# Meeting Michelle in Florida **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 2, 1999, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838 "1999-12-02T21:48:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 1999, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/1 "1999-12-02T21:48:00Z")
Since Michelle’s celebrity is approaching escape velocity, I thought I would callously try to usurp it in order to lend credibility to yet another “Why don’t we meet, get drunk, and blackmail each other” thread. I mean, I hear that everybody’s doing her – er, I mean it! IT! (Don’t blame me, it’s Diane’s fault.) So, how about it? Any other Florida dopers consumed by the spirit of holiday gatherings? No, well how about rank curiosity and the prospect of spirits? * * * - The best lack all conviction The worst are full of passionate intensity. \* ---
**Author:** ![funneefarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@funneefarmer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/funneefarmer)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 1999, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/2 "1999-12-02T22:20:00Z")
“rank curiosity”… Hey, I’ll fly down for a whiff of that. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/3 "1999-12-03T02:38:00Z")
So where was everyone when I posted my Assboink, Idaho thread? The big Tampa meeting consisted of 2 people. * * * I crave an art that passionately transcends the mundane instead of being a device for self-deception.–Griffin, from The Griffin and Sabine trilogy. ---
**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/4 "1999-12-03T05:06:00Z")
Ooops. Never read the assboink thread, I;m afraid. Though how I could have missed the obvious allusion to Tampa is beyond me. so … can I take a makeup exam? * * * - The best lack all conviction The worst are full of passionate intensity. \* ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/5 "1999-12-03T16:05:00Z")
I haven’t seen eden here in a while but we could always try another Florida meeting. ---
**Author:** ![eden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@eden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eden)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/6 "1999-12-03T17:14:00Z")
Yeah, geez, where were you folks? We were all aloooone…in Assboink! ---
**Author:** ![eden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f9b8f/32.png) [@eden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eden)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/7 "1999-12-03T17:16:00Z")
I definitely think another meeting is in order. I will be there with mace and tear gas to keep the slavering hordes at bay. ---
**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/8 "1999-12-03T17:36:00Z")
Well – that raises the grand total to three. Unless funeefarmer has some frequent flyer miles to burn. Is that it for the Florida contingent? Has the SDMB been unable to gain a foothold among the flamingos? * * * - The best lack all conviction The worst are full of passionate intensity. \* ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/9 "1999-12-03T19:45:00Z")
Fear not, the SDMB has permeated down as far as Ft.Lauderdale/Miami. I might be up for some sort of get together, but I’ve got quite the demanding work schedule these days, so chances are that I won’t be able to make it. But who knows, been meaning to take a road trip lately. I’ve been working for too damn long without a vacation. I’ve got 200 paid vacation hours!!! I was going to take a vacation for New Years, but then my company came out with a policy against vacations for Y2k. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/10 "1999-12-03T19:54:00Z")
OK…so let’s try to set something up again. There are some Floridians here who keep a low profile but maybe we can coax them out. Sanibel would be fun to meet but I am not sure how feasible a road trip is for him, and we couldn’t take him out driinking anyways… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/11 "1999-12-03T19:54:00Z")
Hey, if you swing up Orlando way, then I just might have to get myself on over to the meetin’ place. Forget Disney. SDMB is the happiest place on earth. Well, except for the bar-b-q pit I suppose * * * Well, shut my mouth. It’s also illegal to put squirrels down your pants for the purposes of gambling. ---
**Author:** ![rubes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@rubes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rubes)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/12 "1999-12-03T20:04:00Z")
If you guys can hold off your meeting till after New Years (I’m on call for Y2K stuff here) I’d be happy to get on a plane and down to somewhere cozier than Minnesota. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/13 "1999-12-03T20:12:00Z")
I am not too familiar with any part of Orlando except for Disney. Besides, I still think Disney is fun even though I have been there a million times. Anyway, let’s see what we can schedule. The biggest problem I see is that I am off work during the week, when everyone else is AT work. Getting time off is really hard for me cause it is impossible to find anyone willing to cover my ungodly hours. ---
**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/14 "1999-12-03T22:00:00Z")
I doubt we will be able to manage any large-scale gatherings before new years, what with Y2K (for us geeks) and Christmas holidays for the rest of you. Do we have any folks from teh northern reaches who want to get in on the mix. I was going to propose Tampa or Orlando as generally central locations (and it helps that I have good friends in both cities) but so far it sounds like the “center of gravity” for Florida dopers is further south. Hey – how about a camping party in the everglades? * * * - The best lack all conviction The worst are full of passionate intensity. \* ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 1999, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/15 "1999-12-04T15:18:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Hey – how about a camping party in the everglades? Fuhgetahboutit. We would turn into unwitting blood donors to the Everglades’ vast mosquito population. Unless we get a nice strong cold front down here, the Everglades are almost always out of the question for camping over night. I have been thinking about a trip up to Peace River in Arcadia. The weather these days is perfect for it. You rent a canoe and they drive you up river. There are various length of trips that you can go on from 1day/1night to 3days/3nights and you just camp right alongside the river. Its pretty cool, especially when the river is high, because you barely have to paddle. Check out these links: [http://www.brainee.com/paddlefl/Destinations/Peace/PeaceR.htm](http://www.brainee.com/paddlefl/Destinations/Peace/PeaceR.htm) [http://www.florida-outdoors.com/kris/peace.htm](http://www.florida-outdoors.com/kris/peace.htm) ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 1999, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/16 "1999-12-04T19:48:00Z")
Well, Michelle, I would need: 2 hours to drive up to Tampa 2 hours to hang out 2 hours to drive back If you can come up with a good excuse for my parents to let me out of the house for 6-7 hours (depending on traffic), then I’d be glad to go. I have the 20-26th off and the 31st-3rd off (I’m going out of town for a little bit there). So give me a good excuse, and I’ll be on my way. * * * _ **SanibelMan** _ - [My Homepage](http://members.macconnect.com/~jonkleinow/) I could be doing something, but… _why?_ ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 1999, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/17 "1999-12-04T23:51:00Z")
Isn’t meeting me all the excuse you would ned? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 1999, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/18 "1999-12-05T01:05:00Z")
My SO and I have been to Tampa/St Pete three times in the past 18 months. Next time we’re down, feel free to come on by the Green Iguana in Ybor and say “Hi.” ---
**Author:** ![Spiritus\_Mundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c68b51/32.png) [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 1999, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/19 "1999-12-05T04:11:00Z")
I was **not** serious about camping in the glads. I have, however, done the canoe trip down the Peace River before. It was a blast. I don’t know if people are up for the overnight adventure, but if so I can definitely support the canoe trip idea. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 1999, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838/20 "1999-12-05T17:48:00Z")
Wait! I got it! We have posters from Tampa/St. Pete, and posters from Miami/Ft. Lauderdale. Fort Myers is approx. 2 - 2 1/2 hours from both. Why not meet here? That way it’s fair for everyone! * * * _ **SanibelMan** _ - [My Homepage](http://members.macconnect.com/~jonkleinow/) I could be doing something, but… _why?_ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meeting-michelle-in-florida/11838.md?page=2)