13 tattoos

13 tattoos
13 tattoos
13 tattoos
13 tattoos
13 tattoos
13 tattoos
13 tattoos
13 tattoos
13 tattoos
13 tattoos
13 tattoos

FIRST KISS: MEMORIES OF A FIRST KISS


First kisses and first kiss stories are always remembered fondly, but they can also bring back embarrassing toe curling memories. The Huggable Understanding Guy reminisces about his “my first kiss” story and the time when he experienced his first kiss.

my first kiss - first kiss stories
Many people have different memories about their first kiss. First kiss stories are almost always affectionate and my first kiss was no different… well, almost!
Some remember it fondly, while some try their best to forget all about it.
My first kiss story
I had my first kiss years ago, when I was still in high school and got the permission to take out my dad’s classy sedan for the first time.
I had a date with my girlfriend, whom I hadn’t kissed yet.
Back on those days, first kiss stories were a big deal, and you couldn’t just kiss someone on the first date like it is these days.
I never did get an opportunity to get my first kiss because all we did was sit in ice cream parlors or in coffee shops and part ways with a pat on the shoulder.
The week of my first kiss
It was a perfect Monday. I asked my dad to allow me to take the car out the next Saturday and told him that I wanted to take my friends out, and surprisingly, he agreed. I excitedly called my girlfriend and told her that I’d like to see her on Saturday, and I’d love to drive her around town.
She was quite excited too. But when I told my friends, all they could talk about was the opportunity for me to have the first kiss of my life. The car’s windows were deeply tinted, and considering that I had the car for myself the whole day, I knew that I just might be able to pull off the stunt of kissing my girlfriend.

