Ashes Clay The Man: Bubel Aiken Foundation

17.9.09

Making a Difference - From the Heart

"It doesn't really matter to me how I make a difference,
I just want to make sure that I do"
"I think celebrities have an obligation to the public
to not just sing or act."

~ Clay Aiken ~

National Inclusion Project
~LovesClaysVoice~

Click here to nominate National Inclusion Project, it's listed in the drop-down box.

Christie Cookie Charity Giveaway Contest

After a longer break than usual from blogging it's fun to be back with favourite montages from fun TV and concert clips to the serious plight of children in need around the world, new Clay puzzles, and Clay's Biography.
Enjoy!

Watching videos on YouTube is fun to do.
Recently I found this totally fun Clay Aiken montage of clips from TV and Concerts--by SueReu

Everything I Needed to Know I Learned from Clay Aiken

The other day a friend I don't see often came over, and while we were catching up, she asked me about Clay with the usual "what's he up to these days?" My friend spends very little time on the computer, it's not her thing, she doesn't even like using e-mail--but she does enjoy Clay's singing and I always make sure she gets his CD's and a concert DVD or two.

After she left I got to thinking about all the things Clay has accomplished since 2003, it's been a lot! My computer files and cupboard full of CD's and DVD's are proof of that! Can you list his ventures? Being rather lazy and a Google addict, I searched for Clay's Biography and came up with a long list. I chose one, enjoyed reading it, and will share the first part of it here. The link to the full bio is at the end of this portion.

Enjoy the memories until the new ones arrive!

Clay Aiken is an American pop singer who began his rise to fame on the second season of the television program American Idol in 2003. RCA Records offered him a recording contract, and his multi-platinum debut album Measure of a Man was released in October 2003. He released four more albums on the RCA label: Merry Christmas with Love, A Thousand Different Ways, and the Christmas EP, All is Well. His fourth studio album On My Way Here was released on May 6, 2008.

In the years following his American Idol appearance, Aiken has launched eight tours, authored a New York Times best-selling book Learning to Sing: Hearing the Music in Your Life with Allison Glock, and was the executive producer for a 2004 televised Christmas special, A Clay Aiken Christmas. He has been a frequent talk show guest, particularly on The Tonight Show and Jimmy Kimmel Live. He appeared as a guest star on Scrubs and participated in comedy skits on Kimmel, Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock.

Aiken created the National Inclusion Project (formerly the Bubel/Aiken Foundation) in 2003, accepted a UNICEF ambassadorship in 2004, and in 2006 was appointed for a two-year term to the Presidential Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities.

Aiken made his Broadway debut playing the role of Sir Robin in Monty Python's Spamalot in January 2008. His run ended in May but he rejoined the cast as Sir Robin in September and remained through January 4, 2009.

Read the rest of Clay's impressive biography here:

Clay Aiken's Biography

The Best Is Yet To Come!!

new puzzles by Bsrefong
Many thanks to Sally :)

(answer to rebus at end of blog)

As Long As We're Here - Clay Aiken

Beautiful montage by Gerwhisp
"Clay Aiken singing As Long As We're Here from the CD On My Way Here. Music video with animation and UNICEF clips.
Song written by Jan Buckingham and Rebecca Lynn-Howard."

for more Clay news and fun visit

Carolina On My Mind
and
Clay Aiken News Network

More links at the bottom of the page!

Technorati Tags: Clay Aiken, Wikipedia, biography, word puzzles, National Inclusion Project, Bubel Aiken Foundation, YouTube, Montages, As Long As We're Here, Carolina On My Mind, CANN, Learning to Sing, Google

7.8.09

Celebrations with Clay Aiken and Family

NEW: Beautiful birthday montage for Parker from SueReu
Star

Clay Aiken has officially announced the National Inclusion Project is now the new name for the Bubel/Aiken Foundation.

Congratulations Clay, Diane Bubel and all your team.
Here's to continued success and growth in your voice for inclusion!

"Inclusion is giving people their rightful opportunity to participate.
We work every day to make full inclusion a reality."

See the new web page here:

National Inclusion Project

photo of Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel from the National Inclusion Project website

An Open Letter from the Founders Clay Aiken and Diane Bubel

YouTube video: National Inclusion Project

Clay Online Official Fan Club

Happy First Birthday to Parker
August 8

The Origin of Birthday Cards
by Sherry Horton Blake The Origin of Birthday Cards

"Happy Birthday." Birthday cards make us smile. It gives us a nice feeling to know that someone has taken the time to recognize our birthday.

Have you ever wondered how the tradition of giving birthday cards got started? Actually, the history of birthday cards is difficult to unravel. We might find a clue, though, if we look at the beginning of birthday celebrations. It is reasonable to assume that once calendars came into use, people began to recognize birthdays, at least birthdays of royalty. However, birthday greetings were most likely exchanged in person, or in the case of royalty, gifts may have been left outside the palace gates.

In the middle ages, the "birthday party" came into being. Because
it was widely believed that evil spirits were attracted to people on their birthday, friends and family would gather at the person's house to surround them with good thoughts and good things (gifts). Eventually, birthdays progressed to being a happier occasion, and in England, people began to bring cakes in which they had hidden small trinkets, rings, etc. It is likely that handwritten birthday greetings also started at this time.

To determine the history of the actual birthday "card," it is important to look at the history of greeting cards overall. In ancient China, handwritten Chinese New Year wishes were exchanged, and in ancient Egypt, greetings were exchanged on bits of papyrus. However, the oldest known greeting "card," which was hand-made, was a Valentine's Day card dating from the 1400's in England. This Valentine is now in the British Museum. Greeting cards found more popularity in the 1800's because, with the advent of the postage stamp, cards could be sent fairly inexpensively.
In fact, they became so popular that some were assembled in factories. These featured black and write pictures painted by the factory workers.

Esther Howland, considered the mother of greeting cards, sold hand-made Valentines in the 1840's. Christmas cards made their appearance in 1843. In 1856, the first American greeting card company came into existence. It was started by Louis Prang, a German immigrant. He produced Christmas cards. The best known greeting card company is probably Hallmark, started by Joyce C. Hall whose first office was a room at the YMCA. By 1915, Hall Brothers was manufacturing greeting cards (including birthday cards) in its own plant. In the 1930's, the use of color lithography led to a significant increase in the popularity of greeting cards.

In summary, the tradition of birthday greetings is probably as old as the advent of the calendar, but the actual birthday card likely had its origin in the early 1900's. Regardless, though, of how the birthday card business started, it is now "big business," as people everywhere like to be recognized on their birthdays.

More interesting birthday history here:
Birthday Traditions

When I was little, I looked forward to my birthday cake. My favourite was angel food, and it would have pennies, nickels and one dime wrapped in wax paper throughout the cake. Somehow I always got the piece with the dime in it!
How those coins got in the cake was a mystery for many years.

Do you have any family traditions for your birthday celebrations?
It would be fun to see them in your comment!