I have a very vivid memory of a moment in sixth grade. I was standing in the school hallway, just outside my classroom. My locker was wide open – I think it was bright yellow, or orange. I know it was sloppy, with books and papers just shoved in willy nilly, and I know that inside the door was one of my pictures I had collected (and would continue to collect) of my favorite artist: Prince.

On the same side of that hall, just a few lockers on the other side of the classroom door, stood Michelle W., her hand on her hip. She glanced at the inside of her locker door, then back at me. We were having the same argument we always had.

"Michael Jackson has more hit songs than Prince," she said matter-of-factly.

"Well, Prince is a movie star," I retorted.

I've been thinking about Michelle a lot lately, since that Friday when the entire world stopped at the news that Michael Jackson was dead, and especially today as the memorial service has taken over television.

As you can see from my picture above, I've tried to capture a little bit of this entertainment icon's inimitable style in Zwinky. (Thanks to Miss Thang for going shopping with me and giving me dressing room feedback!)

For days and days now it's all anyone can talk about. That day kids called their parents, adults in business suits furiously worked their smart phones to find out more. Suddenly every radio station, every car stereo, every Karaoke bar and even my iPod seemed stuck in a Jackson loop: "ABC," "I'll Be There," "Billie Jean," "Beat It," "Thriller," "Scream," "Man in the Mirror," and on and on and on...

Video homages and documentaries have been on just about every channel imaginable. And newspapers across the world have tried to capture the impact of this moment. On the subway this weekend I was fascinated by an elderly woman with a Chinese newspaper pouring over a five-page retrospective. At least that's what I guessed based on the pictures.

All of this, I suppose, is why I didn't jump to add to the pile of information out there by writing something in zwINK. But as monica_davis pointed out to me via Znote, "No one blogged about Michael Jackson or Billy Mays. I loved them both dearly..." Something, it seems, is warranted.

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It started so innocently...

It was me, Miss Thang and Mr. Metropolitan sitting at a corner table in Java Jolt drinking our tasty iced beverages, sharing some laughs. I don't remember who decided to start talking shop, but soon we were talking about the monthly mailbags and the great responsibility that comes with advising our fellow Zwinkies.

"It's a good thing I came along. Before me, the advice you doled out seemed so... what's the word... wrong? No one tells it better than Miss Thang!"

"Are you serious? I think people may find your columns entertaining, to be sure. But I offer them much more than that. Mr. Metropolitan is the only zwINK blogger wise enough to be trusted by advice-seekers."

Then they turned to me and glared... as if to say, "Well?! Who's right?!"

Now, our two amazing advice columnists are each intelligent, articulate, incredible individuals. Each has a unique perspective on life.

Miss Thang is a beautiful, accomplished and strong woman whom I admire a lot.

Mr. Metropolitan is a good-lookin', straight-shootin' gentleman with a sharp intellect and (shh...) a soft heart.

Anyone who remembers the alleged love triangle situation from back in the day will understand why it simply wouldn't be fair for Ms. Info to pick a fave.

So it's up to you!!

I've asked Miss Thang and Mr. Metro to each answer three identical letters for this month's column. Each letter will be followed by a poll so you can tell us which advice you'd probably follow.

But first, we need those letters. So Znote me (this month only... Ms. Info's a little too much head and not enough heart for love advice!) with your letters.

Then stay tuned!

Happy Independence Day Zwinksters!

Believe it or not, the Fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays (out of the non-gift receiving holidays, of course). I love to get together with family and friends and have a nice barbeque at someone's place, preferably someone who has a pool.

Hot dogs, hamburgers, coleslaw and potato salad are staples for July 4th BBQs! To be honest, in my family the staple for any occasion is lamb. Yes, I am Greek... so along with the hamburgers and hot dogs (as if that wasn't enough meat) we usually have plenty of lamb to go around.

Although I love the BBQ aspect of Independence Day, by far the best part is watching the fireworks!

To celebrate the Fourth, I picked out a super cute outfit to show my spirit and decorated my dorm room.

For my room I took full advantage of a few daily keepsakes... as you can see. I absolutely love the red roses, they add so much to my room and smell wonderful!

Once my room decor was picked out, I moved on to the most important thing for the festivities this weekend: my outfit! As most of you don't know, I won the "most school spirited" superlative in high school so I have to maintain the spirited rep!

Drop me a Z-note and let me know what you all are wearing to show your spirit and the fun festivities you have planned for July 4th!

Have fun!

Greetings Zwinksters! Hope this summer day is finding all of you well. Mr. Metropolitan could not be more excited that summer is finally here. And believe it or not, I'm actually considering going on a boat trip once again. That's right, I've finally recovered from my trauma related to being shipwrecked for months on a desert island to consider hitting the seas surrounding Zwinktopia once again. Call it an adventurous spirit of a seafaring soul, if you will, or just plain stupidity.

But I've taken a pause from packing up the swimsuit and snorkeling gear long enough to open up the mailbag once again. While it seemed to be relatively full, I was disappointed to find out that a lot of what I've received from fellow Zwinksters was just junk mail this past month. I know that you, faithful Metro nation, can do better than that – and I'm sure there are many of you out there with burning questions and in desperate need of advice. With that in mind, I'll bend the rules a bit this time and answer a few questions outside of the normal advice-seeking scope. Why am I doing that? Simply because I can. So without any further delay, let's get started.

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Welcome back to Zworoscopes, your Zwinky's monthly astrological forecast.

