Dating Adventures

Have you ever been in a situation, and you feel like, damn. I can’t leave because it’s his/her birthday? Or I’ll break-up with him/her after Valentine’s Day. Why prolong the agony and death and make it worse. If you break up before Valentine’s Day (i.e. anytime between January 31 & February 13th) are you an asshole? Will you be inducted into the ToolAcademy? Here are the top 5 best times to call it quits.

5. After you moved (preferably to another city) - That’s a really good excuse. In fact, I think said significant other would be understanding when allowing you “space”. Just make sure you actually move. Don’t say you are moving, then show up at your favorite bar or strip club the following week.

4. After you catch him/her cheating - Uhhhh, Why would you stay? Whatever cheap, crappy gift the significant other plans to get you isn’t worth it.

3. After Your Pet Has Died - Now don’t go rushing to your local pet store in search of a goldfish, that mysteriously dies February 12th, and you’re too broken up over it to deal with anyone or do anything. You have to have had your pet for at least two weeks prior to any major holidays.

2. After You’ve Been Arrested - Uhhh, they will most likely break-up with you. Pray you get to spend time in the “holding” cell and not with the long-termer’s or lifer’s

1. They Broke Up With You First - Well damn, it’s too late. Grab a bottle of Vodka & celebrate or cry. Whatever you do, Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Dating On A Budget

Have you ever put-off a date or postponed a date due to lack of funds? Remember the good ole’ college days where everyone was broke, so $2.00 happy hour was great and no one would get upset because you took them to a $2.00 happy hour, even if they were a two-bit…(ahem) Well I’m here to the rescue. Don’t hang up your dating life because we are in an economic crisis. In fact, this is probably the best time to date. If someone can stick with you through the Dow’s downfall & Congress bailing out everyone and their mama, then they are a keeper. Plus it’s an excuse to be cheap and vett your dates on a budget before taking them home to meet the family! Here are some cheap/free date ideas to help get you started on your new dating life during our modern day depression! Shawn Smith from SBMINNOVA threw in a few of his favorite as well! Happy Budget Dating!

1. Movie Night In - Skip paying for the $11.00 movie, $5.00 popcorn and $4.00 drink …instead there are these cool little red boxes in most major cities at grocery stores that will allow you to rent a movie for about a dollar a day. And since you will already be at the grocery store grab a box of microwave popcorn and a cheap bottle of wine; like the Barefoot brand. Total Cost of Date - $10.00

2. Culture – Most major cities have a free museum or a free exhibit at an Art Gallery. Grab your local city paper and circle the one’s of interest. Not only will you seem refined & cultured. Haven’t you heard…SMART is the new SEXY… Total Cost of Date - $Free

3. Throwback Date – Remember when hanging in the parking lot of (insert place here) was cool??? Ladies remember when you’d go to the recreational center/gym to check the guys out, knowing you didn’t play basketball? (The good ole college days!) Pick your favorite nostalgic hangout spot. Take your boombox (nowadays MP3 Players with speakers) and crack open a cheap bottle of Boonesfarm (2 for $5.00) and get to know each other all over again! Make use of the backseat if you must...Total Cost of Date - $5.00

4. Dinner for Two – Ok, so you’re not ready to invite him/her to the pad yet. Not ready to show your Wolf Gang Puck cooking skills. Don’t fret. You can still have dinner really cheap and it doesn’t have to be Romen Noodles and PBJ. Cool places to go include Mom & Pop places or places off the “beaten track”. In DC one of my favorite good cheap eat places is Sweet Mango Café. They always give you a decent sized portion. Enough for sharing! Other fairly cheap places to check out in DC include (The Tandoori Grille, Julia’s Empanada’s, The Diner, Ben’s Chili Bowl, Sticky Rice…and anything else that has more than 5 entrée’s for under $10.00). – Total Cost of Date - $20 or less

5. The Scenic Route – Feeling a little romantic? Is the weather nice out? Does your city have a scenic river overlook? As long as it’s safe and you aren’t breaking any indecent exposure or trespassing laws, get a bottle of wine, some cheese & grapes and watch the sunset. Don’t forget the blanket! And remember fellas, don’t be too cheesy…just the right amount will get you there! – Total Cost of Date - $15.00

6. Get Sweaty Together – No, not in the bedroom…well, I’m not opposed to it, but another great way to get the juices flowing is at the gym. There’s nothing hotter than working out together. Once you get your heartrate up, you’ll feel sexy, sweaty & ready to take on the world…or some after gym action??? (Go online to get free 1-Day gym passes from a local gym) – Total Cost of Date – Free

7. Shut Up & Drive – I’ve never done this, but it’s not a bad idea, test-drive your dream car. Pretend you just hit the lottery or you’re filthy rich and go test drive your favorite car. Did I hear someone say Aston Martin???? Total Cost of Date - Free

