Search This Blog

Monday, 15 October 2012

Chemistry in the City

A touch of spark is all that is required

If you have experienced any of the following: belly flopping laughter; a ton of stuff in common; talking to the early hours;  all night to-the-earth-and-back rocket sex, then chances are you are one of the lucky ones who have experienced CHEMISTRY. 
It’s the kind of stuff that everyone is looking for in a date.  You know it’s there because something is drawing the two of you together.  It may only be one thing – but it sure to hell can work a treat.  My lover and I have this immense physical chemistry that most people only dream about. It’s fair to say that we simply cannot keep our hands off each other.  But that’s a whole other story…
In pursuit of finding another kind of chemistry, I dug out an old date.  He is very sweet, thoughtful, kind and keen to settle down.  We had stayed as friends and knowing that I don’t fancy him, I got thinking about looking beyond the physical side of things.  I thought maybe after 12 months, things may go differently this time.  Well, he still looked the same, in fact, maybe a little shorter (or my six foot one lover made him look shorter?)  Could I possibly create this ‘chemistry’ through our mutual compassionate nature and likeability factor? 

I gave it a shot.  Date 1 (second time around) went like this:  I asked him about his new job (yawn); we talked about holidays (mine), he asked me about my family (yawn again) and he talked about hanging around with his married sister and her baby most Saturdays, where people thought they were a couple – WEIRD!
Not a good start.  Still, I pursued it with a few cocktails down me to help things along a bit.  Then, his jokes started.   Not the ‘Knock, knock‘ jokes, just taking the piss kind of stuff.  Now I’m all for that…when you can actually make me laugh.   I smiled, sniggered, chuckled even, and at times, had to force a few giggles out.  I have been on numerous dates where I can honestly say guys have made me laugh out loud and those are the dates that I have enjoyed the most.  So without that happening, I’m afraid it was going to be a losing battle. 
Fear not.  Date 2 – second time around (maybe we were both on the nervous side on Date 1 – second time around??), we had dinner and more cocktails.  He paid me so many compliments but for some reason, I didn’t want to hear them.  He even got me a cocktail called ‘Oscar Angel Face’ saying it was just right for me.  When I said I was thirsty, he stood at the bar for ages to get me a glass of water.  Aaaaaaah, I hear you say.  Oh dear, in my pursuit of this ‘chemistry’, I may have led this guy up the garden path.  It just didn’t work.  By the way, did I tell you that his phone screen saver is his sister's baby 3D scan from 10 months ago?  Taxi!!!
So, I couldn’t create this chemistry with him but I am still left wondering whether it is something that can be built.  If there is attraction, common goals and similarities between two people, then maybe chemistry is something that can be developed over time.
David Givens Ph.D, anthropologist and author of Love Signals says,You can create chemistry. Ordinary courtship goes over a period of weeks and months, and it builds up and adds up and eventually you get this kind of chemical bonding. Eye contact and discussing personal subjects can accelerate this chemical bond”.
I certainly know lots of people who will say that if it is not there instantly, if you do not feel the ‘ping’, then walk away and don’t try and force it.
If like me, you find it difficult to tell whether chemistry is there, then ask some of your nearest and dearest to tell you what their definition of chemistry is.  Here is what they said to me:
“You feed off each other in a positive way”
“It’s that feeling of comfort right off the bat with someone, feeling like you've known them a long time even if you haven't. It's almost like you can feel them even without touching them”
“You get butterflies in your tummy. You feel weak at the knees. But more than that you connect in such a way that everyone around you thinks you’re crazy”
“It’s like a natural closeness, comfortable silences”
“Just like a chemical equation, chemistry between two people must be balanced. The feelings are mutual and just like in normal chemistry; some things are just naturally drawn together and stick together. Keep in mind, some things are easily separated and some things are almost impossible to keep apart...”
“They are like great friends, and treat each other that way. One doesn't always have to be right, just able to communicate it correctly”
“To be able to have that kind of conversation, into the dying years, you will need a good partner who will converse with you”
“The only person that knows if chemistry is there is you”

I won’t be the only one to know if it’s there, the whole world will hear about it too.  Now, where is that one person to help me feel it…?

