Michele

Meet n' Greet Update

Please note that there will be  NO Meet n' Greet posted this weekend. Gasp. Is it true? Yes, it's true. I will confess that I did flirt with the idea of  posting  it, because it is, after-all, a tradition. However, I was advised by two trusted and  wonderfully loyal blogfriends that perhaps I should take a break in order to shake things  up. So, that is  just what I shall do.

In the  meantime, I would be honoured if you would  offer me a link to one  of your favourite posts that you have written. This was a suggestion of another wonderful blogfriend. Sometime over the next few days I will personally visit you and  say hello. Be warned: if  it is truly wonderful I might direct others to it. Please know that I do have a wedding and a work-related convention to attend this weekend, so it might take  me a few days to get  to you.

A four day Meet n' Greet will appear next week.  Until then, please  pretend  that you miss this weekend tradition. Oh, and  if you truly do miss it, don't blame  me, rather blame the men who advised me. Yes, it is all their fault. They know who they are. But I am not telling. Well, unless of course you beg me.

UPDATE: At Sage's suggestion I changed the comment formatting so that the posts can be auto-linked.  Hope that helps.   

Have a glorious weekend!

The Daily Choice

This question was asked by Boy in the Deal or No Deal Comment Game

Would you stop blogging forever in exchange for ONE day in which nobody has to fight any wars and/or die of starvation/illness?

Just Curious....

If you could  have witnessed one event from your  family's history, what would  you want to see?

The Daily Question From A Blogfriend

This question was asked in the Answer and Ask Comment Game

jo-less wants to know......

What's a typical Friday evening for you?

The Answer and Ask Comment Game

It is time to socialise and make small talk.......

How shall we do this?

Let me explain:

The person before you has asked you a question. Now being a pleasant guest you shall answer. See, small talk! Now, you will want to welcome the next guest by asking a question of them.

It really is as simple as answer and ask. Please remember you are a pleasant guest and this is only small talk, albeit of the amusing kind. Some possible questions mght be:

• What book are you reading?
• Where did you get that lovely ensemble?
• Do you think Brad Pitt is over-rated?
• Who was your favourite Bond, James Bond?

Please, keep it non-personal and ask fun questions. And  yes you can come back to mix and mingle, in fact I encourage it.

Question for first person:

What is the  subject of your  most reoccurring dream?

It is time to socialise and make small talk.......

How shall we do this?

Let me explain:

The person before you has asked you a question. Now being a pleasant guest you shall answer. See, small talk! Now, you will want to welcome the next guest by asking a question of them.

It really is as simple as answer and ask. Please remember you are a pleasant guest and this is only small talk, albeit of the amusing kind. Some possible questions mght be:

• What book are you reading?
• Where did you get that lovely ensemble?
• Do you think Brad Pitt is over-rated?
• Who was your favourite Bond, James Bond?

Please, keep it non-personal and ask fun questions. And  yes you can come back to mix and mingle, in fact I encourage it.

Question for first person:

What is the  subject of your  most reoccurring dream?

It is time to socialise and make small talk.......

How shall we do this?

Let me explain:

The person before you has asked you a question. Now being a pleasant guest you shall answer. See, small talk! Now, you will want to welcome the next guest by asking a question of them.

It really is as simple as answer and ask. Please remember you are a pleasant guest and this is only small talk, albeit of the amusing kind. Some possible questions mght be:

• What book are you reading?
• Where did you get that lovely ensemble?
• Do you think Brad Pitt is over-rated?
• Who was your favourite Bond, James Bond?

Please, keep it non-personal and ask fun questions. And  yes you can come back to mix and mingle, in fact I encourage it.

Question for first person:

What is the  subject of your  most reoccurring dream?

It is time to socialise and make small talk.......

How shall we do this?

Let me explain:

The person before you has asked you a question. Now being a pleasant guest you shall answer. See, small talk! Now, you will want to welcome the next guest by asking a question of them.

It really is as simple as answer and ask. Please remember you are a pleasant guest and this is only small talk, albeit of the amusing kind. Some possible questions mght be:

• What book are you reading?
• Where did you get that lovely ensemble?
• Do you think Brad Pitt is over-rated?
• Who was your favourite Bond, James Bond?

Please, keep it non-personal and ask fun questions. And  yes you can come back to mix and mingle, in fact I encourage it.

Question for first person:

What is the  subject of your  most reoccurring dream?

It is time to socialise and make small talk.......

How shall we do this?

