The Perfect Blind Date – How To Plan For Success

Christian Singles

So many people are very cautious about going on a blind date. Maybe it is because of how dangerous the world can be or maybe people are just too scared to live a little. Some people think that some people only go on blind dates because they are unattractive or cannot get a date otherwise.

If you do not know what a blind date is, it is a date where either party is unaware of what the person looks like and they do not know another about the other person. Sometimes you might not even know what the persons name is if they used fake names online or something. This could have been setup in multiple ways. Some which include dating agencies or by friend or family members.

There are many locations you can choose to have a blind date. Most often it would be setup as a dinner date because it is mostly all about getting to know the person in a setting where there is not much distraction and it is not dark so you can see one another.

You could go on a date completely blind however it would be best if the two people have at least spoken on the phone or maybe messaged each other online. This is fairly important so you can at least get all the dumb questions out of the way first and you have an idea of what this person likes. This is when you would want to agree on the place to go and find out what type of food the person likes so you can agree on a venue that both seem to like. You could arrange the meeting time or maybe even pick her up for the date. It is never a good idea to show up late on a blind date. The person is going to immediately feel like they were stood up. While you were talking to them the first time it would have been a good idea to come to an agreement that you would are both going to dress semi-casual so that you can still dress nice but not too flashy as to out do the other person. Dress well enough to impress but not too formal. No one wants to be seen with a slob…unless you are a slob of course.

When you finally do meet you should greet each other. I think a hug is appropriate however, just a light hug, and pay her some nice compliment. If you decided to pick her up in your vehicle you can still give her a light hug but do hold the door for her. Give her a compliment after you get in the car. Chivalry is not dead! Of course some women do not like men holding doors but 90% of the time it is a good idea to do it and find out. Ask questions about each other and let her go first. Be sure to listen at the same time and don’t forget to let yourself laugh and have fun. Fun and laughter are the key ingredients to having a perfect date. Two people can really hit it off even though they just met.

Ending the date can be tricky sometimes. You never want to overstep your boundaries however if you have a good time and seemed to click then you should offer her a ride home, tell her how much fun you had on the way and then walk her to her door. It’s not hard to tel if you should go for that goodnight kiss.

If you follow these steps then you will have a good time and hopefully he or she will want to see you again on another date. Maybe a movie this time in a darker setting! Good luck!

John likes to write about finding free vouchers online and you can learn to find a free gift card by visiting the site he writes for at target gift card balance.

Call the Nanny, It’s Time to Start Dating Again

Call the Nanny, It’s Time to Start Dating Again

Dating is hard at any age. When you’re a teen, it’s awkward and uncomfortable; when you’re in college, it might too often consist of loud parties, overindulging and regrets; and when you’re an adult, it often feels desperate and hopeless. Many single parents are reluctant to reenter the world of dating. Single parents must be sure they feel emotionally ready before they begin looking for ways to squeeze dating into an already packed schedule. With a little pep talk and some smart strategies, single parents might be pleasantly surprised at what they find when they call the nanny in to finally get out and start dating again.

Give Yourself a Pep Talk

You might be feeling a little insecure about yourself, given the negative feelings no doubt lingering after your previous relationship. Remind yourself of all the good qualities that make you a great parent as well as a great person. Make a list of all the reasons anyone would be lucky to have you, and believe them. Speak positively to yourself, and avoid put-downs and other negative self-talk. The best way to attract a confident and likeable date is to exhibit these traits yourself.

Spill the Beans Immediately

When you find someone you would like to date, be honest and up-front about your children. Best to avoid gushing or spending the entire date talking about them, but make sure your date knows that you have kids and that you are crazy about them. As the relationship progresses, you can begin to let him or her know more about your precious offspring, if he turns out worthy to share your most precious assets with.

Christian Singles

Be Honest with the Kids

Avoid lying to your children about the dates you are going on. However, don’t give them every detail. Tell your kids you are feeling lonely and want to meet new people and that it’s important to spend time with your adult friends every once in a while. Do not introduce your kids to any date unless you are certain it will be a lasting relationship. They don’t need the emotional roller coaster that finding a good romantic relationship can be.

When things get serious and you have found yourself a keeper, gradually introduce your special friend into your children’s lives by inviting him or her on an outing you’d all enjoy or to your home for a pizza party. Keep it gradual and slow, inviting him or her more often over time. It may be hard, especially if you are crazy about your new found love, but it’s best if your kids get to know how fabulous your new friend is slowly. It’s a shock to them when you suddenly have a new companion with you all the time.

