The First Kiss

The First Kiss

It was a few days after Christmas, 1969. I was loaded down with cash from grandparents, uncles, aunts, and others who years before had given up trying to figure me out. Im talking about tens of dollars and it was burning a big hole in my pocket.

Little did I know, this gift of cash would be the first domino to fall in a chain of dominos that would lead to the gift of euphoria.

I received a call from my close girl-type friend, Shirley, completely out of the blue. She was going to Willowbrook Mall with a girlfriend, and wanted to know if I would like to join them. Reluctant at first, I felt that hole burning where the cash was pocketed. I wanted to buy the Crosby, Stills and Nash album released the prior June. After a little more thought, the first domino fell. I met them at the corner of Bloomfield and Ridgewood Avenues to pick up the bus that would drag us out to the Willowbrook Mall.

I didnt offer to drive them in the family car because I couldnt. I was only weeks from turning eighteen and I did not have my license yet. I was afflicted with Boring Oldest Brother Syndrome, BOBS), a disease that attacks the maturity system; for example rendering one to postpone getting ones drivers license for as long as one possibly can. Its quite crippling really.

Happily, I met them at the bus stop.

Shirley introduced me to Sue. It took, oh lets see, about 3.7 seconds. Nope, I think less. Im pretty sure it was when I heard the ue sound of her name that I instantly felt something deep inside my chest, a ping right below the top of the rib cage, like an electric shock only it didnt hurt; it felt really goofy, really exhilarating.

She was beautiful. Her hair smelled like the freshest Breck shampoo for color treated hair I had ever laid nose on. And she was awash in Shalimar perfume, sending my olfactory glands into nasal nirvana.

During the bus ride to the mall, surprisingly I was overcome by an eerie confidence that pushed me to new heights of flirtatious wit. I was on top of someone elses game and loving it! By the time we had arrived at the mall, I was hooked. Oh boy was I hooked. We had giggled our way into some kind of magic. And the very best part, as I would learn later from Shirley, who by then had been ordained the puppet master of Bobs love world, was that Sue didnt just like me, she LIKED meas in capital lettersLIKED me!

How quickly ones fortunes change when suddenly plunged into the throes of youthful romantic chase. We walked the long winding caverns formed by nameless boutiques and anchor stores, laughing and smiling and teasing and touching and laughing some more. To the casual observer, it was probably nauseating but I didnt care. I was dominoing into a wonderful new world. I bought the CS&N album. The girls replenished their perfume stock. Before we knew what hit us, it was time to go.

As the bus pulled away, my mind was dancing in heaven. But by the time we arrived back and disembarked where the adventure had all begun, heaven had turned to hell. It was all too good to be true. Rejection was moments away. Such was the fragile nature of my life.

The bus sputtered away from our stop, dumping an ominous black cloud of monoxide in its wake. But all I could immerse myself in was Sue, who by now was wearing a dazzling array of seventeen fragrances she had tested on her delicate soft wrists for me to blushingly critique. The air about her was a beautiful collage to the finely tuned nasal passages of a teen boy in fresh mushy pursuit. Unfortunately it was a wondrous moment that could not last. It was time to be noble in the face of her pleasant rejection with an empty smile, and cherish the fond memory of the mall.

I took the lead step in the dance of disengagement.

Well, I guess I have to get going. As clever a line as I had ever led with.

Yeah, its dinner time and my brother is picking me up at Shirleys in ten minutes.

Hey Shirls, can you give me a call later after din? I asked, trying not to tip my cards too much.

Yeah, no problem. I think we have something to talk about. She was so obvious.

Oh yeah? You think? I coyly replied.

Yeah, we need to talk too Shirls? Sue added.

My heart sank at the foreboding potential of their pending conversation. I reached deep inside to maintain the high road.

All right then, I guess thats that! Everyone needs to talk! Everyone is talkin! Not a very good job. I probably needed to reach deeper.

Unfortunately my old friend panic had made himself at home in my thoughts. Was this going to be as good as it gets? Was my breath killing her? Was she just now realizing the lowliness of her affection?

