What I Really Know About First Dates
by Denise Rucci, Bend, OR; reprinted from AARP Bulletin May 2013
My first date never happened. I was 14 and in the eighth grade, but had been in love with Jimmy since age 11. He went to a different school, but lived a block away and across the street from my best friend. Toward the end of the school year, the most popular girl in my grade invited me to her birthday sleepover. When I arrived at the girl's house, I discovered it was not your typical girls-up-all-night party. I was led down to the basement, where in the dark my entire class, boys and girls, were sprawled everywhere, kissing up a storm. At first, I wanted to run, but then I got an idea. When the popular girl stopped kissing long enough, I asked her if I could invite Jimmy to the party. "Absolutely," she replied. I sat on her bed, staring at the phone, waiting for my hand to stop shaking long enough to dial. Once I dialed, the phone rang and rang, but no one answered. I dialed again and again for two hours before finally giving up. By the time I got back to the party, all of the boys were gone and our girls-up-all-night party was in full swing.
Fast forward to present-day social media. I am able to type in Jimmy's name, and his profile appears. I send a friend request, and it is promptly accepted. I can view Jimmy's images on his profile, where I meet his wife, children and pets. Because we are able to chat back and forth, I decide to tell Jimmy about that birthday party. When I get his reply, I'm shocked. "I would have come," he said. So, even though my first date never happened, I'm glad it happened the way it did. I was spared the awkward first kiss and the gossip that would have followed. And although I had to wait a while, I learned that my affections were not in vain.
50th Anniversaries, Holidays, National Observances and Birthdays
50th anniversaries
Feb. 2
Hasbro debuts G.I. Joe, "America's movable fighting man." The company opens the doll market to boys by branding the toys "action figures."
Feb. 7
"Beatlemania" erupts in the United States when 3,000 screaming fans greet the "Fab Four" as they arrive at New York's Kennedy Airport for their first American tour. It's six days after the quartet first vaults to the top of the U.S. singles chart with "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and two days before an estimated 73 million U.S. television viewers watch their debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
Feb. 17
The U.S. Supreme Court issues its landmark "one person, one vote" decision in Wesberry v. Sanders, requiring states to draw U.S. congressional districts so that they are approximately equal in population.
Feb. 25
Cassius Clay, 22, knocks out world heavyweight champion Sonny Liston in Miami Beach to win the title he will hold until 1967. Shortly after the bout Clay joins the Nation of Islam, and on March 6 he is renamed Muhammad Ali.
February national months, observances and holidays
African American/Black History Month
American Heart Month
National AMD/Low Vision Awareness Month
National Children's Dental Health Month
Feb. 1: National Freedom Day
Feb. 2: Groundhog Day
Feb. 2: Super Bowl XLVIII
Feb. 14: Valentine's Day
Feb. 17: Presidents' Day
February milestone birthdays
5 things you didn't know about Chris Gardner, stockbroker, motivational speaker, philanthropist, author of "The Pursuit of Happyness," AARP Ambassador of Pursuit and Happyness (born Feb. 9, 1954)
He grew up in Milwaukee, where his mother's family had settled after their car broke down on the way to Canada (or at least that's the story).
He decided to become a stockbroker after a chance meeting in a parking lot with the driver of a red Ferrari, who revealed to him that he was a stockbroker.
To portray Gardner accurately during his period of homelessness in the 1980s, "Pursuit of Happyness" star Will Smith lost 25 pounds to appear more gaunt.
Gardner made a cameo appearance in the 2008 comedy film "The Promotion," directed by "Pursuit of Happyness" screenwriter Steve Conrad.
The vanity license plate on the Ferrari he bought from Michael Jordan reads "Not MJ."