Getting out into the dating world means you’ll need more help with the kids than you did before. If you don’t have friends or family to help, finding good people to fill nanny jobs is the next step. Find the right nanny for your needs at NannyJobs.org.

5 Unusual Celebrity First Dates

It must be hard for a celebrity to organise a great first date. It’s got to be stylish and a bit different, but at the same time low-key and a little bit secretive. While most settle for a table in a quiet corner of a fancy restaurant there are a select few who have taken a bit of a gamble, with varying degrees of success. Here are five of the best.

Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore

For his first date with Demi Moore Ashton Kuthcer decided to treat his future wife to the delights of In-N-Out Burger, a regional fast food restaurant chain across Western America. I mean, there’s nothing wrong with a good burger but you’d think a Hollywood movie star might go for something a bit more upmarket.

He’s since explained that the date was deliberately low key in order to try and keep it hidden from the press. Whatever the reasoning the burger tactic obviously worked, and the couple were married for six years until there recent separation.

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes

This one is undoubtedly the flashiest entry on our list. Back is 2005 Hollywood’s most famous action-man treated Katie Holmes to some sushi, which might not sound all that unusual. However, it was served on Cruise’s very own private jet! Not many of us can claim to have ever done the same.

I guess Cruise was essentially showing off, but he obviously impressed his date as they were engaged to be married in just two months.

Mark Wahlberg and Rhea Durham

Mark Wahlberg took Rhea Durham (who is now his wife) to a catholic church for their first date, which is pretty unusual in itself. But what made the date even more extraordinary was the fact that Durham wasn’t even a catholic, which must have meant the whole experience was pretty intimidating.

Durham has now converted to Catholicism, and the pair were married in a traditional ceremony in 2009.

Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush

So far all of our unusual first dates have grown in to marriage, but Reggie Bush’s first date with Kim Kardashian is evidence that going off-piste isn’t always successful. Reggie began his first date by asking America’s premiere socialite to pick him up from the car wash. He then took her to Chipolete for a burrito, which I can’t imagine is somewhere the Kardashians regularly frequent. In defence of the NFL star though, they are good burritos!

Jake Gyllenhaal and Taylor Swift

This is another whirlwind romance that started with something a bit different. Jake Gylenhaal took Talyor Swift for a spot of apple picking on their first date in the Autumn of 2010, which actually sounds really romantic. Apparently he even did the gentlemanly thing and paid for all the apples they picked (which cost him about three dollars if you’re interested). What a brilliantly different idea for a first date. It’s just a shame the relationship didn’t last.

Johnny Anderson often writes about celebrity and relationship gossip. When he’s not doing this he spends his time researching and writing about Valentine’s gifts for the online gift retailer Find Me A Gift.

The Top 5 Ways to Kill Someone’s Interest in You

Single Parent Dating

I remember a time when this guy was interested in me. He was doing everything he could to make sure I noticed that he was in to me, and I was doing everything I could to make sure he didn’t know I was interested in him too. Of course soon he gave up on me and found someone else. That’s a mistake I never made again!

If you are single and looking then you probably don’t want to ruin your chances with someone who is interested in you – especially if you are interested in them back. By avoiding doing all the wrong things that drive them away, you will naturally do all the right things that keep them attracted to you, so here are the top 5 ways to kill someone’s interest in you.

1. Pretending You Are Not Interested in Them

Many people are advised to play this game with someone that is interested in them. It’s supposed to be a way to make them even more interested in you – kind of like a cat and mouse situation where they have to chase you. For the most part it doesn’t work.

Normally the person doing the ‘chasing’ becomes unsure of whether or not the ‘chasee’ is really interested in them. Soon the fear of rejection causes them to lose interest in the chase and move onto someone else. And even if they are not scared of you rejecting them, they will probably just grow tired of your coy attitude with them and give up.

2. Trying to Make Them Jealous

This is another game that many people are advised to play. It’s supposed to make the person attracted to you grow even more attracted to you due to jealousy. It’s a dangerous game, and instead of winning at the game, most of the time your admirer will quickly grow angry that you chose someone else instead of them. This will cause them to move on to someone who actually shows interest in them, and them only.

3. Showing Your Mean Side

If your admirer is attracted to you it’s probably because of one or more admirable traits. But nothing can overshadow those traits like a fit of rage and anger can.

