The Friday Forum - July 1

It's hard to believe it's Friday already and the start of a long holiday weekend! As we roll into our Independence Day celebrations, I wish our friends to the north a Happy Canada Day! This one's exciting for them, with the royal visit by Wills and Kate (we're on a first-name basis).

What did you think of the lace or print dress Kate Middleton wore at the arrival ceremony yesterday? I don't think it translated well on television. It looked formal - almost like cocktail party wear. The navy blue suit she wore to board their flight at Heathrow Airport was classy. The dress was pretty - just not her best choice among recent home runs.

The daylilies are blooming, and all is well with the world. Well, sort of. It appears my computer didn't get the word. Today, I will be carrying it over to the "PC doctor" one last time. It's a tower, and it's fairly heavy. The doc will transfer my files to a new desktop computer, and later I'll pick up a newer, faster peripheral brain. I'm sure I'll appreciate that - after I get over the nuisance of reloading all my software. I don't even know what will work and what won't, given the new Windows operating system. I should have bought an Apple Mac, I know.

What an exciting week it was in the land of beauty! For me, it was a Chanel and Le Métier de Beauté week, with some new fragrances thrown into the mix to try this weekend. I was able to return to skin care too. Next week promises to be just as busy. I'll be writing this weekend. If you decamp for a vacation today, please visit when you return. You'll find some fun, new features.

Last Sunday, I watched a beauty blogger Twitter conversation about blog comments, mostly about snarky comments. Since I've never posted a Frequently Asked Questions section, I thought the Friday Forum would be a good opportunity to introduce the subject of comments. I let almost all comments stand - I love comments and a good chat - but there are certain kinds of comments I will delete or not approve on moderation.

As a rule, I don't publish comments that include hyperlinks to commercial Web sites, particularly those posted anonymously. The comments that never see the light of day here are those that are posted to older links, have absolutely nothing to do with the feature, but do contain some kind of advertising message, either embedded in the comment or in a link to a commercial Web site. They are a clear attempt to drive my readers to e-commerce sites. Whether the link is a hyperlink from the URL in the name or is embedded in the comment, I do not publish. Most recently, two comments praised the blog, but included links to a site that had nothing to do with beauty. Some of these links can even be dangerous to my readers. If you do comment on an older feature, and it's related to the feature - even if it contains a link that provides good information - I will publish it. Those looking for free advertising won't succeed.

It's time for The Friday Forum. We use the forum to share information and chat. Did you find any deals you couldn't resist this week? Are you using a fabulous product and want to sing its praises? Did you find a beauty product disappointing? Do you have a question others might be able to answer? Want to talk about skin care? What's new in your life? Just use the comments. Don't be shy. Just make sure to ask any question you might have over the weekend. By early the next week, most (not all) readers have moved on.

If you live in the U.S., don't forget to enter the giveaway contest for one of fall's hot nail colors: Chanel's Péridot Nail Colour (#531). The deadline is Saturday, July 2, at midnight.

The next time I write, I'll have a new computer...see you then!

Photo by Best Things in Beauty and ctv.ca