I was rather excited about getting my first kiss, and claiming my place in the land of first kiss stories. Which guy wouldn’t?
Learning from other first kiss stories
It was still the start of the week, and only a day since my dad had given me the permission to take the car. But Tuesday was very close to D-day considering the dare-devil act that I wanted to pull on Saturday. I started watching movies and the on-screen kissing looked way too complicated, it was almost impossible. The way both the actors moved their lips was weird and yet, so perfect!
I wondered if my girlfriend wanted to kiss me. I mean, obviously I don’t want to shock her or frighten her with the idea that I’m trying to stop her from breathing. So I was hoping that she’d at least get an idea about it.
But when I told her the next day that Saturday could be exciting, she just shrugged and said, “Yeah, I guess”. She was a girl of few words, and maybe that’s what attracted her to me. I loved talking, and her quiet and calm personality had me head over heels over her.
The haunting of my first kiss
It was pretty certain that she had no idea I wanted to kiss her. Now that was just way too scary. I had heard that girls carry pepper spray. And I had heard that it burns the eyes real bad. And my friends told me that girls sprayed it on guys who tried kissing them. Wednesday ended with a lot of thought over kisses and pepper sprays.
Thursday arrived, after a freakishly scary dream of me being chased by pepper sprays. In two days I would be kissing my girlfriend for the first time! It was painfully exciting and nervous at the same time. But something told me that I had to tell her I wanted to kiss her. The theory about girls using pepper spray on guys who kiss them unnerved me.
During lunch break, I called her aside and told her that I wanted Saturday to be a special day in our relationship, and asked her if I could kiss her on Saturday. She looked at me blankly and then after almost a minute of tortured silence, she smiled and said “Sure”. Perfect Thursday.
Friday flew past in a weird way. There were instances when time stood still and others, when it seemed to blaze round the clock. I smiled a lot, and she smiled too. It was nice and warm, and I couldn’t help sneaking glances now and then at her lips. I couldn’t stop thinking that I was going to touch those lovely lips with mine. Friday ended with a lot of smiles and a very loud heart.
Saturday – The crescendo of my first kiss story
I woke up early Saturday morning with a start, the alarm hadn’t rung, but I craned my neck out of the window, and I could tell this was going to be the best day that I had ever had. I had a good long bath and used a good dose of my dad’s eau-de-cologne.
I met her at the nearby ice cream parlor, after having a few close shaves with the car. She looked cute. And her smile was nice! I took her to one of the movie theatres and we watched a mediocre movie, along with loads of popcorn and cola. It was still early, so she said she wanted to shop.
We drove down to a few streets that were excellent for shopping and bargains. As I looked overhead, the sun was on the west side of noon. I could literally see my own heart beating off my chest! Something happened to me and I felt really weak. I was having a great time, but then, suddenly, I wanted to throw up. I was hoping I could hold on.
She seemed to take the fact that we were going to kiss in less than a couple of hours pretty well. She bargained quite well, and she didn’t break a sweat or behave in a manner that even showed a hint of nervousness. An hour later, with loads of shopping bags we walked to the car. I opened the doors and we sat in. She kept her shopping bags near her feet and looked at me.
I felt hot and I couldn’t help but start the ignition and move ahead. Just then, I knew. She had looked at me with that strange look. She was waiting for me to kiss her!
Gosh, how on earth could it be so easy for her? I couldn’t understand!
We were fifteen minutes from her place but somehow the drive felt like it was taking me hours. She was humming to a pop song that was playing on the speakers. I couldn’t face her. I couldn’t stop thinking about how I was going to kiss her. I was pretty sure steam would erupt from my ears if I looked at her.
I concentrated on the road for what felt like eternity to me, and finally I reached her place. I generally say goodbye to her a couple of houses before her own, because her parents weren’t too cool with her going out alone with a guy.
And then there was my first kiss!!
I pulled over to the side and switched off the headlights. It was past six and the road was quite dark. I knew it was now or never. I had to kiss her. And she was waiting! Why couldn’t she make the first move, I thought to myself. She smiled at me and told me that she had a nice time. I just nodded, my throat was dry. She lifted her huge bunch of shopping bags and placed it on her lap. I said nothing. I was sweating profusely by now. She placed her hand on the door knob and was about to jerk it open. I blurted out…
“Can I kiss you?”
I felt so weak and scared after I said that. Visions of pepper spray kept coming back in my mind. But then, she just smiled and said “Sure”. She really was a girl of few words.
I knew what I had to do. I had watched movies that had kissing scenes in them to know how to do it. I turned towards her, and wrapped my right hand around her as best as I could, all the while trying desperately to get into a good position to kiss her. But her shopping bags kept getting in the way.
I regretted not watching enough movies where the kissing took place with shopping bags around. A few moments later, I panicked. I didn’t know what was going on, I just couldn’t find her lips in the middle of all those shopping bags. I tried again, no luck.
Somehow, with a bit of a tussle with her shopping bags and a lot of rustling and tearing of bags later, I found her lips at a distance and locked lips with her. I could barely move my lips, there was just too much distance between us. She sat back, and stared out of the window. She turned around to face me, and with a very unenthusiastic voice, she said, “Was that it?”
That was our first kiss, our last kiss, and our last date. A week later, she dumped me. I don’t mind losing the girl, I got over it in a few days. But somewhere on that very street, in a garbage can on the driver’s side of the road lies all the masculinity that I had acquired in my first 16 years of life. I’ve never been able to get it, but I’d still kind of like to get that back someday.
The author would like to strongly voice to the readers that he’s a better kisser now and has been exceptionally successful with his other first kiss stories. Whatever you say, H.U.Guy. But we do appreciate you sharing your delicate “my first kiss” story nevertheless.

HOW TO PICK THE PERFECT RESTAURANT FOR A DATE


A great first date can make or break your relationship. If you want to choose a date restaurant, you have to know about the different things that make a restaurant a perfectly romantic one. Read these tips to know more.



