Michele

I'm a hair late...but I know my Gramma Rebecca and my Aunt Hannah are standing there, waiting their turn to welcome her home. Why, I betcha there's a very long reception line. Much love to you and your family, and my prayers are added to the rest...Fly in Peace, Grandma, and dance with the angels... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Gooooooooooooooooooo Kris!!!! Been there, done that, conquered the same thing. And I do think that license means more than some other acheivements...we are learning to fly!!! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Prayers sent, lots of them. Please let us know if there's anything else we can do. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaahoooooooooooooooooooooooo! Sounds like a really really fun day for you! Well done!!! Someday I will break the 100 mark. Someday. Maybe. "When you wish upon a star..."... Good deal, girl!! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

P, that is a beautiful dress...simple, classic, and classy. Well done! Party on!!!! And don't forget to eat some chocolate

hey, Chad... Why not read through this Thread by Atsaubrey? Also, maybe run a search for his posts. He's very recently been through the same search you have, but you won't have to travel so far from Baton Rouge to Moss Point MS...he went from CA there. Hope this helps. And you know what? If you believe you can, you will find a way to do it. And make sure we all hear about it! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I dunno, Clay. I think that the "Hotties" thread is missing a photo or two! Hope all went well...you've been in my thoughts! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Well done, Jessica. WHaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Big congratulations go to those two love birds...they're getting married today! Yayayayay for you! Here's hoping you have many years of wedded bliss and much happiness! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Happy Birthday, Sangiro...and many, many more. Many more. Like, lots and tons.

Been doing it long? You sound really proud of yourself.... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Don't you hate it when you forget to do something important? Like, important. Similar to, well, pulling. The last few weeks, I've had this nagging sensation that I have forgotten to do something really important. Like, really important. Pay the rent? Nah, did that. Go to the Dr? Nah, living there now it seems like. What? Oh well, I'll remember... Voicemail from my OM: Hey, Michele, your license expires tomorrow. Didja get it renewed? Oh, well. See now. That really isn't a good thing. Nope, not a good thing atall. Huh. And of course my broker is out for the week. My assistent broker and I don't get along very well but he's the only resource I have. I've already taken the classes, just not the final exams I need to take. 50 questions each, 4 different exams. And my assistant broker is the only one who can proctor it. Contact the school, explain I've screwed up and need help. They fax me the tests, and an answer sheet. I sit down for a marathon test...200 questions in about 90 minutes, because my assistant broker has to leave, and the school must have the tests back by 3 so they can grade them and fax me the certificate by 5. Oh, joy fun happy times. Scribble, dash, line through, read carefully, read out loud. Who writes these things? This is a dumb test. I'll never encounter this situation. Who really cares about that? And I guess and bluff my way through the different ones...and finish. Generally I know how I do on these things, but not this time. I took the classes last year, for crying out loud...I'm too old for this happy horsehooey. Gawd, I need a drink... And get the assistant broker to sign off that he watched me take the tests...(uh, yeah.)...and fax it off. And then chew my nails wondering if I'd passed the stupid things. And then phone rings...and I have passed; in the words of the grader, "done very well..." but they won't give me the score because it's against state law. They'd only give me the score if I had failed...oh well, in this case, it's pretty funny...I've done very well on something I remember sleeping through last year...on a moment's notice. I will send everything in tomorrow, because I can't do it on-line...but phew. Don'tcha hate that kind of thing? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Good topic, Wendy. I hate to see namecalling. Generally, every opinion is valid...the facts they base it on may not be, but the opinion/view is. An outward show of respect (which I do my best to display - futilely in some cases) and a willingness to not immediately discount it because "this" or "that" person wrote it but base any response on content not character would be nice to see. Often, I see things degenerate into vile namecalling, or hyperbolic exaggeration to make a point. I think that condescending to someone really does not help a situation. For example, if someone is asked something, lay it out clearly, concisely (that part is hard for me sometimes), and be willing to back it up with links. If quoting something or someone, the link to where the quote is lifted from is important...and lends credibility to the poster. But I think the most important thing is that someone feel they are heard...and that the listener is heard in return. I find that lack of respect to be distasteful. I love learning things, and, like you said, fleshing out ideas, whether or not I personally agree with things. No-one can know everything...but together, we can add to our base of knowledge and move forward from there. {Edited to add....a sense of humor. Gawain was playing around...) (so much for being concise, hey? )... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

