Many times guys (and girls) ask me what's my favourite pick up line.. they ask me things like "so what do you TELL a girl? what do you SAY to her?" when I hear this, I just start smiling.. because this question -what's your favourite pick up line?- implies that there has to be some sort of "magical sentence" that can be used time after time in order to get a girl.
Well let me tell you something. there IS in fact such a sentence...
And it IS a magical sentence...
It's a secret pick-up line, only known among the greatest of pick-up artists. it has been used by Casanova himself...
Sounds unbelievable? let me ask you this:
Always wanted to have that special girl's phone number? always wanted to have sex with that one beautiful girl from your class? always wanted to approach that one hot chick, but never felt comfortable because you didn't had that one magical pick-up line??
If you answered 'yes' to the above questions, I will hereby change your life forever...
But you must promise me that you will keep it a secret. it's not meant for everyone...
Ok here it comes... are you ready? are you ready to find out what's the one magical sentence that will get you ANY girl you want?
Here it is:
"Hey, how are you?"
...
There you have it.
Impressed?
Maybe I should repeat myself: "Hey, how are you?"
Make no mistake ladies and gentlemen. this IS world's greatest pick-up line!!! 100% success guaranteed!
Of course I know that you are highly sceptical and probably you don't even believe me. but if you analyse my words more deeply, you'll see that I'm right! it really is the best pick-up line because it ALWAYS works. BUT... (obviously there is a but)... the line is just a line.. it are four words put together in one sentence and exactly therein lies its magic. for we all know that words -spoken words- can come out in many different ways.
Example 1: imagine this guy saying "Hey, how are you?": Example 2: and now imagine this guy saying the same thing: Need I say more? NEED I SAY MORE? a picture says more than a thousand words and when I look at these pictures I understand why my "magical pick-up line" works for some, but doesn't work for others..
What you have to understand is that the line ITSELF always works. but more importantly, will it work when YOU say it? are these four magical words still so magical when they leave YOUR mouth?
The secret lies in the fact that it's not important WHAT you say. it's about HOW you say it. this all seems very logical and most people already know this.
But so why are those people still single?
Hmm...
Some facts:
Communication is the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions or information by speech, writing or signs.
There are three major parts in human face to face communication which are body language, voice tonality and words.
55% of impact is determined by body language; postures, gestures; eye contact etc.
38% by the tone of voice.
7% (!) by the content or the words used in the process of communication.
So if only 7% of human communication is about the actual words, what does this tell us? it tells us we should pay LESS attention to WHAT we say and MORE attention to HOW we say it. so when you interact with an attractive girl, it really doesn't matter what the hell you talk about. but it most sincerely DOES matter how you talk about it..
For those of you who didn't know it yet, I'm now in Leeds, England, for the next 4 months. I'm here as an exchange student and I'm here experimenting and playing the game. I'm here all alone (well, I got lovely roommates ;)) in a new country, meeting new people all the time. it's the perfect way to upgrade my game skills. as David D. would say it: go OUT THERE and play the game, because the game is being played in real life with real people; not in books or DVDs.
It's for this very reason that I'm flirting A LOT here; seriously all the time; every single day; it's always on!!!
Like I said before, it doesn't matter what you say to a girl. let me share some funny dialogues to show you that it really doesn't matter :P and that I still have success, despite the fact of me saying the most ridiculous things.*
Dialogue with girl#1:
me: so what's your name? she: Laura me: and what's your number? she: what? me: yeah, your phone number she: why do you want my phone number? me: because I want to stalk you and call you everyday and tell you how much I love you. she: hahaha omg you are too funny! (I got her number, but I'm not stalking her, don't worry ;)
Dialogue with girl#2:
she: so what did you do before this? me: I used to be a Kamasutra teacher she: really?? me: yes, I've been in India many times where I got my official degree.. you are now looking at a Kamasutra guru she: nooo, I don't believe you me: I wish I could show you my skills, but I don't think you could handle it she: uhu me: the first thing what I teach my pupils is to stop looking at the pictures and actually READ the material. because if you read and understand the book, you are able to grow, not only as a sexual creature, but as a human being.. she: you are playing with me. you are no Kamasutra guru! me: I know why you don't believe me. you think I just say it because I want to have sex with you. well you are right about that, I want to have sex with you she: (she giving me a naughty look and drinks from my glass) me: but.. it would jeopardize our relationship of me being the mentor and you being the student she: hahaha so now I'm your student? me: if you want to, but I'm pretty expensive. you think you can afford me? (after this conversation -believe it or not- we went to her apartment for a Kamasutra session!!!)
