Gold ring > He Was Either The Most Romantic Man In The World - Or A Complete Idiot

He Was Either The Most Romantic Man In The World - Or A Complete Idiot

by: Marguerite Bonneville

Heather had been dating Ben for a little over two months. She quite enjoyed his company but was beginning to realize he was not the man for her. She wasn't so much physically attracted to him as she was entertained by his offbeat sense of humor and his sense of the ridiculous. They'd had some great times together but she was contemplating giving him the ?let's just be friends? speech.

On the night of her twenty-eighth birthday, Ben told her he had something special in store for her. Heather felt a twinge of discomfort but told herself she was overreacting. Ben tended to over-dramatize ordinary events, which was part of what made him fun. They enjoyed a fabulous dinner at a beautiful restaurant, then returned to Ben's place so he could present her with his gift.

Heather was amused to discover that Ben had set up a treasure hunt in his apartment. In each of the rooms he'd planted objects containing small folded notes. On each note he's written an obscure message which would lead her to the next clue. Ben pointed out the location of the first clue, then left her to discover the rest.

Heather's anxiety began to mount as she reached the sixth clue. She found it in Ben's walk-in closet, just after she stumbled across three long dart blowers hidden behind his clothes. She'd already noticed the gun cases under the bed. At that moment Ben called out from the living room, ?As soon as you find it, I'll shoot us!? Her imagination went into overdrive.

Two minutes later she found the box. It was large and beautifully wrapped. Inside it was a smaller box, and inside that one a third. When she opened the fourth box she saw the diamond ring. Heather was stunned.

By now Ben was beside her. He looked at her face and decided she was overcome with gratitude. ?You don't have to say anything now,? he murmured. ?Just nod if you want to marry me.?

Heather calculated her chances. Did he have any poison darts handy? Could she reach the front door before he opened a gun case? No, she decided. She'd have to tough it out.

?What on earth possessed you to buy this for me?? she blurted.

Ben hesitated but quickly recovered. ?It doesn't have to be an engagement ring,? he backpedaled. ?Just accept it as a birthday gift. You can always change your mind later.?

?But I can't accept something like this,? Heather explained. ?I can't stand wearing jewelry.?

Ben was so caught up in his fantasy that he hadn't noticed the blatantly obvious. On both counts.

Heather was relieved to discover that the only shooting Ben intended that night was with his camera. But the celebratory mood was over and she left shortly afterwards, minus the ring. She didn't go out with Ben again.

Have you ever miscalculated with a gift? Perhaps not as blatantly as Ben did but there may have been times when you gave the wrong thing to the right person or the right thing to the wrong person. And then wondered why they didn't seem particularly grateful.

Gift giving involves thought and a certain amount of premeditation. If you don't know what to buy, ask. It doesn't have to be the person himself (or herself); you can ask their father, mother, sister or best friend. Just make sure it's someone who knows them well and can tell you what they would like. And don't count on someone's response on a previous occasion. Many people won't tell you if they don't appreciate a gift in an effort to spare your feelings.

Putting thought into your gift selection is usually worth the effort. And perhaps the best thing about receiving a gift you love is the feeling that the other person knows you so well that they knew exactly what to choose.

About The Author

Marguerite Bonneville is a Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) whose passion is publishing information online. She is a contributing writer at http://www.romantic-gift-ideas-online.com, a resource site dedicated to helping visitors find the perfect romantic gift.

The Role Of Gold Bullion Coins In Your Portfolio

The Role Of Gold Bullion Coins In Your Portfolio

by: Dean Brown

Are Gold Bullion Coins Worth It?

Today's world offers investors plenty of avenues for their money. Which ones are worth it and which ones just bring unnecessary risks with very low chances of profit?

Many people have turned to buying gold bullion in order to improve their financial situations. We know gold has been around ever since man first started living in a society. Gold has grown together with mankind, or vice-versa, depending on how you want to look at it. Let?s have a look at the process of investing in gold bullion coins and at some of the factors related to such a financial placement.

What Are Gold Bullion Coins?

A gold bullion coin contains one ounce of pure gold. The quality or origin of the gold may differ, however, so make sure to only acquire gold bullions from respected companies that have dozens of years of tradition and trust. Here are some of...

The Role Of Gold Bullion Coins In Your Portfolio

Gold ring > The Role Of Gold Bullion Coins In Your Portfolio

Man Made Diamonds ? Save Big Money And Avoid Mined Diamond Scams

by: Robert Joseph

High quality man made diamonds are a bargain at about $80 per carat, and they do not increase in price exponentially as carat weight increases.
For example, a one-carat synthetic diamond costs about $80; a three-carat man made diamond would then sell for $240.
A one-carat mined diamond that sells for $3000 would go for $45,000 in a three-carat size, all things being equal, which with mined diamonds is never the case.
Perplexing comparative evaluations, exponential price growth, consumer confusion, and the reality of diamond industry antics is why the mined diamond business is awash in dirty tricks.
Here are descriptions of the most sneaky and pervasive mined diamond scams:

THE BLUE-WHITE SCAM:
A jeweler tells you, "This is a blue-white diamond."
This is a very old term.
The dealer will probably tell...

Man Made Diamonds ? Save Big Money And Avoid Mined Diamond Scams

Gold ring > Man Made Diamonds ? Save Big Money And Avoid Mined Diamond Scams

New Year?s Eve 2005 in Montreal ? VIP Special Tour Packages

by: Oren Born

Montreal VIP announces its 5th annual exclusive New Year?s Eve 2005 Tour packages. Ring in the new years in style by experiencing the best of Montreal?s nightlife at Montreal?s top venues and best parties while avoiding inflated hotel rates and long lines with Montreal VIP?s tour packages.

