playing softly in the background.

I chose a seat towards the middle of the long table - I like to be able to be part of any conversation going on around me, on all sides, and being in the middle allows one to do that more easily than being on the end. Not surprisingly to me, the group was almost entirely made up of women (just 2 men), but women of all ages and all walks of life. Two teenagers, a number of twenty-or-thirty-somethings, a few middle-aged women and at least one in her 70s. I enjoyed the company of each and every one I was able to speak with. We shared about our lives, and our experiences with Clay - his music, concerts, his charitable work. We were students, professionals, sales people, artists, businesswomen - all touched, and brought together by the love which comes through Clay.

We played a fun elimination game, where we had to answer multiple choice questions (about what and whom, you wonder?). I knew all the answers but one - something about Clay's appearance on a TV show in 2004 - a show one gets on cable, so I haven't seen it... But like most everyone, I knew all the other answers about Clay's life. We were a touch bunch to stump!

G. and H. had prepared door prizes and much more, which was so sweet of them. I now have a beautiful poster of Clay, a large collection of fridge magnets, a Clay-faced clock and I don't know what else... So unexpected and generous.

And of course, on the way over to the café, I had stopped by the music store to pick up my copy of ATDW, which we played during the evening. Pure Clay, soft and rich! I'll write about the album another time.

-- ClayKat

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I have to admit it: I now love Clay's new look!

2006-11-02T08:01:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

Well, I have to say that I now take back what I wrote way back in May about Clay's new look: I now love it! That was during the American Idol 5 finale show, when Clay made a surprise appearance, now infamous as one of the most hilarious moments ever of AI, what with Clay wannabe Michael Sandecki's emotional reaction to seeing Clay join him on stage.

Clay showed off his new look at that time and it was talked up all over the Net, with "Clay Aiken" being the most-searched term on blog search engine Technorati for a number of weeks. His hair was longer, straight and dyed fairly dark - no longer did we see the fair, spikey look we had come to love. The majority of those of you who voted in my poll at the time said you loved the new look, many finding it smoldering and more mature than his former look.

I didn't like it so much as his former look (my favourite ever being his hair during 2005's Jukebox Tour); the dark look made him look pale to me, and I didn't like the stringy, plastered-bangs-falling-in-the-eyes thing going on - it hid his beautiful eyes...

What won me over? Since May, he has lightened the hair, added some soft blond highlights, shortened the bangs, so now we see that sweet face, framed by soft, fair hair - all Clay! It was his September 22nd appearance on ABC's The View that sealed the deal for me and won me over. You can watch the interview on YouTube.com in two parts: Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

Now I can actually say that Clay's new look is hot! And that is not a term I use often... Even my teenage stepdaughter, who usually rolls her eyes when I mention Clay, says that now he is "almost hot".

But take a look and make up your own mind: there are lots of videos and pictures out there. I suggest checking out these sources for great Clack:

- Hartford Symphony Orchestra web site - Clay will be participating in their upcoming Christmas concert. Check out especially the five great pictures of Clay in their Media Photos section
- Clay's Daily Double
- pictures on Clack.unlimited

Here is one of my favourites:

Enjoy!

-- ClayKat

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Today is ClayKat's one-year anniversary

2006-10-18T20:29:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

It has been one year today since I started this blog. Time sure flies when you're having fun! Already one year - but then, it also feels like a very big, long year...

After all this time, I'm amazed at how I always find something to write about, which relates to Clay - Clay as I know him - and my own life experiences and thoughts. He is big enough, full enough and rich enough of spirit to be an inspiration and a source of hope for me in so many aspects of my life.

I have only grown to respect and care more and more for this incredible and talented young man over the past year, in part through contact with other Clay fans. You are an amazing bunch! Thanks for sharing the love of OMC! And helping others know about this blog.

So I dedicate this first year to my(our) Clay and those of us (so many) who love him. I expect there to be many more years of life to the ClayKat blog!

-- ClayKat

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Right-wing governments, lack of social solidarity ... and Clay

2006-10-15T11:37:00.000-04:00

Hello Clay fans,

Well it certainly has been a very long time since I have posted - the longest ever since I have been blogging (almost one year). I can't believe it has been just over a month... Actually, I guess I can, because it has been a very intense month, on all fronts: work, family, personal life, political environment, etc. Lots of sadness, some happiness and joy, plus quite a bit of anger. The latter has mostly to do with Canada's current federal government, lead by Conservative leader Stephen Harper, which slashed one billion $ worth of funding to Canadian programs in late September.

The Harper government has gutted many social programs which were there to help all Canadians advocate for their rights. Why? Because their philosophy goes something like this: all Canadians are equal and have equal chances in life. Those of us who are discriminated against or disadvantaged in some other way, have just got to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and struggle, individually, to move beyond these injustices. Only 20% of Members of Parliament are women? Too bad - women just have to get themselves elected. There is poverty in Canada? Tell people to just get a job. Almost half the Canadian population has trouble with functional literacy? What a shame - but don't look to government to help them learn to read better. This is a ridiculous, paternalistic, right-wing way of looking at social inequalities and their solutions. Mr. Harper, you are George W. Bush's baby brother in every way - and I bet that makes you very happy. I am ashamed, personally.

I feel like this government has betrayed Canada and turned the country on its head, reneging Canadian values of solidarity with those who are discriminated against and marginalized: among others, women's organizations, literacy and adult learners, Aboriginal peoples, organizations and individuals advocating for their rights. I am angry with all those who voted for this pathetic government.

And I bet Clay would be too, since he is a left-wing person committed to working for inclusion and advocating with those who are pushed to the margins of our societies: in particular for him, children with intellectual disabilities. Clay would have supported those social programs, which were there to support efforts to achieve real equality and social justice for all citizens.

If you would like to know more, and participate in some of the organizing and activism which is taking place in reaction to the Conservative cuts:

- Women's groups' call to action
- Save the Court Challenges Program of Canada
- Actions against adult learning and literacy program cuts

-- ClayKat, not a proud Canadian right now

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

If he had known Clay...

2006-09-14T09:02:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

This has been a sad 24 hours in my city. A lonely, paranoid and violent 25-year old young man entered a college in my city yesterday and gunned down students. One young woman died and many others are in critical condition, some on life support. A true tragedy.

My thoughts turn to Clay at this time, strangely enough. But perhaps it is not so odd, considering what a ray of sunshine Clay is: optimistic, full of love and hope for life and those around him. That deranged young man yesterday - who was killed by local police officers within minutes of their arrival on the scene* - truly needed someone like Clay in his life: another young man with such a different outlook on life, to be a model of hope... He needed love.

I cry today for the young woman who died, her family and loved ones. I pray for those still in the hospital, their family members and friends who are in such anguish. I feel great sadness for the depths of despair in which that young man must have lived, as well as for his parents and family members who must now grieve his loss - as well as what might have been. I wish for a non-violent society, in which all children and young people would be loved, would feel included, part of the world around them, with a constructive purpose to their lives.

I wish for a society with more beautiful people like Clay, beacons of love and hope in a world which for too many, contains nothing but darkness, suffering and pain.

As we celebrate Clay's new CD release next Tuesday, I will be paying tribute especially to OMC's inspirational spirit, and I will try to be more and more like him - in honour of those who have died, and those who are suffering yet in the hospital, or quietly in their homes, from the trauma of this horrendous experience...

Hug your children and other young ones around you today.

In peace,

-- ClayKat

* at the time I wrote this post yesterday, this was the information available. We later learned that although a police officer shot the perpetrator in the arm, the young man actually took his own life, turning one of his weapons on himself. - ClayKat, Friday, September 15th, 2006

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Going to an ATDW release party?

2006-09-04T11:22:00.000-04:00

Hello Clay fans,

Well it's the month of September and the final countdown begins! If you look in the banner of my blog you will see a counter (I know, I know - it's black on navy blue, hard to see... I couldn't change the default colour...). There are only 15 days left until the release of Clay's upcoming third album : A Thousand Different Ways (ATDW)! Goddesses, please give this broad lots of energy that week, because I have an incredible week leading up to September 19th! Lots of amazing events (non-Clay-related), then on Tuesday, September 19th: an ATDW release party, where I will be joining Clay fans in my city as we get our CDs and party together, celebrating the incredible young man and talent that is Clay Aiken! I hope you will join us - or some group of Clay fans somewhere around the world, gathering on that day to share our admiration for Clay.