Let me explain:

The person before you has asked you a question. Now being a pleasant guest you shall answer. See, small talk! Now, you will want to welcome the next guest by asking a question of them.

It really is as simple as answer and ask. Please remember you are a pleasant guest and this is only small talk, albeit of the amusing kind. Some possible questions mght be:

• What book are you reading?
• Where did you get that lovely ensemble?
• Do you think Brad Pitt is over-rated?
• Who was your favourite Bond, James Bond?

Please, keep it non-personal and ask fun questions. And  yes you can come back to mix and mingle, in fact I encourage it.

Question for first person:

What is the  subject of your  most reoccurring dream?

It is time to socialise and make small talk.......

How shall we do this?

Let me explain:

The person before you has asked you a question. Now being a pleasant guest you shall answer. See, small talk! Now, you will want to welcome the next guest by asking a question of them.

It really is as simple as answer and ask. Please remember you are a pleasant guest and this is only small talk, albeit of the amusing kind. Some possible questions mght be:

• What book are you reading?
• Where did you get that lovely ensemble?
• Do you think Brad Pitt is over-rated?
• Who was your favourite Bond, James Bond?

Please, keep it non-personal and ask fun questions. And  yes you can come back to mix and mingle, in fact I encourage it.

Question for first person:

What is the  subject of your  most reoccurring dream?

It is time to socialise and make small talk.......

How shall we do this?

Let me explain:

The person before you has asked you a question. Now being a pleasant guest you shall answer. See, small talk! Now, you will want to welcome the next guest by asking a question of them.

It really is as simple as answer and ask. Please remember you are a pleasant guest and this is only small talk, albeit of the amusing kind. Some possible questions mght be:

• What book are you reading?
• Where did you get that lovely ensemble?
• Do you think Brad Pitt is over-rated?
• Who was your favourite Bond, James Bond?

Please, keep it non-personal and ask fun questions. And  yes you can come back to mix and mingle, in fact I encourage it.

Question for first person:

What is the  subject of your  most reoccurring dream?

Other Than You Feed Him For A Day

Finish this line:

Give a man a fish and......

Wanting Your Opinion

Truancy rates rise to record high:

The truancy rate in English schools rose last year to a record high due to an increase in primary schoolchildren bunking off, government figures showed today. Jim Knight, the schools minister, admitted that the rise was disappointing and blamed a "stubborn minority of pupils" who were missing significant amounts of schooling.

Headteachers said schools were putting an incredible amount of effort into tackling truancy but they could only succeed if parents cooperated......

Officials said the drive - in which parents were threatened with heavy fines or jail if they failed to get their children to school - had cut persistent truancy by 27%. This meant that about 3,500 of the 13,000 regular truants in the 200 schools targeted by the scheme had returned to class, the department said....

Steve Sinnott, the general secretary of the National Union of Teachers, said government investment and parents' cooperation was beginning to pay off in secondary schools, but the rise in primary truanting must be nipped in the bud. "At this young age it is likely that parental connivance in truanting is a factor. Parents need to live up to their responsibility to ensure their children attend school. They must not take their children out of school for holidays or shopping expeditions.

"Allowing a pattern of truancy to develop in primary pupils could easily feed through into secondary education further damaging the children's life chances. Truanting children are on the streets and at risk.

Do you agree that parents should face heavy fines or jail if they fail to get their children to school?  Do you agree that parents should not take their children out for school for family "holidays or shopping expeditions"? Did you have a pattern of truancy when you were a student?

The Daily Choice

This question was asked by Janet in the Deal or No Deal Comment Game

Would you quit the well paying job you hate to accept a position that's less well paid, but you'd be doing what you love?

The Daily Question From A Blogfriend

This question was asked in  The  Answer and Ask  Comment Game.

Kenju  wants to know......

Have you seen any good movies lately?

Michele wants to know....

Are there any new movies that you want to see?

The Seven Letters Game

It's a Thursday thing.....

It is that magical time again. That time when all the letters of the alphabet get to be placed in a pretty row for one of my comment games. Yes, I will pause while you clap your hands in glee. Okay, stop clapping dammit you are holding up the game. Now,what is the current alphabet theme? Seven letter words. Yes, it is time to show off your big word collection.   

So, in the spirit of alphabet games may I suggest that we create a list of seven letter words, put in alphabetical order of course.

Now begin  with the letter A, the next person does B and so on.....

Yes, you can return to play again, after all, there are many seven letter words, correct?

It's a Thursday thing.....