Dialogue with girl#3:
me: yes hahaha how many people can say that, right? she: well, you! me: and so what's the craziest place you ever had sex? she: uhmm.. me: (interrupting) can't make a choise hahaha? ;) she: well, I never had sex.. me: never? you mean you are a virgin? she: yes.. ... (2 second awkward silence) me: ow, but it's ok, I can wait ;) she: hahaha I like it, that's a good one!
Dialogue with girl#4:
she: I like red wine more me: I like red too. they say that the older the wine, the better the taste. speaking of old, how old are you? she: 24. and what about you? me: Ow I'm sorry, I'm too young for you ;).. she: (laughing) me: but maybe that guy over there likes you :P.. (me pointing at the most wussy-looking guy in the room, obviously making a joke) she: not really me: so I have to find someone who looks more like me, right? ;) she: no, you will do just fine ;)
*none of the dialogues have been altered, modified or changed. these are exact fragments of actual conversations.
As you can see, I said the stupidest things, things that "normally" would not make sense. but they all worked, not because I knew what I was SAYING; I knew what I was DOING. the point I'm making here is that you can say whatever you want and still have success! isn't that what every guy wants? being able to "be yourself" -making dumb jokes and saying stupid things- while in the same time being liked and having success? next time, when your 'approach anxiety' sets in, don't think about what you're going to say to that hot blonde standing at the bar; think about how you will walk towards her. think about how your shoes will touch the surface of the floor. think about the look in your eyes when you make eye-contact. think about your posture when you stand next to her. and then, finally, le moment suprême, ask her: "Hey, how are you?"
Go out there and make magic happen!
"Love is just a word, until someone comes along and gives it meaning."
Where do I begin? how do I write about 6 weeks vacation in paradise? I decided to post one big blog about the entire vacation to give you an idea of how it was. I'm not here to write a detailed report about everything we did, instead, I'm going to give you some highlights of our adventures.
To start, we spend too much money, we drank too much alcohol and we partied too much. was it worth it?...
HELL YES!!!
This vacation was by far the wildest and craziest vacation I had in my life!!! Fortaleza was absurd!!! but before I go any further, I want to thank one of my best friends who made this vacation be possible. G., if it wasn't for you, Fortaleza would not be the same. To be honest, I don't know anyone else with who I would want to spend this vacation with (no homo). But enough with the emotions, let me tell you how it all went down.
Literally, from the first moment we set foot on Brazilian soil, the game was on
We arrived at São Paulo airport at 12.00 and we met 2 girls there, who happened to take the same plane as us. at 13.30, flying high above the sky, one of them asked me to sit next to her and at 13.45, I already was kissing her. Brazilian style.
40 hours later (!) we arrived at the place of destination, dropped our bags at the apartment (more about that later) and went to a restaurant.
The steak was great
And so were the Caipirinha's
Caipirinha is the national cocktail of Brasil and it's also very popular in Europe and in the US. it's actually very easy to make. just take one lime, two ounces of cachaça, some sugar and a couple of ice cubes and you can start your own cocktail bar ;)
But seriously, this is how you make it:
-wash the lime and roll it on a board to loosen the juices
-cut the lime into pieces and place them in a glass
-sprinkle with the sugar and crush the pieces (pulp side up) with a pestle, just enough to release the juice
-add the cachaça and stir to mix
-add the ice and stir it again
Saúde!
