| Dating is a crazy thing. Most people on oursociety | | | | neverwalked the Freedom Trail in Boston, and |
| haven't figured it out. | | | | haven'tbeen to any of the memorials in |
| But it's pretty cool once you've gotten itfigured, | | | | Washington D.C. |
| like my good friend and parter Vincent | | | | Of course, I've seen all the touristy stuff in |
| DiCarlo. | | | | London and Mexico City and many western |
| Allow me to share with you Vin's Three Rules of | | | | states,but that's the point. If you walk down the |
| Dating: | | | | roadfrom where you live to some historical |
| 1) Have it be convenient for you. | | | | monument,it's a great time, and there's a good |
| 2) Keep it inexpensive. | | | | chanceshe's never been there. |
| 3) Make sure you can talk where you're at. | | | | Of course, if you're not in your home city, funlittle |
| Or, if you prefer, The Three C's of Dating: | | | | places still work too. You can have hersome you |
| C1) Convenient. | | | | around a bit, which is good. |
| C2) Cheap. | | | | As I mentioned earlier, I like coffeeshops. |
| C3) Conversation. | | | | Starbucks-esque places are okay, but I reallylike |
| This will give you the best chance to get thegirl. | | | | artistic coffee shops, with different musicand fun |
| Dates that are not Convenient for you willmake | | | | things to look at. My favorite coffeeshopof all |
| you seem like you're working hard to impressher, | | | | time had different music playing everytime I |
| or of low status. For this reason, don'tdrive three | | | | went, interesting local art on the walls,and one of |
| hours to see her, and certainly don'tplan a grand | | | | the large unisex bathrooms hadfloor-to-ceiling |
| production with a limo and a stringquartet for | | | | chalkboards lining all fourwalls. People would write |
| your first dat. | | | | poetry and drawpictures on the chalkboards, or |
| Cheap! Cheap is good. Cheap is no pressure. | | | | just sign theirname. Let me tell you, my friend, |
| Awoman would rather have a pleasant walk | | | | that was theeasiest bathroom in the world to get |
| through apark with a guy that's no pressure than | | | | your dateinto with you! |
| go out toeat an expensive restaurant that's | | | | Another date I like: Window shopping. If you |
| heavypressure. As a general rule, the more | | | | walkthrough a mall, there's going to be plenty |
| somethingcosts, the more pressure is involved. | | | | ofinteresting stores. You can have a cup of |
| Also, womendon't want to feel like you're trying | | | | coffeeif you like coffee (or tea or hot chocolate |
| to buytheir attention. For these reasons, it's | | | | orwhatever), and walk around looking at |
| actuallybetter to keep dates cheap. I'm not saying | | | | interestingthings. One of my favorite shops is a |
| BEcheap, I'm saying go on inexpensive dates. | | | | largekitchen shop with all sorts of cool things. |
| And conversation, the all important thing thatlets | | | | They've got all sorts of crazy cookinginstruments, |
| you find about each other. You need a datethat | | | | various pots and steamers for alldifferent types |
| lets conversation go smoothly and easily. | | | | of cuisine, recipes and sauces ,cool looking plates, |
| Here's a pop quiz - What are the two most | | | | and anything and everythingelse you could |
| commondates? | | | | imagine. From there, it's reallyeasy to situationally |
| If you answered movies and dinner, you'recorrect. | | | | relevantly talk about whatshe can cook, and what |
| But both violate cardinal rules ofdating. | | | | she's going to cook foryou! |
| With a movie, there's no chance for conversation. | | | | Walk into whatever stores you please. Just |
| For two hours, you're sitting there in the darkand | | | | becareful with Victoria's Secret: Vincent once |
| can't really talk. That's all well and goodif you're | | | | wasin Victoria's with a girl he was on a date |
| with your girlfriend, but on the firstfew dates, you | | | | with,holding up lingerie and talking about she'd |
| don't want that. And as anadditional negative, | | | | lookgood in. His date was loving it, eating it up,but |
| movies are getting more andmore expensive | | | | then her friend walked over! Yikes, Vin tellsme |
| these guys. It could cost $30 fortwo tickets, | | | | the girl blushed pretty hard. |
| popcorn, and drinks these days. Howit costs that | | | | Other places to go: Walks through parks, and |
| much is beyond me, but that's tooexpensive for a | | | | byrivers and ponds. Free or cheap baseball |
| first day for sure. | | | | games,either a local team's or even a nearby |
| Dinner. Well, dinner's not cheap. Even cheapdinner's | | | | school's. |
