Mannify

I'm sad to see you go, Raydon, I really am. I have not been posting very much myself recently because RL issues are making it hard to be the person I would want to be on here. Honestly, I think you're probably making a wise decision and I respect your courtesy in letting us all know, too. Please take care and may it all go well with you.

I hate town centres. I do what ever I haveto doin them at almost jogging pace and get it over and done with.

Learn to drive, get fit, sort the house out and start a PGCE in September.

Well, I don't recall ever not feeling that way.

What have been your highlights of 2012, whether they be global, national or personal? Personally, I was pleasantly surprised to derive such enjoyment from the Olympics and Paralympics, and I would certainly say that they were a national highlight. Despite depressed financial conditions, this year's summer of sport is what will distinguish 2012 from other years. I know I'll never forget the collective excitement felt by the whole family as we cheered Mo Farah past the finish line. I've just finished a degree, which hasn't been a particularly ecstatic occasion for me, but back in August I received a single module result which was a source of, well, pleased-ness and which I can view as a kind of highlight. Last month I spent a weekend with my sister, which was the first time I had been away without the children for a decade. Love my children as I do, the break was restorative and something I'll likely remember for years to come. Well, they're some of mine. How about everyone else?

Yes, my middle son really struggles with the change in structure and his behaviour does tend to be more challenging during the school holidays. We do find it helps if we let him know what we'll be doing - he likes us to tell him what we'll be doing 'after bed', then 'after dinner' and so on. Maybe some kind of picture timetable might help your son, with him being younger. Each kid's different, but some idea of what will happen, some kind of structure may help.

I like this 1995 performance of a song I listened to a lot when I was 12/13. I liked a lot of Tanita Tikaram's stuff, and this was a favourite. I used to try to perfect singing in her deep, husky way, lol.

We get The Times, and have done for 17 years. I don't think it has greater merit than other papers, tbh, but it has become a tradition, and the world would implode if we didn't. There's relatively little celebrity gossip, mercifully enough, but in terms of independence and integrity I don't believe it has higher credentials than other so-called serious rags. It's just something we like, basically, and we're shallow enough to swallow it's brand of news, I guess. What I really like, when we're feeling flush, is The Week here http://www.theweek.co.uk/ and here http://dennis.subscribeonline.co.uk/Subscription/the-week?offerCode=N1206PXEPY&personalSubscription=true&__utma=1.1033759409.1356194963.1356194986.1356195702.3&__utmb=1.1.10.1356195702&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1356195702.3.3.utmcsr=bing%7Cutmccn=(organic)%7Cutmcmd=organic%7Cutmctr=the%20week&__utmv=-&__utmk=214286103 .It condenses everything into manageable articles, and the idea is that you should be able to get an overview of the big issues in an hour or so. It manages a good breadth, including finance, ecology and science. It is still relatively challenging, though, despite its breadth and brevity and claims an original take on news as it happens. Whether or not you believe that is up to you, but it's definitely worth a look, although I find the price a bit prohibitive as a regular buy. I wish I could buy it weekly.

Er, you're welcome, although I feel somewhat humbled. I'm a bit of a loss for words, in fact. Thanks, Ben, your mention means a lot, it really does. Take care and have a good time See ya 'round.

I do lots. They used to annoy my mum a lot throughout my childhood and I do exactly the same ones still. I stroke between my fingers in sequence, and then the palms of my hands with my thumbs, often followed by my wrists. I trace around my cuticles with my nails. If my hands are cold I touch either side of my eye with my little and wring fingers, and then I make like I'm wiping my eye, coz I do this in public. I twiddle my hair around my fingers in turn, which requires me to have my arm over my head. If I have a pen, I trace in between my fingers and around my cuticles, and sometimes get inky. If I'm reading I bend the back page back and flick it with my four fingers - I like to achieve a certain tone. I sometimes shake my leg rapidly and repetitively. I shake my right hand and pace if I'm nervous. Like Lynda, I bite my cheek, and I alsolike to stick my bottom tooth to the plaque behind my top front tooth. There are probably others I haven't thought of right now. When I consider it I'm nearly always doing one of these, but some are more obvious than others.

I just can't get enough of snoring. It's the best, yeah!!!

Definitely not a part-timer, then! I did French and German at school, and taught myself Farsi (including the script). I used to be relatively fluent in French and Farsi, but that was some time ago now, and my brain seems to quickly dump what isn't in constant use. Also, I have an issue with languages in that I can quickly learn a language to allow a degree of conversational freedom, and I tend to be good at speaking, reading, and writing a language. I love grammar - I love the linguistic freedom it affords as deeper grammatical understanding is gained. My difficulty, however is understanding spoken language. I have trouble processing English efficiently, let alone another language, so this holds me back from ever truly gaining mastery of a language. Ah well.

Hmmm, the 'calm need for excitrement'. I like that expression

Which languages?

Hello, Nesf. In what context do you like languages?

Cool. What does it express for you?

Definitely no 'yippee', Sa Skimrande. 'Puter problems are such a bloomin' pain, aren't they?

Hi . How did you choose your avatar?

Well, exactly

Well if your nose does that, the camera hasn't caught it. It's unmistakeable on photos of me. Not that there are many, I usually hold the camera and take photos of the rest of the family, coz noone else can be bothered.

Oh, I thought it was only me, lol.

I have a fairly typical nose but when I smile it becomes huge.

The base of my nose expands when I smile, which is really annoying.

I don't know how anyone could object to that smile Weird thing about photos and smiling, isn't it? Everyone hates their own smiles.

nice girl