I had to say something but what? What could I possibly say to rescue this sweet moment from the clutches of rejection like all the others?

I found it.Okay then catcha! My rescue skills needed work.

It was really nice to meet you Bob. I had a really great time.

My inner voice wallowed, Yeah right. And I have a nice personality too. Isnt that what you want to say? Go on. I can take it!

Me too, Sue. Take care. I answered. Oh well, I was noble.

I turned to Shirley.

Hey Shirls, talk to ya later!

With shoulders drooped, I started my trek home in emotional upheaval, feeling exuberance and dread simultaneously. The days events played over and over in my head. I forced myself to think about something else, like hockey fights, but to no avail. The feel of her warm wrists kept interrupting. I was in bad shape.

I barely ate dinner that night, which set off all kinds of alarms at home. Moms inquisition began: was I feeling okay, did someone steal my money at the mall, was I depressed about school starting in a few short days?

Nope, I am just falling in love for the very first time. Thats all. There is nothing that can be done. My heart must travel this journey alone. It will find its waysomehow. Thank you though for inquiring. I indulged my inner self.

I excused myself from the table to retreat to my sanctuary, where I listened to Suite: Judy Blue Eyes about forty seven times, waiting for the puppet masters call. Finally, the phone rang.

Hello?

She really likes you. She got right to it, a trademark of her no nonsense style.

Oh God! Really?

Yeah. She thinks youre really cute and funny.

Suddenly another voice.

Oh my precious Bobby. My little lover boy.

Damn! It was my little brother Steve. He could become a real pitbull of pain if I didnt squelch this immediately.

Hold on Shirls.

I placed my hand over the phone.

Hey Stevey hang up or Ill chop up your GI Joe! I screamed at the top of my lungs. I didnt like playing the GI Joe mutilation card but I was desperate to stop him in his tracks.

I listened into the receiver.

Click.

I removed my hand and continued.

Sorry about that. So where were we? Oh yeah, cute? Cant I ever be rugged or athletic or something? I asked despondently.

To me cute was a notch above nice personality. Oh, hes so cute as in hes so cute to like me but I could care lessthat kind of cute.

Forget rugged. She said cute and meant it in a good way.

In a good way, I repeated.

Yes in a good way. Look she LIKES you!

Are you sure?

Yes, I just got off the phone with her! She wanted to know about your situation.

What situation? I have no situation. Ive never had a situation. Im situation free!

Thats what I told hernot in those words exactly. I smoothed it out for ya.

Smoothed what out? I dont need smoothing.

Dont make me laugh! You need plenty. I told her you were just coming around from a terrible break-up from over a year ago.

Oh thats smooth Shirls!

Yeah, I thought you might like it. She thinks you are sensitive and likes that.

I took a deep breath.

Wow now what?

I was a fish out of water, pathetically incompetent in such matters. Maybe I could get advice from my younger brothers. My mind was racing.

Listen! There is a get-together tomorrow night at Shnookys house. Sue is going and wants you to come over.

Shnooky lived in this weird world where her dad publicly called her my little Shnooky; hence the nickname. Visiting her house was like walking onto the set of Father Knows Best.

Are you positive? Really? She wants me to go?

Yes! Dont you get it ... she LIKES you.

Are you going?

Yeah but not until later. Gotta baby-sit till 9:30.

What should I do?

Well you could call her for starters and talk to her.

Talk to her? What would I say?

Shirley was losing patience with me.

You know Bob I dont have time for this right now. Just go. Just be there.

Just be

Gotta go. Catcha tomorrow night. Good Luck!

Click. Dialtone.

My life line was gone in an instant. I was swirling in a sea of uneasiness. I wondered what should I do now?

I immediately ditched the idea of calling her, why take the chance of saying something wrong. So I went to bed counting the hours to Shnookys instead.

