Schuetz

George was a runner. A quarter-miler. One of the best.

His club, South London Harriers, wrote to his RAF Commanding Officer to explain that George was an athlete. George was put in charge of the squadrons athletic team.

George won the London Championship and his County Championship. But a muscle sprain and an uncomfortable night, trying to sleep on a hard wooden floor, probably cost him the All England Championship at Bath in 1949. George came second.

His hand-crafted running spikes sit beside me in my study.

George was a boxer.

From the time I was a young boy, we used to spar together. Hed be pretty gentle until Id catch him off guard with a punch. Then hed really show me how to do it!

His boxing gloves hang in my study.

George loved tennis.

His old wooden tennis rackets were put to good use when we used them to practice badminton in the back garden. Once Id learnt to control a heavy tennis racket, using a lightweight badminton racket seemed easy.

One of those old rackets stands in the corner.

George taught me to run and to swim. To cycle and to play chess. We joined a badminton club. We played squash and Monopoly. Holidays were spent playing cricket, learning to row and flying kites. We queued up for hours in the cold and the rain to get tickets to see Sutton United play Leeds in the 4th round of the FA Cup. I sat on his knee to watch Henry Cooper knock down Muhammed Ali. We revelled in England winning the World Cup. And my first attempts at golf were with George.

When my children were small it seemed perfectly natural to enjoy sport with them too. Cycling, running, football, netball, badminton, tennis, rugby, swimming; not to mention endless indoor games. Whilst other children were hanging around the streets, mine were too busy training and looking after themselves.

Sport and sportsmanship is ingrained in our lives thanks to George.

Yesterday, I was with George when he was diagnosed as suffering from cerebral atrophy. We didnt understand exactly what the doctor was telling us but a leaflet with the tablets she prescribed said Alzheimers.

George and I are lucky. Were into extra time and were going to play this game the way it should be played. Right up to the final whistle.

I love you Dad.

At the end of a first date comes that awkward moment when you must decide if you want to kiss her or not.

Also, if you do kiss her it had better be good to make a favorable impression. It may not be fair, but some single women will judge you on your first kiss as to whether she would be attracted to you want to date you again. In other words, she must feel some chemistry when she kisses you.

If you are a lousy kisser, then you're going to be a failure at creating good chemistry between you and your date. Is chemistry important on a first date? You bet it is! And if you're a great kisser, you're going to turn her on and have an edge on the other guys that date her that are lousy kissers.

So, just exactly what makes a good kisser and kisses that single women that you go out with won't forget? The key is to be soft and gentle and follow her lead...that's all there is to it.

If you really want to turn her off and blow your chances for more romance and future dates with her, do these things:

• Drooling all over her mouth while kissing. Women don't like wet or sloppy kisses.
• While kissing, you keep your lips stiff and rigid. You've got to keep your lips soft and sensuous. She needs to be able to feel your lips. If they are hard as a rock it will feel like kissing a rock to her.
• Keeping your lips closed. Please guys, open your lips! Women don't enjoy kissing just a slit on a guys face.
• And most importantly, don't be stingy with your tongue. Give it to her and play tongue hockey with her. Let her suck on your tongue if that's what she likes. Whatever you do, don't try to gag her with your tongue. Just use it gently and don't try to stick it down her throat.
• If you don't know how to kiss properly, I would suggest practicing on the back of your hand. Pretend that you are kissing a hot & sexy beautiful woman that you're dying to become intimate with. You could also practice kissing yourself on the mirror.

In closing, if you really want to succeed with single women in the love and romance department, you must be a good kisser.

Have you ever watched a speaker and said, "Wow, I wish I could speak like that"? or "That person was just so wonderful. I could never do that." Well, I've got some good news for you. You too can be a public speaker. Public speaking is a learned skill, so anyone can do it. You just need to follow some simple steps and practice, practice, practice. If you know how to talk, you can become a public speaker.

Becoming really good at public speaking requires some risk, but you have been taking risks all your life. When you were a toddler, you risked falling down when you took your first steps. You risk scraping your knees or falling when you start roller blading. You risk falling off when you start bike riding. You risk being rejected when you ask someone out on a date, and you risk getting into an accident every time you drive your car.

