birthday present. Me and

My Birthday Present My Birthday Present At A Glance Author rebecca Contact rreilly12@hotmail.com When It just happened Artist andres Studio monster Location san pedro, costa rica My birthday was on April 12th, but I found that I couldn't celebrate it as I was at the time involved in "Hairspray", my high school's musical for the year. My schedule was very hectic and I found that I had forgotten my birthday, and so had my parents. And so time passed, I finished the musical, and I decided that I wanted to give myself a birthday present. Me and some other friends involved in Hairspray found ourselves with nothing to do seeing as all of our time had been spent rehearsing. Yesterday I went with my friend Erica to the mall, and we planned on seeing a movie. We looked at our options for a movie, but our options consisted of idiotic movies, such as Miss Congeniality 2 and Son of the Mask, so we wandered around the mall for a while, had a few cigarettes, and then wandered some more. We were completely bored by this time, but I had to be there until 10:30 to wait for my younger sister who was there with her friends. Suddenly, Erica mentioned the fact that she had always wanted a labret piercing, and I decided on the spot that we should go and get pierced right now, that very day and get back to the mall in time to pick up my sister. I immediately called a cab so that we couldn't back out of it. We waited for the cab and shared a cigarette to calm our nerves, as my hands were already shaking and she said that she had the butterflies. I could relate. We were sitting in the cab and I tried to decide which piercing I would get. I wanted to get a vertical labret, but I had promised another friend that we would do that together, so that was automatically out. My tragus? I had already done my inner conch, and I wasn't in the mood to take care of another thick cartilage piercing in my ear. My nipples are also on the waiting line, but I'm waiting for my best friend to come down so that he can be there. Then it struck me... I should get my nose pierced! My father would kill me. This was to be my first facial piercing and I didn't know how he would react. However, my mother would most likely scold me, but secretly like it. So I decided just to go for it. I was doing it for me. It was my birthday present to myself. We stepped into the mall and I took Erica to Monster, a small store which sells clothes as well as does piercings and tattoos. I always loved the vibe of the store. I walked up to Andres and greeted him. I told him that I would like my nose done and that Erica wanted her labret. Erica wanted to go first because she was afraid that if she saw me do it first, she would chicken out. I'm glad it turned out that way because labret piercings hurt much less than nose piercings, and I didn't want her to be afraid. This was her first major piercing. So I held her hand as he did her piercing. It was done very quickly, and I was up. I sat on a metal stool and waited for him to retrieve the sterilized jewelry. A new needle in a package was produced, as well as many other utensils, including a toothpick so he could mark me. When he did, he asked me to look in the mirror to check and see if I liked it. It looked a bit high up to me, but he was the professional so I just let it go. He took out the needle and I gripped Erica's hand. I closed my eyes, and I felt him place the needle on my nose and break the first layer of skin. "Take a deep breath, and exhale." I was sweating. It was hot in the store, but I knew that I was responsible. "Inhale, Exhale." I tightened my grasp on Erica's hand. "Now take a deep breath and hold it!" Oh no! Panic sets in. He shoved the needle through my nose and man, did it HURT! My eyes were watering and my nose was burning. Then the burning subsided and I opened my eyes. I saw that in the mirror there was a needle sticking out diagonally in my nose. It looked so incredible! But then came the part that I feared the most. I've read on BME that putting the jewelry in hurts the most. It was worse than I expected. I think that the jewelry hurt more than the actual piercing. I was on the second day of my period, so my nose wouldn't stop bleeding. Andres explained it, but I can't quite recall his