It is that magical time again. That time when all the letters of the alphabet get to be placed in a pretty row for one of my comment games. Yes, I will pause while you clap your hands in glee. Okay, stop clapping dammit you are holding up the game. Now,what is the current alphabet theme? Seven letter words. Yes, it is time to show off your big word collection.   

So, in the spirit of alphabet games may I suggest that we create a list of seven letter words, put in alphabetical order of course.

Now begin  with the letter A, the next person does B and so on.....

Yes, you can return to play again, after all, there are many seven letter words, correct?

Sharing....

Have I mentioned that I love Paris? Let me tell you a few reasons why.......

Caption Contest Number Seventy-Nine

Yes. Another caption contest. You know the rules, yes? You think of a caption for the picture in the extended  post and submit it in the comment section. We at All Things Michele will once again select the best ones (every single one) and award each one (every single one) with an imaginary trophy for their imaginary caption-contest-winner cabinet.

Yes. Another caption contest. You know the rules, yes? You think of a caption for the picture in the extended  post and submit it in the comment section. We at All Things Michele will once again select the best ones (every single one) and award each one (every single one) with an imaginary trophy for their imaginary caption-contest-winner cabinet.

Yes. Another caption contest. You know the rules, yes? You think of a caption for the picture in the extended  post and submit it in the comment section. We at All Things Michele will once again select the best ones (every single one) and award each one (every single one) with an imaginary trophy for their imaginary caption-contest-winner cabinet.

Yes. Another caption contest. You know the rules, yes? You think of a caption for the picture in the extended  post and submit it in the comment section. We at All Things Michele will once again select the best ones (every single one) and award each one (every single one) with an imaginary trophy for their imaginary caption-contest-winner cabinet.

Yes. Another caption contest. You know the rules, yes? You think of a caption for the picture in the extended  post and submit it in the comment section. We at All Things Michele will once again select the best ones (every single one) and award each one (every single one) with an imaginary trophy for their imaginary caption-contest-winner cabinet.

Yes. Another caption contest. You know the rules, yes? You think of a caption for the picture in the extended  post and submit it in the comment section. We at All Things Michele will once again select the best ones (every single one) and award each one (every single one) with an imaginary trophy for their imaginary caption-contest-winner cabinet.

Other Than I Love You

Finish this line:

I just called to say.....

Seeking Advice

A blogfriend  of mine, who has chosen to remain annonymous, asked me to ask for your advice.....

She writes:  A  co-worker of mine who I am friendly at work with but  have no off-work communication has asked me to loan her $500.00. She said that if she does not pay that minimum amount on her phone bill they will cut it off.  I like  her very much and I do not want to see her phone cut off but this amount of money would  hurt my budget if not paid  back in a  timely manner. I was going to explain that it would be difficult  for me but she started crying saying  that if her husband  finds out that she made so many long-distance calls he would "be very angry." She said she has no one to turn to that won't tell her husband. I told  her to give me a day to see if I could  come  up with some  extra money.  I want  to help but to me that is a lot of money. Should I say no and  if so  what reason do I  use for saying no?

What advice would  you offer in this  situation? Would you loan a co-worker that amount of money?

Should Too-Thin Models Be Banned?

Like it or not, thin sells:

As the fashion circus rolled into Milan over the weekend, the scandal involving "size-zero" models continued to gain weight. The regional government of Madrid banned models with a body-mass index (BMI) of less than 18, taking into account height and the scale readout. Madrid is not on the premier world-fashion circuit, but the ban set off waves in London, which was next up in the spotlight. The British Culture Secretary, followed quickly by the mayor of Milan, called for similar action.

Giorgio Armani, in London last week for a show for his Emporio Armani label, responded to a question from Reuters Television that he himself doesn't like women modelling his clothes to be too skinny. "Unfortunately, though, the stylists and also the media have interfered and they now want models that are incredibly thin.".......

The governments imposing and considering bans all cited the possibility that teenage girls might become anorexic trying to emulate the skinny models. But we don't always practise what we preach, it seems: A recent study by the University of Bath found that more than two-thirds (67 per cent) of women surveyed preferred pictures of thin models to those of a larger size, saying the thinner ones were elegant, more interesting and generally more likeable," according to Media Life magazine.

Do you think governments should  impose bans on models who are too skinny? Do you prefer pictures of thin models to those of a larger size? Oh, and could someone please explain to me  why the hell a very thin (size zero) model would  be "generally more likable"?  Since when did  likability increase as size decreases?