If you gave up after your first fall, you'd still be crawling. If you were afraid to fall off your bike, you'd still be riding with training wheels. If you were afraid of getting into an accident, you'd never get behind the wheel of a car. And guess what, you're still here - you've survived all of that. You're risk takers!! You've proved that by coming to Toastmasters. The greatest fear is that of public speaking and here you are - wanting to learn how to do it.

How many of you enjoy watching figure skating? Now, you wouldn't expect to be a world class figure skater the minute you put on a pair of skates, would you? No, you'd expect to have to practice for years before becoming that good. Nor would you expect to make the NHL without years and years of winter and summer hockey.

How many of you enjoy watching racing? Would you expect to be another Mario Andretti the minute you get behind the wheel? Now, I will admit that there seem to be a few drivers out there who think they are Mario, but most people would expect to have to practice for years before reaching his status.

Now, I think everyone here knows how to walk. When you think of walking 25 miles, it seems like a long distance, but it is actually only putting one foot in front of the other a number of times and you know how to do that. It just takes practice to go the distance. It's the same thing with public speaking. It just takes putting one word after another.

The key to getting up in front of an audience is believing that you have something to share with them that may make a difference in their lives - by entertaining them, warning them, encouraging them, or giving them direction or information.

The great thing is - you all do have something to say that people would be interested in hearing. Each of you has come through life in a different way. You may have encountered difficult circumstances and survived. Your experience could help someone else in the same situation.

If you remember jokes or enjoy telling stories to your friends, practice a little more and soon you can be telling your jokes and stories to large audiences. If you are really good at something, consider sharing the steps of how you got there.

By following the steps outlined in the Toastmasters' manuals, and with the encouragement of fellow Toastmasters, you can learn how to craft a speech and how to deliver it. You can learn how to use props, how to modulate your voice, and how to use words that your audience will understand.

You will often hear the words "stage time" used by Toastmasters. That is the only way to get better. In order to be good at anything, you have to practice. Winston Churchill overcame a speech impediment to become a master orator. He had to practice for hours to deliver a speech.

You can get very discouraged if you expect to be as good as Zig Ziglar right away. But if you listen to his story, you will find that it took a very long time before he was able to do what he does so well.

The thing to remember is that the only person you need to compare yourself to is you. You are working for your personal best, so when you are preparing your speech and practicing, all you need to ask yourself is - is your second speech better in some way than your first? Did you learn something new as you prepared for your speech? Did you learn something from the evaluative comments of others after you gave your speech? Then, that's all you need to do. You can use what you've learned to make the next speech your best to date and then use the same process for each speech you give. Just take one step at a time.

Remember, public speaking is a skill, so anyone can learn to do it. You just need to be taught how and then practice, practice, practice. Then one day someone may watch you and say, "Wow, I wish I could speak like that."

One of the most valued kinds of clocks on earth are grandfather clocks. Bulova grandfather clocks and Howard Miller grandfather clocks are some of the most sought after names in clocks and you can get your own antique grandfather clocks on the internet or from a wonderful antique store. There are also plenty of modern wholesale grandfather clocks for you to choose from on and offline.

When you are shopping for grandfather clocks you will first need to see where in your home or business you want to keep said clocks. Did you want one that can fit on a shelf or do you have a special corner that you want to put one in? Take some time and some measurements and then you will be able to make the right decisions about the grandfather clocks that will look the best in your home or office.

Grandfather clocks, especially pearl grandfather clocks, will add class and elegance to any home or office quickly and easily. Everyone will fall prey to the charms of your clocks in no time. German grandfather clocks are one of the most favorable of all grandfather clocks. They are known throughout the world for their beauty and accuracy. Many of the older grandfather clocks were not the most accurate clocks in the world but the more modern discount grandfather clocks will always keep good time.

Some people are not really concerned with the fact that their grandfather clocks cannot tell time accurately. In fact, most people who buy Howard Miller grandfather clocks and Bulova grandfather clocks buy them not for the time aspect but for looks. Looks are important, it is a simple fact and your grandfather clocks will bring all kinds of joy and happiness to your home and dcor.