After a long day of worry, 6 p.m. finally rolled around and time to get ready for the big get-together. After showering with my English Leather soap-on-a-rope, I toweled off and sprayed my arm pits with Right Guard, enlarging the ozone hole over Antarctica by about fourteen square miles. Next the goods were crowbarred into two of my cleanest, tightest fruit of the loom briefs for precautionary purposes, as the nights activities could easily trigger an embarrassing situation. After tucking the apparatus in real nice, I put on my favorite faded jeans, held nicely in place by my cool surfer belt. I threw on an undershirt, my best blue long-sleeve oxford shirt, tag still attached, thick matching crew socks, desert boots, topping it all off with an old washed out navy blue crewneck sweater. The sweater served a few purposes. Primarily, I was under the delusion that it was a look. It also might make a useful cover up should the double binding underpants fail to conceal things in the event of a situation.

Once dressed, I had to work on the face, no easy proposition. Apparently, during the prior night while sleeping, no less than four pimples showed up and five long wispy dark chin hairs. A quick buzz from my trusty rotary bladed Norelco and the chin hairs were history. A splash of British Sterling, well more like a dunking, and I was smelling pretty damn good. It was a skillful blend of the natural fruity notes from Prell, the woodsy undertones from the English Leather soap, the bold sporty scent from Right Guard, and the raw sexual energy of British Sterling, coming together in a circus of sensuality as harmonious as a Schoenberg symphonic poem.

This odor thing was very important because it was going to have to mask the pungent stench emitted by the two pounds of Clearasil I was about to cake on the pimples.

With pimples buried, hair combed, and lips glistening in Chapstick, I was ready to go out and conquer the night. I managed to get to the dinner table in time to down some grub, avoiding eye contact and communication with Steve the entire time. Successfully accomplished, I raced upstairs, gargled, brush my teeth and popped some Sen-Sen for added fresh breath insurance. I was as ready as I could be.

At arrival, I greeted Mrs. Shnooky, and made my way downstairs to the finished basement.

There she was. We made eye contact immediately and I smiled a grin so big that I could feel the plaster-like Clearasil on my zits cracking. She looked so beautiful.

We sat close and talked awhile, staring into each others eyes the entire time. I could smell her hair. I was melting. At one point she took my hand in her hand. It was like nothing I had ever felt before. Her hand was warm and soft; her fingers silky smooth to the touch. It wasnt just skin a felt. It was flesh; wonderful, living flesh. Instantly, alarms were set off from my brain to every nerve ending in my body. I began to shake uncontrollably. I had three thousand layers of clothing on and I was shivering like a chilled baby. I would learn later on in life that I got the shakes with every new hand I held.

Hey are you okay? she asked in the sweetest disarming voice I had ever heard. I inhaled her breath. Electricity instantly shot down to my toes.

Yeah, I just have these shakes for some reason. Im not even cold.

Thats weird.

Youre tellin me?

There was an awkward moment of silence. Then she spoke in a whisper.

Hey, I need to talk to you about something in private. Want to take a walk outside in the snow?

I stared blankly. I didnt hear a word she said.

We could walk over to the country club. Itll be fun. She stopped talking and studied me for some kind of response. I needed to say something but what? I played the tape back over in my mind until I found some key words to play off of.

You want to take a walk? I nervously repeated.

Oh God the touch of her hand was so nice, I pleaded internally please dont let go ... please dont let go please, oh please, oh please, dont let go.

I mean sure. We can walk and talk. I mean you can talk while we walk or I can she squeezed my hand, squinted at me with her bright blue eyes, and saved me from myself.

Come on lets go. She said calmly, leading me by the hand up the stairs.

We threw on our coats, gloves and hats, and exited out the back door. Once outside, she put her arm around my waste, and in a reflex reaction I put my arm around her shoulder. I had never hugged a girl before. I started to shake again. Even though it was about twenty degrees out, even though we were swollen from layers of thick heavy clothing, even though I was shaking spastically, and even though my Clearasil was flaking off in crusty chunks, I felt like we were one being.