LOL, yeah...I sorta had expected him to get this up there...oh well. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Wendy, you know I love you, scum sucking or not. (btw, did someone actually call you "scum-sucking stupid left-wing liberal", or are you making use of hyperbole again?) Honestly, you hadn't heard? It was all over the news tonight, and I heard about it on the morning shows on MSNBC...did you know about the Senate vote to have some of the 83 billion be loans rather than grants? Very close vote, but it seems some amount (how much, I missed) will be as loans to be repaid rather than simple grants. I've been critical of the UN, that's true, and while some might see me as being a hypocrit, I am simply glad that there is movement toward a self-governed Iraq, that it was unanimous, and that it seems to be more of a worldwide effort rather than a go-it-alone kind of thing. Ciels- Michele Ciels ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Ooopssssssss. Know what? You're right. I mean, it's as old as this morning's coffee, stale as this morning's donuts, and as tired and worn as a 50 year-old whore. It's been history for over 8 hours...and it really is not, as stated by Mikkey, anything to be happy about. Nothing important here, move along...move along... ROFL... (Juan, I don't think I can afford Eloy this year. This illness has set me back quite a ways...no insurance...oh well...maybe next year.) Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Well, frankly, I would have thought there would be a lot of "Finally!" or "Thank goodness they saw the light" kind of reactions...but no, seems like it's just you and me being happy about good news. Good news which is, oftentimes, underreported. And it's obviously not what people want to hear...or this post would have caught fire by now (or, more honestly, this great news would have been posted already...). It's very interesting, to say the least... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

