I know we’re ALL great dates but sometimes it makes sense to review some important points that make up a great date. I don’t know about you but I’m sure if I were dating again I’d probably be guilty of forgetting one or two of these.

1. Keep up with what’s going on in the world. No, you don’t have to become a CNN whore and really you’re better off NOT doing that. Notice that news is all about headlines and that’s where we’re headed with this tip. You need to know more than the headline but not about EVERY news article. If you find something in the news that interests you, learn more about it. The important thing is: Know something that is going on. Get informed. Get on the Internet and learn about it. If there is a huge news story in your area, you’d better be able to talk about it or you’re going to look like a dufus.

2. Form an opinion about something and take a stance. Dont waver and stick to your guns. Kerry didnt win the 2004 election because the Bush campaign painted him as a flip-flopper. Whether you or I agree with that or not is beside the point. The point is if you go out with someone and then change your tune to match theirs, they wont trust you. They will see you as someone who pads what they say to make others feel good. You don’t want to be this person.

People have more respect for someone who stands up for what they believe in, even if they disagree. It shows character.

3. Read at least one good book. I dont care what the book is although a comic book probably doesn’t count.

If you’re having trouble deciding what to read, there is the NY Times Bestseller List, Amazon Bestseller, Barnes and Noble Bestseller, Time Magazines Top 100 Books of all time, UKs The Guardians Top 100 Novels of all time.

Simply choose one really great book that you like, no matter the subject. Read it and really get into it. If you choose a book on a subject that interests you, you’ll enjoy every minute you spend with that book. Once you’re finished, think about what you liked about the book and why you think you liked it. Was there anything in the author’s style of writing that impressed you? You’ve now got an answer if your date asks what book you’ve read lately.

4. Have at least one movie you can talk about. This doesn’t mean your favorite movie. It is hard to think of a favorite movie on the spot for most people, so decide ahead of time what your favorite movie is today. I dont know why people want to know, but they often ask and it is good to be prepared. Most people have a certain genre that they like more than others, but often dont have one that comes to mind in five seconds.

You could choose box office numbers for a favorite movie but for dating I would recommend a quality movie. It will show your intellectual side. Need to be reminded of movie tities? A good site is IMDB Internet Movie Database. Along with some great information on almost every movie ever made, you can find out the producer, director, editor and more of any movie just by putting in the title.

6. Smile. This is so important. Even if you are not attracted to the person right away, you are going to be spending some time with them today so it might as well be pleasant. You might find that you can continue as friends or you may get to like them after spending a little time with them. Theres no benefit in being a jerk by looking like you ate a lemon before they arrived.

7. Look them in the eyes. Do not look elsewhere while you are talking to them. People dont trust people that dont look them in the eyes when talking to them. Eye contact shows that you are interested in them and what they have to say.

8. Say their name when you meet. Hi Rick, I’m Helen.” People like to hear their names and it will register with their subconscious that you know it. While engaged in conversation, use it often. That doesnt mean every sentence, but pepper it throughout the conversation here and there. Rick, can you please pass me the salt. Oh, Helen, look at that amazing architecture.

9. Shake hands when you meet. This is the time to say their name when you introduce yourself, look them in the eyes and smile. Don’t use a death grip; you aren’t trying to impress a business associate. Offering your hand validates the other person and let’s them know that you consider them your equal.

10. Always compliment them on their appearance, even if its not an outfit you would have chosen. They took the time to go through their closet to find an outfit just for you, so you should notice that. You can always find something nice to say, even if you think the outfit is hideous. Maybe it’s a nice color and you could say, that color looks great on you! You dont have to say that you like the outfit. Even if they look pretty ordinary, you can find one thing that you can say something nice about. Wow, you have beautiful eyes. or Your hair looks great. Most importantly, make sure you smile when you give a compliment.

11. Things to talk about. We all know how it feels to have big pauses in a conversation and you feel like you need to say something just to fill the void, but what? A first date isn’t the place to tell someone that your brother just got sent up for rape or that the IRS is about to seize all your assets for non payment of taxes. Keep your first date fun. If there is interest and you want to keep seeing this person, then you should share all the icky bits in your closet.

Here are some topics to keep in mind to keep any conversation going.

Current Events: Don’t get serious on this one, this topic is for quirky news. On the first date stay away from politics, religion, abortion, etc.

Family: Ask about their life growing up at home. How many kids in the family, things they did for fun, etc.

History: What school they went to, where they grew up, where they have lived, etc.

Work: What they do, people at work, etc.

Holidays: If it is nearing a holiday, ask what their plans are. Are they going out of town, hosting the family get together, etc?

Hobbies and sports: If they mention something in their profile about leisure activities, ask about it.. So you mentioned you like softball, do you play on a league? Follow up with a question that cant be answered with a yes or no.

Architecture: If you are walking outside, be observant, point out architecture and start a discussion on it.

Nature: You can find beauty everywhere you look. Mention the trees, plants, and flowers around you. Notice the color. Be observant.

That’s it. If you keep these points in mind, you’ll be a favorite date of everyone you meet.

Most women have had the mysterious experience of being turned on by a partners smell. A friend of mine once told me her ex-boyfriends scent made her feel safe and drawn to him, and that his smell was so distinct and attractive that even after a sweaty workout, she found him appealing. The more exercise, the better.

