Dating Advice?

[Gerry]

I cannot count how many times this worked for me.

Worked for me this morning.  Unfortunately it only works on ducks.  If you want a woman you might have to try different tactics.  :)

Seriously though, just be yourself and don't forget that even though she is a girl, she's still a person and not so very different from you.

[Andrew]

Worked for me this morning.  Unfortunately it only works on ducks.  If you want a woman you might have to try different tactics.  :)

It works on women who are wearing duck suits.  The trick is having a duck suit on hand to head off any arguments.  Not that many bars will let you in the door if you are carrying a duffle bag with a bunch of yellow feathers sticking out of the opening.

[Poogie]

This one boyfriend of my daughter found out she liked Tiger, so he came to pick her up in a Tiger costume, they went out on the date and he wore this costume the whole time. 
And YES.....If you have a sense of humor, use it. 

[CheezeFlixz]

I'll tell what works around here, when I can't find my bathrobe, I'm been known to wear my wifes flowerdy pink one with the fuzzy pink trim .... pretty much grosses my daughters outs, but my wife can't keep her paws off me ... I be lookin' steamy hot, goes double if I have the pink fuzzy matching slippers.

[Poogie]

Just don't tell anybody about the thong underneath.   

[JaseSF]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'll try and keep some of that in mind.

Which of the following do you think would be best for a first date?

1) Going to McDonald's or other Fast Food Restaurant (actually one of the girls I'm interested in works for one) for a meal.
2) Going shopping at Wal-Mart.
3) A moonlight walk or stroll. Actually it's too cold for that one here. We just got a batch of snow last night.
4) the beach. (again no good for where I live)
5) a skating rink or bowling alley, some sport you can both play.
6) to watch the pro wrestling matches, football game, some other sporting exhibition.
7) dinner and a movie at your place.
8) Dancing at a club.
9)  A fancy restaurant for a meal.
10) Where you'd usually go but just ask her to join you.

[ulthar]

Which of the following do you think would be best for a first date?

1) Going to McDonald's or other Fast Food Restaurant (actually one of the girls I'm interested in works for one) for a meal.

NOOOOOOOO!!  Never.  Ever.  ESPECIALLY if she works there.

2) Going shopping at Wal-Mart.

Nope.  I wouldn't do this.

5) a skating rink or bowling alley, some sport you can both play.

Grand Idea. DOING something, not watching others, is a better bet to learn about each other and enjoy each other's company.  You are more likely to have positive memories of something like this, even if things don't work out with that particular person.

6) to watch the pro wrestling matches, football game, some other sporting exhibition.

Probably not, unless you happen to know SHE is really, really into said spectator event.

7) dinner and a movie at your place.

Not bad, if you are a good cook and you pick movies  you both can enjoy.  For our first date, my wife and I went shooting, then back to her apartment where she cooked lasagna.  After dinner, we watched some really, really bad B horror movies.  We had a great time, a LOT of fun, and I knew when I left her place that we would be married someday.

8) Dancing at a club.

Can you dance?  If not, forget this.  I don't think many women are overly impressed by going 'dancing' when it means just sitting, dancing by themselves or watching some guy embarrass her.  If you can dance, it's an okay idea.

9)  A fancy restaurant for a meal.

Not bad, I suppose, but avoid the "I'm trying to impress you" schtick.  Do you usually eat at fancy restaurants?  If not, don't do it for a first date - save it for a special occasion like if she gets a new job, or you anniversary or something.  Really, though, in the end, meals at restaurants don't make lasting memories, usually.

10) Where you'd usually go but just ask her to join you.

If she's into it, sure.  But if you 'usual' is hanging out with a bunch of loser friends griping about women, talking about whatever, then probably not.

Try not to overthink this so much.  Part of the "be yourself" line everyone is given means follow your instincts and be natural.  If the person you are asking out seems like she would enjoy bowling - go for that.  If she seems the type more into moshing  in the pit, go do that if that's your thing.  My point is don't try to "force" a relationship with some impressive, perfect first date.  Find some common ground, and go from there.