We continued to make small talk, during which I was able to get her to laugh as we trudged through the snow, crossed the freshly plowed street and walked onto the country club golf course. I didnt want the moment or feeling to end. It was really dark out, although the dry white snow brighten the way by reflecting what little light passed on by. It was hard to tell from the drifting snow but I think we were walking across a green when she suddenly stopped and turned to face me.

Youre shaking. Poor baby. She lifted her arms up and grabbed the collar of my coat. I placed my arms around her waste.

Remember, I wanted to talk to you in private, she whispered, her minted breath filling the crisp night air, dancing into my soul.

Here it comes, the nice personality speech. I was so short on confidence of any kind. I decided to gallantly cut her off at the pass.

Yeah, I remember. Hey, look. You dont have to say But before I could be gallant, her glossed lips puckered and headed my way. I instinctively closed my eyes before contact. Then, as if swallowed by the Earth, she stepped off the lip of a giant sand trap we unknowingly had been standing precariously above.

In my effort to grab her as she slid down the slope, my feet went out from under me. I rolled down the hill in hot pursuit, crashing into her at the bottom, some eight feet below. We both began to laugh as she rolled over on top of me. And we laughed some more. Then we laughed a little less, and a little less until the only sounds one could hear were those of our silence and stare. And then she leaned down and kissed me.

What I remember most was that our teeth smacked into each other. I feared I had chipped one of her upper incisors. So I pulled back. She smiled. No blood. Nice whole teeth. Undaunted she tried again. This time we were fine.

For more hours than I wish to reveal, I have wrestled with capturing in words what I had felt at that precise instant. After many awkward, empty attempts, I realized I have neither the vocabulary nor the ability to do so. But thats okay. I think what I was attempting to do is akin to capturing the majesty of the Grand Canyon in a picture taken by a cell phone camera. It can not be done. And for those who have tried either, they understand what I mean.

I will leave it at thison Tuesday, December 30th, 1969 at 8:23 p.m. life for me had changed.

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Wicker and Rattan Patio Furniture

With rattan patio furniture you can achieve a look of relaxed comfort and beauty not possible with other types of outdoor furniture. Modern day wicker is carefully treated with several processes to preserve the woven material and protect it from the forces of nature. Here on our website you can explore the many designs made possible by the weaving process of rattan patio furniture.

You will find rattan tables of many sizes, rattan chairs, ottomans, chaises, stools, and many other interesting and unusual rattan products. The open weave of wicker and rattan patio furniture allows for better air circulation and makes it suitable for warmer climates. Rattan furniture also comes in combination with other materials, to produce pieces which take advantage of the best qualities of both.

You can create a simple patio eating area, or an entire living room look for your patio or deck. Wicker patio furniture comes in natural materials, as well as synthetic materials with the look and appeal of wicker. The synthetic wicker is better for areas where weathering is more of a problem. Natural wicker works in a more protected outdoor environment, like a screened porch. It is also great for indoor uses.

Online you can find woven wicker patio furniture, such as chairs, rockers, loveseats, and chaises, tables, wicker bamboo tea carts, bamboo bars with wicker barstools, wicker planters and plant stands. For indoor use there is even more variety available - practically any piece in any room you can imagine can be constructed in wicker.

If you want to add country charm to your back deck or yard, you should look into the furniture patio wicker styles that are available for purchase. One thing to consider when optioning furniture patio wicker sets is that they may not hold up as well in weather elements as other furniture like wrought iron, aluminum, plastic or teak wood.

If you have a sunroom with a covered roof, then furniture patio wicker chairs or sofas might be just what you need. People that live on the oceanfront seem to be drawn towards the nautical country feeling that wicker chairs seem to give. Another great thing about this material is that it is rather lightweight and can sometimes get more comfortable the more you sit in the chairs.

With furniture patio wicker sets, you can choose from a variety of colors like white, natural, evergreen, chestnut, redwood and more. Be sure to look into the length of time that your wicker piece is meant to last. Also, dont forget to purchase some nice cushions and pillows to spruce up your patio furniture set! You can also add accessories in wicker like a plant stand or side table, or even an umbrella stand!