Are you looking for information as to where a party might be held in your area? Check out the Clay Aiken CD Release Parties Planning Board and you will likely find what you are looking for. If not - set up a party in your town and let people know about it on the CD release party planning board!

As we wait for the next two weeks to go by, we have the great fortune to have access to some 30-second snippets of all 14 songs on ATDW, thanks to the quick thinking of our friends at Clay's Daily Double, who downloaded the partial tracks when they were (temporarily) available online. They have since been removed, perhaps because we Claymates crashed the source system with our download requests!

Check out the songs by going to this page on Clay's Daily Double. Another item to check out, in celebration of ATDW: a montage by Clay fan "Brandilyne" called ATDW Snippets... not a montage...: a beautiful montage of recent Clay photos, done to the song snippets from ATDW. Watch it here:

The video is on YouTube, a great source of clack: search for Clay Aiken videos on YouTube to find many more.

Enjoy! See you on September 19th!

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

August 25th: 25 days to ATDW and one year since JBT

2006-08-25T20:24:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

Today is August 25th, a day to celebrate in many ways! One year ago today, I was at my very first Clay concert: the Jukebox Tour. You can read here, here and here, my three-part experience of that amazing concert.

And it is 25 days from today that Clay's new CD, A Thousand Different Ways, is due to be released - I'm looking forward to it! It seems that these days, the Clay fandom is in a constant state of excitement, of eager expectancy - and I count myself in there! We can't wait for September 19th, when ATDW will be ours! Plus, so many of us will be getting together around the world to talk about the voice, the music, the joy... the man. I will be joining a group of fans getting together here in my city, and I hope you will be too!

In the meantime, check out a lovely thread on The Clayboard. The thread is entitled "*When I See You Smile* a picture thread!", and are there ever some classic sweet Clay smiles to be found there. Enjoy!

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

What are the thousand different ways in which we love Clay Aiken?

2006-08-08T20:59:00.000-04:00

Hello fellow Clay fans !

I was thinking about how to spend the next month, week and four days until ATDW comes out (besides my full-time job, family life, housework, volunteering, etc...) ;-)

Suddenly it came to me: why don't we make a collective list of the 1000 different ways in which we all love Clay Aiken. And have it ready by September 19th, the release date for ATDW. Sounds ambitious? Yup. Impossible? No way! Not with the power of the Claynation.

Join me? Add your own ways in a comment to this post and I'll add yours to the list, along with your (nick)name if you like.

-- ClayKat

p.s. Only Clay-positive and family-friendly items will be included in the list.

A thousand different ways in which we love Clay Aiken

1. that incredible voice (ClayKat)
2. the glory notes (ClayKat)
3. his smile (ClayKat)
4. his humility (ClayKat)
5. the microphone stroke (ClayKat)
6. the dancing (ClayKat)
7. the love of children (ClayKat)
8. the sensitivity (ClayKat)
9. his compassion (ClayKat)
10. the vibrating richness of the lower notes (ClayKat)
11. the way he gives me chills - through his words and his song (ClayKat)
12. how tears come to my eyes so often when I hear him sing (ClayKat)
13. how tears were cursing down my cheeks when I finally saw Clay in concert at the JBT (ClayKat)
14. how proud he makes me in all he does (ClayKat)
15. the awe he inspires in me as an amazing man (ClayKat)
16. the thoughtfulness (ClayKat)
17. his trueness to his values (ClayKat)
18. how he lives his faith instead of just preaching it (ClayKat)
19. the way Clay makes it his business to reach out and see people with disabilities, with weight issues, those who are not so "beautiful", etc. - those who are so often neglected, unseen and/or mistreated (ClayKat)
20. the courage he shows in overcoming a challenging childhood, and not being afraid to share about it (ClayKat)
21. the way Clay focuses on the positive, the beauty of life, rather than the problems (ClayKat)
22. the striped socks (ClayKat)
23. the sweet eyes (ClayKat)
24. the enthusiasm and affection he shows for his fans through his blog (ClayKat)
25. Solitaire (need I say more?) (ClayKat)
26. his purity of spirit in a world where artificiality and superficiality reign (ClayKat)
27. those cute lips (ClayKat)
28. "Take..." (ClayKat)
29. the way in which Clay inspires his fans to be better people (ClayKat)
30. his snarkiness (ClayKat)
31. his wacky quirkiness (ClayKat)
32. his commitment to use his fame consciously, as a role model for young people (ClayKat)
33. when the world was dark...there was Clay - he got me through a tough time (anonymous)
34. Still Loving Clay ATDW in Cape Town (Maylon)
35. His modesty in describing his celebrity (lakecat)

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

We have a date! Clay's ATDW to be released on September 19th

2006-08-01T00:49:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

Yay! We finally have word from Clay, through the online fan club, about the release of his upcoming album, A Thousand Different Ways. As suspected/rumoured, it will be on September 19th. Thanks to Clay's Daily Double for the heads-up.

I'm so glad it will be then - and not later. It will be great timing for me (thanks Clay!), right after a big event I have the weekend of September 15th-16th, so I will be freer to celebrate with other Clayfans on the 19th.

I figured now would be a great time to post the results from my last poll, asking you what you thought about the release of Clay's album, in terms of timing. As you can see below, half of you predicted right: "September". Over a quarter of you answered "Soonnn, pleeeaaassse!" ;-) Ten percent said "July" - we know that didn't happen. Another 10% guessed "August". Finally, 4% thought it might come out "In time for the holidays". Thank goodness we'll get the album before then after all!

So I'm going to be looking to join a CD launch party in my hometown of Montreal - can't wait. I'm off the check out The ClayBoard and the Clay Aiken CD Release Parties Planning Board to see if any info is already up!

-- ClayKat

Poll on the date of Clay's next CD launch:

“When do you think Clay's sophomore album will be launched?”

DATE GUESSED

NUMBER OF VOTES

PERCENTAGE

September

50%

Soonnn, pleeeaaassse!

26%

July

10%

August

10%

In time for the holidays

TOTAL: 100 votes – 100%

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

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

2006-07-22T23:27:00.000-04:00

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:

.
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.

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

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

2006-07-03T12:01:00.000-04:00

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

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

When do you think Clay's sophomore album will be launched? A poll...

2006-06-27T22:34:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

The talk of the online Clay fandom these days is: when will Clay launch his new CD? So of course, I had to set up my own Blogpoll poll to see what you think/predict.

As usual, you will find the poll at the top right-hand column of my blog, with these 5 possible responses:

- July
- August
- September
- In time for the holidays
- Soonnn, pleeeaaassse! (I couldn't resist this one!)

I'll keep the poll up until Clay releases his new CD next week... oops! Next month... Uhhhhh... Well, we'll see how long! ;-)

Have fun.

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Life after ATCA - featuring ClackUnlimited.com

2006-06-26T21:44:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned in a post last May, All Things Clay Aiken (often referred to as "ATCA") closed down on May 31st. Among other things, ATCA was an incredible source of clack (Clay-related downloadables such as MP3s, videos, photos, links to interviews on TV and radio, etc.).

When one visits ATCA's Web page now, one sees the following notice: "The ClackHouse has stepped up to take over for ATCA and has opened a public clack site at ClackUnlimited.com. Yay! It is quite amazing: one can find MP3s from Clay's AI2 days, pre-Idol days, his numerous concerts in many cities, videos, fan montages and much more.

I had no idea, but learned that it costs thousands of $ per month to run and maintain such a Web site. So please contribute when using ClackUnlimited.com - one can make a monthly donation or a one-time donation, through PayPal. It's easy: find out how on the home page of ClackUnlimited.com.

Congrats and thanks to the ClackHouse for stepping up and taking over, making so much great Clay material available to the fans!