How to Choose a Romantic Restaurant – Tips to Plan a Perfect Date
Is it comfortable?
No, no, we’re not talking about plush interiors only. Are you comfortable with the place you’re going out on a date?
There are a few restaurants that seem so stiff and regal, like you’re in the Queen of Hearts’ banquet where your sweat pores would be working full throttle, and there may be a few places where every single person knows you by your first name. Opt for none of them.

You want your date to be comfortable, so let’s not opt for the stiff one. On the other hand, if you’re dining in a restaurant where many people know you, you’ll find yourself breaking the connection with your date every time someone new walks up to say hello.
Some people may think this is cool and makes you seem popular, but that’s like bringing your date to a place where you hang out all the time. That doesn’t show off your creativity and enthusiasm, it only shows your laziness. Pick a place both of you would like, one that makes your face brighten up the second you walk in.

How’s the ambience?
Everyone likes to dine in a great restaurant. And fairytales wouldn’t be called fairytales if not for the props and the romantic mist and waterfall. So you know the drill. Take your date out to a restaurant that boasts of a theme. A waterfall, a cove, or a beach theme restaurant is just perfect for your first date.
Going to a restaurant with an ambience can have a great effect on your date, After all, it’s like walking through the doors and stepping into a new world with you. Could anything be better than that? Take your pick on the kind of ambience, but keep it romantic. There’s nothing like good ambience to make a date feel wonderful.
Do you have your privacy?
If you want to have a great time with your date, you need your privacy. Walls and exquisite curtains are mush adders, but that’s not it. Privacy also includes the chef, managers, and other diners not butting in or craning necks at you all the time.
You really don’t have to go looking for private cabins, so you can get naughty on your first date. But you need your space. The tables shouldn’t be too close together where other diners can eavesdrop on your conversation. It should be well spaced, and provide a sense of privacy. The tables should be small enough so either of you can reach out and place your hand in your date’s hand. At the same time, it should feel like a private moment with no nosy people around. For a good date, always pick a restaurant where privacy is spelt out in bold.
Ka Ching!
The little pincher, eh? Whether you’re a guy or a girl, this can be a bit of a pinch. The guy doesn’t want to spend more than he can afford on a first date, and the girl doesn’t want her date to treat her too lavishly. So if you have to pick the restaurant, give it some thought because it’s completely up to what you think.
Remember, you can have an amazing date, but if the girl feels awkward about ordering something too pricey, or if the guy feels like he’s spent too much on the date, it’s bound to end with a huff.
Most restaurants that excel in all the finer details come with a price, so it’s all about how deep your pockets are. But not to worry, there are several restaurants that can qualify for the perfect romantic restaurant, and yet, not pinch you too hard. Take a look around the corner, you might just find it.
So there you have it, boys and girls, all the tips you would ever need to help you pick the best date restaurant in town. Cheers to a great date!

LYING THROUGH TEXT IS INCREASING

There is less of a personal connection, which makes it easier to do."  
Plenty of people lie through their teeth, but even more lie through their texts.

A new study from the University of British Columbia discovered that fibbers are far more comfortable hiding behind texts than lying in person or in video chat.

The study split 170 students into a stock market role play of brokers and buyers. Both were promised $50 for their participation, but that amount was also dependent on how their imaginary stock would perform.


Brokers were privy to insider information that the stock would lose half of its value. Buyers weren’t given that knowledge to start with.

Buyers who communicated with their broker via text message were 95% more likely to be lied to than via video chat. They were 31% more likely to be lied to than buyers who'd had face-to-face conversations. Video chat was deemed the most honest method because the brokers may have felt they were being recorded.

As for the dishonest texts, brokers -- like the rest of us -- felt more comfortable lying through SMS because there is less of a personal connection, which makes it easier to do.

Separately, the study showed that people are most angry when lied to through text compared to video or face-to-face communication.