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A Beginner's Guide to Flipping Houses

If you're dreaming of making money in real estate, it's time to stop dreaming and get to work, because making money in real estate isn't just a vague pipedream. It can be done, even by a young and inexperienced person, when you learn how to flip houses.

A friend of mine, we'll call her Tai, made a fortune in real estate, beginning at the age of twenty, with no help from anyone else. Here's how she did it:

Tai began by buying a HUD repo, which allowed her to get into the house for no money down. Then she fixed it up and sold it herself. At closing, she had made enough profit to by a second fixer-upper, but this time, she paid all cash. Tai went right to work fixing her second house, and when she sold that one, she collected profit of $44,000, which allowed her to pay cash for her third house!

By now, Tai was comfortable with her formula, and within a short time, she had flipped her third house, realizing enough profit to pay cash for yet another house, as well as being able to buy the custom pickup of her dreams. And all of this had happened in the span of just nine months!

Tais formula was simple. She located houses that needed only cosmetic work, avoiding those that required structural repairs. She did all the painting herself, inside and out, and updated the home's lighting, plumbing fixtures, and carpeting. Once renovations had been completed, all three houses sold quickly, and at a significant profit.

It's the most tried-and-true way to make a fortune in real estate, so don't listen to anyone who tries to tell you that it can't be done or that you need to have a great deal of start-up money. That's not true. You can buy houses with no money down through various loan programs, and sellers will often help you with the closing costs.

I know what I'm talking about! My husband and I bought our 27th house earlier this year, for no money down, and we expect to make a profit of at least $100,000 for just one month of hard work!

But we take the process a step further, making our houses outshine the competition by also using Design Psychology, although our buyers never know that. All they know is that they feel good when they're in our homes, which makes them want to buy them, even if they're more expensive than the house next door.

There's no other business that can make you as much money, with as little start-up cost, in as short a time, as investing in real estate. In fact, more millionaires made their fortunes in real estate than in any other business. And you can do it, too. You just have to stop dreaming and get started.

(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

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Why Dedicated Hosting?

If youre reading this article, you might be interested in getting a dedicated server, or simply learning more about dedicated hosting services.

First of all, please note, that a dedicated server is rather expensive service, and you shouldnt waste your money if you dont plan to use it in full measure.

But if you really have a serious website, and want to run a successful business - you cannot do it without a dedicated server.

Of course its just mere words, so lets enumerate the facts!

Freedom and security

Dedicated server will give you a freedom. You will not need to share it with other websites. It will also give you additional 3rd party security for your site and emails. A dedicated server will allow you deep access to your server to configure and optimize your server anyway you need.Youre able to choose the software to install.

Power and functionality

With a dedicated server you get on average 50-100 Gb of hard drive, plus about 1,000 Gb of data transfer. You may customize the configuration and choose any CPU, RAM, or whatever you need. A dedicated server reduces your dependency on the web host; and bypasses time delays and possible expenses incurred from these.

Respectability

You simply CAN NOT run a popular website on a shared hosting. Its not serious.

Summary

If your website turned into a popular and reliable resource; if you have tons of daily visitors; if you work B2B; if you need additional security and functionality, power and freedom - go ahead and buy a dedicated server. Dont be sorry about the money you spent! Think about the future!

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Energy Bills Soar - Again!

Second price rise announcement in less than a week as EDF Energy follows ScottishPower
14.7% increase in gas prices and 4.7% for electricity from 13th March 2006
Fifth increase in gas prices, totalling 60%, by EDF Energy since 2004
Customers to pay an extra 84 a year for energy bills, taking the average annual energy bill from 778 to 862

EDF Energy has today become the second major supplier to announce that it is increasing its prices this year, with rises of 14.7% for gas and 4.7% for electricity, according to independent switching and comparison service uSwitch.com. This comes after EDF Energy increased their prices for gas by 25% and for electricity by 19% in 2005.

EDF Energy, whose brands include London Energy, Seeboard Energy and SWEB Energy, is raising its prices for the fifth time since January 2004, and just over six months after their last price rise announcement. Todays announcement will affect over 4.7 million people in the UK, who will see their gas bills rise by 69 and electricity bills by 15. The average annual energy bill for EDF Energy customers is set to increase from 778 to 862.