50
Feb. 5: Laura Linney (actress)
Feb. 10: Glenn Beck
Feb. 11: Sarah Palin
Feb. 18: Matt Dillon
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Feb. 2: Christie Brinkley
Feb. 9: Chris Gardner
Feb. 15: Matt Groening
Feb. 17: Rene Russo
Feb. 18: John Travolta
Feb. 20: Patty Hearst
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Feb. 5: Al Kooper (musician, songwriter)
Feb. 9: Alice Walker (author, poet)
Feb. 13: Stockard Channing
Feb. 13: Jerry Springer
Feb. 14: Carl Bernstein
Feb. 22: Jonathan Demme (filmmaker, producer, screenwriter)
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Feb. 5: Hank Aaron
Feb. 11: Tina Louise (Ginger, "Gilligan's Island")
Feb. 12: Bill Russell
Feb. 13: George Segal
Feb. 14: Florence Henderson
Feb. 17: Barry Humphries, a.k.a. "Dame Edna"
Feb. 20: Bobby Unser (race-car driver)
Feb. 27: Ralph Nader
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Feb. 20: Gloria Vanderbilt
Freebies, Scams and Savings Tips
February free stuff
Monthlong: Tax return preparation by AARP volunteers for low-to middle-income filers. For nearby locations, call 888-227-7669 or visit aarp.org/applications/VMISLocator/searchTaxAideLocations.action.
Monthlong: These sites may offer free "simple" federal tax returns: Express1040.com, Free File (irs.gov/uac/Free-File:-Do-Your-Federal-Taxes-for-Free), TaxAct.com and TurboTax (turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/online/free-edition.jsp).
Yearlong Freebies
Books, CDs, DVDs, Internet access, classes and lectures: At 17,000 public libraries across the country.
Cash back: Rebate websites such as BeFrugal.com, CouponCactus.com, Ebates.com and Extrabux.com pay back a percentage of online purchases from select retailers.
Computer security software: Avast! (avast.com/index), AVG ()
New London, Wis.
The annual beer-tasting event offers local and international beers, as well as wines and other beverages. Admission.
Feb. 22-23
Chocolate Wine Trail
(hermannwinetrail.com)
Hermann, Mo.
Wineries along the Wine Trail, which spans 20 miles along the Missouri River between Hermann and New Haven, offer tastings of chocolate treats and wines. Admission (note that it sells out quickly).
Diet, Health and Recipes
February health tip of the month
Flossing may protect you from Alzheimer's disease, says a recent British study that found bacteria from gum disease in brain samples of some people who died of Alzheimer's but not in those from people who died of other, non-dementia related, causes. So while you're sampling Valentine's Day chocolate, we're going to nag you just like your dentist would: You need to floss more!
February superfood of the month: Coffee
In American Heart Month, choose coffee. That's because the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study found that people who drank coffee were less likely to die from heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, injuries and accidents, diabetes and infections. Coffee may also help protect women from breast and other cancers; for example, those who drank two cups a day had a lower incidence of breast cancer compared with those who drank little or no coffee daily. Other research found that those who drank three to five cups of coffee a day in their 40s and 50s had a 65 percent lower rate of developing Alzheimer's than those who drank two cups a day. Remember, this doesn't pertain to the sugar-and fat-filled coffee drinks you get at the corner coffee shop. There is some evidence that raw-unroasted-green coffee can lower blood pressure in those with mild hypertension. Be sure to check with your doctor.
February fitness tip of the month
Exercising with a friend or family member can help keep you motivated, particularly during what feels like winter's coldest, darkest month. But what happens if you don't have a reliable exercise buddy? A new study finds that exercising with a virtual partner can be just as effective. The Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect gaming systems not only track your body's movements in real time but also let you "work out" with a virtual friend. Try Zumba Fitness, Just Dance or UFC Personal Trainer for a fun, invigorating workout.