reasoning. I was too happy to pay proper attention. So Erica and I paid and then went to take pictures of our fresh piercings. I'm looking forward to taking care of it and waiting for it to heal so that I can change the stud. I would have preferred a ring, but that would most definitely be out of the question, both at school and with my parents. Now that I look at it in the mirror, I wish that I had told him to move it a bit lower down, but everybody thinks that it looks good where it is. Disclaimer: The experience above was submitted by a BME reader and has not been edited. We can not guarantee that the experience is accurate, truthful, or contains valid or even safe advice. We strongly urge you to use BME and other resources to educate yourself so you can make safe informed decisions. Return to Nose / Nostril

giftinspiration.com The UK Gift

Gifts UK New Baby Anniversary Birthday Gift Hamper Delivery Gifts, Hampers & Presents Delivered For You By giftinspiration.com The UK Gift Delivery Service Top Gifts Baby Gifts Anniversary & Wedding Gifts Get Well Gifts Gifts for Women Gifts for Men Gift Hampers Luxury Chocolates Home Inspired Gifts Gifts for Gardeners Gifts for Children Fun Gifts Photo Albums Jewellery Gifts Pampering Gifts Gourmet Gifts Leather Gifts Birthday Gifts Games Links to all Gift Sections Gift Search Baby Gift Service Anniversary Gift Service Prestat Chocolates Useful Links Customer Feedback Corporate Gift Service How to Order Delivery Options About Us Sending gifts to friends, family, colleagues and clients is easy with giftinspiration.com The UK Gift Delivery Service. Wherever you are in the world, ordering gifts online or by telephone is quick and secure. We have inspired presents and gift ideas for all occasions; gifts for a New Baby, Birthday, Anniversary, Wedding, Christmas presents and gifts to say Get Well Soon or Thank You. For Gift Inspiration, start with a look at some of our most popular gifts or click on the relevant link to one of our gift sections featured here. We deliver gifts to any UK address; England, Scotland (including Highlands & Islands), Wales, Northern Ireland, The Isle of Man, The Channel Islands and BFPO. You can choose Special Delivery to guarantee next working day delivery for gift orders placed by 4pm UK time Monday to Friday. Special Delivery can also guarantee delivery on any future working day, so you can be sure your present will arrive in time for their Anniversary, Birthday, Wedding or any special day. For non-urgent gift orders, you can choose our free delivery option with no minimum value to qualify. For full details of these gift delivery options and timings please click here. Exceptional Service we are passionate about providing the best possible gift delivery service. All the gifts featured on giftinspiration.com are ready to send for you. We can deliver presents direct to your friends, family or colleagues at any convenient UK address, including home, work or hospital. Place your gift order by 4pm Monday to Friday and we can gift wrap, pack and send your gift immediately, ensuring next working day delivery when you choose our Special Delivery option. Corporate Gift Service we offer a dedicated service for Corporate customers and can take care of all your business gift giving requirements for clients and colleagues. From Christmas gifts sent direct to all your customers to a present to celebrate a new baby for a valued member of staff or client, we have inspired gift ideas for all occasions and budgets. For more details of our Corporate Gift Service, please click here. To discuss your specific requirements please telephone Caroline Glazebrook on 01747 820800 or email caroline@giftinspiration.com Welcome a New Baby choose a present for baby and parents and we will arrange everything - from beautiful gift wrapping with a gift tag featuring your greeting to fast delivery at any UK address. We have lots of inspired gift ideas to pamper and treat mother and baby; from baby toys and baby clothing by leading brands including Jellycat and Trousselier, to delicious handmade chocolates and champagne so they can drink a toast to the new arrival. To browse and order gifts for their new baby please click here. Say Happy Anniversary we can deliver a gift from you to celebrate