Though personality and looks definitely play a part in initial attraction because nobody has figured out how to get a scratch & sniff computer monitor. Smell may play a larger role than we suspect in whether we decide to meet again.. That inexplicable chemistry you feel with someone could be a subconscious scent drawing you to him or her.

The first study to indicate that chemical signals play a role in attraction was conducted by Claud Wedekind over a decade ago. Forty-four men wore the same T-shirt for three days. They refrained from deodorants and scented soaps so they wouldnt interfere with their natural smell. Women then sniffed the shirts and indicated which ones smelled the best to them. By comparing the DNA of the women and men, the researchers found that women didnt just choose their favorite scent randomly. They preferred the scent of man whose major histocompatibility complex (MHC)a series of genes involved in our immune systemwas most different from their own.

The women in this study also reported liking the scents that reminded them of their current or previous boyfriends, showing that MHC attraction is consistent. And because MHC profiles differ greatly from one person to the next, there is no universally good smell. One womans Romeo was another womans raunchy.

An interesting exception to the MHC attraction is for women taking the pill. Researchers found that pill-takers responded in almost the exact opposite manner than would be expected. Because the pill tricks your body into thinking it is pregnant, it chemically alters your sense of attraction. Instead of finding the scent of genetically dissimilar men attractive, women on the pill found the scent of men with MHCs similar to their own to be attractive.

This may be because when a woman is pregnant, she isnt looking for a new mate, and may benefit from being around kin, or those with a similar genetic make-up. But, because scent can be such a powerful indicator of a mate that is biologically compatible, what does this mean for women on the pill? Research has shown that picking a mate whose MHC is too similar to your own can result in higher rates of miscarriage and relationship difficulties like infidelity. Are contraceptive takers sabotaging their innate ability to pick a proper mate? If you’re on the pill and you keep picking losers.. maybe you’re on to something!

I suppose this explains why so many men are willing to spend money buying internet models’ worn panties.

At the end of the day our noses may help us find the mate most suited to us, but its ultimately up to our minds to decide whether or not we like what weve sniffed out.

Men certainly have a major flaw when it comes to dating women. They lie for many reasons to cover up the fact that men are men no matter race, religion or location. Women, however are partly to blame for men lying. If you ask any man why he didnt tell the truth he will most likely say he feared the reaction. The reaction of women is what I blame women for.

I know women value honesty very deeply, but in order to get men to be honest, women must be willing to be less reactionary and more understanding. For example, if the average man were to tell a woman about his prior sexual exploits she would undoubtedly be shocked and think he was some kind of pervert. Hence, men dont usually tell these things to women.

Typically women are known to be more understanding. In some cases women are indeed more understanding, but it all depends on what they are being told. Going further, while women tend to be reactionary when men tell them what they dont want to hear, they usually will accept these shocking revelations anyway because when women fall in love, they have a very difficult time letting go of men no matter what faults they find.

So ladies, you heard it here first (maybe). Dont be so judgemental and your man will be more honest.

If you’ve been thinking of ways to make your lover feel special so you’ll get more sex, pick one of these and try it out! Can’t hurt and you never know when you’ll hit the big one!

1. Kiss the inside of your partners hand

2. Leave a love note for your partner to find.

3. Mark designated Loving Days on your calendar.

4. Arrange for take-out and have an indoor picnic.

5. Feed each other.

6. Wash your partners car and leave post-it notes with loving messages for them to find.

7. Frame a favorite picture of the two of you and place it next to your bed.

8. Share a bottle of wine or champagne.

9. Send loving messages on your partners pager or cell phone.

10. Leave a romantic message on your partners answering machine.

11. Slow dance.

12. Hold hands.

13. Go star-gazing together.

14. Dedicate a love song on the radio.

15. Cook a meal together.

16. Blow a kiss.

17. Watch T.V. together in the glow of candlelight.

18. Meet your partner for lunch.

19. Plan a surprise date.

20. Kiss passionately often.

Can men and women just be friends for a lifetime? Unless one or both of them are gay, I believe the answer is no. And even in the case of one friend being gay, there can still be sexual tension. However, that’s not the point here.

Men, (most men that is) are interested in having a sexual relationship with 99% of the women they meet over a lifetime. This is not a joke. Men have told me this for years and I’m old enough for those years to count!

Men think about sex every 7 seconds throughout the day.

Men also have no control over who they find attractive, dont be fooled by religious figures that think this can be controlled. It is simply a natural thing in men.

Given the above truth about what men are thinking about during every waking hour, it should not be a surprise that a man will sleep with any of his female friends, even if he does not desire a full blown relationship with them. If the mood is right and the female friend is willing I will guarantee action will take place.

I’ve always said if you put a man and a woman together, nature takes over.

Additionally, just because you have had sex doesnt mean you cant also be friends. Yes, I know this complicates things, but men will happily be friends and have sex on ocassion. Why women are so anti-friends with benefits is beyond me, but at the same time there should never be any pressure to be FWB. Sometimes a good fucking can help you get to know someone better than you would as just friends. I recommend giving it a try if you have that urge inside. Dont wait for your friend to find someone better to regret taking that step further.