So if everything was great, why did we do the 'hit & run'? maybe because we like to have fun?
Another typical thing about Fortaleza is that you can never TRULY relax on the beaches. there are always some salesmen disturbing you while you are listening to your iPod or reading your book. most of the time it is fucking annoying, but sometimes you can get your plants with them for a fair price. but keep your eyes wide open and stay focused, because some of these guys sell you sea-sand instead of hash. furthermore, never be fooled by appearances, small children want to sell you stuff, but in the meantime they steal your Hugo Boss flip-flops ;)
I'm a big fan of seafood, so I had to eat the shrimps and lobsters
On our journey in Brasil, we met a guy and we chilled with him for a couple of days. S. is a capoeira master and also an infamous playboy. he is known in all of Brasil. he helped us and we helped him ;)
At one spontaneous night -after drinking shots of vodka every night- I came with the idea to have a shot of...
After a wild night of partying and wild sex it's time to explore the environment.
We were located in the center of Fortaleza; Beira Mar. Beira Mar is like the Rembrandtplein of Amsterdam and the Manhattan of New York. it's a place where there is always something going on. it's a place where girls try to seduce men to sleep with them, it's a place where painters want to sell you works of art, it's a place where police officers stand on every corner of the street (it's still Brasil); in short, it's the place to be!
Playboy G. with the Prada shades and the Dom Rebel shirt
Our jewelery; handmade, straight from the favela's of Brasil
In the daytime the sun is always shining. Fortaleza is characterized by its hotness. the city is a very hot one, making it appropriate for tanning sessions at the beach, or, as we say it: chilling at the praia.
After a hard day of baking in the sun, we have to eat something. what better place is there to go than to Lounge Club & Restaurante La Casa? La casa is a glamorous and by far the most luxurious restaurant in Fortaleza. needless to say, we dined with the crème de la crème.
If you're eating in Fortaleza's most luxurious restaurant, you also have to pay a very luxurious price.
But of course, you can also save some réais and eat at 'the end of Praia the Iracema' at the "Fish Place".
The concept is very simple: you buy your seafood at one place and you take it to a another place (20 meters next to it) where they'll cook it and serve it.
After the shrimps and lobsters, it's time to take it to the next oceanic level.. I'm talking about the level of piracy...
Pirates have been around as long as people have used the oceans as trade routes. back in the old days, pirates were rebellious, clever teams who operated outside the restricting bureaucracy of modern life. they were cold-blooded thieves and cruel murderers..
Nowadays, the definition of piracy has lost its original meaning. nowadays, if you want to experience piracy, you have to go to the infamous Pirata Bar. it's a place of freedom, where happiness is the main philosophy of the house, and where the party never ends.
After partying at Pirata's, we don't go home. no, not yet; first we had to go to another wild club..
Keeping the shield up
Keeping the shirt up
Having fun
Still having fun
That's just funny!
After a wild night partying and a wild night sex, it's time to go to the praia. the night before I met a really nice girl, so the next morning I took her along to Croco Beach.
Like I said before, salesmen always disturb you
The guy on the right sells Fortaleza's finest plants
Later that evening, we had to take care of some "business".
But after business comes pleasure.
Pre-party at our apartment
Main party at the club
After-party at our apartment
For those of you who don't already know it by now, the nightlife in Fortaleza is wild!!! it is absurd. you think Ibiza is crazy? think again! I've been in Ibiza many times before, I've partied all around in Europe; from Amsterdam to Berlin, from Warsaw to Paris. I've been traveling all around Asia; from the lounge-clubs in Kuala Lumpur to the sex-clubs in Bangkok.. let me tell you.. nothing compares to Fortaleza.
Every night shots of tequila
Every night chilling
Every night crazy Italiano's
Every night getting wild
Every night wild sex
Saúde!
Of course we can not have one-night stands all the time. sometimes we have to chill with the boys.
This night was actually pretty special to me. I met J., the same girl who I took to Croco Beach a couple of days earlier. it's a lovely girl and we started spending more time together..
