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Lifestyle London 'call girl' gives up
blog
Photo: Belle recounted her preparations like stocking rinsing The infamous call girl who recorded her liaisons and encounters with clients on her web diary, or blog, has signed off. Belle de Jour captured the wave of blogging and earned notoriety for the sometimes explicit online accounts. Furious speculation surrounded her real identity, whether she was even female, with many believing it to be a hoax. Last year, the blog earned a Guardian newspaper award and Belle was also signed up for a book deal based on her apparent experiences as a call girl. "The time will never be right to finish the diary - so I am ending it now," Belle wrote on the blog. Aside from the titillating and sometimes explicit details which were recounted in the blog about clients, meetings, and preparations, it was a draw for fans because of its immediacy.
Hoax claims: After Belle won the newspaper award, there was fervent speculation about her real-life identity, with some suggesting the blog was a hoax by a journalist. Belle responded by posting a message saying: "Yes, I really am a call girl ... A bored journalist could probably fake this blog but I'm not that clever." Several well-known writers were suggested by newspaper reports, but they all denied any involvement. The speculation resulted in another website, called iambelledejour.com, which gave people the chance to confess to being Belle. Announcing that she was giving up her blog, Belle wrote: "When this blog started it was with no expectations. "I've never lived my life to a plan aside from enjoying myself and have (for the most part) enjoyed doing this." She added: "Thank you to everyone who supported me. Thank you to the critics as well. I wish you all a sweet new year. "If I could add one thing, it would be this - don't ever turn down pleasure because you were afraid of what other people might say." Blogs, or weblogs, have grown in popularity over the last 18 months. Essentially, they are an easy way for people to publish diaries online. The journal or diary sits on a web page and can be read by anyone with access to the net. Several companies provide free blogs, including Blogger and LiveJournal among many others. They usually consist of personal web pages, which are usually updated daily, and include a mixture of diary, links to other blogs, and interactive elements.
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WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT DO ON YOUR FIRST DATE Dating is a delicate dance filled with subtle nuances of etiquette. Who among us hasn't had a great time on a first date, only to never hear from that person again. What went wrong? Well, the answer depends on who you ask, so we went to our resident dating experts for insight. Bob Berkeblit and Amanda Ting have always got something to say on relationship issues, even if they can rarely agree. This time, Bobby and Amanda square off on what NOT to do on a first date. Because you really never do get a second chance to make a first impression, check out these tips for surviving a first date, and maybe even scoring a second one. Bob is single and still looking for the perfect woman. He thought he may have found one at Toronto Fashion Week but, alas, it wasn't to be. Silly model! Amanda vividly recalls many disastrous first dates, before meeting her current beau. WHAT WOMEN SHOULD AVOID, ACCORDING TO MEN. STUFF, MEN DON'T LIKE AT ALL: 1. Don't look back: Ladies, we don't care about your ex-boyfriends, and we don't want to hear about them. Really. There's nothing worse than being compared to someone you just broke up with. 2. Don't figure on a free ride: It is said a man always picks up the tab on a first date, but don’t assume that. A woman should at least offer to pay and show a desire to contribute. 3. Don't forget to listen 4. Don't get ahead of yourself: Don’t plan your future with him on the first date. Some women talk about things they have planned and start working you (the man they only just met!) into the equation. i.e. telling you about the cottage her family owns and that you would have fun up there next weekend. Woah, Nelly. Let's wait and see if I still know you then... 5. Don't answer the phone WHAT MEN SHOULD AVOID, ACCORDING TO WOMEN. STUFF, WOMEN DON'T LIKE AT ALL: 1. Don't ask her to pick you up: If you have your own wheels, offer to pick her up. If she declines and would prefer to meet you, or even offers to pick you up, then it's cool. But you don't want to mess things up before they've even started. 2. Don't be late: Plan accordingly, or at least call if the unavoidable happens (and we’re talking traffic jam/Mom calls as you're on your way out/flat tire sort of unavoidable). A girl likes her date to be on time, even if she's not. 3. Play nice: If you go to a restaurant, be nice to the wait staff. While they are there to serve you food, they are not your servants. They deserve your courtesy. If you're rude, your date will think that's how you treat everyone and won’t give you a glimmer of hope at a second date. .4. To pay, or not to pay: If you asked her out, don't let her pay. If she's a considerate date she'll reach for her wallet and offer to help, but don't take her up on this. TRUST ME. If you like her, just tell her she can pay next time. It's a nice segue to ask for a second date. |
