Fancy a girl and want to take her out? Are you nervous? Unsure of what to do? In the words of old Franklin D., you have “nothing to fear but fear itself!” Get it into your head that you're doing her a favor, because you are! Follow these tips and you'll both have a great time.
The Purpose of the First Date
The first date is your chance to take a relationship test drive. There is no obligation to buy into it. So don't fret! Don't expect a big make-out session at the end of it, definitely do not expect sex, and DO expect to pay for dinner, and I promise you you'll have a fun time. If this is a girl you barely know, the first date is simply an hour or two together to learn about each other. If this is a girl you've known for a while, it's an opportunity to see how it feels to be exclusive.
Asking her Out
Ask her to meet you on a specific night at a specific place, like this: “Hey ____, would you like to have dinner with me at Café Amore on Tuesday?” Girls don't want a wishy-washy guy, and by being definite you demonstrate initiative and confidence. She'll say “yes,” or “I'm busy that night, how about Wednesday,” or “I'm busy, how about never!” Now, you've either got a date, or you know that she's not the one!
Getting Ready
Be your clean, presentable self. This means: wear a good, pressed shirt, shave, and don't coat yourself in cologne. Think of going to a job interview: you want to demonstrate to the girl that this dinner is meaningful to you, so you are trying to look good. Don't look to serious though, remember that you're out to have fun.
Picking Her Up
Maybe you're picking her up at her place, or maybe you're meeting at the restaurant. Picking her up is gentlemanly, but could result in some awkward pre-date car time. Meeting her at the restaurant keeps you on neutral territory while you are still just getting to know each other. Either way, the single easiest and best thing you can do when you first see her is give her a compliment! It can be as small as “I like your shoes,” or as grand as “your smile makes me feel like a millionaire.” Probably err on the small side for this first one. The compliment puts her at ease, which will put you at ease. It will make her feel special and happy to be in your presence. It's a no-brainer.
Dinner
Try hard to get her to do 75% of the talking. This means: ask her questions, and listen to the answers. Most people like to talk about themselves, and you will make her feel important and interesting if you are curious about her life. Also, it will keep her curious about you, because after it's all over, she'll start thinking of all the things she forgot to ask you, and she'll want to see you again.
Order something to share. Get an appetizer that you both enjoy, or have something like pizza for your main course. Sharing your meal is an easy way to get close to each other quickly and comfortably.
Pay for dinner! Expect to pay for the whole thing, and don't even think about letting her pick up the tab. Understand this going in and pick your restaurant budget accordingly. You don't have to spend the rest of your relationship paying for everything, but it is essential that you pay for that first dinner.
After Dinner
This part is tough. You may have hit it off; you may have had a nice time but haven't found any true sparks; or you may realize you have nothing in common and you can't wait to be rid of each other. The safest bet is to take her home and drop her off. If you like each other, you'll plan on doing something together again soon. It's important not to blow your stack on that first date; you want to keep some tension and interest in this brand new relationship.
To kiss or Not to Kiss
Ah, the grand finale. You are probably very nervous about this good-night kiss thing. Remember: She is too! The best thing you can do is to take the lead with authority. Try this: at her door, say, “I had fun tonight.” She'll hopefully say, “me too.” Now, hold her shoulders and kiss her on the cheek. And don't be bashful, and don't expect anything more at this point. If you two are meant to be, then there will be plenty of making out to do later. For this first date though you want to keep her curious about you. A kiss on the cheek is gentlemanly, shows restraint and composure, and will probably leave her wishing for more. What a perfect way to leave things!
How to have a perfect first date
Did umpires made Australia win 2nd test with their wrong decisions?
If we analyze the Sydney test from close angles, we have enough reasons to believe that match umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson colluded with the Australians to help them win the match. Here are a few points that strengthen such belief:
1) On the Day 1 of the Sydney test, India were on the kill. Australia were losing quick wickets. Ponting edged the ball to Dhoni. But umpires said otherwise. They ruled him out on 55. But it was too late. Ponting built the innings along with Hussey.
2) Australia were tottering at 134/6. Symonds was struggling to get his feat. He edged to Dhoni off Ishant Sharma. Everyone saw the nick. Indians were celebrating. But Bucknor smiled and ruled Symonds not out. Symonds was batting on 29.
3) Symonds was stumped by Dhoni. Umpires referred to the third umpire. TV replays showed Symonds' feet outside the crease. Shocking! Third umpire ruled him not out.
4) Symonds edged again to Dhoni. But umpires did not bother. Not out! Verdict pronounced. Indians were shocked. Who will take Symonds' wicket? No one. He remained unbeaten on 162 and helped Australia score 463.
5) The drama continued on the fourth day. Michael Clarke gave a clean catch to Dravid off Anil Kumble. But to the surprise of everyone, he stood there. He looked at the umpire. Eye contact appealed for mercy. Indians were shocked. They appealed again vociferously. Umpires did not have any option but to rule Clarke out.
6) Mike Hussey was given a reprieve by the umpires on 45. He later went on to score an unbeaten 145.