The increases will come into effect on 13th March 2006.

However, 300,000 EDF Energy customers who are already on capped or fixed plans will be unaffected by the increases. In addition, the internet-based tariff is to remain unchanged, and will continue to be one of the most competitive deals available from any of the Big 6 suppliers

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Fantasy Football Explodes into Fiction

Fifteen years ago, my friends and I wanted to get involved in fantasy sports. We had heard of Rotisserie baseball, the game where you select major leaguers and use their statistics for your own fantasy team. Most of us preferred football over baseball, so we did a little research and decided to create a fantasy football league. Now, we're entering our 16th season, with 20 of the most rabid football nuts anywhere, competing for pride and a small monetary prize each year.

We're not alone, of course. Over 15 million Americans play fantasy football, a game that uses the statistics of professional football players for personal, fantasy teams. During the last decade, this game has erupted, like a volcano. There are hundreds of web sites, dedicated to it. Magazines litter the newsstands in June and July, all dedicated to providing the best information possible about players from the National Football League, as well as offering "expert" prognostication as to which players will benefit your fantasy team the most, based on their performances on the gridiron each Sunday. There are even radio and TV shows, dedicated to discussion of fantasy football and the NFL players that dot each team's roster.

If you know someone who loves football, chances are he or she is part of a fantasy football league. My own participation has initiated a new experience. As a writer, I'm always looking for a new idea, something unique, and fantasy football has given it to me. A work of fiction. For years, while I was busy writing how-to books and articles, I dreamed, as most authors do, of writing the great American novel. When that didn't come, I just wanted something different; something I thought would interest a large audience.

It finally hit me -- a work of fiction, based on fantasy football. It's called The League. Suspense, conspiracy and fantasy football combine for the first-ever published work of fiction that has a back drop of America's favorite game. Here's to a dream come true and a hope that 15 million Americans love The League as much as I do. Learn more about it at www.sportsnovels.com.

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Land for Sale in Tucson - Securing your Perfect Spot

Whether you are looking for land for sale in Tucson to build a home or a business, or some other venture, you have plenty of options to choose from. However there are many other considerations you will need to make before you purchase any land for sale in Tucson. You will need to look at the surrounding development, the zoning, the terrain and soil, as well as the flood plain, and many other factors. If you do this before you purchase the land, it will save you a lot of trouble later.

Surrounding development is a major factor in any land purchase. Does your intended use of the land for sale in Tucson fit in with the homes and businesses in the area? If you are building a home, for example, what kinds of homes are already in the area? If your home value is too high, it may lower the selling price in the future. If you are building a business on land for sale in Tucson, how many other businesses like yours are already in the area? Will the surrounding community support a business like yours?

Most people are familiar with the principle of zoning. If the land for sale in Tucson that you are looking at is zoned for something other than what you intend to use it for, you have basically two choices: you can look for other land for sale in Tucson, or you can apply to the city for a zoning variance. This process may take months with public hearings, applications and other requirements, so if you proceed with this course of action, you will need to be patient.

For those of you unfamiliar with Tucson, it is in a desert valley. When it rains, the sandy soil is often unable to hold all of the water causing flooding in low areas and washes. Before you purchase any land for sale in Tucson you will need to make sure that you are not in a flood plain or you will need to take precautions and insurance to protect you and your land. Sandy soil is also a problem for some farming and other uses. You may have to do soil preparation and adding other soil if you want to grow things, such as for a farm or a golf course on the land for sale in Tucson.

If you are in an unincorporated area of Tucson, you will want to make sure that the land for sale in Tucson has access to utilities such as water, gas and electric as well as fire department and other emergency services. Many times these are provided by private contractors or companies.

Tucson is a beautiful, growing vibrant southwestern city, with cultural richness and heritage that goes back for centuries. If you are thinking of starting a business or a life there, you will find it has much to offer.

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