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

"How do you feel about Clay's new hairdo?" - Poll results

2006-06-24T14:54:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

If memory serves me well, it has been exactly one month since the American Idol 5 finale where we first saw Clay sporting his new hairdo. Soon after, I posted a Blogpoll to gauge your reaction - although from what I had seen and heard in the days following, I was already pretty sure of the answer. :-)

To the question "How do you feel about Clay's new hairdo?", I offered four possible responses:

- I love it!
- I don't care what his hair does - I love the man no matter what
- I like it, but it'll take some getting used to
- I hate it - bring back the spiky dirty blonde locks!

As I expected, the majority (64%) of the 228 respondents indicated that they love Clay's new hairstyle. Although I thought the percentage would be higher. You can see the complete results below:

Choices of responses

Percentage

Number of votes

I love it!

64%

146

I don't care what his hair does - I love the man no matter what

19.3%

I like it, but it'll take some getting used to

14.9%

I hate it - bring back the spiky dirty blonde locks!

1.8%

Total votes

100%

228

In my case, I notice that my opinion has changed over the last month. In my post about the new haircut, I said that I didn't like it much and that I preferred his natural, lighter colour and spiky, short hair. But I have to say that Clay's new look has been growing on me... In any case, it doesn't matter to me what he looks like, because his heart and soul always come through his smile, his voice and his sparkling eyes, regardless of his hair!

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Will Clay attend game 7 of the Stanley Cup playoffs in Raleigh tonight?

2006-06-19T13:49:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

Tonight, my hubby and I will both be watching the seventh and final game of the Stanley Cup hockey playoffs - but for very different reasons. He will be watching the action on the ice (the game pits the Edmonton Oilers against the Carolina Hurricanes). Although I will undoubtedly also be drawn into the excitement of the game itself, given the series is at 3-3, I will particularly be watching with the hope of catching a glimpse of Clay Aiken in the audience! :-)

He attended game 5 last Wednesday night in his home town of Raleigh, North Carolina, and tonight's final game is back in Raleigh... Here's hoping, right, Clayfandom!

As far as who I'm cheering for - that's a toughie! I'm Canadian, so I would go for the Oilers, but on the other hand, the Hurricanes are Clay's team, plus they are the underdog, never having won the Stanley Cup (correct me if I'm wrong). And I always root for the underdog in life (that's one of the reasons I love Clay, because he does that too).

For the one or two fans who haven't yet seen Clay's pix at last Wednesday's game, you can find them in this article on Clay's Daily Double. Very sweet! I have to admit, the new haircut is growing on me. :-) But then, no matter what his hair looks like, Clay will always be a cutie in my eyes, because of his big, gorgeous smile and his bigger heart!

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Oh no! I missed a supper for Clay fans in my city!

2006-06-16T19:59:00.000-04:00

Double darn! I discovered late this evening that yesterday, there was a supper gathering of Clay fans here in my city!! The invitation had been posted on The Clayboard and I learned of it from a post on Clay's Daily Double - Ads/News June 15th.

I missed it!! :-( If I had known in time, I could have made it - would have cancelled what I had planned for yesterday evening. Oh well! That'll teach me to check the Clayboard more often... I just registered officially for an EZboard account, so I'll get into the habit now.

There will be a next time to meet Claymates in person, I'm sure. And I'm looking forward to it, because although a number of you have written to me through comments on my blog, I have never actually met a fan of Clay Aiken in person! Amazing eh? Except of course my fellow Jukebox Tour concert attendees, last summer (you can read here, here and here my three-part post describing my first and only - but not last I hope! - Clay concert experience).

I can't wait to meet other Clay fans, because people around me, including my family, just don't get it... They don't get Clay's "IT factor", so they find my passion about the man and his music quite mysterious. But I know that other fans will understand, as I understand them in their devotion to Clay.

Here's to meeting some of you sometime soon! A CD launch party in the Montreal area, perhaps? :-)

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

"Good News" - let's smile, The ClayBlog's here!

2006-06-16T19:32:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

My goodness it has been a while! Usually I try to post once a week, but what with my hubby's birthday last weekend and crazy amounts of work recently, plus the multiple events in a few teenagers' lives that keep me busy... well, it was impossible before today.

In my occasional few free minutes here and there, I have been touring the blogosphere and the net in general, though, especially - of course - on the lookout for anything Clay Aiken. And there is lots!

I would like to share with you a blog which for me is what I would call here in Québec a "coup de coeur" (literally, a "blow to the heart"), which translates as something like: "favourite" or "special hit". That is The ClayBlog. Yesterday, the author posted "Why I Care about Clay". I truly enjoyed reading her post - and I get it! She writes "...the first thing that hit me was The Voice. THAT VOICE. Words cannot really describe it. If it hits you, you know. It's a voice that drills a hole into your soul and touches you." Let me say: "I know"! I so know about that feeling, which I get time and time again when, after listening to other singers, I come back to Clay and just feel so much love and peace in my soul, through his voice and his spirit which reach out to all.

The ClayBlog did her own montage on Clay, to music by Jewel - and it is great! She said it was her first montage - hopefully not her last! I won't embed it here since it is her own creation and I think due credit should be given, if only by visits to her blog; check it out by going to this post on her blog, or you can see it here on YouTube.

What I will embed below is the video of Clay singing Good News - I had heard fans raving about this song, but had never really heard a version of the song which spoke to me until this video. Thanks for putting it on your blog, TheClayBlog! Here it is - enjoy! I love it more and more each time I view it. :-)

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Poll results - What moves you most about Clay Aiken?

2006-06-03T16:59:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

You might have noticed that every so often, I put out a Blogpoll. You will find the current one in the top, right-hand column of my blog: "How do you feel about Clay's new hairdo?"

I have decided to present the results of my last poll as a table - at least, I hope it will work (still learning my HTML codes!) In the last poll, I asked you what moved you most about Clay Aiken, whether his voice, his charisma, etc. I closed off the poll at a total of 120 votes. Here's the tally:

What moves you most about Clay Aiken?	Poll results
Reply	Percentage of votes	Number of votes
his voice	69.2%	83
his charisma	14.2%	17
his community and humanitarian involvement	4.2%	5
his faith	4.2%	5
other (write me a comment to tell me what)	4.2%	5
his look	2.5%	3
his friendliness	1.7%	2
his education	0%	0

Clearly, Clay's voice wins hands down as what moves my respondents most - 83% said so. No surprise there! For the next greatest perceptage of people - 14.2% - Clay's charisma is what moves them the most.

After that, the same number of people participating in this poll - 4.2% - chose one of three responses: either Clay's community and humanitarian involvement, his faith, or "other". I asked people to explain if they chose "other". One reader said that it was impossible to choose one factor over another. For her, it is all of the characteristics together which lead to the wonderful person that is Clay Aiken! Kudos to her for that insight!

2.5% chose Clay's look as what moves them the most. His friendliness moves 1.7% of respondents most of all. No one chose Clay's education as what moves them the most. Wish I knew what those who chose "other" were thinking of, but they mostly didn't leave comments to explain.

I'm not surprised about the results; I was sure Clay's voice would dwarf other results. However, I expected that Clay's community and humanitarian involvements would equal his charisma, in the minds of many respondents. But the latter got three times the votes that the former received.

Let me just say that of course, this poll is not scientific in any shape or form! I just put polls out there for fun, from time to time.

So don't forget to answer the current one about Clay's new look (read: hair)!

-- ClayKat

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

AI5 finale results show and Clay Aiken ...

2006-05-30T23:08:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

Well I have been resisting, but it seems to be next to impossible to resist weighing in on the American Idol 5 finale results show which was held last Wednesday evening - and in particular, Clay's appearance on the show.

Goodness knows, everyone else has written and disseminated everything going through their mind (good and bad) about the "Clappearance" on AI5, so why not me, I figured, since I'm a true-and-true Clay fan?

Just check out this graph of Clay mentions on Technorati (the oft-called "Google-of-blogs"): posts that contain Clay Aiken per day for the last 30 days

Get your own chart!