| not cheap. So she might feel like you'retrying to | | | | Iceskating and rollerskating are actually |
| buy her attention, which is always bad. | | | | prettygood first dates. They're cheap if you go |
| It makes women uncomfortable, and makes her | | | | ontheir discount night (it's Tuesday at my |
| thinkyou're of low status. Like you need to buy | | | | favoriterollerskating place), it's convenient for me, |
| herattention. | | | | andit's great for conversation. And by the way, |
| But here's something many people don't | | | | I'mnot exactly the best rollerskater in the world. |
| realizeabout dinner: It's bad for conversation. | | | | In fact, I'll admit it: I'm downright terrible. |
| You'resitting directly across from each other with | | | | But it works well anyway! I say to her as |
| verylittle subject matter except for menus. | | | | we'rewalking in, "Okay, I can't skate at all, |
| There'slots of pressure, and if the conversation | | | | soyou're going to have to kinda 'be the guy' |
| slowsdown, it can be awkward, which wouldn't be | | | | andhold my hand and make sure I don't fall |
| thecase in many of the dates I'm about to | | | | over,"said half-kiddingly. And to top it off, when |
| suggestfor you. Planning dinner as part of a date | | | | weget our skates, I say, "You got this one?" |
| is nogood, so leave it alone. | | | | Meaning, "Are you paying?" They do most of |
| Good Dates: | | | | thetime, and it sets a good frame. |
| Remember, you want your dates to be | | | | Alright, so you've gone on a fun date or two |
| Convenient, | | | | withher. First you met for coffee, then walked |
| Cheap, and be able to have some nice | | | | aroundand went window shopping and looked at |
| Conversation. How to do that? | | | | stores,had a bite to eat, and parted. Second date, |
| A favorite 'date suggestion' from me is coffee. | | | | youwent rollerskating or to one of those fun |
| Ilike coffee, since you've got options. You go geta | | | | museumslike the Spy Museum in D.C. Now, you |
| cup of java with her on a Saturday afternoon. | | | | want to haveher over to your place. What's a |
| If she shows up and turns out to be the type | | | | good date forthat? |
| ofgirl you don't like (either she's not physicallyyour | | | | Cooking dinner with her. |
| type on further inspection, or has nothinggoing on | | | | One of the best dates before you sleep with |
| upstairs) then you can leave no problem. | | | | awoman. Not so good first date, but after that,it's |
| But if she turns out to be an awesome girl? | | | | great. Now, I don't want to hear you can'tcook - I |
| Aftercoffee, you can go grab a slice of pizza. | | | | can't, either. I make exactly one dishwell that |
| Yes,it's okay to eat on dates... making your | | | | doesn't involve grilling. But that'sall I need. I make a |
| dateitself getting a meal is bad, but if | | | | spaghetti with a mushroomand onion meat sauce, |
| you'respending time together and get hungry, go | | | | and French bread. It's nothard. |
| eat. | | | | Learn one dish, or just have a general idea |
| You're basically treating her like someone | | | | ofwhat you want to make. Then go over to her |
| you'revery comfortable with. If you went to get | | | | placewith the ingrediants, or have her come over |
| coffeewith a close friend, or one of your | | | | toyours. From there, give her duties as you cook. |
| relativesthat you like, and got hungry, you'd say | | | | Ihave my date stir the pasta or sauce while I |
| let's gograb a bite to eat. No pressure there. | | | | diceup vegetables and get the meat ready. |
| Here's a great line if you're at coffee: | | | | After we make a mess cooking, we wash up and |
| "Youhungry?" If she answers yes, you say, "Okay | | | | chatwaiting for dinner to finish. Then we eat |
| metoo, let's grab a slice of pizza." If she saysno, | | | | dinner,and maybe a little fresh fruit at the end. |
| you say, "That's okay, you can watch me eat." | | | | Havingher feed you strawberries is a nice touch if |
| The second one, in particular, gets | | | | youcan pull it off. |
| wonderfulresults and you just eat something light | | | | And from there, use your imagination. When |
| in frontof her and keep conversing. | | | | itcomes time to bring them to the bedroom, |
| Other things: Walk around and look at | | | | rememberto use situational relevance. So you can |
| touristystuff if you live in a city. Believe it or | | | | eitherstart kissing her in the living room, then |
| not,most people never see the sites in their | | | | bringher by the hand to the bedroom, or you can |
| homecity. I live on the East Coast, and I've | | | | saythere's something interesting in your |
| neverseen the Statue of Libery in New York City, | | | | bedroomthat she just needs to see... |