July 4 - Pizza Hut Park Dallas TX

I WAS VERY EXCITED TO GET MY PICTURE WITH CLAY IN MY EMAIL TODAY. I WAS STARTING TO WORRY SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO MY PICTURE. Paranoid

CLANDY, YES, I WANT THIS AS MY NEW AVATAR. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME TO CHANGE FROM THE TV GUIDE MOVING AVATAR.

Here is my account of July 4th in Frisco!!

JoAnn and I just returned to the Embassy Suites and it is 11 pm. What a day! We did get to Frisco about 10:40 and went on to Pizza Hut Park to see if I could find out more about the M&G. Clay was rehearsing the TV theme medley. I had taken a picture and called Pepe when a security guard told me to turn off my phone and put away my camera. So, we left, but we enjoyed seeing Clay.

The preperty was very nice. We got to see Meesa, Marilyn, and their friend LeeAnn. We all won a prize and enjoyed seeing Texas fans we had not seen for a while. Donna and I were kind of "celebrities" at the party because of our Meet and Greets!! And we all won prizes.

JoAnn and I then drove on back to Pizza Hut Park for my M&G. Finally, after standing in the wrong place for about a half hour, I found my group and Mary came to get us. She looked at our ID's and took us in to a building. We went down in an elevator to a nice room with a sofa and chairs. Jerome came in and was really happy and cheerful and asked if we were all ready for the M&G. Then the elevator opened again, and there was Clay. He came in and sat on the sofa and it was like he was in our living room. He probably talked to us for about 20 to 30 minutes. He asked where we were each from and did we have questions.

I did say it would be wonderful if he would make a DVD of one of his live performances and then have it be a TV special. He said they would like to do that but the problem was copyrights on the songs and getting permission for each song. Also, finding a network. I also asked him if I could play in his orchestra. I said my husband was waiting to bring my violin. He said, "How long would that take." I said "Oh, we're only about 35 minutes away. He said, "Bring your violin to Houston." But then he said he was not in charge of the musicians and he couldn't give the go ahead. I said, "But you're Clay!!"

We did not take pictures during the chat out of respect for Clay. Mary said it would really be better if we didn't. And I think it made a more natural setting without a lot of flashbulbs going off in his face. I did tell Clay that I liked his hair!! He said he had "bed head" and had just gotten up. When he was signing someone's picture of him, he held it up and asked us if we liked his hair like this. His hair stylist was there in the room. Clay said he could not do anything with his hair. She did it all. Was her name Janice?? Can't remember. EDIT: Jamie is his cousin and does Clay's hair.

EDIT:This poster has the picture Clay signed and then held up and asked us if we liked his hair like this.

I also just remembered that when someone said she liked his Tyra Banks hair, he said that hair made him look too fat! I don't know if he meant in the face or in general.

Clay did not have his dogs, Raleigh and Durham with him, but wanted them. He looked at Mary and said when they started the bus tour maybe he could have one at a time.

Clay also said that he was not perceived as cool. (We all said that he was!!) But he, said, no he wasn't, but he wanted to keep singing songs that he liked and yet songs that would be popular, too.

During the break after Tulsa, Clay said he was going to the wedding of a friend.

We told Clay how glad we were to have him back in Texas. And he remembered it had been 3 years. He said he didn't feel like he got a good response (attendance) in his Texas concerts. We asked him to come back at Christmas, but he was noncommittal. He talked about his new producer but didn't give a name. I asked for his initials and before he could respond, Mary said it was time for the pictures.

He said more things to us and then we had our pictures made. Clay said they were trying a new thing and taking the pictures with their camera and then posting them on the OFC and emailing us a copy.

Clay was wearing a shirt, shirt tail out, that was tiny green checks, blue jeans, and sandal like flip flops. He did not take any thing from us, but Mary took my notebook of poems and a picture from Reesa from me. I hope he will see them at some point!! Fingers Crossed

At the concert he had changed to a blue striped shirt.
The orchestra wore white tops and black skirts or pants.

Clay signed my Claymaniacs Cookbook, "Prissy, Cook me something! Clay Aiken" Super Happy!!!

Jerome loved the cookbook and wants one. I told him we have a new one coming out and he said to send it to Clay's mother and she will give it to him. Then he said that you know where she lives? Duh!! Any way, we must send Jerome one of the new cookbooks.

Clay sitting there chatting away on the sofa felt so natural. I had to keep reminding myself that this is Clay. Not just any guy sitting there.

The violin saga! When we arrived back at PHP for the M&G, I saw a violinist I knew walking in. I said, "Arthur, I want to play this concert." Arthur said, "Come on in." Later when I saw Arthur sitting in the Concert Master seat, I wish I had gone on in. After the M&G, I was talking to different ones outside the area where we had met, and along comes one of my former students. I said to her, "Eniku" give me your viola and let me take your place." She said, "OK." But viola isn't really my instrument. The orchestra was actually a bunch of individuals who had been hired separately to make up this orchestra. Oh, well....

The concert was great and I think most of you heard it. And of course, I loved the fireworks.

The M&G was a wonderful experience, very relaxed and comfortable. I felt like Clay had been in my home, in a way.

Hugs,
Prissy

PS: When we went back up in the elevator after the M&G, that same security guard that I had met earlier in the day was with us. I looked at him and asked him if he remembered me. He said that he did. I said that I'm "legitimate" now. I'm where I'm supposed to be, and we both smiled.

I thought you might enjoy seeing our Fourth in Frisco. The pictures are clickable and some I have left large so you can see more detail. I was not real close to the stage.

Clay bag and patriotic purse We're ready to start our Frisco Adventure in JoAnn's new red car.

Clay rehearsing at Pizza Hut Park in the morning (before we were asked to leave.)

Preparty at Christina's Restaurant: I think the restaurant was expecting 20 but I 'm estimating there were 50 or more

Prissy, JoAnn LeeAnn, Meesa, Marilyn: It was so great to see Meesa and Marilyn again.

Jan (Houston Preparty organizer ) Ressa (Artist and creator of Texas Clay pins)

The LUCKY SIX waiting for our Meet and Greet

Donna from Dallas, Prissy from Bedford, Jill from Arlington, Kerri from Beaumont, Lizzy from Austin, Mary from Dallas (?)