"Clay Aiken" is currently the most-often searched term on Technorati... it's incredible, but well-deserved and a long time coming for our friend Clay!

Seems that Clay made the evening, perhaps even more than AI5 winner Taylor Hicks himself! Not fair for the guy, but I have to say that I mostly watched the finale with the hope of seeing our man Clay once again. And see him I did! What an appearance! I knew him right away when he appeared in the background behind the parting curtains - those big feet turned outwards gave him away. :-) A true Clay stance. The male fan's reaction to seeing the real Clay come out and join him onstage was both cute and annoying at the same time. But I was peeved when he kept on belting out his out-of-tune imitation of Clay - I kept mentally begging him to be quiet and let Clay shine. Shine he did of course - because Clay always does. I felt so proud and happy to see him again, live and in front of our eyes. He has become a true star, needing no introduction, no explanation, just Clay with his huge heart, his smile and his incredible voice.

But... here goes. I know I'll get a few (many?) disapproving comments on this, but I have to say that I don't love the new haircut, in fact I don't even like it. It makes him look way young and immature, with the bangs in his eyes and plastered to his forehead so one can't properly see his beautiful eyes:
Clay AI5 Flickr.com pix, posted by "Friend of Faeries"

Quite unappealing in my opinion, nothing like his natural strawberry-blond short locks sticking up in the air, which I love. I think his hair was at his best when he performed during last summer's Jukebox Tour. I really love the photos of Clay which fans posted online of the JBT05 concerts. One of my very favourites can be seen here:

It shows true Clay emotion, plus I love his hair at that time. Guess I'll have to post a hair-poll to guage my fellow fans' appreciation of Clay's new hairstyle. But then, I already know most love it - just see the results of a current poll being taken by Clay's Daily Double. In any case, it has sure created a buzz around Clay, such that now would be a great time to release your new album, Clay! ;-)

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken fan blogs

2006-05-22T14:27:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

I am just amazed by the recent explosion in Clay fan blogs. It's great! Mine has been going since last October, which I thought qualified for pretty recent. But in the last few weeks - count 'em, weeks! - I have noticed a marked increase in the number of blogs not only mentioning Clay, but, like ClayKat, devoted exclusively or almost exclusively to this incredible singer. I figure fans are so eager to hear Clay's upcoming album, and see him once again in the public eye, that they are creating blogs to at least share our love for this young man and make the wait less difficult!

To find some of these other fan blogs, see the "Links" section in the right-hand column of my blog. Under the sub-heading "Search tools for finding Clack", you will find the following entries, which I comment below:

- Fan blogs about Clay Aiken on Technorati - these blogs focus exclusively or almost exclusively, on Clay;
- Blog posts mentioning Clay Aiken, referenced by Technorati - this link leads one to posts on any blog referenced by Technorati and which mention Clay, no matter how small the mention;
- Blogs and blog posts mentioning Clay Aiken, referenced by Blogger: this takes one to posts and blogs referenced by Blogger (my blog host and one of the main, free blog hosting services).

Unfortunately, along with the good, you will also find the ugly: posts and blogs full of hate, slander and discrimination, spreading rumours and nasty accusations about Clay, which I believe to be ridiculous. I guess freedom of expression has to dominate, so all one can do is ignore them and pass on by, while heading towards the pearls of life which celebrate and affirm Clay in words and music. Like ClayKat! Happy blogging! :-)

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Proud to be a Clay Aiken fan

2006-05-19T22:51:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

I just read a blog post which I really enjoyed - and can relate to! Thought I would share it with you. The author of the blog entitled Show Me Love, Show Me Life says: "Yes, I'm a Clay Aiken fan.......Why do you ask?" She got me at the title!

The author writes about how she discovered Clay - like me, at his first audition in January 2003, when jaws dropped across North America at the sound of that voice coming out of that body. In my case, I actually had tears in my eyes, he pulled my heartstrings so much. The blogger writes about Clay's so-called "It" factor, which fans of Clay all recognize, but which is so difficult to explain to those who don't see it (and how come they don't see it, anyway - it's so obvious to us?!).

The post goes on to describe how she became involved in the online fandom after going to one of Clay's concerts - just like I did. I loved Clay from that first moment in AI2, bought his CD's, DVD, book, looked out for him on TV etc. But for some reason I never really explored the Web world of Clay until after I attended the Jukebox Tour last summer.

I love that the blogger describes how she began to write through online fan fiction, meeting other writers and Clay fans, developing her skill, honing her talents. Who knows if that would have happened had she never known Clay? Here is yet another example of the positive effect Clay has in our lives!

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

All Things Clay Aiken Web site will be closing down on May 31st

2006-05-14T15:50:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

I learned of some sad news recently. The well-respected Clay fan site known as "ACTA", All Things Clay Aiken, will be taken down as of May 31st. Webmaster KCClaymate explains that this is "due to personal reasons of [her] own as well as financial ones regarding the site cost."

In my occasional series of posts featuring great Clay fan sites, I blogged about ACTA last November.

I want to thank KCClaymate for her devotion and commitment to Claymates - and Clay! - since 2003 when she started her site. And I would invite fans to go check out All Things Clay Aiken soon - before May 31st anyway!

There is amazing clack to be downloaded there, for example: photos, fan montages, MP3s, videos, etc., from American Idol 2 days, before and after AI2... and much more! An incredible Clay-fan reference and resource which will be sorely missed from the online clack horizon!

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My del.icio.us Clay Aiken hotlinks

2006-05-13T11:25:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone,

Has anyone noticed the new section in my right-hand column? Entitled "My 20 most recent "del.icio.us" Clay Aiken hotlinks", it is just below my Technorati blog search tool - scroll down the right-hand column a bit to see it. Look for this symbol:

What is that, you are wondering? I bet some of you are thinking lascivious thoughts, because of its title: "del.icio.us"! Well, no folks, that's not the way I'm thinking! Let me explain.

del.icio.us is an online social bookmarking tool (free, too!) which allows one to save and tag bookmarks one wants to keep for further reference and access from anywhere one has the Internet. I love it! Among other things, it has allowed me to build up an interesting collection of Clay Aiken bookmarks, which, instead of being saved on just my personal computer, get saved onto the Internet, searchable through the del.icio.us
search tag: "Clay Aiken". And once I save a bookmark, anyone, anywhere in the world, can access and save those bookmarks too.

I decided to integrate into my blog, an evolving list of my 20 most recent Clay Aiken online finds (including Web sites, blogs, forums, listservs, etc.). As soon as I save a new bookmark into my del.icio.us account, it automatically appears at the top of the list in that space on my blog. And if you click on the title text: "click on this title to access all of the hotlinks", you will be directly taken to all the del.icio.us hotlinks tagged Clay Aiken (there are currently over 100 of them so far!).

Social bookmarking tools such as del.icio.us are one of the hallmarks of the so-called Web 2.0 phenomenon, where the Internet is evolving towards a more interactive, dynamic, people-centered, accessible media for all. That's the way I like it! If I find something fun and useful online, I want to share it with others, and Web 2.0 features allow me to do so.

How can you benefit from these new Clay hotlinks? Here are some of the many ways:

- you can check out my blog often and see if there are any new hotlinks added to my del.icio.us 20-most-recent list
- you can save the RSS feed to my Clay links so you will automatically be alerted when a new hotlink is added to my list
- you can check out del.icio.us' Clay Aiken hotlinks on a regular basis
- or save the feed for all Clay Aiken-tagged bookmarks in del.icio.us

And there are undoubtedly other ways which I haven't yet figured out! I'm still learning about this wonderful adventure that is the Web, and how to use it to improve myself, contribute to others' lives and have fun in the process, particularly to share my admiration for Clay!