Monday, 10 September 2012

Love Other Lovers

    If you are like me, you are sick of the sight of couples.  Couples holding hands down the street, couples kissing on the Underground, couples gazing lovingly at each other over a romantic meal.  And don’t get me started on all those happy couples who announce their engagements after five minutes of knowing each other.
So, on my recent writing holiday, I ordinarily would throw a hissy fit at the sight of two young, hot things getting it on before my eyes.  However, I didn’t this time.  Tori and Nathan were the two most kindest and most caring people I have ever met.  They were also sparking off one another like they had known each other for years.  Now there was a couple that I actually felt belonged together.  I surprised myself by how happy I was when I saw the romance blossoming before my very eyes.  They were a brilliant match and I truly felt blessed that those two sweethearts found their very own sweethearts on a beautiful Greek island.
I would look at these two lovebirds, and not feel envious or bitterness towards them.  Instead, I looked at this pairing and genuinely felt pleased that it could happen to some folk.  I felt their warmth and compassionate nature and tried to take a bit of that home with me.  Could I possibly feel their energy and chemistry and capture that for myself?  If I could box it up and sell it, I am sure I’d make a ton of money.  Well, instead, I’ve learnt that it is time to smile sweetly at such loveliness and embrace this mushy, gooey, honey pot of goodness.  I fully intend to continue to feel more joy for other couples in lurrrve and aim to encourage more delight and pleasure from these Cupid’s target cherubs.

So, let us take note Ladies.  Maybe we need to change that pessimistic, negative attitude and stop rolling our eyes, saying ‘get a room’.  From tomorrow, make it your mission to find a blissfully, happy couple and congratulate them (they may even go the distance!).  Pinch a bit of what they are feeling and let it surge through you.  You may be surprised what you can attract in the process. 
Holiday romance? Ok!
Cupid can fire her arrow in any direction she likes and hopefully one day, it will be fired in my direction and – bullseye - love will be mine.
NB:  On returning from the sunny, island of dreams, Tori and Nathan are still together and it was not just a holiday romance!  Yay!!

Thursday, 2 August 2012

A most satisfied customer

Having always been the one to wait patiently (all my thirty-something life) to be asked out, I found myself taking a leap of faith and made an attempt at being an ‘asker’ as opposed to an ‘askee’ for a change.  Well, it wasn’t much of a question rather than a request (or possibly a demand).  No eye-contact or verbal communication needed, making the whole process lot easier; the written word was the appropriate approach given the location!
Rewind 30 minutes earlier.  I was browsing the bookshelves of a well-known shop for a city guide for my forthcoming trip to Valencia, when I noticed to the right of me a rather devilishly good-looking sales assistant.  So engrossed was I in hunting for this city guide that I almost missed out on this hunk of a man! I casually called out for help in locating this sought-after book and he tried his best to locate it for me (bless him).  Distracting me with his chiselled looks and hands the size of dinner plates however, I almost forgot what I was looking for and set this handsome creature with another task at hand:
“Do you have Lady Chatterly’s Lover?” I asked. Damn, why on earth had I requested that?  He persevered in his search for said book, looking it up on the computerised system but it failed to come up (now, now, stop it, you dirty-minded folk).  Well, I certainly wasn’t going to leave empty handed.  I had to exchange something with this fine specimen even if it wasn’t going to be saliva.
“I’ll take this”.  It was titled ‘Of Love and Hope’ – a celebration of all aspects of life and love.  “I’m feeling poetic”.  Urg, corny wasn’t the word!  Still, I am sure I can put this book of poems into good use, reciting romantic verses while lying in bed next to beautiful man after our all night love-making session.  Back to reality, I purchased said book, exchanged pleasantries and exited the shop. 
Outside the shop, it was go for broke time.  I scribbled my name, number and a simple ‘Call me’ on the back of the receipt of my recent purchase.  I walked straight back into the shop and, having noticed that he was away from the counter assisting some other poor soul in searching a book of love (or pursuing him more likely),  I shoved the note under his keyboard at the counter and dashed out faster than you can say ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
So, my theory is:  the customer is always right and the right thing to do as a customer was to go back in there and ensure that the customer leaves completely satisfied, right?!  And not only is the customer right and satisfied, but she got a text from bookshop man that very evening!
Customer service at its best! J

Monday, 9 April 2012

10 Signs Your Online Date Could Be The Real Deal

Online dating can be a mindfield.  How do you separate the genuine from the dud ones?  No straight answer there, just make sure you have your intuition hat on.

But there are some great ones out there, right?  Marriages have been known to form from online dates! So when dating someone, how do you know he could be the real deal?  You don’t have friends to veto them out, no work colleagues to give you the low down, and you only know so much from google-ing them (By the way – thank god for Linkedin!).  So here are some signs to look out for that he could be a keeper:

1.     He pays for the first three dates.   Of course, you should always offer but a gentleman wants to appear chivalrous and make a great first impression.
2.     He doesn’t flinch when you mention the following words: weddings, marriage, babies, engagements, commitment, homeowner, love, romance, long-term and serious.
3.     You talk about things you like and he agrees with you.  Even better, he talks about things he likes and you agree with him.  There is nothing like finding things in common with that ‘me too!’ moment.
4.     He makes all the arrangements for the dates.  He books the restaurant/picks the bar, picks a time, collects you or organises transport home – separately of course.
5.     He doesn’t invite himself back to yours after each date, trying his luck.
6.     He calls and texts when he says he would.  And they can be short or long messages as long as he asks you how your day was!
7.     If it happens to be your birthday, he had better take you out to dinner or lunch or make some other effort of similar ilk.
8.     He is not afraid to talk about his goals, the future, what he has planned for the weekend, what his next holiday may be.  Anyone afraid of forward planning – chuck!
9.     He looks into your eyes while making love and holds you in his arms after making love.  Altogether now – aaaaahhhh!
10. He simply makes you laugh.  Without trying.  Enough said.


If you've had 6 or more of the above happen to you.....get a subscription to 'Bride' magazine immediately!

Top 5 Signs That Your Boyfriend Is Husband Material
I Doooooo!!!!


Friday, 6 April 2012

In the Dog-House

  When invited to dinner for a second date by a nice, friendly, professional guy who I met online, I thought, well, what do I have to lose, right? Wrong! 
  It started off well.  He made all the arrangements, kept me in the loop about timings and where to meet.  When we met, he complimented me on my dress, we shared pleasant chit-chat over dinner, the ambience was great and I was excited about hitting the dance floor showing him some of my salsa moves.  Then during dinner, after a few drinks – it came.  He called me a bitch!  Now I’ve been called some things on dates like ‘sweet’, 'funny’, ‘sexy’, but never ‘bitch’!  He added it on the end of his sentences like “So, shall we order another bottle of wine…….biiittccchhh?!” 
  Excuse me? I said to myself.  This is where I went wrong in hindsight.  I giggled at first, going along with his strange humour and this may have encouraged him to continue.  So more sentences followed by ‘biiiiitttccccch!’ at the end.  Now,  I really don’t think I look like the female dog kind!
  The more he continued, the more I retracted and thought, please get me out of here.  Just as I was about to make my escape, another strange behaviour trait appeared.  He began to flick my head!  Like how you might flick a bug away from your clothes; he was doing this on my head!  And it hurt!  “Ok, can you stop that, because it actually hurts”, I said.
“Oh, you poor princess!”, he said.
Princess is better than bitch, I thought.

A Princess Bitch!

Sunday, 30 October 2011

The Curse of Clooney

Don’t do it ladies….but of course we would!
It’s one of the mysteries of the world – the eternal bachelor George Clooney.  He can have any woman in the world but chooses to have a bit of ALL women. 
I’ve hunted down Mr Clooney’s previous ‘relationships’:
Three months here, one year there, nine months, 5 years on and off, not even a month – hello??  This man has some serious issues!  And consequently, so must have the women who have dated him!
Serial womaniser is not the word.  From Kelly Preston (who later went on to marry John Travolta), to a marriage with actress Talia Balsam (matching flowing locks) to Mariella Frostrup (ha, bet you didn’t know that one!), Lisa Snowdon, Renee Zellweger, this man really cannot be tied down in any shape or form.
I may be harsh but Hollywood superstar or not, he is a really sad individual who feels the need to move from woman to woman when the mood suits him.
We keep doing it to ourselves hoping we can change a man, but whether they are 34, 28, 42 or even George’s devilishly handsome 50 years, when a man does not want to commit, there is no hell on earth than can make him do it.  But never, I hear you ask?  Yes, some people are just born this way.
Oh and George is onto it again…Stacy Keibler, a model turned wrestler, if anyone can pin him down she can.
I blame their mothers.
Ever lonely George?

Tuesday, 25 October 2011

Music is my first love and it will be my last

Pick any mood and you will find a song to fit into it. Some songs are just born to make you happy.  So here is my top ten to lift you off your gloomy ass and make you say - yeah, life is good!  

In no particular order: 

1.  I Feel Good by James Brown*
2.  Loving Each Day by Ronan Keating*
3.  Top of the World by The Carpenters*
4.  Don't Stop Till You Get Enough by Michael Jackson*
5.  Spinning Around by Kylie Minogue*
6.  Crazy in Love by Beyonce*
7.  Beautiful Day by U2*
8.  What A Feeling by Irene Cara*
9.  Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham!*
10.  I'm So Excited by The Pointer Sisters*


*Well you do, don't you?
*Love each day, not just Saturday and Sunday
*The sweet voice of Karen Carpenter....and her brother
*Just make sure you wear a jacket, some white gloves and moonwalk at the same time
*Just make sure you DO NOT wear the gold hot pants!
*Shake ya booty
*Rock out
*Leotard and gymnastics required
*Gotta have a bit of Wham!
*By this point, you will be very excited!

ENJOY!!