their special anniversary. Simply choose a gift or gifts for husband and wife and we will arrange everything - from beautiful gift wrapping with a gift tag featuring your anniversary greeting and fast delivery to any UK address. We have lots of inspired gift ideas to mark their special day, including Celebration Hampers, special anniversary photo albums and photo frames, luxury chocolates and champagne. To order gifts for an anniversary please click here. Gift Wrap Service we can gift wrap beautifully to make your present extra special. First we wrap each present in two layers of tissue paper, followed by smart silver gift wrap and then we tie it with two satin ribbons. Finally, we include a hand written gift tag with your greeting. All this for just 1.95 per present. For more information on our Gift Wrap Service please click here. Telephone Orders we can inspire you if you're not sure what to send, or if you'd like more information about our gifts and gift delivery service. Please call us on 01747 820 800 (from outside the UK +44 1747 820 800) for friendly, prompt and personal service. Our lines are open from 9am to 5pm UK time Monday to Friday. You can order securely online at any time. Gift Inspiration The UK Gift Delivery Service The Hayloft Building - Berwick Farm Business Park - Salisbury - SP3 5SN Customer Services and telephone orders: 01747 820 800 (lines open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday)

Anniversary Gift Guide 5th

5 Wedding Gift – 5 Year Anniversary Gift – Wood Wedding Gift - Unique Gifts, Personalized Gifts, Luxury Gifts - RedEnvelope -- Gifts Anniversary Gift Guide 5th Anniversary Gifts: Wood - Silverware -- 5 Wedding Gift – 5 Year Anniversary Gift – Wood Wedding Gift Our 5 year wedding gifts include a wide variety of traditional and modern gifts. Whether you are searching for a traditional 5 year anniversary gift of wood, or a modern 5 year wedding gift of silverware, we have a great selection of both. Our wood wedding gifts range from wood anniversary gifts such as our Cigar Sampler in Wooden Box to our Sonoma Wine Rack . Whichever 5 year wedding anniversary gift you choose, the recipient will love your gift for years. 1 showing items 1 - 7 of 7 chopsticks for two laurel jewelry case laurel jewelry tray scrabble cuff links money tree wall-mounted weather station men's accessories box 1 showing items 1 - 7 of 7 -- View our other gift collections: baby gifts , romantic gifts , wedding gifts , graduation gifts , gifts for her , gifts for men , birthday gifts , jewelry gifts , new baby gifts , gifts for mom , affordable gifts , anniversary gifts , gifts for him , gifts for women , men's accessories , wedding anniversary gifts , business gifts . -- Gifts by Occasion • Gifts by Recipient • Online Gifts by Shops • Corporate Gifts Last Minute Gifts • Anniversary Gift Guide • Birthflowers Gift Guide • Birthstones Gift Guide -- ©2005 RedEnvelope, Inc. All rights reserved. The RedEnvelope mark and logo are trademarks of RedEnvelope, Inc. Index .

Valentine Gift

Unique anniversary jewelry, birthday gifts, groomsmen gift ideas search order tracking customer service help my account shopping bag FREE priority shipping on all orders over $150 SHOP BY OCCASION Anniversary Gifts Birthday Gifts Groomsmen Gifts Bridesmaid Gifts Friendship Gifts Congratulations Gifts Good Luck Gifts Romantic Gifts Mother's Day Gifts Father's Day Gifts Christmas Gifts Christmas Ornaments Corporate Gifts Graduation Gifts SHOP BY RECIPIENT Gifts for Men Gifts for Her Gifts for Dad Gifts for Mom Gifts for the Executive Gifts for Friends Gifts for Graduates Gifts for Valentines Gifts for the Home Men's Jewelry Accessories Gifts for Anniversaries Unique Jewelry Irish Gifts SHOP BY PRODUCT Celtic Jewelry Silver Necklaces Silver Bracelets Silver Earrings Gemstone Pendants Gemstone Earrings Silver Cufflinks Yerba Mate Tea Gourds Keychains - Key Rings Leaf Accessories Gold Leaf Pendants Gold Leaf Pins - Brooches Silver Leaf Pendants Silver Leaf Pins - Brooches Searching for extraordinary anniversary gifts? Our Fall Jewelry Collection is really one-of-a-kind. We feature unique necklaces and pins made from real leaves dipped in 24K Gold or pure Silver, Irish Celtic jewelry , handmade silver jewelry and amazing gemstone