Before the date:

1. Groom yourself. Shower. This may be self explanatory, but many ignore this small task. Urinate before you leave, to forgo the embarrassing "Hi, nice to meet you. Where's your bathroom?" scene.
2. Make sure there is no dirt under your fingernails.
3. Top off your gas tank.
4. Get cash from the ATM machine. Some construe paying for small items, such as a cup of coffee, with a credit card as a sign of financial trouble.
5. Buy a flower. Do not buy a red rose for the first date.
6. Wash your car, inside and out.
7. [man]Pack a condom in your wallet. Do not put the condom loose in your pocket. It will fall out while you fish for your wallet, creating an embarrassing moment.
8. Clean your apartment/house/abode. You never know!
9. Tell your date what you will be wearing. Dress for the occasion.
10. Do not spend too much money on the first date. This will alleviate pressure off of both parties.
11. Plan to arrive 10 minutes early, in case you get lost. Do not arrive more than 10 minutes early!
12. Do not use too much cologne/perfume. Some folks are allergic, which will lead to a miserable date.
13. Write a list of 10 current events happening in the world or to you. They should be non political and non threatening. (Ie, NOT Wow, you have to respect that serial killer's keen sense of awareness!) Put the list in your pocket.

During the Date:

1. Smile often!
2. Thinking of your date as a long time friend will help to alleviate some jitters.
3. IF things are going well, try an innocent "touch." (Best used near the end of the date). An example of an innocent touch is gently touching your dates arm in a normal, accepted manner. Do they pull away or lean toward you?
4. Conversation dry? Excuse yourself, go to the bathroom, review your current events list.
5. Give you date two compliments. Not more, not less.
6. Ask open-ended questions.
7. Talk positive. This is not the time to divulge your mounting debt problem or your chronic bowel movements.
8. When conversing, wait until your date is done speaking. Count to "2" before adding your own thoughts. This will show you respect the other person's thoughts.
9. Never out-drink your date. Order drinks one at a time, at the same time. This will allow either party to slow the pace, allowing the date to stay in control.
10. Offer your phone number, in lieu of asking for theirs. If they insist on giving you theirs, they are giving you the option to call. (They will most likely not call you).
11. If you find yourself wondering when the right time to kiss is, stop thinking. You will know when the time is right.

After the Date:

1. Call the next day, but keep the conversation short. You want the person to think you are interested, however you don't want to come off as a stalker. People are attracted to other that are busy, but sincere.
2. If your date doesn't return your first call, try calling the fifth day after the date. Give it one more week. At this point, you are entitled to one more desperation phone call. If they don't reply, move on. Never call more than three times without a callback.
3. A good reason for the first day call is to make sure the person got home okay (that is if you didn't bring them home)
4. Men and women are opposite. Women try to prove men are not right prior to having sex with them. After which, they spend their time trying to prove why the guy is the one. Men are opposite. This is why many men "run" after sex.
5. Keep conversations short following the week after a first date (less than an hour). Relationships that start heavy tend to fizzle out. After all, you have a lifetime to get to know the person.
6. Search for another date until you commit. Dating multiple partners will keep you from obsessing over any single person, which will make you more attractive to everyone you are dating. Do not brag about this fact to your dates.
7. Never date a person for more than 3 months, if you know the relationship is not going to work. Enter the date in your memory, and ask yourself the question. Falsely letting someone fall in love with you should be a crime.
8. Both partners should be tested for STD's prior to having sex without a condom.
9. Fall in love. Write us to tell us about it.

Have fun and Good Luck!

The Staff at LoveAMate.com