After spending another night with her, I made her breakfast the next morning And later that evening, I took her to the cinema
Another great club in Fortaleza is Órbita. it's not your everyday typical dance-club; it's more like a big café where you can have a chat, play some pool, have a drink or two and just socialize. because honestly, isn't that one of the most important things in life? just being social and spending time with quality people?
Sometimes we don't even have to go out. staying at the apartment and just relax is also a great way of spending time.
But back to regular programming..
My favorite club in Fortaleza has to be Armazem. it's not exactly like the Jimmy Woo, but it's a fun place to spend some quality time and drink a Vodka-Malibu on the rocks. but what is more important, it's the place where I met J. J. is a beautiful girl, she's my love.. YES YOU READ IT CORRECTLY!!! SHE IS MY LOVE. from the first moment of spending time with her, we developed a very intense and very strong connection with each other. I don't go into details, but I can genuinely say that I feel very much for this girl.
People who know me, know that I've had many girlfriends. I'm always in for a one-night stand or a casual relationship. but what I have with J.... trust me.... it's not easy to find something like that. I wanted to find out just how far it can go, so I took her for a trip to Cumbuco, just the two of us. (G. was still drunk from the night before, so he stayed home).
We got up at 8.00 in the morning (horribly early), had sex, took a shower, I made breakfast for the two of us and we went with a buggy to Cumbuco.
Cumbuco is nothing like the party scene in Beira Mar. it's a place where you can be one with the beauty of nature.
Butterfly in my stomach? or just being fly?
The butterfly effect
Flying high
Touch the sky
After one month in paradise, vacation time was over. it was about time to go back to Amsterdam. on our last night, G., J. and myself partied at Armazem.
It was one hell of a vacation!!! it was wild, it was absurd, it was crazy, it was a circus, it was a freakshow!!!
But that night, the strangest thing happened. I was in bed with J. and things started to get very emotional.. she really wanted me to stay longer with her..
So I did..
I didn't use my ticket and while G. took a taxi to the airport, I stayed 2 more weeks in Brasil!!!
But the story gets even more crazy...
Out of an impulse, J. and me packed our bags and went to a different city in Brasil; Canoa Quebrada. let me tell you.. if you have a girlfriend and you want to take her to a nice and romantic place, go to Canoa Quebrada, also known as "the pearl of the east coast". it's totally not like the rest of (dangerous) Brasil. it's a small traditional fishing village, a great and peaceful atmosphere and the people are very friendly.
J. and me stayed in a very simple, yet very comfortable apartment. we had a nice little terrace in front of our house and every night we sat outside and just talked for hours.
Talking and tequila
Tequila and J.'s thong
A work of art
A work of art
The nightlife in Canoa is not as wild as in Fortaleza. but then again, we didn't go to Canoa to party (we already partied more than enough). we went to Canoa to chill, relax and enjoy each other's presence.
That night we didn't leave the bedroom
Canoa Beach is a great place to spend quality time
As a matter of fact, she loves me SO much, she did something very spontaneous.. just to memorize our love..
We were walking on the beach, hand in hand, just talking and being in love.. and then.. out of nowhere, she stops.. looks at me.. and says: 'babyy I love you so much and you are the best thing in my life!!' to make a long story short: she wanted to take a tattoo of my name on her body...
YES YOU READ IT CORRECTLY: she is taking a tattoo with my name!
At first, I was just overwhelmed and didn't know what to say. we talked about how the tattoo would look like. just the initials? the full name? or maybe also with an image?
We looked at each other and we both knew it: a butterfly.
Why a butterfly? ever seen the film The butterfly effect? the film itself is not great or whatever, but the concept is very ground-breaking and true! basically the idea is this: a situations occurs at a certain moment in time, which has an (unknown) effect or consequence at a later moment in time. example: if I didn't meet G. a couple of months ago, we wouldn't go together to Fortaleza. or as S. would say it: 'one situation makes another situation'. if I would not go out to club Armazem, I would not find J. and my life would go into a different direction. (I would take the flight back to Amsterdam with G. instead of staying two more weeks in Canoa with J.)