7) The drama continued again on Day 5. Ponting took a stunning catch that cam off Dhoni's pad, dropped it to the ground, the ball was dragged on the grass. But he continued to appeal. He looked at the umpires. But umpires looked helpless and could not oblige him. Narrow escape for the Indians.
8) Dravid missed the ball off Symonds. The ball kissed his pad. The bat was nowhere near the ball. The Australians appealed. Bucknor obliged. Dravid was given out. Shocker for the Indians! Dravid was going well and just scored 38.
9) Ganguly was in good form. He looked solid and aggressive, completed the half century. Umpires looked tense. Australians looked them for help. This time, the shocker came from Mark Benson.
Ganguly edged to Clarke. Clarke took the catch on bounce, then dropped again to the ground, but went up and celebrated. Australian fielders joined him. Ganguly did not leave the crease. Benson stepped in. He did not refer it to the third umpire. Instead, he sought Ponting's help. No prize for guessing what Ponting said. "Out", said Benson and Ganguly departed dejected.
Do we need any more proof to say that umpires rigged the match in Australia's favor. If India lost, then it was due to poor umpiring. They also had the sympathy of Australian people, who admitted that Indians were subjected to gross injustice. Is ICC watching? Will BCCI protect its players? Our morale is down and pride is at stake.
Add artificial sweeteners to your drink to get drunk quickly!
New research findings show that alcoholic drinks combined with artificial sweeteners make you drunk quicker. It isn't advice - it's a warning.
The difference is substantial.
The stomach had emptied half of its contents in 15.3 minutes after the diet drink and 21.1 minutes with the sugar-sweetened drink. The peak blood alcohol concentration was significantly higher with the diet drink than with the regular drink. The blood alcohol concentration was also higher with the artificial sweetener than with the sugar-sweetened drink.
This doesn't just apply to pre-made drinks. You could be combining alcohol with diet coke or tonic water - such as a sugar-free Red Bull and vodka.
research (conducted at Royal Adelaide Hospital, Australia) also raises interesting questions about sugar versus artificial sweeteners. The sugar-free versions may be much lower in calories, but they are entering the digestive system far more quickly.
Who knows what effect this might have on weight gain or loss? Of course it's an oxymoron - because alcohol keeps the liver very busy - no fat-burning can occur anyway - not to mention the diuretic effect.
Man safe after falling from 47 floor
Doctors say they have never seen anything like it: A window washer who fell 47 stories from the roof of a Manhattan skyscraper is now awake, talking to his family and expected to walk again.
Alcides Moreno, 37, plummeted almost 500 feet in a Dec. 7 scaffolding collapse that killed his brother.
Somehow, Moreno lived, and doctors at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center announced Thursday that his recovery has been astonishing.
He has movement in all his limbs. He is breathing on his own. And on Christmas Day, he opened his mouth and spoke for the first time since the accident.
His wife, Rosario Moreno, cried as she thanked the doctors and nurses who kept him alive.
"Thank God for the miracle that we had," she said. "He keeps telling me that it just wasn't his time."
Dr. Herbert Pardes, the hospital's president, described Moreno's condition when he arrived for treatment as "a complete disaster."
Both legs and his right arm and wrist were broken in several places. He had severe injuries to his chest, his abdomen and his spinal column. His brain was bleeding. Everything was bleeding, it seemed.
In those first critical hours, doctors pumped 24 units of donated blood into his body - about twice his entire blood volume.
They gave him plasma and platelets and a drug to stimulate clotting and stop the hemorrhaging. They inserted a catheter into his brain to reduce swelling and cut open his abdomen to relieve pressure on his organs.
Moreno was at the edge of consciousness when he was brought in. Doctors sedated him, performed a tracheotomy and put him on a ventilator.
His condition was so unstable, doctors worried that even a mild jostle might kill him, so they performed his first surgery without moving him to an operating room.
Nine orthopedic operations followed to piece together his broken body.
Yet, even when things were at their worst, the hospital's staff marveled at his luck.
Incredibly, Moreno's head injuries were relatively minor for a fall victim. Neurosurgeon John Boockvar said the window washer also managed to avoid a paralyzing spinal cord injury, even though he suffered a shattered vertebra.
"If you are a believer in miracles, this would be one," said the hospital's chief of surgery, Dr. Philip Barie.
New York-Presbyterian has treated people who have tumbled from great heights before, including a patient who survived a 19-story fall, but most of those tales end sadly.
The death rate from even a three-story fall is about 50 percent, Barie said. People who fall more than 10 stories almost never survive.
"Forty-seven floors is virtually beyond belief," Pardes said.
Science may never be able to explain what protected Moreno when the platform he and his brother were using atop an Upper East Side apartment tower broke free and fell to the ground.
Edgar Moreno, 30, of Linden N.J., died instantly. He was buried in Ecuador, where the brothers are from.
Alcides Moreno, whom his wife described as strong and athletic, may have clung to his scaffolding platform as it dropped. It is possible that the metal platform offered him some protection, although doctors said they were unsure how.
An investigation into the cause of the accident continues.