MEN SPEAK: SHORT LOVE STORY OF A MAN WHO FOUND LOVE


Short love stories are all about that skip in the heart, but could you actually have been in a romantic love story all along, and not know it? Rick Hawney reminisces about his walk into the world of love with a girl who didn’t even want to know him.

short love stories - romantic love stories
I’ve heard a saying, that “life is a surprise”. Call me a sceptic, but I generally scoff at lines that scream something that leaves us expecting so much.
My short love story may be short on words, but it’s a story that’s filled every thought and day of my existence with happiness.
I’m a guy, a 26 year old guy who works in a job he likes. A guy who hangs out with his friends when the sun goes down, and one who, when the story begins, is still single.
I’m single, not because I want to be single. I think it’s weird to be single. Or maybe that’s what all guys think.
I’m just a guy who’s been looking high and low for that girl who can make things happen inside me.
You know, your heart stops beating just for a second, your throat goes dry, you get gooseflesh, feel a bit dizzy, and the works.
I haven’t experienced that. Most of my friends haven’t experienced that too, but they’re all going out with someone. According to them, such things happen only when you’re suffering from a high temperature.
Short love stories and my life
The story of me falling madly in love didn’t actually go as I had expected. My throat never got dry, ever. But then, I liked a girl. Of course, it wasn’t ‘love’.
Actually speaking, it wasn’t even ‘like’. As a matter of fact, I have no idea what I felt. I spend my evenings at a café, next to a huge television display they’ve now acquired, and whether I like it or not, I end up spending my time staring at it. And it bloody hell annoys me! Can’t they just junk it?
Well, and just like me, there was this cute girl who would come to the same café, and stare at the same display every day. Well, sometimes she read a book.

