ATDW Facilitates Missed Exit

MUSICAL BACKGROUND -- Believe it or not, this graphic by A Beautiful Mind was selected solely for the correlation between the musical background and this blog's second narrative. Yeah, right!

Prosrastination, Misdirection Reign

ATDW Facilitates Missed Exit

Welcome to Procrastinators Anonymous, the club I host annually while finally finagling the figures on my federal and state income tax forms. Oh, I keep good records; but I just dread the process and for years have taken extensions all the way up to midnight Oct. 15.

There have been times this week that I almost took an oath to continue right on into 2006 the minute I complete 2005. And I still might -- but not while Clay Aiken is out and about promoting his new CD, A Thousand Different Ways. A tiny break will be in order, and then I might get my act together for April 15 next year.

It's kind of difficult keeping up with my favorite singer and these columns of numbers at the same time. However, it appears I just may have this project in the mail prior to Clay's Friday morning appearance on the Martha Stewart Show.

Clay, Grandmother To Visit Martha

On Friday's show, Clay will be accompanied by his grandmother, who will share the family recipe for Hot Pineapple Salad, while he handles the musical honors.

That works for me. My mother-in-law in Odessa, TX, too. Actually, my MIL, who was front and center for Clay's interview on the Larry King Show last week, normally sleeps in most mornings; but in the midst of my aforementioned project, we have mapped out an early night Thursday so she can rise and shine for Clay's 9 a.m. CDT appearance.

MIL adores the fact that Clay loves his mother and grandparents, and she will be sipping coffee a little earlier than usual for Friday morning's fare of music and hot pineapple salad.

Next on our TV Guide are the Tyra Banks Show, which will be taped on Oct. 13 to be shown this fall, and the Sunday rerun of Clay's appearance on Larry King. I am watching the boards for the Jimmy Kimmel Live repeat.

MIL missed Clay and Jimmy the first time around, but she already knows she's in for a treat. With promos about tattoos ..."They will be LOCKED!" ... "Lawd, Jesus" ... and whatnot, no way is she skipping this show the second time around!

POSTSCRIPT: Clay and his Grandma Aiken thrilled MIL and other fans with Friday's appearance on the Martha Stewart Show. In the first photo, the North Carolinians are sharing a favorite family recipe for Hot Pineapple Salad. Clay & Co. later performed a rocking rendition of A Thousand Days.

MIL received her wake-up call at 8:30 a.m., made some strong coffee, and settled in for Clay's appearance on Martha. We talked off and on throughout the show, and she thoroughly enjoyed Clay and his family. She thinks Hot Pineapple Salad would be a great side dish with ham. This was her first time to hear ATD, and she loved the song!

PHOTO INTERMISSION: This clickable interlude features graphics and photos by some of Clay's most talented fans, including Ambassador of Love, 1; Amazing_CA with KarenEh photos, 2 and 5; Cindilu2, 3; and Katt45, 4.

Sense of Direction Genes 'Lost'

In addition to my occasional procrastination streak, I also am missing a few genes in the sense of direction department. This fall my sister and I are conducting flute and oboe workshops for a Davidson County high school band on Fridays. The first week we made the trip together, but this past Friday Sis and her husband were on grandparent duty in Wilmington -- so I was on my own.

Piece of cake, I thought. And it is -- if you make sure your car cruises down I-85 South. Somehow, I missed a turn and was halfway to Asheboro wondering why the I-85 signs had been replaced by 220's. Of course, Clay and I were singing through ATDW, but that's beside the point. By the time I concluded that I was indeed headed in the wrong direction, the turn-around exits seemed to disappear. Finally, I located one and dialed my BIL.

You can't imagine how I dreaded that phone call. Years ago when I moved to the Piedmont Triad and prepared to attend my first fall music educators' conference in Winston-Salem, BIL gave me detailed instructions for locating the NC School of the Arts. Somehow, when I hit the Winston city limits, my car veered in the exactly the opposite direction. To make matters worse, I ended up at a Winston-Salem State Univeristy football game. I doubt I will ever hear the end of that one!

Occasional Off-the-Map Adventures

Ever since then, it seems to be my lot in life to occasionally provide BIL hilarious little off-the-map adventures, for which I am royally teased. Friday was no different. I dialed his cell from the parking lot of a fast food restaurant overlooking Randleman High School. He laughingly suggested I ask if the Randleman oboe section needed some assistance.

Seriously, we decided there was no way to cross over to 85 from my location; so I was destined to retrace the 13 miles back to the missed turn. Because I had left home a little early, I was only about 10 minutes late to my class. My charges were just getting warmed up for our sectional when I arrived. BTW, an oboe plays the beautiful fade-away ending for "Everything I Have" on ATDW.

I'm sure my car and I now know the way to East Davidson. However, I'm not taking any chances. The band director's number was programmed into my cell phone the minute I returned home. You never know when the highway gremlins might alter that exit!

Have a great week, Clay Nation!

Caro

RELATED TAGS: Clay Aiken, A Thousand Different Ways, Martha Stewart Show, Tyra Banks Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Everything I Have, A Thousand Days