I'm a fan (and you should be too) because.....of several reasons. ( NEW UPDATED INFO. in parenthesis added Tue.Nov. 27, 2007, 754 A.M. One of the reasons I became a fan is because of Carrie Underwood, the person. When I first saw "Jesus, Take The Wheel" on TV, I was embarrassed at the word "Jesus" because I'm no longer a born-again Christian. I was a born-again Christian for about two years, from about 1979 to 1981. I gave about $3,000 to television evangelists, mostly because they said Jesus's quote in the Bible, "give and it will be given unto you, 30, 60, and 100 fold", means that if Christians give money to Christian TV ministries, especially during their annual telethons to raise money, that God would give back to Christians, including me, at the rate of up to 100 times what I give. I wanted to get rich quick. I never got any money back from God. All I got was disillusioned about religion, so much that I attempted suicide. I think those Christian TV shows are dangerous cults. I was really concerned about Carrie Underwood, because she has "Jesus" in the title and lyrics of "Jesus, Take The Wheel" and I want to protect her ( if only I knew how ) from throwing away everything to God---all her fame and fortune, her faith in people---and possibly leading to depression and suicide. But I guess I don't have to be as concerned as I was, because her lyrics are not overtly Christian, compared with born-again Christian musical groups. And because Carrie looks so adorable in the video "Jesus, Take The Wheel", just like the kind of girlfriend I wish I could have, I think maybe if I become a fan, maybe if I'm thinking of her and hoping for the best for her life, then maybe she won't become devastated by those religious cults. I genuinely love good music. I also have been interested in the subject of psychic powers, and the future. I read in a book, that "anyone can increase their psychic powers" "dramatically", ( I think that was the adverb), "if a person stops reading newspapers and watching TV for one week ." Well, I assumed I better interpret that to include reading anything, such as books, magazines, etc. and listening to music, whether it's on CD's, the radio, or "live" concerts. But I love watching TV and reading a little of the newspaper every day for maybe 10-50 minutes. So I've never been daring enough to quit reading newspapers or quit watching TV for more than about two or three days. I didn't feel any more psychic. I'm afraid I'd just get even more lonely, bored, feeling like a fool, and like I'm wasting my time. So that's why I haven't bought either of Carrie's albums yet, because I still have some hope of becoming psychic and getting rich quick. I hope to buy both of Carrie's albums, in a few days, when I get some more money. I hoped if I could quickly become psychic, maybe the winning numbers for the next Lotto 6/49 draw would pop into my head, with plenty of time before the draw, that I could go and buy a ticket, become a quick multi-millionaire, and then re-introduce some TV watching and reading newspapers into my life. END OF UPDATED INFO.) I've been a fan for about one to two years. I love the sound of Carrie Underwood's voice, and her style of singing. I live in a city, and believe society pressures me to conform to this real or imagined stereotype that city people are supposed to listen to pop, rock, or whatever, and country dwellers are supposed to listen to country music. So I'm not usually a country music fan, but I like Carrie's style which, I think, is not as distinctly country-sounding like country music stars from year's ago, such as, if I remember correctly, Loretta Lynn, and even some current stars, such as Paul Brandt, which I think of as old-fashioned country. I think their style of singing has their voices OFTEN changing from high notes to low notes. Whereas, I think Carrie's style is more like a pop singer's. Still, I think Carrie's video "Don't forget to remember me", is charming because I think it's more country than the rest of her videos. That's why, whenever I see that video, it always seems like her first video. Plus she looks slightly younger or maybe she just acts more like she probably would in her first video, with less moving around. But I think someone said her first video was "Jesus, take the wheel", in which she's moving more, and I think she sometimes outstretches her arms. I think I was a fan since I saw "Jesus, take the wheel", on CMT (Country Music Television) in Canada, about one or two years ago. I really enjoyed her recent interview on CMT, with host Paul McGuire, about Nov.10, 2007. Carrie is very talented, beautiful, young, intelligent, and sometimes funny, too. I thought she was funny trying to explain how she's watched scary movies since she was young, about age 8, I think. Carrie is quite a storyteller. I mean, I can sit and watch her being interviewed on TV, and she's so interesting. She told a charming tale of how, I think, she grew up on a farm. I thought she was compassionate when she said she wouldn't eat a cow because she bottle-fed it when it was a calf, and because she's a vegetarian. I've had an unusual diet for years also. I don't like to get in the habit of eating a lot of meat, one reason being I don't know the future. What if there's droughts and beef or pork shortages in the future? Anyway, I don't have