jewelry. Shop unusual anniversary gifts for men: wonderful silver cufflinks, money clips, keychains, leather cuff bracelets and gourds to drink yerba mate tea. Wonderful birthday gifts and groomsmen gifts too! You will not find these exclusive presents anywhere else! Looking for beautiful bridesmaid gifts and unique groomsmen gifts ? Our silver Celtic cuff links are perfect for your groomsman and our yerba mate gourds make unusual gift ideas for bridesmaids. We feature handmade silver men's jewelry, wonderful presents for your best man. If you are searching for gifts for men you can also find silver bookmarks (a cool gift for him ) and handmade business card boxes, perfect as graduation or corporate gifts. Our Customers speak out: "This was my first purchase with Patagonia Gifts and the service was excellent. The order arrived within a week -most impressive as I live in the UK and it arrived more quickly than my internal mail. I am delighted with my purchase and very impressed with the quality of workmanship; especially as it is a gift for my young daughter. I will certainly buy from this company again and have no hesitation in recommending them to friends and family.", Eleanor M., East Sussex, UK. Read more ... Searching for unique Christmas gifts ? PatagoniaGifts.com is the perfect source for unique gift ideas for Holidays. This year surprise your loved ones with our handmade leaf Christmas ornaments, Celtic jewelry, silver rings, gemstone pendants, silver cufflinks, money clips, bracelets, Celtic necklaces, jewelry boxes, bookmarks and lots of unusual Christmas gift ideas. Discover one-of-a-kind good luck gifts. Wish them good luck in the future and surprise them with unique Irish gifts. We feature beautiful handmade shamrock clover pendants, pins and earrings made from real leaves dipped in 24K Gold and Silver: wonderful good luck gift ideas. Find original holiday gifts for men: keychains, shamrock cuff links, decorated yerba mate gourds or money clips and unique gifts for her: 4 leaf clover silver bracelets, four leaf clover earrings and necklaces. Searching for unique anniversary gift ideas? Choose beautiful romantic gifts for your Valentine from our Celtic Heart Collection: silver bracelets, chokers, earrings and necklaces. They make wonderful Valentines day gifts too! Take a look at our folk art yerba mate tea accessories: leather and alpaca decorated mate gourds and bombilla straws to drink yerba mate tea. They make original gifts for Dad or Fathers day . Browse through our site to find more men's jewelry or guy gifts for your boyfriend. Weddings? Discover real leaves dipped into 100% pure 24k Gold or 1000 Silver that suit perfectly well as wedding accessories. If you are looking for original wedding ideas you will see that your bridesmaids , wedding attendants, mother of the bride and mother of the groom will be delighted by our leaf wedding jewelry! Find perfect birthday gift ideas in our handmade Celtic jewelry and Welsh lovespoons. Patagonia represented the Promised Land for the first settlers who arrived from Wales in 1865. Now they live in Gaiman, the Welsh town in Patagonia. You will also find unique alpaca and silver tea infusers that are perfect as business or executive gifts. Discover beautiful handcrafted tapestries, table runners and wall hangings inspired by Mapuche (South American native) art. They are lovely presents for mom or Mother's day ! Each one is made with 100% natural wool, hand spinned in a traditional "rueca" (spinning wheel), dyed with natural vegetal materials and weaved on a hand loom. Find original Christmas decor gifts too! We are retailers of unique gifts and handmade jewelry since 1997. All of our products represent the finest quality and highest standard of craftsmanship. Every gift is individually handcrafted by creative artisans from Patagonia, one item at a time, ensuring that every piece is as individual as the person who wears it. about PatagoniaGifts | contact | return policy | shipping | testimonials | site map | resources Patagonia Gifts United Kingdom Privacy Notice 2000-2005 Patagonia Gifts . All rights reserved. Birthday & wedding anniversary gift ideas: Unique gifts, Celtic jewelry, groomsmen gifts, yerba mate tea gourds, silver bracelets, earrings, pins and necklaces.