Montreal is quickly becoming one of the best places to ring in the New Year with partygoers due to its excellent nightlife reputation. This popularity has placed a premium on New Years with inflated hotel rates and increasing exclusivity to the best parties in town.

While the inflated crowds and prices could make Montreal in December as appealing as its weather, it does not have to be if you are a VIP. Montreal VIP is now offering its 5th annual New Year?s Eve VIP packages.

Montreal VIP keeps its prices low while making sure every one of our guests is treated as a...

New Year?s Eve 2005 in Montreal ? VIP Special Tour Packages

Gold ring > New Year?s Eve 2005 in Montreal ? VIP Special Tour Packages

Jewelry As A Graduation Gift-Make It A Memorable One

Jewelry As A Graduation Gift-Make It A Memorable One

by: Sam Serio

Jewelry makes a memorable gift to commemorate one of Life?s Great Milestones. Graduation represents a unique, personal accomplishment earned through hard work and determination.

Here are some helpful guidelines to keep in mind when you are shopping for a jewelry gift to celebrate the next chapter of your special graduates life.

1. There?s a big difference between 14 karat gold and gold-plated jewelry. Fourteen karat (14K) jewelry contains 14 parts of gold, mixed in throughout with 10 parts of base metal. Gold-plated describes jewelry with a layer of at least 10K gold bonded to a base metal. Gold plating eventually wears away, depending on how often the item is worn and how thick the plating is.

2. If you?re buying a watch, determine whether you want one that runs on a battery or one that must be wound daily. Ask if a warranty or guarantee is included, how long it...

Jewelry As A Graduation Gift-Make It A Memorable One

Gold ring > Jewelry As A Graduation Gift-Make It A Memorable One

Online Retail Sales: Online Loyalty Equals Retail Gold

Online Retail Sales: Online Loyalty Equals Retail Gold

by: Joseph Pratt

As an employee of an online advertising agency, ICMediaDirect.com, I?ve got a sweet vantage for observing the latest online retail numbers tumble in - and they?re spectacular.
Third Quarter online retail sales were up almost 27% from the same period last year, while these first 20 days of January were up 33% from the same period in 2005.
This surge is neither cyclical nor an aberration, but indicative of the continuing and permanent shift of retail consumers to ecommerce instead.

Naturally this is great news for online advertisers and retailers.
But it?s important to remember that ecommerce has outgrown its infancy.
The big players in online retail have established themselves and seem to know what they?re doing.
It is important for advertising agencies and marketers to...

Online Retail Sales: Online Loyalty Equals Retail Gold

Gold ring > Online Retail Sales: Online Loyalty Equals Retail Gold

Why You Need To Buy and Sell Gold Coins (Part 4)

Why You Need To Buy and Sell Gold Coins (Part 4)

by: Steve Renner

Top Investment Performance

Throughout history, many coin collections have produced substantial long-term profits for their owners. This is particularly true for coin collectors of this century. Indeed, Harold Bareford reportedly purchased a collection of U.S. gold coins for $13,832 in the early 1950s which was resold at auction in 1978 for $1.2 million. A more substantial collector, Louis Eliasberg, built a collection that cost about $300,000. In 1982, it brought $12.4 million at auction.

This investment performance has been well documented by sources as diverse as The Wall Street Journal, Consumer Reports and a host of industry periodicals and guidesheets. What these reports have shown is that carefully selected portfolios of rare coins have had a high rate of long-term appreciation.

Of course, past performance is no guarantee of future results and investments in...

Why You Need To Buy and Sell Gold Coins (Part 4)

Gold ring > Why You Need To Buy and Sell Gold Coins (Part 4)

Podcasting Alchemy: Customer Service Transformed Into Gold

Podcasting Alchemy: Customer Service Transformed Into Gold

by: Mark Orion

Think alchemy is a dead art? The spirit of Merlin is alive and well via the magic of podcasting. Podcasting is revolutionizing marketing communications and creating the next level of customer service. It?s tech support on steroids, unlimited one-on-one time with your customer, and a new commitment to above and beyond excellence that will make your customers love you.

The magic?s in the medium and podcasting is hot ? molten hot. It wasn?t long ago a simple search for podcasting in Google turned up about 600,000 results. Now, in less than a year?s time, the search boils over with 36,400,000!

And? the numbers are rapidly growing!

Wake up call. Podcasting is exploding. This is the Internet powerhouse to watch in 2006.

Exactly how is podcasting turning customer service into gold? Let?s take a look inside Merlin?s cave and see what going on with this phenomenon?

First...

Podcasting Alchemy: Customer Service Transformed Into Gold

Gold ring > Podcasting Alchemy: Customer Service Transformed Into Gold

What Is A Destination Wedding Dress?

by: Cindy English

Just as destination weddings are fast growing in popularity, so are destination wedding dresses.

What exactly is a destination wedding dress? It is a trendy, sensible, cost effective alternative to the traditional wedding gown.

You don't have to be leaving town to choose a destination wedding dress. The name lends itself to the fact that these bridal gowns are usually made of softer, lighter...

What Is A Destination Wedding Dress?

Gold ring > What Is A Destination Wedding Dress?

vacuum cleaners He Was Either The Most Romantic Man In The World - Or A Complete Idiot Gold ring

He Was Either The Most Romantic Man In The World - Or A Complete Idiot Gold ring