Are your First Dates a hit-or-miss experience? Or truth be told, maybe more like a hit and run? Let’s look at this together. Are your dates mostly magical or …maybe more like milktoast?
Go ahead — take a plunge — into your calendar. Make a list of all of the first dates you had this past year. And rate each one on a 1-5 scale (1 being Milktoast, 5 being Magical) — You’re doing some research here to determine the answer to the question, “How good a date are YOU?”
Got your list? Great. Lots of 4’s and 5’s on that list? No? Uh oh…if this year’s first dates have been mostly monstrous, then we have to ask a critical question — “Who’s the common denominator with each of these first dates?” Sadly, Darlin’ — YOU were present at each and every one of them. If this year’s dates have been mostly sucky, it’s you who’s likely doing the suckin’…let’s change that.
Remember this — Dating is full of mystery. We can never know for sure if your next first date will be an entree into the love of your dreams or if it will be simply an hour or two spent with a stranger who will remain just that. It’s your time — make it magical no matter what. Here are some examples of first dates that were memorable and anything but a waste of time.
Bill learned from his first call with Kelly that she loved roller coasters, ferris wheels, and cotton candy, so guess where he took her for their first date? Santa Monica Pier. They fell in love on that very first date over air hockey and popcorn.
John’s putting two kids through college and wants to land himself in a loving relationship without breaking the bank in the process of finding her, so he does coffee dates, but…he always graces the table with a gift — a sweet little flower vase with freshly clipped roses from his garden. He rarely doesn’t get a Yes for a second date.
Anna loves the outdoors, but works in a stuffy office Monday – Friday, so she often schedules her first dates over her lunch hour, in the park by her office. She loves providing the environment — Blanket, picnic basket, scrumptious edibles, even a tiny little CD player piping out her favorite music. Each of her dates is magical for her, no matter who He turns out to be. She has lots of suitors…
Sam suggested that he and Veronica have their first date at a dog park — He didn’t even have a dog, but he knew she did, and he thought that including the dog might make the date more fun. It did. They’re blissfully married now, living with that dog and two kiddos in Santa Cruz.
Sarah and Billy’s first date? At a rock climbing gym. Susan and Dirk did a yoga class together, then tea and a stroll at sunset.
In studying her date’s online profile, Robin noticed that he has a passion for fly-fishing, so she stopped by a bait and tackle store to pick up one of those tiny colorful lures for him — As you might imagine, this made a great impression and he instantly lit up with stories from his fishing adventures. Want a passionate man? Tickle his passion and watch him light up.
The lesson? YOU be the one to make sure that each of your first dates is an experience, for you and for the person who is fortunate enough to join you on the ride. This new person you get to meet? It’s a gift, a present that you get to unwrap. Set the stage for the unwrapping, using a little thought and creativity.
Got some great first date ideas? Email them to me here – I’d love to see them. Julie@JulieFerman.com