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

"The Amazing Race: Clay Aiken edition 2006" - how it went for me

2006-05-07T11:28:00.000-04:00

Last Monday evening, I participated in The "Amazing Race" Clay Aiken online edition, spring 2006, which was organized by Clay's Daily Double, Clay Aiken - the Ideal Idol and the Clay Report. I had blogged about it a few days beforehand. Turns out about 300 people began the race, while 61 finished it. And I am relieved to say that after over 3 hours that evening, crossed eyes and a bit less hair on my head, I was one of the 61 who crossed the finish line. Phew! At one point I wasn't sure I would make it! Ok, I was only number 35 to reach the finish line, which is not too great, but hey, at least I was there. :-)

And I want to thank the organizers for including my blog in the list of Website destinations - that was very nice of you, and contributed to greater visibility for ClayKat! Since then, I have noticed an increase in visitors, which is great. Thanks also for the personal comment in the ClayKat clue (something like "check out her blog, it's awesome") - that was very sweet of you!

The race was a lot of fun - but also, a lot harder than I expected. I thought there were be mostly questions about Clay, his life, his music, his personality. But the questions seemed mostly about Claymate fan sites, and Clayfans themselves. And I do say "seemed" because I'm just sharing my impressions. I don't have the actual questions anymore, and so I haven't done anything like a proper analysis. I thought I knew most of the Clay fan Web sites and blogs, but I discovered some I had no idea existed, which is great. And I thank the race organizers for including afterwards a list of the Websites and blogs which were race destination sites. More Clay resources to get to know!

I have a few critiques which I would like to share. One of them was an obstacle which made me lose about 45 minutes - 1 hour, and almost made me give up continuing the race. It was the clue to find a piece of information on an ezboard discussion forum. One has to be logged in to access those fora, and I couldn't for the life of me recall the password I had used a long time ago when I set up an ezboard account for myself. I used the automatic system to ask ezboard to send me my password. At least 45 minutes later, it still hadn't arrived in my e-mail account... Finally, when I was about to give up, because I could not go any further into the race without providing the answer to the ezboard question, my stepson asked his Dad whether he didn't have an ezboard account. He said he thought so, though it had been a while. I tried logging in using his username and his usual password - which worked, thank goodness! I then found the answer to the question, and continued the race.

The only other issue I have, which slowed me down, was that occasionally the responses one had to provide to move on to the next clue... were wrong. Unless there was something I completely missed, but I don't think so. Let me explain: on at least two questions, I entered what was the correct response (according to the Websites which posted the information), only to be told that it was incorrect. So I had to play around, guessing what might be the "right" answer, although it was actually wrong. The two questions I have in mind had to do with how much money had been raised in Oklahoma for a Clay-related cause (not sure it if was the Bubel-Aiken Foundation - I think so) and the date of ticket pre-sales in Pittsburgh for a Clay concert. For the first question, I entered the correct answer, but the one that was accepted was the amount of funds raised in just one city in Oklahoma, not the state as a whole. As for the second question, the answer was October 6th, 2005, but it refused to let that answer go through. I had to test every date between 1 and 31 until finally it let something go through that was not on the original Website.

In sum, I will definitely participate again - the race was a lot of fun - but I hope the next version will be a bit shorter, have more directly-Clay-related-clues, and no links to online fora or sites for which one has to be registered to get in. ;-)

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Participate in "The Amazing Race: Clay Aiken edition 2006", next Monday, May 1st!

2006-04-28T18:28:00.000-04:00

Next Monday, May 1st will see the very first edition of what could prove to be the online Clay event of the year: The Amazing Race: Clay Aiken edition 2006.

Organized by Clay's Daily Double, Clay Aiken - the Ideal Idol and the Clay Report, this Internet happening promises to be challenging and fun.

What's this adventure all about? The organizers say: "Travel through the hottest Clay Aiken websites -- learn something new, see websites you've never seen before and most importantly, have fun!". Be there or be square: Monday, May 1st at 8 PM EDT/5 PM PDT.

Bet I'll beat you to the finish line! Because oh yeah, ClayKat will be there! Looking forward to seeing many of you online. :-)

-- ClayKat

And for a bit of thud until then...

Clay with his sweet smile

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Share and watch Clay videos online

2006-04-23T01:03:00.000-04:00

I love people-led, social networking online tools. One I discovered recently is Youtube.com, a media tool for people to upload and download videos through the Web. Once I heard of it, I of course tested YouTube by doing a search on Clay Aiken. That led me to pages and pages of videos, including interviews of Clay on various television programs, bits of TV shows including Clay, parts of his concerts, fan video montages and much more. Pretty cool.

One of my favourites so far: an 18-minute-long interview by a journalist from The Standard, a Vancouver TV program. It first aired in early November 2005, when Clay was in town to launch his second Joyful Noise tour. The interview includes little music (but then, one can get that elsewhere!), but a great interview showing the beauty of Clay's spirit. YouTube.com allows one to open an account, providing the opportunity to save the links to one's favourite videos. Check it out!

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Patience, Clay-fans!

2006-04-16T12:09:00.000-04:00

I check out fansites, blogs and online forums on a regular, although infrequent basis (maybe twice a month). In recent weeks, I'm seeing more and more whining, as in "Clay, when are you going to put out your new album?", "If you don't do something soon, Clay, I might go elsewhere", "Fans are getting bored, Clay, do something to keep up our interest in you", etc. etc. These are not direct quotes, but examples of the general ideas I'm seeing more often. These complaining fans want Clay's new CD now - or at least the promise of a concert, or a public appearance.

My reaction is: what gives? Are we in that much of a hyperactive, attention-deficit society in North America that we have to be constantly stimulated, otherwise we go elsewhere? Never heard of patience, people? Or loyalty towards our favourite singer?

It's not like Clay hasn't done anything in these last three years since American Idol 2, when he came into the very public eye - and sang his way into our hearts. Last December, I blogged about how Clay managed to stay so busy, doing so much in just a few years. For my part, I don't mind at all waiting until Clay is ready to give his fans whatever he wants to share with us. In the meantime, I still have his commercial CDs, his book, as well as the CDs I made myself by downloading the incredible clack one finds online. He also blogs occasionally on his official fan club site to let us know what he is up to.

Clay is currently building his new home in Raleigh, making a CD, working with the Bubel-Aiken Foundation, planning his future activities (public appearances, concerts, as well as his UNICEF work) - and relaxing! At least I hope he gives himself that.

So let's have a little patience and give Clay some breathing room and support!

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

The incredible power of Clay's fandom

2006-04-08T16:27:00.002-04:00

Hello everyone,

I'm always amazed at how much power and influence Clay's fans hold, as evidenced by events following their campaigns.

For example, Lycos' top 50 search terms include "Clay Aiken", and his name has been climbing in the chart recently, apparently due to a concerted fan effort to choose Lycos for their search for Clack. Check out Clay's Daily Double's most recent article about this.

Another example - possibly due to coincidence - but probably not. A few days ago, Clay blogged in his official online fan club that he had just finished reading The Kite Runner - and loved it. He recommended his fans read it, and that's all it took for many of us to go buy the book, which apparently sent up order stats on the book at Amazon.com.

Earlier this year, I blogged about Terry Piper's book, The Invisible Revolution: Clay Aiken and the Fans Who Made Him a Star. Her book showed me just how much Clay's fan base has been a loyal and solid supporter of this great singer, following him since that wonderful night in late January of 2003 and still going strong up until now, mostly through the Internet.

For my part, I have been a fan ever since that drop-dead moment in January 2003, but I only joined the online fans in late 2005, after I saw Clay perform live and heard about all the Internet fever around Clay. I'm hooked now!

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Clay's album not necessarily out on June 20th...

2006-04-02T21:13:00.000-04:00

Like everyone else at this point, I heard the recent news that RCA records withdrew within a couple of days the notice on their Web site that Clay Aiken's album was due out on June 20th. No date now, no explanation... Oh well. We'll have concrete news at some point, I trust. Unlike some other fans, I won't die, I'll just do something else in the meantime (yes, there are other beautiful things to occupy my time in this life, other than Clay), and listen to my CD's (ok, yes, mostly Clay!). :-)

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken's album due out on June 20th?

2006-03-24T20:08:00.000-05:00

Just heard today that Clay's album is due to come out on June 20th. So say RCA Records on their homepage anyway.