Christmas Gift

The Gift of the Magi THE GIFT OF THE MAGI by O. Henry One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. Andsixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and twoat a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man andthe butcher until one's cheeks burned with the silentimputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty- sevencents. And the next day would be Christmas. There was clearly nothing to do but flop down on theshabby little couch and howl. So Della did it. Whichinstigates the moral reflection that life is made up ofsobs, sniffles, and smiles, with sniffles predominating. While the mistress of the home is gradually subsidingfrom the first stage to the second, take a look at the home.A furnished flat at $8 per week. It did not exactly beggardescription, but it certainly had that word on the lookoutfor the mendicancy squad. In the vestibule below was a letter-box into which noletter would go, and an electric button from which no mortalfinger could coax a ring. Also appertaining thereunto was acard bearing the name "Mr. James Dillingham Young." The "Dillingham" had been flung to the breeze during aformer period of prosperity when its possessor was beingpaid $30 per week. Now, when the income was shrunk to $20,though, they were thinking seriously of contracting to amodest and unassuming D. But whenever Mr. James DillinghamYoung came home and reached his flat above he was called"Jim" and greatly hugged by Mrs. James Dillingham Young,already introduced to you as Della. Which is all very good. Della finished her cry and attended to her cheeks withthe powder rag. She stood by the window and looked out dullyat a gray cat walking a gray fence in a gray backyard.Tomorrow would be Christmas Day, and she had only $1.87 withwhich to buy Jim a present. She had been saving every pennyshe could for months, with this result. Twenty dollars aweek doesn't go far. Expenses had been greater than she hadcalculated. They always are. Only $1.87 to buy a present forJim. Her Jim. Many a happy hour she had spent planning forsomething nice for him. Something fine and rare andsterling--something just a little bit near to being worthyof the honor of being owned by Jim. There was a pier-glass between the windows of the room.Perhaps you have seen a pier-glass in an $8 flat. A very thin and very agile person may, by observing his reflection in arapid sequence of longitudinal strips, obtain a fairlyaccurate conception of his looks. Della, being slender, hadmastered the art. Suddenly she whirled from the window and stood beforethe glass. her eyes were shining brilliantly, but her facehad lost its color within twenty seconds. Rapidly she pulleddown her hair and let it fall to its full length. Now, there were two possessions of the James DillinghamYoungs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim'sgold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's.The other was Della's hair. Had the queen of Sheba lived inthe flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hairhang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been thejanitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement,Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed,just to see him pluck at his beard from envy. So now Della's beautiful hair fell about her ripplingand shining like a cascade of brown waters. It reached belowher knee and made itself almost a garment for her. And thenshe did it up again nervously and quickly. Once she falteredfor a minute and stood still while a tear or two splashed onthe worn red carpet. On went her old brown jacket; on went her old brownhat. With a whirl of skirts and with the brilliant sparklestill in her eyes, she fluttered out the door and down thestairs to the street. Where she stopped the sign read: "Mne. Sofronie. HairGoods of All Kinds." One flight up Della ran, and collectedherself, panting. Madame, large, too white, chilly, hardlylooked the "Sofronie." "Will you buy my hair?" asked Della. "I buy hair," said Madame. "Take yer hat off and let'shave a sight at the looks of it." Down rippled the brown cascade. "Twenty dollars," said Madame, lifting the mass with apractised hand. "Give it to me quick," said Della. Oh, and the next two hours tripped by on rosy wings.Forget the hashed metaphor. She was ransacking the storesfor Jim's present. She found it at last. It surely had been made for Jimand no one else. There was no other like it in any of thestores, and she had turned all of them inside out. It was aplatinum fob chain simple and chaste in design, properlyproclaiming its value by substance alone and not by meretriciousornamentation--as all good things should do. Itwas even worthy of The Watch. As soon as she saw it she knewthat it must be Jim's. It was like him. Quietness andvalue--the description applied to both. Twenty-one dollarsthey took from her for it, and she hurried home with the 87cents. With that chain on his watch Jim might be properlyanxious about the time in any company. Grand as the watchwas, he sometimes looked at it on the sly on account of theold leather strap that he used in place of a chain. When Della reached home her intoxication gave way alittle to prudence and reason. She got out her curling ironsand lighted the gas and went to work repairing the ravagesmade by generosity added to love. Which is always atremendous task, dear friends--a mammoth task. Within forty minutes her head was covered with tiny,close-lying curls that made her look wonderfully like a