Wholesale grandfather clocks are easy to find and purchase online. If you have always wanted to get some antique grandfather clocks or modern discount grandfather clocks you will be able to do that all online in just a few seconds. By doing a quick search online you can pull up tons of great stores where you can buy your grandfather clocks. It does not matter if you are looking for pearl grandfather clocks, German grandfather clocks, Bulova grandfather clocks, Howard Miller grandfather clocks, antique grandfather clocks or even discount grandfather clocks or wholesale grandfather clocks, you will find it all online. And when you are thinking about making a purchase as large and important as a grandfather clock it is vital that you save money where you can.

Maintenance of grandfather clocks should never be too much of an issue. Everyone can simply call on a clocksmith to come in and fix anything that goes wrong with grandfather clocks. This should not cost too much money, but it will depend on what the actual problem is. Most of the good grandfather clocks will not need a lot of work, but like anything else in the world, parts do wear out over time and you may need to repair the odd piece from time to time.

Government auto auctions:

Ever pull up to a late model Mercedes, or fully loaded BMW and catch yourself daydreaming about how that person had enough good fortune to be able to own such a remarkable luxury car? He might have purchased his ride from a government auto auction for a fraction of its retail value. As a matter of fact, he might be that one neighbor with all the toys in the garage you cant quite figure out how he can afford. Dont keep up with the Joneses BE the Joneses. Find and attend government auto auctions near you!

Government seized auto auctions:

Government seized auto auctions are constantly supplied by criminals when they are caught. The government seizes cars and anything else the criminal owns, and there arent too many drug dealers driving Ford Escorts! The government routinely seizes high-end luxury cars or highly customized vehicles during criminal investigations. These autos seized by the government include Acura, BMW, Cadillac, Honda, Infiniti, Lexus, Mercedes, Nissan, and the occasional exotic import Aston Martin, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati. If you are interested in a high end vehicle, but dont care for the retail price tag, then government seized auto auctions are for you. To find a government seized auto auction near you, check within DEAauctions.COM "Members area" today!

Government fleet vehicles:

Government fleet vehicles are the retired police cars and government service vehicles that are replaced at regular intervals. Government auto auctions include many government fleet vehicles. These tend to be domestic cars with high mileage, but regularly maintained. Unlike the government seized autos, you are more likely to receive vehicle history with a government fleet vehicles purchase. If vehicle history is important to you, ask before the auto auction begins for the information. Click here for more auction hints.

Government surplus autos:

Government surplus autos can be a combination of government fleet vehicles and government seized vehicles. These cars do not necessarily have higher mileage, they are simply no longer needed by the government. These can be passenger vehicles, decoy vehicles used by law enforcement, heavy equipment or even motorcycles and ATVs or snowmobiles. When a vehicle is no longer needed, it becomes a government surplus vehicle, available at a government surplus autos auction. For a listing of surplus autos auctions check out your local government auto auctions events.

A Final Word About government auto auctions

There are literally thousands of bargains available at government auto auctions. These bargains could be in your own backyard, and you may not even know it. Whether you need a car for yourself and dont want to spend a lot, or you have a teenager with a new license, government auto auctions offer some of the best values in the car auction market. All makes and models are available that second car can become a reality without sacrificing safety or style to keep your wallet intact. With the high cost of storing cars, governments want to liquidate their surplus auto inventory as quickly as possible to save money. If you want to rack up the savings on your next government auto auctions purchase, click here.

Direct Access to the Most Complete InformationSome of the more common auction items include:

used autos marine vehicles jet skis aircrafts homes real estate commercial property farm equipment industrial business electronics computers antiques art coins stamps appliances guns travel collectibles clothing crafts boats bikes motorcycles mobile homes jewelry toys cars trucks mopeds bicycles cameras televisions clocks furniture unclaimed property abandoned property personal property office furniture condominiums town homes commercial property vacant land single family homes machinery tools hardware building supplies

and much, much more...