And here I was getting ready for early May. Oh well, that's ok. There's always lots of clack to download and listen to, and I'm patient in any case. In the meantime, I also love listening to Jenny Gear, an incredibly talented musician from Newfoundland, Canada, as well as Alberta (Canada) native and Canadian Idol II winner Kalan Porter. But I always come back to Clay!

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

What moves you most about Clay Aiken?

2006-03-19T10:35:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

I thought I would do another poll with you this month. This one asks what moves you most about Clay - his voice, his faith, his education (special ed teacher), his community and humanitarian commitment (Bubel-Aiken Foundation, UNICEF...), his charisma, etc. Check out the poll in the right-hand column of my blog, and answer for yourself! If your reply is "other", please post a comment to this message and tell me what it is that moves you about Clay! In fact, even if your response is not "other", feel free to post a comment with your thoughts!

Looking forward to hearing from you.

-- ClayKat

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Clay's new album coming out in May!

2006-03-18T10:50:00.000-05:00

I know, I know - this is old news for us Claymates! We have undoubtedly all heard already that Clay's album is rumoured to come out on May 9th. But I followed a link and saw this thumbnail on Image Shack.us, with an invitation to post it to one's blog, and I couldn't resist sharing it with you. :-) The original source, where I found this picture, was once again, the CDD Clay News Weekly newsletter on Clay's Daily Double. Gotta love it!

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Clay has changed most of our lives!

2006-03-12T00:32:00.000-05:00

Recently I put up a Blogpoll poll on my blog, asking surfers "Has Clay Aiken changed your life?". The five possible answers were:

- Completely
- A lot
- Somewhat
- A little bit
- Not at all

Eighteen people responded, with 10 saying that Clay has changed their life a lot, while 8 feel that he has changed their lives "completely". No one chose any of the three other options. I am quite amazed - I thought (feared?) that some Clay-haters would weigh in, negatively of course. :-)

I'm glad to see that some true Clayfans are out there reading my blog. Feel free to leave your comments on my posts!

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

On the ludicrous intolerance of some people

2006-03-03T16:00:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

I am floored by just how bigoted and prejudiced people can be! I just read a recent article about some fans suing Clay and his record label, "following tabloid allegations he's gay". I could just scream! My goodness people, get a life! Suing Clay about something so personal? So what if Clay is gay? I just hope he's happy, no matter who is with, no matter the gender his loved one may be.

I hate tabloids, and I find disgraceful the allegations that floated about in one earlier this year. I will not dignify their behaviour by giving a link to that garbage. Just as bad: the man who supposedly "told all". I just feel bad for Clay being subjected to that, and in such a public way to boot.

But nine (former) Clay fans suing him and his record company because they supposedly created an image of Clay as being a "'Virginal, Asexual Character'" whereas he might not be (God forbid Clay might be a sexual being!)? There are no words for how low and despicable that is.

Clay is not some dream character; he is a real young man, a human being with diverse needs, wants, strengths and weaknesses, just like any one of us. And most of his fans love him no matter what, because we know he is fundamentally one of the good guys on this earth, someone to look up to, a real role model.

I just had to get out my frustration with the nasty people-who-have-lots-of-time-to-waste who are intentionally doing something to hurt Clay. Enough said.

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken

Featuring... "Clay's Daily Double"

2006-02-19T18:03:00.000-05:00

I would like to share with you an important source of information of all kinds about Clay.

"Clay's Daily Double" is a blog updated on a daily basis, with information as well as follow-ups on rumors and gossip about Clay. One can subscribe to a weekly e-newsletter or a daily digest, and the site offers a weekly poll as well. I always find information there that I don't see anywhere else - the person in charge is really up on Clay news!

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Me and Clay's Jukebox tour (Part 3)

2006-02-11T19:10:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

Here is part 3 of my account of a Clay concert last summer. (If you like, you can read Part 1 and Part 2 of "Me and Clay's Jukebox tour".)

At the beginning of the concert, Clay joked that he would be doing a marathon concert, singing all night. The crowd went nuts, roaring our approval! I would have loved it, myself. The almost four-hour concert (including breaks) flew by for me - it seemed to last only minutes. But by the end, I actually didn't want Clay to sing anymore - for him, not for me! That's because we could tell his voice was going hoarse - it was cracking, and I felt bad that he was giving us so much of himself that he was actually paying for it personally. His throat must have been hurting. Although he seems to love what he does, so that was reassuring.

There were only two moments during which I felt uncomfortable, in that they didn't seem true to Clay and his spirit. One was the infamous "Clangela" dance, in which Clay spooned one of his singers, Angela Fisher, and danced together with her in a way that was quite suggestive: more grinding than dancing, actually. It rang untrue to me, unbecoming of Clay. Not that he can't be sexual or sensual! That's fine, and he has as much right as any one of us to express his sensuality. I'm just saying that from what I know of Clay, he is quite private about the intimate aspects of his life, so that dance just didn't jive with what I understand to be his values and usual behaviour.

Also: during the break I checked out the gift booth, in case I felt like purchasing some momento from the concert. I didn't - nothing appealed to me much. But I noticed a g-string underwear, with something like "I love Clay" written on it. Again, just like the Clangela dance, that didn't jive for me with what I know and understand of Clay. G-string underwear, Clay? With his name written on the crotch, no less? And yet, since his name is on the product, he must have given his stamp of approval to sell it, so I suppose he is ok with it.

Clay must have his reasons, and honestly, who am I to say anything about them? I'm just sharing what went through my mind during this incredible evening - the good (99% of the time) and the not-so-good (1% of the time).

One of the high points for me was listening to the world premiere of "Tears Run Dry", one of Clay's new songs which will probably be included on his upcoming album. I loved that song from the first few bars! I find it really shows the range and depth of Clay's voice, and I love the rugged quality in his voice one hears towards the end of the song. You can listen to Tears Run Dry by downloading it here from the All Things Clay Aiken Web site.

Another thing I loved about hearing this song is that it was a world premiere, so no one had ever heard it - hence, no annoying people singing/screaming along with him throughout the song... I was actually lucky, in that for almost all of the concert, I had quiet people next to, in front of and behind me, just enjoying the music as I was. Towards the very end, not sure why, two young sisters (maybe 8 and 10 years old) moved into the seats behind me and decided they had to sing along with Clay, every lyric of every song! And they had no ear, singing off-key the entire time. Plus, at the end of each song, the older girl whistled - not regular whistling, but the kind one does with two fingers in the mouth. At least they weren't there long, so it was not enough to ruin my evening. :-) Plus, they were kids, and my level of patience is always far higher with kids than with adults. If they had been of major age, they would have had an earful from me.

When it was clear it was the very end of the concert, I began to feel sad, wondering when I would see Clay again. As he left the stage, I blew him a kiss, not caring what anyone would think. And the smile I wore since the beginning of the concert never left me, neither at the end nor in the days that followed! Even the manager of the hotel where I was staying noticed my huge smile when I walked in, close to midnight that evening.

Clay's voice and joyful presence just rub off, making me - and many others around him - feel happiness and a deep sense of peace in our lives.

When is Clay coming back to Canada? Clay, will it happen? I hope it will be soon. :-) If not, I will just have to travel again, head on somewhere down the highway, because I can't wait to see Clay again in person. He's the best!

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Me and Clay's Jukebox tour (Part 2)

2006-02-10T09:56:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

(Here is part 2 of my account of a Clay concert last summer. You can read Part 1 of "Me and Clay's Jukebox tour" here.)

I took my seat, in the middle of the third block of seats away from the stage (and yes, I tried to move up into the second block, but there were guards posted *sigh*). I could see all of the stage, which was great, but people and things on it were quite small. Thank goodness for my binoculars - what an idea to take those with me! There was a jukebox on stage, and I kept thinking to myself - "am I really going to see Clay Aiken live, here, in the next few minutes?" It seemed hard to believe that I was soon to be in such close proximity to the young man I have come to admire since that famous audition in January of 2003, when he brought tears to my eyes...