truantschoolboy. She looked at her reflection in the mirrorlong, carefully, and critically. "If Jim doesn't kill me," she said to herself, "beforehe takes a second look at me, he'll say I look like a ConeyIsland chorus girl. But what could I do--oh! what could Ido with a dollar and eighty- seven cents?" At 7 o'clock the coffee was made and the frying-pan wason the back of the stove hot and ready to cook the chops. Jim was never late. Della doubled the fob chain in herhand and sat on the corner of the table near the door thathe always entered. Then she heard his step on the stair away down on the first flight, and sheturned white for just a moment. She had a habit for sayinglittle silent prayer about the simplest everyday things, andnow she whispered: "Please God, make him think I am stillpretty." The door opened and Jim stepped in and closed it. Helooked thin and very serious. Poor fellow, he was onlytwenty-two--and to be burdened with a family! He needed anew overcoat and he was without gloves. Jim stopped inside the door, as immovable as a setterat the scent of quail. His eyes were fixed upon Della, andthere was an expression in them that she could not read, andit terrified her. It was not anger, nor surprise, nordisapproval, nor horror, nor any of the sentiments that shehad been prepared for. He simply stared at her fixedly withthat peculiar expression on his face. Della wriggled off the table and went for him. "Jim, darling," she cried, "don't look at me that way.I had my hair cut off and sold because I couldn't have livedthrough Christmas without giving you a present. It'll growout again--you won't mind, will you? I just had to do it. Myhair grows awfully fast. Say `Merry Christmas!' Jim, andlet's be happy. You don't know what a nice-- what abeautiful, nice gift I've got for you." "You've cut off your hair?" asked Jim, laboriously, asif he had not arrived at that patent fact yet even after thehardest mental labor. "Cut it off and sold it," said Della. "Don't you likeme just as well, anyhow? I'm me without my hair, ain't I?" Jim looked about the room curiously. "You say your hair is gone?" he said, with an airalmost of idiocy. "You needn't look for it," said Della. "It's sold, Itell you--sold and gone, too. It's Christmas Eve, boy. Begood to me, for it went for you. Maybe the hairs of my headwere numbered," she went on with sudden serious sweetness,"but nobody could ever count my love for you. Shall I putthe chops on, Jim?" Out of his trance Jim seemed quickly to wake. Heenfolded his Della. For ten seconds let us regard withdiscreet scrutiny some inconsequential object in the otherdirection. Eight dollars a week or a million a year--what isthe difference? A mathematician or a wit would give you thewrong answer. The magi brought valuable gifts, but that wasnot among them. This dark assertion will be illuminatedlater on. Jim drew a package from his overcoat pocket and threwit upon the table. "Don't make any mistake, Dell," he said, "about me. Idon't think there's anything in the way of a haircut or ashave or a shampoo that could make me like my girl any less.But if you'll unwrap that package you may see why you had megoing a while at first." White fingers and nimble tore at the string and paper.And then an ecstatic scream of joy; and then, alas! a quickfeminine change to hysterical tears and wails, necessitatingthe immediate employment of all the comforting powers of thelord of the flat. For there lay The Combs--the set of combs, side andback, that Della had worshipped long in a Broadway window.Beautiful combs, pure tortoise shell, with jewelledrims--just the shade to wear in the beautiful vanished hair.They were expensive combs, she knew, and her heart hadsimply craved and yearned over them without the least hopeof possession. And now, they were hers, but the tresses thatshould have adorned the coveted adornments were gone. But she hugged them to her bosom, and at length she wasable to look up with dim eyes and a smile and say: "My hairgrows so fast, Jim!" And them Della leaped up like a little singed cat andcried, "Oh, oh!" Jim had not yet seen his beautiful present. She held itout to him eagerly upon her open palm. The dull preciousmetal seemed to flash with a reflection of her bright andardent spirit. "Isn't it a dandy, Jim? I hunted all over town to findit. You'll have to look at the time a hundred times a daynow. Give me your watch. I want to see how it looks on it." Instead of obeying, Jim tumbled down on the couch andput his hands under the back of his head and smiled. "Dell," said he, "let's put our Christmas presents awayand keep 'em a while. They're too nice to use just atpresent. I sold the watch to get the money to buy yourcombs. And now suppose you put the chops on." The magi, as you know, were wise men--wonderfully wisemen--who brought gifts to the Babe in the manger. Theyinvented the art of giving Christmas presents. Being wise,their gifts were no doubt wise ones, possibly bearing theprivilege of exchange in case of duplication. And here Ihave lamely related to you the uneventful chronicle of twofoolish children in a flat who most unwisely sacrificed foreach other the greatest treasures of their house. But in alast word to the wise of these days let it be said that ofall who give gifts these two were the wisest. O all who giveand receive gifts, such as they are wisest. Everywhere theyare wisest. They are the magi. Return to Christmas Poems and Stories Hypertext format ©1996 Rosemary (Rosie) Winters rosiec@night.net . All rights reserved.