a natural craving to eat raw flesh like tigers, wolves, bears, etc. If I was the last person alive on Earth, I doubt very much if I'd feel like killing a cow, pig, or even a fish, (well possibly a fish) and I certainly wouldn't know what part or a cow or pig to eat! It would seem so unnatural to me. By contrast, living in the tropics and picking a banana off a banana tree would be so fast and easy! Of all the young women singers of all types of music, Carrie Underwood is my favorite, and one reason is because I imagine if I could have one to be my girlfriend, I think she might be the most like me. I love that Carrie doesn't dance in her videos, because I hate dancing. I think I'd have to be really happy like being in love, or with friends or people I feel comfortable with, before I'd try dancing. I just don't feel this uncontrollable urge to dance to music, like some people, especially girls and women seem to feel. When I see singers or bands dancing during their performance, I feel so alienated and maybe feel jealous because I sort of wish I had a natural desire and ability to dance like most people seem to have. I hardly ever buy albums of bands who dance in their music videos. I think Debbie Gibson's music was the exception. There would probably be lots of differences between Carrie Underwood and me, so we probably wouldn't make a good couple. I'm 47 and Carrie is 24, so she'd probably be embarrassed to have me for a boyfriend, sort of like the way many kids don't like to do things with their parents, because of the generation gap. Plus my skin is older and drier than a 24 year old's. She's beautiful and I'm not great looking. She's a star and I'm not. But it's fun for me to imagine. THE FOLLOWING UPDATE was made Sun. Dec. 2, 2007, at 6:51 A.M.(Eastern Time). I don't have a photo above this column because I don't yet have a scanner. Maybe I only need a digital camera. But I was a little shocked, and pleasantly surprised, to see I look sort of like Carrie's boyfriend in Carrie's new music video titled "Ever Ever After", which I've seen on CMT (Country Music Television) and Much More Music (TV Station). I have a big nose like him. He looks like he's Italian, but my ancestors were from Hungary. I'm 5 feet 9 1/2 inches tall, but he's got a better body than mine because I'm too skinny. I'd rather look like him. I only weigh about 124 pounds. And he's got better hair than me. My hairstyle is longer than his, and is sometimes as long as the guy driving the car that crashes, in Carrie's new video "So Small", but my hair has more body. I hate being so skinny. I went to see the Disney movie, "Enchanted", about one week ago, because Carrie said adults would enjoy the movie, and she was right. I never doubted Carrie. I think I'll see that movie again. I hoped to see Carrie co-starring in the movie as the Princess, or see her new music video, "Ever Ever After", but I did not. Unfortunately, Carrie was not acting in the movie, except possibly for a one-second cameo appearance near the end of the movie. It was thrilling when her song "Ever Ever After" finally played near the end of the movie, after a false start. It looks like the closest you'll be coming on your upcoming tour with Keith Urban, to where I live in Kitchener, Ontario, will be Rochester, New York. I enjoyed your recent performance at Rockefeller Center? You sang the Christmas carol "Do You Hear What I Hear? You sang it wonderfully, and you looked beautiful. END OF UPDATE DEC.2, 2007, 6:51 A.M. THE FOLLOWING UPDATE WAS MADE WED. DEC. 5, 2007, 2:26 A.M. Hi Carrie! How are you? I hope you're fine. Since you've been a vegetarian since age 13, for 11 years, I guess you're interested in nutrition. I've been interested in nutrition since about 1979, when I was 19. I just want you to know that I have several nutrition books and they say that VITAMIN B12 only comes from animal sources. I know you're smart and you graduated from college or university (I forget which), and some types of vegetarians will consume some animal products such as eggs, milk, cheese,etc. You are probably getting Vit. B12 from dairy products, eggs, Vitamin B12 tablet, or daily multivitamin. My nutrition book says a Vit. B12 deficiency will result in nerve damage ranging from mild symptoms, such as nervousness, to severe symptoms, such as psychotic, like schizophrenia. Yesterday, I really enjoyed reading about 9 pages of news about you, on the G.A.C. (Great American Country) website. You're really interesting! When I saw you on CMT Canada, being interviewed by Paul McGuire,about Nov. 12, 2007, you were so elegant and sophisticated. But after reading the news about you on GAC's website you seem even more down to earth, less rehearsed, a little vulnerable, and a little insecure. Like when you said you miss your 3 dogs and 2 cats, and your mother is taking care of them, but you'd like to have them with you in Nashville. I was shocked when you said you're terrible with guys. Maybe you have too many pets. I haven't had a pet since about 1980, but if I had a dog, I might be tempted to get in the habit of thinking, I love my dog, and a dog is a good companion, so I don't need a woman, or thoughts like that. I think I'm an idealist. I was saddened and worried when I read, you said some people will hate you (or hate your music?) no matter how perfect your performance