Medical breakthrough of the month: More effective, less toxic drug for advanced breast cancer
On Feb. 22, 2013, the Food and Drug Administration approved Kadcyla, a new type of drug that combines the common breast cancer drug Herceptin with a powerful medicine that targets tumor cells but spares healthy ones. (Herceptin alone interferes with the growth of cancer cells but can also affect normal cells, causing fever, pain, swelling, trouble breathing and heart problems.) Researchers hope the new drug will extend the survival of women with advanced breast cancer while reducing side effects. Such advancement, however, comes with a stiff price: the drug's developer Genentech said it will cost $9,800 a month-about twice the price of Herceptin alone. A number of insurers may cover the drug if patients qualify. Currently, Kadcyla is approved for use only after a patient has already failed to respond to Herceptin and taxane, another class of chemotherapy drug.
February recipe of the month: Dark Chocolate Covered Strawberry Tart
This chocolate-covered dessert takes a little effort, but it's perfect for Valentine's Day-and has "I love you" written all over it.
By blogger Jen Bernstein, localappetiteny.com, @localappetiteny, from AARP's ThinkFood: Recipes for Brain Fitness (Posit Science), aarp.org/ThinkFoodCookbook.
Serves 7-8
INGREDIENTS
Chocolate Tart Dough
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 8 pieces
½ cup + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 egg yolk
Dark Chocolate Topping
6½ ounces high-quality dark chocolate (70% preferable), chopped
¾ cup light cream
1 egg yolk
Extra dark chocolate for shavings on top for decoration
Strawberry Filling
½ cup strawberry jam
2 baskets of strawberries, sliced (or enough to cover bottom of tart shell)
DIRECTIONS
Chocolate Tart Dough
Sift together flour and the cocoa powder. Set aside.
Cream butter and powdered sugar in a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer. When well beaten, add the egg yolk and beat until blended. Add half the flour/cocoa mixture and beat in until it becomes crumbly. Add the remaining flour/cocoa and mix in just until dough holds together.
Form dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Remove dough from refrigerator and roll out the dough between two sheets of plastic wrap to ⅛ inch thickness. If it crumbles, just press it back together. (The plastic wrap should help it stay together as you roll.)
Gently place dough in a tart pan, and use your fingertips to press the sides into the bottom to make sure it is well fitted. Using your rolling pin, roll over the top of the tart shell to cut off any excess dough and give you a neat edge. Prick all over the base of the dough with a fork. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake chilled tart until crust is dry to the touch, about 15 minutes. Let cool while you make the chocolate cream.
Dark Chocolate Topping
Place the chopped chocolate and cream in a saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring, until chocolate has melted. Remove from the heat and beat in the egg yolk with a whisk. Set aside.
To Assemble the Tart
Spread a layer of strawberry jam inside the cooled tart shell.
Lay strawberry slices on top of the jam and cover the base of the tart. Try to keep them in a single layer, without piling them too high.
Pour the chocolate cream over the strawberries and smooth out with a knife or spatula. Decorate the top with a few strawberry slices in the middle and shavings of dark chocolate (if using).
Chill in the refrigerator until chocolate cream has firmed, about one hour.
This Day in History
Feb. 1, 1960: Joseph McNeil, Ezell Blair Jr., Franklin McCain and David Richmond, all freshmen at the Agricultural and Technical College of North Carolina, are refused service because of their race at the "whites only" lunch counter of the F. W. Woolworth Co. store in Greensboro, N.C. Despite being asked to leave by Woolworth's management, the four men stay until the store closes, inspiring sit-in protests throughout Greensboro and other Southern cities.
Feb. 2, 1970: "Pistol Pete" Maravich becomes the first college basketball player to score 3,000 points. He will end his varsity career with a record 3,667.
Feb. 3, 1959: It is "the day the music died," as young rock 'n' roll musicians Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson are killed along with pilot Roger Peterson in the crash of their chartered plane near Clear Lake, Iowa. They would be immortalized in Don McLean's 1972 hit, "American Pie."
Feb. 4, 1789: Electors unanimously select George Washington to be America's first president.
Feb. 5, 1948: Dick Button lands the first ever double-axle jump attempted in a competition at the Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland, becoming the first American athlete to take home a gold medal in men's figure skating. Button will repeat his golden feat four years later.
Feb. 6, 1971: Alan B. Shepard hits golf balls while on the moon. The club he used is later displayed at the U.S. Golf Association Hall of Fame.