Find out from our secret astrologer what kind of month your Zwinky is destined to have.

Remember, your Zwodiac sign is based on when your Zwinky was created. You can find that information where it says "Zwinky Since:" on your profile.

This month marks the return of our favorite wizard to the big screen. So this month's Zworoscopes are dedicated the magical powers we ourselves possess!

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Hello Zwinktopia!

Now that summer is (apparently) here, it's time to dress your Zwinky appropriately! So play those games, earn those ZBucks, and hit up the mall for your latest Zwinky fashions!

Personally, I feel that I worked hard to unlock my full wardrobe, and there are a ton of great assets in there to express your style... So with that in mind I've kept my summer fashion review strictly limited to assets already in your wardrobe.

So here's a look at three different styles that you can rock when it gets warm outside, let me know what you think!

Wearing a simple v-neck made from breathable material allows the air to flow freely while still making a statement. Dark cotton slacks and sandals round out the outfit, and an iced coffee at the Java Jolt keeps everything cool!

There's a reason that the classics are the classics, because they work! When you're trying to beat the heat, nothing works better than putting on your favorite trunks and jumping in the pool. Just remember, always wear sunblock!

But maybe you're not looking for iced coffee or a dip in the pool to cool your noggin. Maybe you want something a little more... aggressive? Then grab your water gun and go to work! Just watch out, someone might fight back with a water balloon or even a snow ball!

How do you plan to stay cool this summer? Drop me a Znote to let me know!

See you in Zwinktopia!

Writers block! It hit me like a ton of bricks on Friday, as anyone following ZwinkyBlog on Twitter already knows. I asked for some suggestions for topics and the overwhelming response was SUMMER!

I don't know about all of you, but summertime makes me smile!! I'm not a beach bunny in the traditional sense... I couldn't care less about being tan (and I absolutely am disappointed in all you out there who are giving away your passwords just to get one!!) But I do love to grab a good book, a beach chair and a bottle of ice cold water then walk barefoot through the hot, soft sand. I set up right where the water's about 2 inches high, stretch my legs out and let the water roll over them, listen to the waves break, and scrunch my toes into the wet, goopy sand under the water.

Yup! I do love summer!

And as much as I adored my spring décor, including my awesome spring profile page, and my spring wardrobe? it was time for a total summer overhaul!

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What were you doing three years ago?

For some of us here at zwINK, we were pulling our hair out.

In the days leading up to the official launch of Zwinky, we kept finding little technical bugs and glitches that would delay our launch anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple of days.

Zwinky back in the day

And throughout all of this, the weather outside was SOOoooo nice. It was difficult working through our lunch hour day-after-day, trying to make all the fixes to the site while some of our co-workers were outside taunting us by eating ice cream, getting a tan, and playing Daniel Powter's "Had A Bad Day" in an endless loop. I still cringe every time I hear that song. (Although it has nothing to do with Zwinky.)

It's amazing how far we've come in just three years – over 20 million Zwinksters have been part of the magic in that time, and we've experienced and attended so many great events together: from amazing proms, music listening parties, themed parties, Zwinchester boutique launches, special quests, not to mention Mr. Foxtrot's first dance recital.

In the world outside of Zwinktopia, we've experienced as a community historic changes in leadership in the U.S., a renewed (and urgent) focus on environmental change worldwide, and some cautionary news about our global economy and the importance of saving for a rainy day.

It's funny to think back and remember that when Zwinky launched, there was no Zwinktopia. No dorm rooms. No virtual shark. All you got was a limited wardrobe, some code that allowed you to stick your Zwinky avatar on a blog or MySpace page, and that was it. And yet... you loved it! And the more you asked us to create for you, the more ideas that popped into our heads.

This week we look back and remember the past 36 months together, three years of fun that have kept those of us here at zwINK busy while giving you a place to visit friends, play games, and be anyone you want with thousands of amazing fashion options.

Help us celebrate our third birthday by:

Visiting our special Zwinky 3rd Anniversary Profile page (Zwinky gifts ARE accepted, and we love reading your comments)

Taking part in our 5-day beach party in Zwinktopia.

Grabbing some exclusive Zwinky birthday gear over the next 5 days as part of our Daily Keepsake feature. Like every daily keepsake, each item is free the day it's introduced. (And for birthday gear, only 3 Zbucks if you want to buy them at a later date!)

Have fun, be safe, and spread the Zwinky love to friends who haven't yet discovered our virtual world. And, as always...

Stay snacktastic.

(FYI – Looking ahead, we're planning new feaures, as well – including ways to better add your Zwinky to more places and in more ways!)

Hi Everyone!

So during the typical work week Mondays are usually always the toughest day for me to wake up and get myself moving but definitely NOT today! I have been extremely busy this weekend and there is way too much going on this week in Zwinktopia to be tired and sluggish this morning.

To be completely honest I have been keeping a huge secret (which I must say is a big accomplishment for me). Even though I have been sworn to secrecy, I don't think sharing a few hints here and there would do any harm.

I have been spending a lot of my time in the restricted area of the Beach, some of you may have noticed the blocked off section. I have been blowing up balloons and crafting paper lanterns, and after quite a few paper cuts and no more hot air left in me I have finished my secret work for today.

I am now off to the Zwinchester to find a cute new outfit for this special week in Zwinktopia. Hope to see you guys around soon!

And for those of you who have been trying to get past the fences we have set up, stop your snooping and I promise you will find out what it is all about VERY soon!