From the Clayblog. Please help if you can.

"On another topic... I'm shamelessly asking for your help....

I have mentioned my husband's cousin Christine, who is battling cancer. I talked to her yesterday and there is still no match. She is having chemo again to try to buy some time.

If you are Filipino, or know anybody of Filipino descent, it has become even easier to be tested. No blood tests! You can go to Save Christine and order a home self-test kit, where you just swab your inner cheek! It's that easy, and you could save a life.

If you are not Filipino, but would like to help.... and seriously, the more of you who help may actually Clayvert my husband.... the website is doing a realllllly cool fundraiser, using Paypal. You can go to Save Christine, and click on "Light a Pixel". Basically you can buy pixels for $1 apiece. Your pixels can be associated with a link to any website that you want! Like clayaiken.com! Or your blog! Or anywhere! You can donate $1, $5, or any amount. They really need money to support testing Christine's bloodlines in the Philippines. Her insurance covers testing in the U.S., but not overseas.

Think of her parents... they had 4 kids. 3 of the 4 have had cancer. One already died from it, and without a successful transplant, Christine won't make it a year. We have the technology to save her - we just need to find a donor! Her one perfect match was her brother - she donated marrow to him 15 years ago, and it gave him 4 more years of life. But her other siblings are not matches at all. So the search for a needle in a haystack continues.

When I talked to her yesterday, and I told her how Clay fans had been supporting her. She didn't know that much about Clay, but she did say that he seemed like the kind of man who would attract such kind and generous fans. She thanks your for your thoughts and prayers. And to those of you who already donated, thank you so much."

SAVE CHRISTINE website

Technorati tags: non-hodgkin's lymphoma, National Marrow Donor Program bone marrow transplant, Clay Aiken

Which look is better? I can't pick. I love both looks.

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken, American Idol

This......is cool.

Zeitgeist This Week
Gaining Search Queries: Week Ending May 29, 2006
1. clay aiken
2. taylor hicks
3. danica patrick
4. famke janssen
5. indy 500
6. rebecca romijn
7. memorial day
8. juggernaut
9. ghost rider
10. dixie chicks
11. ellen page
12. kimberly dozier
13. hugh jackman
14. coco
15. katharine mcphee

That was quite the entrance Clay made during the AI5 Finale. Guess some people noticed.

More about the Google Zeitgeist

Pulling together interesting search trends and patterns requires Google's human and computing power together. Search statistics are automatically generated based on the millions of searches conducted on Google over a given period of time - weekly, monthly, and annually. With some help from humans, and a pigeon or two when they have time, these statistics and trends make their way from the depths of Google's hard drives to become the Google Zeitgeist report.

We should note that in compiling the Zeitgeist, no individual searcher's information is available or accessible to us. What you see here is a cumulative snapshot of interesting queries people are asking – some over time, some within country domains, and some on Google.com – that perhaps reveal a bit of the human condition. We appreciate the contribution all Google users make to these fascinating bits of information.

This information is free for your use, with the appropriate attribution to Google Inc. We welcome your feedback, suggestions, and questions. Please contact +1.650.930.3555 or send email to press@google.com

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken, Zeitgeist, American Idol

Although I love the bright colors nature provides, I also enjoy black and white photography and take advantage of software like PhotoShop to give a black and white image a little umph with its duotone function. Creating a specific tone can change the feeling of a photo. Here is a quick example of creating a duotone or tritone image within PS.



First you need to change your image to grayscale. Select IMAGE from the tool bar and choose >MODE>GRAYSCALE. To view the instructions click on the images to enlarge them.






After changing your image to grayscale you are ready to either choose DUOTONE or TRITONE. Select IMAGE on the tool bar, choose MODE>DUOTONE.








From the pop up menu choose with type of tone you would like. I prefer tritone.






Next choose the colors and select ok.












The end result.








Some other photos of Fuji Mums using the same technique.

Technorati tags: photography, flowers, hobbies,

I like Clay Aiken. As if you couldn't tell from the content of this blog. At first I considered it a hobby but looking back on the last three years of participation in this thing we call a fandom, I realize it is so much more than that.

Since getting on line and connected I have learned so much that most likely would have never crossed my mind. Like photography. I went to my first Clay Aiken concert with a dinky little disposable camera. It didn't do much. I have the pictures to prove it. The next concert I went to I dug out an old manual Canon my dad bought me. I did better with that camera, but not much. When Clay made the decision to allow cameras and video recording at his concerts I decided to get a digital.

What I didn't realize at the time was how much I would enjoy photography. Initially I was just trying to snag a decent photo of Clay in concert. I now find myself squirreling away banked hours at work to plan little photography excursions. Nothing fancy just an afternoon here and there at a National Park or even a local greenhouse. What started off as continuation of being a fan has turned into somewhat of a passion.

Some flower photos taken a couple of weeks ago.




These were taken at Colasanti's Tropical Gardens. Fantastic assortment of flowers and they have the best damn doughnuts you can find in Southern Ontario.

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken, photography, flowers, Colasanti's, hobbies,

YAY! It worked.

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken, 1000 Days, Juke Box Tour

From Betty897X:

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken, wallpaper, American Idol,

From the site Best of Clay.

Clay Aiken on the American Idol Finale





Lots of other eye candy there as well.

Technorati tags: Clay Aiken, American Idol