Feb. 7, 1991: The Rev. Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Haiti's first democratically elected president, is sworn into office.
Feb. 8, 1936: Jay Berwanger, Heisman Trophy winner and star halfback of the University of Chicago, is the No. 1 pick selected in the first ever National Football League draft, held at the Ritz-Carlton in Philadelphia. Berwanger is chosen by the Philadelphia Eagles, yet he turns down the job and would never play in the NFL.
Feb. 9, 1964: John, Paul, George and Ringo debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show," which receives more than 50,000 requests for 728 seats.
Feb. 10, 1949: Arthur Miller's play "Death of a Salesman" debuts on Broadway. The playwright will die exactly 56 years later.
Feb. 11, 1993: Janet Reno is chosen by President Bill Clinton to become the first woman to serve as attorney general of the United States.
Feb. 12, 1909: W.E.B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wells, Henry Moscowitz, William English Walling and others found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on the centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth.
Feb. 13, 1935: Following a six-week trial for the "crime of the century," Bruno Richard Hauptmann is convicted by a jury in Flemington, N.J., of the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr., the infant son of aviation celebrities Charles and Anne Lindbergh. Hauptmann will be executed on April 3, 1936.
Feb. 14, 1962: First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy gives television viewers an inside look at the White House when she takes CBS broadcaster Charles Collingwood on a televised tour of the newly restored presidential residence.
Feb. 15, 1933: Giuseppe "Joe" Zangara pulls out an $8 pistol and tries to assassinate President-elect Franklin Roosevelt in Miami. He misses, killing Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak instead.
Feb. 16, 1923: After some 3,000 years of undisturbed peace, King Tutankhamen's inner tomb is unsealed by Howard Carter in Egypt.
Feb. 17, 1996: Man triumphs over machine as chess master Garry Kasparov beats IBM's supercomputer, Deep Blue, in 43 moves.
Feb. 18, 1930: Astronomer Clyde W. Tombaugh produces images of Planet X at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz. An 11-year-old English girl, Venetia Burney, suggests the name Pluto and lives to see it named a planet and then, in 2006, downgraded to a "dwarf" planet.
Feb. 19, 2002: Vonetta Flowers becomes the first African-American to win a Winter Olympics gold medal after she and teammate Jill Bakken win the bobsledding event.
Feb. 20, 1998: At age 15, Tara Lipinski becomes the youngest person in Winter Olympic history to win an individual gold medal when she wins the women's figure skating competition for the United States in Nagano, Japan.
Feb. 21, 1947: Edwin Land shows off the world's first instant camera-the Polaroid Land.
Feb. 22, 1980: In a stunning 4-3 upset deemed the "Miracle on Ice," an unseasoned U.S. hockey team beats a highly experienced and decorated team from the Soviet Union at the Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, N.Y. The Americans, coached by Herb Brooks, will go on to win the gold medal after defeating Finland.
Feb. 23, 1954: Jonas Salk's polio vaccine is used in Pittsburgh for the first mass inoculation of children against the disease.
Feb. 24, 1992: Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain marries Hole front woman Courtney Love in Waikiki Beach, Hawaii.
Feb. 25, 1986: Corazon Aquino is sworn is as president of the Philippines after Ferdinand Marcos-who ruled the country for over 20 years-flees following a disputed election.
Feb. 26, 1983: Michael Jackson's best-selling album "Thriller" rises to No. 1 on the Billboard album chart, where it will remain for a record 37 weeks.
Feb. 27, 1991: President George H.W. Bush announces that combat in Operation Desert Storm is over, proclaiming the defeat of Iraq and the liberation of Kuwait.
Feb. 28, 1953: Scientists James D. Watson and Francis H.C. Crick discover the double-helix structure of the human genetic molecule deoxyribonucleic acid, better known as DNA, at Cambridge University in England. Along with Maurice Wilkins, Watson and Crick will be awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work on nucleic acids.
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