So the tattoo of the butterfly is a tribute to the idea that it was faith/destiny (or is it coincidence/randomness?) that brought J. and me together. it was for this that we found each other on that particular night, which was the beginning of a development at a later moment in time, hence, the butterfly effect.
We chose this image to be portrayed on her body
The tattoo artist
Now there is nothing...
And now there is no way back.
It's happening!!! my girl is getting my name on her body!!!
The final result: is it beautiful or is it beautiful?
Another day at the beach
And the love story continues...
We went to a restaurant and ate picanha, nothing unusual about that..
After that, I took her to a lounge bar and we had a desert, nothing unusual about that either..
After that, I took her for a late-night romantic walk and I asked her to marry me..
Needless to say, she started crying of happiness and said YES!
Just to make something very clear. Most of you who read this, think it's just a "vacation thing" and that it doesn't mean that much. I'm not here to convince you that she is the love of my life and that she is perfect for me. why would I tell you this? when I say that I love her, you can never feel what I feel. no words and no photos can capture how I truly feel, but believe me: what I feel is very real. of course I realize that all things in life are temporary. because life in itself is temporary. you are being born and within 100 years -more or less- you will die. this is why all things in life -whether it's love or lust- are temporary.. so take it for what it is and enjoy it for as long as it lasts. in my opinion, THAT is the truest definition of Carpe Diem. enjoy the moment very intense, but be able to let go when you've surpassed that moment. sometimes a moment can be a half second -a blink of an eye- and sometimes 'the moment' can last for years.. unfortunately I have no glass bowl (I wouldn't want to have one) and I can not predict the future.
After Canoa Quebrada...
I didn't want to go home. I wanted to stay longer in Canoa. Unfortunately, I already missed two weeks of college and my parents were calling me and sending me emails everyday that I had to come home immediately..
J. and me finally went back to Fortaleza where we stayed for a few more days.
And of course I had to eat the picanha. if you go to Brasil and you didn't eat picanha, you didn't go to Brasil.
On our last night together we decided to go to Armazem. it's the place where we first met.. it's the place where we fell in love..
It's OUR place...
And we OWN the place!
6 weeks vacation in paradise; living the carefree life. enjoying the sun, sea, sand, sex, friendships, clubs, restaurants, drinks, dinners, cinemas, supermarkets, internet café's, taxis, buses, planes, Caipirinha's, Shangrila's, La Casa, borrelhapjes, geheimen, Satéhut, spaghetti's, picanha's, blondes, brunettes, shrimps, lobsters, fish, Mambo do Forro, Armazem, Cafe del Mar, Pirata Bar, Heineken Café, Órbita, Mucuripe, Dragão do Mar, Iguatemi, Aldeota, Smirnoff Ice, Smirnoff vodka, Coke Zero, tequila, Baileys, vodka-Malibu, boobies, strippers, Beira Mar, Cumbuco, rave party, favela's, hit 'n run, policia, Croco Beach, Praia de Iracema, Praia do Futuro, Joe's, coconuts, cervezas, simkaart, beltegoed, Altavista 1104, putana's, one-night stands, thin walls ;), HSBC, ABN internet bankieren, doekoe, réais, sos, jonko, salesmen, Italiano's, breakfast, eggs with blue cheese, bitterballen, gehaktballen, kroket, kibbeling, Spiderman, New York homies, chillen, bouncen, Havaianas, mask, paintings, caixa mágica, 5L aqua, shots, drama, love, buggy, Canoa Quebrada, tattoo, butterfly effect, ordem e progresso, Logus 114, Freedom Bar, pousada do Toby, grillburger, eu te amo, wasps, mosquito's, swimming pool, wedding rings, fiancée, bambino, cortes, buceta, safado, gostoso, best sex ever, it's true!, le petit déjeuner, Piña Colada, Sex on the beach, sheesha, emotions, wat is er?!
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