The band members came onstage and struck up a few chords, then ... sweet Clay himself came on out and greeted us warmly. Beyond my control, tears were streaming down my cheeks, past my wide grin, over and over again. It was an automatic reaction, like when I first heard Clay sing : his presence, his voice, his smile - they inspire such happiness and emotion in me that I can't help smiling and tearing up at the same time!

And I smiled all evening, until the very last song and beyond into the night and the next few days. I loved the fact that there were people (mostly women and girls) of all ages in the audience. On my way to the concert, I was sure I would be the oldest person there (I'm in my early forties), and that I would be surrounded by a bunch of teeny-boppers. I was even slightly embarrassed to tell anyone I was going to a Clay Aiken concert. I was wrong - there were many teens and pre-teens, but most of the fans present were adults, from barely adult to seniors.

The concert was tremendous: Clay catered to all of us, from all generations. The older women were boogeying and clapping when Clay sang Elvis, whereas I especially loved his 60s and 70s medlies. In fact, I loved the entire concert - as far as I'm concerned, Clay could sing the phone book and I would be there, paying to hear him sing! I don't even like Elvis particularly, but I loved Clay's renditions of some of Elvis' classics. I don't think I have heard one song ever in which I preferred the original to Clay's interpretation. He's that good, to my ears, that he even improves on musical classics. And yes, I do have an ear for music, so I can tell (I almost became a professional classical musician in my younger life - I didn't because I decided that social and community action was more important to me).

I especially love when Clay sings Elton John and James Taylor, two singer-songwriters I have always held among my top ten favourites. Yet Clay sings them... better than they do! Yikes, some will say that's sacrilegious... so be it.

Clay has such a great stage presence and amazing rapport with his audience. I had heard that, and I could easily anticipate that someone as sociable, sensitive, funny and compassionate as he is would have been wonderful onstage. I was not disappointed! Clay talked to us, chatted us up, cracked jokes, laughed at himself ("I think my feet have grown again") - basically made us feel like he was talking directly to each one of us and only us. An incredible humanity, an astounding talent, an endearing human being. That's Clay!

More to come in Part 3...

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Me and Clay's Jukebox tour (Part 1)

2006-02-09T08:32:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

This is a relatively quiet time for Clay fans, since he is not touring at the moment, nor is he so much in the public eye through his social action commitments. And Clay's new album is only set to be released ... sometime this spring (we await with bated breath!).

So my thoughts return to a lazy warm day last summer when I had the great fortune to attend, for the first time ever (but not the last!), a Clay Aiken concert. It was an incredibly memorable experience, one of the best - if not the best - concerts I have ever attended in my life. And I'm no spring chicken, so I have seen a few.

Clay and his band were most of the way through the "Jukebox Tour" - a retrospective of five decades of rock and pop music. I hesitated for a month or two after the tour was announced (I now can't believe I actually hesitated!) before buying a ticket, arranging to get time off at work that day, reserve a hotel room and get myself to the other city, where the concert was held.

I headed down the highway in the late morning, a sunny, hazy day. A number of hours later, after checking into my hotel room and leaving my overnight bag, I headed out towards the venue on the waterfront, where Clay would be in just a couple of sweet hours. I had bought my ticket online some time before, but since I hadn't purchased it right away when tickets went on sale, it wasn't the best seat - far from it. I intended to upgrade my ticket when I reached the ticket office of the venue, because I really wanted to be as close as possible to the stage. And usually when one is alone, getting one little seat up front is not a problem... Well, congrats to this venue, they made it a problem.

After arriving at the front gate, I asked a young lady at the ticket counter whether I could upgrade my ticket. She told me she was in charge of general tickets for the venue, not Clay Aiken concert tickets (!?). "Go further inside the site, to the Clay Aiken ticket counter", she said. So walk inside I did. And walked, and walked. Never to see another ticket counter. Only a checkpoint, where my backpack was searched, my ticket verified, and I was shooed on past turnstiles, into the venue itself. Once inside, I asked an attendant where the Clay Aiken ticket counter was, since I was told to go there to upgrade my ticket. "You have to go back towards the entry, where the ticket counter is". So back I went - only to be told at the checkpoint "no one leaves here now". When I explained that I just wanted to find the Clay ticket counter to upgrade my ticket: "no exceptions - you may not leave". I was fuming! How can they be so disorganized as to not direct a person to the right place. Sheesh, I was willing to pay top dollar to upgrade my ticket - seems to me they would want to help? And I was annoyed with myself: how come I never saw it on my way in? I am not a distracted person, and on top of things, I was paying special attention because I really wanted to find that counter! It was ridiculous. But after a few moments of internal griping to myself, I decided I was there to see Clay, and if it was to be from afar, so be it. I had brought binoculars, in case! And I learned my lesson for next time. So I went back to my seat, determined to thoroughly enjoy the show.

And did I ever enjoy it! I grinned from ear to ear throughout the almost-four-hour show, so much so that my cheeks were hurting at the end of the evening from so much smiling! What sheer bliss that show was - and what a joy Clay is in person, even more so than when I have "seen" him before (on TV, etc.).

More to come in Part 2...

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Has Clay Aiken changed your life?

2006-02-05T15:42:00.000-05:00

Clay Aiken has certainly changed my life - has he changed yours? If so - a lot? Somewhat ? Completely? Or not at all?

Take my online poll to share your answer! You will find the poll in the right hand column of my blog - scroll down the page a bit to see it and vote.

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Thanks to Clay for helping me get through depression

2006-01-25T20:38:00.000-05:00

I find it hard to believe that Clay doubts that he helps people in his current life (as opposed to the life he had/could have as a special education teacher, working with children). He helps so many - including me - just by being who he is and by singing with that voice! His smile, his sweetness, his sensitivity, his faith, his love of people and of life itself all give me hope to go on every day, as well as some measure of happiness. Not that nothing else makes me happy - lots of people and things do in my life: my chosen family (as opposed to my family of origin), friends, my work and activist commitments. Nevertheless, there is an ongoing depth of sadness in me, which I have found hard to overcome for many years now. But "knowing" Clay, listening to his music, reading his book and books by other people about him, surfing Clay fan sites and blogs: all these give me great happiness and make my soul smile, if only for a few moments. It's almost enough sunshine in my life to keep me going and give me hope that a brighter place is possible.

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On Terry Piper's book "The Invisible Revolution: Clay Aiken and the Fans Who Made Him a Star"

2006-01-22T17:22:00.000-05:00

Subtitled "The story of how Clay Aiken and his fans are reshaping the nature of fandom", this book by Terry Piper just came out and I received it for Christmas (although I actually had it in my hands only last week, due to delivery issues).

I had found Terry's Web site by browsing the net, searching for Clay stuff. After reading a sample from the book, I knew I wanted to read the whole thing. Here was a real fan, a serious fan of Clay, not just a shrieking teeny-bopper, but someone who could offer some critical insight into the Clay phenomenon and his loyal, supportive following - the so-called "Clay Nation", of which I am a proud member.

I'm in the process of reading the book now, and so far it is living up to my expectations, and I feel more connected to other fans by knowing that so many feel the same thing I do with respect to Clay.

I really recommend this book if you want to know everything about Clay, but mostly, about his fans, their love of and ferocious loyalty to the amazing young man and singer that is Clay Aiken.

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"All About Clay Aiken"

2006-01-08T21:46:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year 2006 to Clay and everyone!

I hope this will be the year that Clay comes to my (or near my) neck of the woods - Quebec. I could get to eastern Canada or eastern Ontario as well.

I would like to share an article I came upon recently. Written by Landon Howell on January 6th, 2006, "All About Clay Aiken" gives a good overview of Clay's life, from a personal perspective, his musical successes and community involvement. It's worth a read!

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Has Clay helped you improve your life?

2005-12-30T00:56:00.000-05:00

Recently I read an interview with Clay where he said he sometimes envies his friends who are now teachers, because they are doing something to help people, whereas what he is doing helps no one...

I wish I could tell him that that is so not true! Many of us, like me, are encouraged and inspired to find greater meaning in life thanks to Clay, his singing, his personality and simply who he is as a role model for a great human being!