is. No one is perfect. I hope nobody hates you, and don't know why anyone would. I think bullies or haters prefer nice people as victims, because they assume nice people are non-violent and defenseless. In the animal world, I think predators seek out the weak and injured as prey. You were funny when you used the word "gonna" several times. And you were studying to be a journalist or have a career in broadcast journalism (TV reporter or news anchor?) Well, they don't use the word "gonna" on-air! Ha-Ha! You're so funny sometimes. Lastly, I can understand when you said to interviewer Paul McGuire, that you sometimes don't get excited about being nominated for an award (or did you say receiving an award?) but you might get excited if your favorite beverage is in stock at the grocery store! I think awards ceremonies are fairly unimportant. I'm just a television viewer and your fan, but I just don't get much enjoyment out of watching those TV shows, which usually last about 2 or 3 hours. You were not a performer or a presenter at the AMA's about Nov. 18, 2007, so I only briefly saw you sitting in the audience and receiving your awards. I was really proud of you. I think women and maybe girls, like to watch them to see the glamorous costumes. I've never been very interested in clothes. I've never had lots of money. But, if I was rich, who knows, maybe I'd enjoy looking rich and wearing a $2,000 Georgio Armani suit! I think if I ever won millions, I'd make big changes in my life! I don't think awards trophies are important, unless the winner also receives a valuable prize, but I think winners only receive a trophy. You won 3 awards at the recent AMA's on about Nov. 18, 2007. I think the real measure of achievement and success, is how many albums you've made, and how many have been sold. Like 6 million "Some Hearts" albums. And a person's house, car, and money in the bank, are the real measures of success. Of course it's important to have friends or someone to love. I thought it was cute when you said you didn't want to buy a house in the middle of nowhere, because you'd be afraid someone might "steal you." I've never heard that expression before. But I know what you mean. I agree with you. END OF UPDATE DEC 5, 2007, 4:17 A.M. THE FOLLOWING UPDATE WAS MADE FRI. DEC. 7, 2007, 1:33 P.M. Hi Carrie! How are you? I bought both of your albums last night, "Some Hearts" and "Carnival Ride" and listened to them when I got home. They're really enjoyable. You're really talented. And I went to see the Disney movie, "Enchanted" again, on Wed. Dec.5. I saw the movie a week ago, and enjoyed watching it the second time, too. I read in today's news on the GAC website, that you sometimes like to eat a pound of cheese! and you do cardio exercises. I'm a little worried about you and hope you don't have a heart attack. When I was 20, I tried body building, and ate all sorts of foods that were good sources of protein, to help build muscles. But those foods I ate, also had salt, fat, and cholesterol. Even though I got cardio vascular exercise from playing outdoor ice hockey on the neighborhood park ice rink, and I was a medium size guy at 5 feet 9 1/2 inches tall and 165 pounds, I had an angina attack, which is almost as bad as a heart attack. I had finished playing hockey and had walked about 2/3 of the way home, then I got some moderate pains in my chest. My blood pressure at that time of my life, was 145/95, which is too high, because normal is 120/80. But I read that heart attacks can occur if blood pressure is 165/?105? Maybe you don't have a cook or a nutritionist. If you like eating lots of normal cheese, like cheddar cheese, then I think you should get your blood pressure checked sometimes, or check it yourself. I have a blood pressure monitor, which I have not used in years, because I don't consume much salt, fat, or cholesterol. Some blood pressure monitors are so small and convenient, you just put your finger into the checker. I don't know if they're satisfactory because I've never tried one. Dry cottage cheese has no fat or cholesterol, but it was so dry and plain tasting, I could only eat a little. An amazing thing about that angina attack was that I did not have any symptoms of high blood pressure, such as dizziness or feeling faint, before the angina attack. I used to love eating pie with ice cream, and I enjoyed cheese, and hamburgers. Those foods have lots of fat and cholesterol, plus cheese also has lots of sodium. If I ever become rich I think I'd like to have a cook, because there's some experimental foods I'd like to make, but they're too time consuming for me to make several meals a day. Such as rice or bread with various small amounts of oil and little salt added. I hope to see you on "Movies Rock" tonight on TV. You said on TV that you had difficulty getting a date before you became rich and famous, or was it, before you won American Idol? I've never really had a girlfriend. I used to think if I could have been rich, young, and attractive, like you, maybe all of my problems would have been solved, and it would be easy for me to find a girlfriend. But you said it's hard to trust guys you meet for dating because you don't know if they're interested in you, or your fame and money. Other celebrities probably feel the same way. END OF UPDATED INFO. FRI. DEC. 7, 2007, 4:11 P.M.