Or sometimes, she used to light a cigarette and look at her fumes take shape, and then disappear into non-existence. She was fascinating and pretty. But there was one difference between both of us. I came to the café with a couple of friends. She came alone. I have never seen any girl do that. Who has?
Love stories and stolen glances
We used to glance across each other now and then, but there was nothing more. No jolt.  No sweat. No knots in my stomach.
The days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to a couple of months. That’s a long time once you picture the scene outside the world of literature. Long, long ago seems so cute in a book, but an hour in a suffocating conference hall? Murder! Without actually knowing it, I was attracted to this girl. I actually admired her, and her calm, comfortable, cool as a cat persona that she brought along for company every day. Could it be love?
And then, I started the staring game. I stared at her now and then, discreetly, but in a way she knew I was glancing at her. But no deal. She just wasn’t bothered. Ouch! My ego was crushed.
A rainy evening – The perfect setting for short love stories
One evening, it rained cats and dogs, and a few frogs and fishes too. I was in the café, she walked in with an umbrella. The place was packed, and there was one seat that was empty. That was facing my table. I had half a mind to get up and call her over, but before I could make up my mind and inflate my courage, she walked to a corner table that just got cleared.
An hour later, it was still raining. In the midst of all that rain and thunder, I contemplated and coined her name, “The Lonely Girl”. The Lonely Girl had walked out a few minutes before I decided to leave. When I got outside the café, I saw her standing by the sidewalk, waiting. I walked up to her quickly, and before I knew it I had asked her if I could drop her to her place. As it was raining, I added.
She didn’t smile, she just looked at me, turned around and walked away in the rain! Under her umbrella.
My friends laughed at me. Yep, it was completely embarrassing. Even the bum on the street held back a grin. I hadn’t even heard the Lonely Girl’s voice. Pathetic, I say. The next day I saw her at the café, she was sitting by herself. Perhaps she was Calvin, and she had a Hobbes around to keep her company. I was invisible. Her smoke rings were fascinating her. She couldn’t even leave good smoke rings, what was the deal with staring at it? This happened everyday for a month.
Night out clubbing – The second chance in my love story
On another great day, I was out at a club. And wonders of wonders! She was there, with a few girl pals. Perhaps it was fate. I looked at her, she saw me and then she looked away. I walked through the crowd of dancing drunks and walked right towards her. I walked up and wanted to speak to her.
She saw me and flashed a big grin. I was shocked. I was numb. I didn’t know her mouth could move that way! And before I could think of anything, she grasped her friend’s hand and walked away to the ladies room! And I didn’t see her again that night. But I couldn’t stop thinking about her for hours after that. Perhaps even days. Because she didn’t show up at the café the next day, and many days after that. That was shocking. I started wondering if she had changed her hideout because I was stalking her.
Romantic persuasions
Two whole weeks later, I walked into the café and there she was, all radiant and bright. Gosh, I had missed her! I sat down at a table a few tables away from her. I knew I wanted to talk to her. And thank God, the café was quite empty. It was a bit too early for the horde of coffee addicts to make their entrance.
I waited until her coffee arrived. And then, I waited for her check. When her check was on the table, I walked up to her. My throat was lumpy and tight. Each step I took only made my walk to her feel further away. But I walked on. The café was empty. No harm. I could always change my hangout if she slaps me. What was I thinking, dammit!
“Hey, you can’t run away from me today. You’ve got to get your check”, I quirked.
“What?” she exclaimed before she realized she actually replied.
“I said you can’t just avoid me like this, you know…”
“What are you talking about?”
“Can I sit down with you?”
“No, you can’t.”
“Oww… c’mon, just for a minute, okay?”
“No”
She took out her wallet, and wanted to dart. I couldn’t help getting mesmerized by her voice, but there were more pressing things at hand. I had to talk to her.
To cut a long jittery conversation short, I convinced her to talk to me for a few minutes. And that’s when everything started breezing through. We started talking, and the minutes stretched on at a really fast pace. I got to know so much about her, and I also got to know that she had a great sense of humor. We had a great time talking to each other, and soon, she said she had to go, as it was getting late for her.
We exchanged numbers and I asked her if we could “bump in” again tomorrow. She just smiled and walked away. Sigh! It was bliss. As I stared at her walk away, my eyes were distracted by an alphabet bracelet she had forgotten behind.  It said “life is a surprise”. Wow! Maybe that was true. I slipped the bracelet into my pocket.
Feeling the love at night
I lay awake that night and I stared at her number on my cell phone. I wanted to call her, but settled for a text. The very minute I texted her, I got a call from her. She too was contemplating over whether or not to message me. Sweet!
We spoke and spoke until the wee hours of the morning, and I just wanted to see her again that evening. We met again at the café and it felt so good. She was smiling the whole time and we were actually flirting back and forth. I asked her out for a movie that evening.
All of a sudden, she looked offended. She declined. And then, there was silence. That calm, deadly silence that makes you feel worse than getting yelled at. I asked her what was wrong, but she didn’t mention it, and our “date” was cut short that evening. I got home and looked at her bracelet. “Life is a surprise”. Simple words can be a confusing affair at times.
Rekindling my love story
That night, I called her again and we spoke. At first she was distant, but she seemed fine after a while, and then I asked her why she got so offended in the café. She didn’t tell at first, but as the hours went by, she told me that she hated guys and the worst thing she ever wanted to do was go out on a date with a guy.
Apparently, she had been hurt one too many times by guys whom she trusted with all her heart. We spoke until five in the morning, and she told me a lot more. I just wanted to hug her, but even the thought of giving her a telephonic hug scared me. But we decided to meet again. Same bat place, same bat time.
We started hanging out together all the time after that. At times, I picked her up from her workplace, and at other times, I dropped her back home. Soon, weeks turned into months, and this time, everything felt just like a fairytale.
Time stood still when it was just the two of us. One evening, when we met up and went to the café, it was too crowded for space, so we decided to go for a drive to while away the time. It was a long drive, and somewhere along the way, the sun was shining mildly at us, it was a huge red ball that made the whole world around me glow. It was the most romantic sight, or maybe I had never noticed the sun at that time of the day. Nevertheless, it was beautiful.
She said the sun was beautiful. I said it couldn’t be compared to her. She smiled. I smiled. I clasped her hand. It felt tense. And then, we locked eyes. Thank God, the road was deserted. And then, her lips split into a girlish grin that I still can’t forget. That was the moment. It was indeed beautiful. I felt warm and fuzzy. And I wanted the drive to last forever. We got to her place, and I hugged her goodbye. That was the first time I ever hugged her. As we hugged, I knew she didn’t want to let go. Neither did I.
A short love story that lasts a lifetime
The next evening, we went to the café. We sat next to each other for the first time. And we held hands. We spoke less, and smiled more. I told her that I liked her. She smiled a lot more. And then, she punched me in the arm, and said that she liked me too. And just then, I slipped her bracelet out from my pocket. “Life is a surprise”. I couldn’t agree with that more. I smiled. She saw her bracelet. And she laughed. That tinkling, sweet laugh that is so intoxicating. I was a happy boy with the perfect present, all over again. And she was a happy, lonely girl. Just lonely no more.
One can never tell how love can come into your life, or how you can experience your own short love stories out of the blue. But a great love story awaits all of us, and it’s just around the corner. After all, didn’t someone once say that life is a surprise!

HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE YOUR PARTNER


It’s easy to forget how much we love someone. But it’s easier to remember all the flaws of your partner. What if you had a chance to change your relationship into the best one in the whole world? And what if it’s the easiest thing to do in the whole world? Would you take a chance on perfect, true love? Take this love test to make a difference in no time.

The Love Test – How much do you Love your Partner?
A fresh start, that’s what we all want. All of us have flaws or imperfections that we wish we could just hide somewhere deep inside. You have always perceived your partner to be flawless, but at times, you do see a few things that you would have overlooked when you were still young in love. As time goes by, the both of you begin to keep score, whether consciously or subconsciously. I’m not talking about pulling out a score sheet each time you screw up, but at most times, the good and the bad gestures are always remembered by either of you.
When was the last time you actually did something nice for your partner, without actually expecting something back in return? Never? That’s the truth, however hard it is to accept it. We always do something nice just so that we can get something back in return. Remember the last time you took the pain to buy that perfect shirt for your partner, after running through many stores that stormy evening? You barely made it on time to the special dinner at your favorite restaurant, only to find your partner sulking about how late you were and that you used the shirt as an excuse. I know you felt let down, and that moment, you subconsciously made up your mind not to buy anything unless there was a special occasion to celebrate, because the effort wasn’t worth it anyways, right? You were keeping score.

There will be several of these moments in your life together, and times when things will be misunderstood and special efforts will be forgotten. But that doesn’t mean you should never do anything nice anymore. A perfect love is all about keeping that spark alive, and creating special moments each and every day, in your own little ways.
You could still say that your partner isn’t the same anymore, and that you’ve tried your best but just couldn’t take it anymore. Now you’ve given up on trying to reignite the love back into your lives. Now let me help you understand your relationship better. Are you the same person you were when you first met your sweeter half? Almost all the time, you know that you’ve changed. Maybe you’ve taken your partner for granted subconsciously, perhaps you’ve stopped picking flowers from the florist every week like you used to, or maybe you’ve stopped appreciating how helpful your partner is. It doesn’t matter how small the changes are, but chances are, you’ve changed.
The Acceptance
A powerful question to ask yourself is this, how would you act towards your partner if you thought they were the best partner for you in the whole world? That is, imagine that right now (whether you believe it or not!) the person you are dating or living together or married to, is the complete and total embodiment of what you perceive of as the perfect mate for you. The perfect personality, the perfect body, whatever would be absolutely perfect for you. Next, think about how you would act towards this perfect partner. Would you be attentive? Aloof? Thoughtful? Distant? Affectionate? Sarcastic? Romantic? Crabby? Seductive? Would you rush home and turn on the TV or the computer? What events would you plan? What cards would you write? Make a list of all the things you would do, and how often you would do them.