You know, Juan, I heard about this story this morning...and I waited and waited for someone to bring this up. But no-one did. So I thought, in the interests of fairness, I'd contribute this wonderful news to the boards...but no-one is interested. I wonder why... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Darius, you are not helping the hijacking attempt. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Thanks for the compliment...and Juan, I knew it was a typo, but far too funny to let slide... Ciels, Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I can't believe some of those who are so into the UN and it's work haven't posted this...but here it is, and being called a diplomatic coup for the Bush administration. And it was unanimous. Per the AP, via Earthlink News... ~~~~~~~~~~ "UNITED NATIONS - The Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday aimed at attracting more troops and money to help stabilize Iraq and speed its independence - a diplomatic victory for Washington after the bitter dispute over the war. The resolution's success hinges on whether it generates additional funds for Iraq's reconstruction at next week's donors conference in Madrid, Spain, and whether countries decide to send new forces to Iraq. In a dramatic shift, France, Germany and Russia - key opponents of the U.S.-led war against Iraq - supported the resolution. But they immediately ruled out any new military or financial help, reflecting ongoing concern about the speed with which Washington would transfer authority to Iraqis. The resolution gives U.N. authorization to a multinational force under unified command that will be led by the United States and calls for troop contributions as well as "substantial pledges" from the 191 U.N. member states at the Madrid donors conference on Oct. 23-24. The 15-0 vote was a coup for Secretary of State Colin Powell, who called the outcome "a great achievement" - although he cautioned that the resolution should not be seen as "opening the door to troops." Powell led six weeks of intense U.S. lobbying and worked the phones from the early hours Wednesday. When he launched his final diplomatic blitz, U.S. officials were concerned the resolution might get only the minimum nine "yes" votes needed for adoption. A day earlier, France, Russia and Germany failed to persuade the United States to include in the resolution a timetable for restoring Iraq's sovereignty. Instead, the draft calls for the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council - in cooperating with the coalition and a U.N. representative - to provide the Security Council by Dec. 15 with a timetable for drafting a new constitution and holding elections. The resolution makes clear that the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq is temporary and states that "the day when Iraqis govern themselves must come quickly." It urges the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority now running the country to let Iraqis govern "as soon as practicable." The United States also won backing from China and Pakistan, and finally and most surprisingly, from Syria, the only Arab nation on the Security Council and a staunch opponent of the U.S.-led war. Not wishing to revive the bitter divisions over the war itself, virtually all council members said they wanted council unity on the next steps in Iraq, even if the resolution didn't meet all their demands. "The outcome is a clear demonstration of the will of all the members of the Security Council to place the interests of the Iraqi people above all other considerations," Secretary-General Kofi Annan said after the vote. Germany, France and Russia announced earlier Thursday that they would vote in favor of the resolution in a bid to bring international solidarity to the reconstruction effort. France made clear there was concern about escalating violence and terrorism - not just in Iraq but in the Middle East as a whole. "We all see a spiral of violence and terrorism that is increasing in Iraq," said French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin, speaking to reporters at a summit meeting of European leaders in Brussels, Belgium. "It is important to send a message to the Iraqi people ... that we all want the best conditions for the reconstruction of the country." In a joint statement after the council vote, the three European nations said the resolution failed to give the United Nations a bigger role in Iraq's political transition or speed up the transfer of authority to Iraqis. Therefore, "the conditions are not created for us to envisage any military commitment and no further financial contributions beyond our present engagement," the French-German-Russian statement said. When the United States embarked on its effort to get a new resolution, the focus was on troops and money. But under pressure from the French, Germans, Russians and others, it quickly shifted to the restoration of sovereignty to Iraqis. The United States responded by setting the Dec. 15 deadline, making clear its stay in Iraq is temporary, and giving the United Nations more of a political role. References in the resolution to a U.N. role are conditioned with the words "as circumstances permit." Annan pulled out all but a few dozen international staffers after two bombings at U.N. headquarters in Baghdad in a month. He has made clear that he would not risk sending U.N. staff back unless the United Nations is given a major role in Iraq's transition to a democracy. Annan told the council he would do his "utmost" to implement the resolution, bearing in mind "the safety and security" of U.N. staff. Mouwafak al-Raabi, a member of the Iraqi Governing Council, welcomed the possibility of "the presence of more international troops ... and pumping more funds into Iraq ... in order to reconstruct the Iraqi economy and combat unemployment." "This can be one of the successful means to dry out the cores of terror," he said. Syria's U.N. Ambassador Fayssal Mekdad said his country decided to join the consensus after consulting Germany, France, Russia, China and other non-permanent council members as well as Japan, which is not on the council. "We have decided that it is in the interests of the Iraqi people that we take such a positive stand," he said, expressing hope that the resolution will "accelerate the transfer of sovereignty to the Iraqis" even though it doesn't meet "all our expectations." Hours earlier, however, Syrian President Bashar Assad, speaking in Malaysia, launched a sharp attack on the U.S.-led war and ridiculed the "liberation" of that country." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This seems like a move everyone can be happy about... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

How wonderful to hear from you, Eric. How simply miraculous. You've been in my prayers, and my thoughts, and I am sooooooooooooooo damned glad to see you posting. Many (gentle) hugs! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Um, here. Lemme make it easy for you. Everything else. That way, we know it gets done right... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Ah, yes, my lemme-give-you-a-hug-and-you'll-forget-all-your-dominance-issues ploy!. Someday, Juan, you will be where I am and I'll give you one so you can decide for yourself. who am I doing? Um, well, honestly, no-one right now. Been kinda slow in that department for a while, truth be told. Oh well...that will happen someday. If you mean how am I doing, better now that I have some answers and we're working on a game plan. Still and all, though, I wish I weren't ill...but that too will pass, and I'll soon be back to normal. Whatever normal is. BTW, how do you like my attempt at hijacking? I'm trying to do it without using the word "BOOBIES" but I'm not sure it's being altogether successful, especially since I have to run out to the store soon... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

IMHO, there are times for male dominance. It is rare, but they include: ~Bringing in all the groceries from the car. ~Cleaning the litter box. ~Packing my parachute, carrying my gear to the car. ~Opening my soda can after I got a manicure. ~Occasionally in bed...sometimes it's fun to be "ravished". Other than that, there is no room for "dominance". And if a man (or woman) for that matter dares raise a hand to me for any reason, they shall reap more than what they have sown...I never hit first, but I always hit back. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~