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"More to this life"

2005-12-29T11:43:00.000-05:00

A song I downloaded recently from a Clayfan site speaks to me more than most. I don't know where Clay sang it, because it clearly wasn't at a concert (there are no screaming fans!), nor is it on any of his albums. It was perhaps from the album he recorded after he graduated from high school (it was his Mom's graduation gift!). Maybe, because though it is obviously Clay's pure voice, he is not yet as polished or as solid as his voice is now, in his mid-20s.

The song which moves me has the following phrase: "There's more to this life than living and dying, more than just trying to make it through the day". It gives me hope and energy to continue every day, even when I am down - or worse. It tells me to think about the greater purpose of my life and my place in the universe, rather than focus on the daily trials and tribulations which can mobilize all one's attention and energy if one lets them. And goodness knows, I'm no better than the next person in avoiding being caught in the daily trap of rush-rush-rush and complaining.

You can download "More to this life" by going to the demo MP3 page on the All Things Clay Aiken Web site.

I love the fact that Clay's songs always have meaning. He refuses to sing songs which have no meaning, which are devoid of his own values or which in fact, go against his values. I respect that about him. He is such a unique singer and star in that sense, as well as many other ways, of course!

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Merry Christmas from Clay (and to Clay also!)

2005-12-25T12:55:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas from Clay

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Happy holidays to everyone!

2005-12-23T11:15:00.000-05:00

Clay's happy holidays wish

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One of the reasons why I love Clay Aiken...

2005-12-18T14:30:00.000-05:00

Clay cradling a tiny baby while in Indonesia with UNICEF

Here's just one of the reasons why I am so partial to Clay Aiken. The love he has - and concretely shows - for children is so real and palpable. His hand gently cradling the baby's head, the tiny one's eyes looking right up into Clay's. A moment of sweetness so typical of Clay that it makes me find more happiness around me, more peace in this world which seems at times to be so full of pain.

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How does Clay stay so busy?

2005-12-10T19:59:00.000-05:00

I'm always amazed at how active Clay is, doing six tours in just over two years. Two years in which he also did the following:

- set up and remains involved in the The Bubel/Aiken Foundation
- finished up and received his undergraduate degree in special education
- began working part-time for The Insider
- wrote a book - "Learning to Sing"
- hosted and participated in a number of television shows, including Christmas specials
- recorded and released two highly acclaimed albums ( Measure of a Man and Merry Christmas With Love )
- and lots more!

Clay is a highly sensitive person, and usually sensitive people need lots of time to themselves to wind down and process all the emotions they go through (I speak from experience!), but Clay seems to thrive on action, activity and having lots of people around, such that he has little alone-time and he's always on the go. I wish I could be more like him!

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What would you say to Clay if you met him?

2005-12-08T08:05:00.000-05:00

Like other Claymates, I sometimes imagine what I would say if I ever met (when I meet? - here's to dreaming!) Clay in person.

Although I am 15 years his senior, I'm sure I would blush and stutter, out of sheer emotion at meeting this amazing young man. Then I would probably say something like "I feel so privileged to meet you Clay; I can't tell you how much joy and hope you have brought to my life." I know many of us imagine experiencing a real connection with Clay - and so do I. I imagine him looking into my eyes, and really seeing me, talking with me, not just as another fan at a meet-and-greet, but as a (potential) friend. I fantasize about him asking if I want to get together with him later that day, and we do, and we talk all night, a real heart-to-heart about life, love, commitment, purpose and social justice.

If it were earlier on in my life, say 15 years ago (I would be Clay's age), I would undoubtedly fall in love with Clay and imagine us as a couple. But being in my forties now, I feel more like an older sister doting on her beloved younger brother.

Clay has such a rich spiritual life, and is such a wise, sensitive soul, that I would love to just spend time with him, walking and talking, sharing about our lives, goals and experiences coming from histories of abuse and neglect. I know we would have lots to talk about! And I know I would come away from such a meeting with a feeling of being uplifted, of increased strength to meet the challenges in my own life.

What would you say to Clay if you met him in person?

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Featuring ... ClayManiac - the Website about Clay's fans

2005-12-04T19:52:00.000-05:00

I like visiting the website called ClayManiac - the Website about Clay's fans - it has Clay art created by fans, photo galleries, fun pages, a yearly Clay calendar and fan stats. But one of the things I like best about this site is the section called Confessions (why we love Clay); which, as one can imagine, includes writings by fans who share why Clay appeals to them so.

And for a bit of eye-candy today: I love this recent picture from the Joyful Noise Tour...

Clay in Youngstown, Ohio, November 27, 2005 - JNT05 - thanks to Smugmug's online gallery of photos !

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Happy 27th birthday Clay!

2005-11-30T07:43:00.000-05:00

HAPPY 27th BIRTHDAY CLAYTON HOLMES AIKEN!

YOUR FANS ARE THINKING ABOUT YOU TODAY!

Wishing you much love, peace and music, today and always.

Clay montage

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A soft smile from Clay

2005-11-23T13:45:00.000-05:00

Clay's soft smile

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Clay's "It" factor - featuring the Website "Clay Aiken, the Ideal Idol"

2005-11-22T22:27:00.000-05:00

Finally, I found it! I have been looking for an hour. Here is the article I had seen once, then couldn't find again... I really like it - it says it all for me in terms of Clay's "It" factor. What does he have anyway? What is so special about this young man? It's hard to put one's finger on what it is that makes Clay so appealing to us Claymates. Of course, there is the voice. There is his loving heart. But what makes the whole package, what makes us be so devoted, so ferociously protective and loyal towards this young man? Whatever it is, WE know what it is because we feel it!

When reading this article the first time, I was smiling and nodding, because the words could have been taken right out of my mouth. Just read the article for yourself: "Clay Aiken - His "IT" Factor" . As I mentioned above, it is from the Clay Aiken, the Ideal Idol Web site , which has all kinds of Clay stuff, to read, look at, write and download - check it out!

A Cl-ose-up (close-up of Clay!)

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Clay in his trademark fedora

2005-11-21T22:07:00.000-05:00

Gotta love that fedora ! Clay in Toronto, August 25, 2005

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Featuring ... Finding Clay Aiken

2005-11-20T20:55:00.000-05:00

Today I would like to share with you the Web site called Finding Clay Aiken.

It is another fan site which, like All Things Clay Aiken, offers information on Clay, links to videos, MP3s and pictures, other fan-sites and much more. Two of the unique features of this Web site, for me, are the following:

- Pre-American Idol songs sung by Clay
- links to Clay song lyrics

Check it out!

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Featuring ... All Things Clay Aiken

2005-11-14T22:09:00.000-05:00

In the next few posts, I would like to highlight some Clay-fan Web sites I have found which I think are great. I begin today with All Things Clay Aiken , which offers information on Clay, links to videos, MP3s and pictures, other fan-sites, TV, newspaper and other media interviews, and much more. Always something new and tantalizing! I check it often and plan to make a contribution to the owner via Paypal as soon as my finances allow.

Clay Aiken

Clay in action at the JBT concert in Toronto

2005-11-13T20:10:00.000-05:00

Clay in action at the Toronto concert, August 25, 2005

Clay Aiken

"Tears Run Dry" in Toronto, Canada - at the Jukebox Tour concert on August 25, 2005

2005-11-12T13:25:00.000-05:00

I love this picture, because it shows exactly how Clay was singing when he gave the world premiere of one of his new songs "Tears Run Dry" at his Jukebox Tour concert in Toronto, Canada on August 25, 2005. And it reminds me of exactly how I felt at the time.

It was towards the end of the concert and his voice was cracking, giving out a bit after over 3 hours of sharing his silky voice with his admiring audience. I'm sure I'm not the only one there who - while enjoying immensely Clay's rendition of this beautiful song - felt bad for Clay and wanted him to rest his voice! Goodness forbid Clay hurt his vocal chords!

Clay in Toronto, Canada, singing the world premiere of "Tears Run Dry"

I can no longer find online the audio file of Clay singing this song at the premiere in Toronto. However, by by clicking on this link, you can listen to "Tears Run Dry" as Clay sang it at another concert.

Clay Aiken