And don't forget your duck suit, no matter what.

[CheezeFlixz]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'll try and keep some of that in mind.

Which of the following do you think would be best for a first date?

1) Going to McDonald's or other Fast Food Restaurant (actually one of the girls I'm interested in works for one) for a meal.
2) Going shopping at Wal-Mart.
3) A moonlight walk or stroll. Actually it's too cold for that one here. We just got a batch of snow last night.
4) the beach. (again no good for where I live)
5) a skating rink or bowling alley, some sport you can both play.
6) to watch the pro wrestling matches, football game, some other sporting exhibition.
7) dinner and a movie at your place.
8) Dancing at a club.
9)  A fancy restaurant for a meal.
10) Where you'd usually go but just ask her to join you.

1. NO!!!!!!!
2. NO!!!!!!!
3. COLD = close *wink*wink*nudge*nudge*
4. NOPE - later when you know her better.
5. Safe and easy and not hard on the pocket.
6. NO!!!!!! Find out if she is a fan first.
7. OK but cliche'
8. Smoky, noisy, crowded hard to talk and get to know each other.
9. Save fancy for later when you know her, don't want to waste money on a lost cause.
10. Hmm neutral ground is better I think.

In the end I'd go bowling or skating, skating can lead to falling the catching (get my drift) I'm not a bowler but it's safe and some allies have decent quick food. Easy to talk and it's a non threatening environment, she should be comfortable with others around. So go bowling or skating. IMHO.

[JaseSF]

Honestly I live in a small rural area. I have very few options period. So I'd likely have to wing it and ask her where she'd like to go which I hate doing because it gives her all the power...Still I thought it might be interesting to see the reaction to those I listed above.

[RCMerchant]

 Candy is dandy. But liquer is quicker.

[CheezeFlixz]

Honestly I live in a small rural area. I have very few options period. So I'd likely have to wing it and ask her where she'd like to go which I hate doing because it gives her all the power...Still I thought it might be interesting to see the reaction to those I listed above.

The population of the town I grew up in was 641 ... so take her cow tipping.

[JaseSF]

Actually that may be the population of two-three towns in the area in which I live.  About the only places to go are a very small handful of clubs, 4-5 restaurants and a couple of parks in the summertime.

[dean]

Dinner is classic: just go to a nice place [doesn't have to be fancy, unless that's all you got.]

As an interesting side note, two friends of mine went to McDonalds for their first date, and thought it was so hilarious [in that stupid tacky way] that they have been together for two or three years.  Though I'm sure she wasn't overly impressed at the time, she had enough of a sense of humour about it to make it work, and they kind of knew each other anyways...

Anyways, going to get a good dinner, and then maybe some nice drinks at a bar seems to be the standard choice for my date-a-holic friend.

So is the advice the others have given, such as going bowling and whatnot.  Depends on the person I suppose...

Just make sure it's something where you have a chance to talk.

[BeyondTheGrave]

This what I would do:

Bring her to a mosh pit. Any type will do Punk, Hardcore, Metal. Note that each has a different style and degree of brutality. When the mosh gets serious throw her in. If she lives it was meant to be, if she dies well it wasn't. If she starts the pit herself marry her. This also works for girls you don't like or want to dump.

If if its a maybe type of thing send her to a mosh with. no one has surivied the ANDRINI MOSH. We mosh till you fight we mosh till you die.

[JaseSF]

Anyone want to share stories of first dates gone all wrong? Embarrassing places you were asked out? Feel free. After all, we could all use a good laugh or two.

I asked a girl out not long ago, said I'd go wherever she wanted. She suggested hiking. Now this was not exactly thrilling for me, getting my legs scrapped on branches and getting bit by mosquitoes while tramping through the woods doesn't exactly thrill me but it was a chance to get this girl, who I had long been interested in, alone and with fine opportunity to talk to her. We ultimately became friends/acquaintances but found we really had little in common and she already had a boyfriend I soon learned. Not exactly a great first date for me in that case but hey, I did make a new friend.