8. Happy Hour – In a city where Happy Hours are trendy, you’ll never look cheap when you take your date for free drinks before 8 and half-priced appetizers. One up them and take care of the tips the whole night! Total Cost of Date - $10-$20

For More tips, dating advice & to read my dating blog, visit http://dcdatingadventures.blogspot.com/

5. Acting Desperate- Desperation is such a turn off. So many men have talked themselves out of getting the digits or getting "laid" due to acts of desperation. Sometimes we women need a little bit of space; we like a challenge and are always willing to rise to the occasion. We also like to know that you are into us, but aren't the "stalker" type. So how do you play it cool, yet still let us know you dig us? There are many ways. One is to relax, be laid back. Assess the situation like a Lion. We'll definitely give you signs that it's ok to move in for the kill, i.e. batting eyelashes, flipping hair, coy grins. Women who are a little bit bolder, may just walk up and strike up the conversation, just stay cool, calm and collected. Lean in to us, smile or even give a nice compliment (i.e. "you have a nice smile", "I love your eyes"), whatever you do...don't pressure us or act desperate!

4. Low Self-Esteem - If you don't feel good about yourself why should we feel any differently about you? I hate it when a guy displays low self-esteem or lacks confidence. I met a few attractive guys who did this, and you wonder why? I've learned that you have to fake it, even if you don't feel it! Have you ever noticed that the "unconventional" guy (who may not be in the greatest shape or be the next Brad Pitt or Denzel Washington) with great self-esteem always gets the woman! Key advice, watch your posture. When someone compliments you on how great you look, say thank you, don't say "really?" or "I'm ugly". On the flip side, don't be too conceited. Key phrase: "Confident, not cocky".

3. Extreme Potty Mouths - Some women my find a guy that curses like a sailor attractive...but MOST don't. A slip of the tongue every now & then is understandable. But when every other word out your mouth is a four letter word followed by a 3 letter one like "ass". Then you may suffer from turrets. The key to sexiness is knowing how to formulate your thoughts & express yourself sans the 4-letter explicatives. When you can do that, that's true sexiness and such a turn on! Sometimes though, no other word may fit...just keep it to a minimum!

2. Bad Hygiene - So many women complain about guys having bad breath or b.o. (body odor). Bring your A game if you expect to get a woman's attention. That means extra brushing, flossing, showering, and deodorant & cologne; remember too much cologne could suffocate an elephant. A few strategic sprays works wonders! Now if you are trying to avoid someone or aren't in the mood to "entertain", go-ahead and eat that chili dog with extra onions & a side of garlic...we'll stay far far away.

1. Calling, Texting, or E-mailing Too Much - A call will get you far, a follow-up text to the call works great. But abusing the technology get's you sent straight to voicemail. I met a guy who had a lot of potential but called me 37 times in one week, and sent about 6 text messages when I didn't return his first 15 calls. Some things to keep in mind:

• When you first meet a woman and exchange numbers, be courteous by asking what's a good time to call her.
• Most women prefer calls to constant texting. It's ok to call. Don't center all of your conversations around text messages. You can follow-up the call with a text and say something like "it was great meeting you, looking forward to coffee, feel free to call me when you're available".
• If you call once & leave a voicemail, give her time to respond. Don't call back 5, 10 or even 30 minutes later. Most likely she's busy or can't talk. If you don't hear from her, one follow-up call or text will suffice. If she doesn't respond at that point or within a day or so, she's probably not into you. If she's into you, she will call you back or at least tell you that something tragic happened, like her dog ate her phone or something!!!

It's possible to be just friends. I didn't think it was possible for a single attractive woman and a single attractive man to be "just friends", but this weekend I was proven wrong. A friend and I went to Miami together. Prior to that I was getting mixed signals from him. He would be a little flirty with me, send me late night text messages, he even hit my butt a few times playfully.

Well, we stayed in the same room, slept in seperate beds and were "just friends". It was nice, refreshing, confusing, and honestly unexpected. But it's true, there is a such thing as "just friends".

Kissing...ah, the joys of it. You can learn so much just from a kiss. Whether it's the gentle parting kiss on the forehead or the cheek kiss used to greet close friends...kissing is definitely an art, that may be lost on some. Because kissing can having many meanings, some people have abandoned kissing, just to avoid sending the "wrong" message, while others look forward to a kiss at the end of the night. In dating kissing is often the precursor to something more. Whether it's the passionate let's not end this great time kiss or the let's just be friends kiss, we as humans need to be kissed. Studies have shown that as babies we need kisses and hugs; it makes us feel safe, cared for & loved. But what happens when we become adults and the kisses dry up? When did we trade in first base kissing for a simple home run? When did we lose the wonderful art form of kissing?