Not many people will be attracted to you because you are mean or cold in nature. Even a glimpse of that side of you may be enough to turn someone off, so remember to always show your best side out in public – and try to always live your best side. You will be happier and you will keep your admirers around!

4. Complaining

A person can only listen to so much complaining from someone before they completely cut that person off from their ‘I’m attracted to this person’ list. Complaining makes you look crabby, unreasonable, and difficult to deal with. Who would want to get into a relationship with someone like that?

To thwart complaining start taking action! Don’t waste time complaining but instead fix the issues that would cause you to complain in the first place. It’s much more admirable. Plus you will gain attraction by your admirer if you are a go-doer who gets things done.

5. Criticizing Them The Wrong Way

Chances are the person interested in you is involved in your life some way. If you are interacting on a conversational level then you want to make sure that you don’t bruise their ego in some way or make them feel as though you believe you are superior to them.

If you point the finger at someone and tell them they are doing something wrong in a negative way then you will instantly lose their respect and gain their annoyance. You may think that you are being helpful when you tell them how to do something, but you may actually cause them to think that you are telling them that they are wrong and you are right. Anyone attracted to you will be turned off immediately!

Of course there are times that they will be doing something wrong and you may need to direct them in a different direction. Instead of pointing the finger or blaming them in a direct way, use the indirect method with constructive criticism. This means giving them positive feedback followed by constructive criticism.

For instance, if you are critiquing an office memo they wrote then you may want say something like ‘You really know what you are doing when it comes to getting your point across!’ followed by constructive criticism such as ‘maybe you can point out even more great things about not eating other people’s lunches.’ This sounds a lot better than saying ‘You need to add more detail to that list!’

While these are the top 5 ways to kill someone’s interest in you, there are many ways to lose the interest of an admirer. Remember that keeping their interest boils down to being the real you, letting them see you in a positive light, and making them feel as though you value them. Remember those tips and your admirers will always admirer you.

About The Author:

Bellaisa writes for the Relationship Circle, a blog with relationship advice on everything from common relationship issues to how to find love.

7 Ways to Start a Conversation with the Cutie You’ve Been Eying

Christian Singles

Ok gals. There is probably a guy that you are thinking about right now. He’s probably super cute, and awesome, but you haven’t had the nerve to talk to him. It’s ok, we all get like that with cute guys! If you want to talk to the cute guy and you want to get to know him better, here are some tips to start a conversation with him.

  1. Ask him for directions. If you find that he is an expert when it comes to directions, ask him how to get somewhere. If you are very daring, call him when you get “lost”. It’s a great idea to strike up a conversation with him.
  2. Ask about the train/bus/school schedule. If you spot your cutie on a bus, don’t be afraid to ask him about the schedule. It is a great idea to start a conversation.
  3. Ask him what he likes to order. If you frequently see your cutie in a coffee shop, or a bakery, ask him what he likes to order. If he’s the cashier, this is a great way to strike up a great conversation. You might find that you have a lot of things in common.
  4. Ask about what he is reading. See what he is reading. It’s a good idea to comment on it if it is something that you would be interested in! You can have a great connection.
  5. Ask about the game. Ask him about the sports game that he is watching. Show him that you are interesting in sports. Guys love girls that are into sports.
  6. Send him a drink. If you see him at a bar, don’t be afraid to send him a drink. It will show that you are interested. And, if he’s not interested, he won’t take the drink. But don’t worry, there are plenty of other guys out there.

  7. Ask your guy about the technology he likes. Lot’s of guys love technology. If the guy that you are crushing on has some cool gadgets, ask him about them. He will love to talk about the latest gadgets that he has.

Good luck when it comes to talking to the cutie that you have been eying. These are some great ways to start a conversation. If the cutie doesn’t take notice, don’t fret. There are plenty of other guys out there. Don’t be afraid to give him some space, you don’t want to scare the guy!

 

About the Author
Tammi Jenkins is a writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers is a service that will help you find online schools that are best for you.

How to Date on a Budget Without Looking Cheap

Ferris Wheel LoversWhen you fancy someone, money might be the last thing on your mind, but losing both your mind and your money over your crush is a terrifying scenario. Well, if you have already lost your mind, this article won’t help, but if you still have your money, keep reading!

Dating on a budget isn’t a “mission impossible”. All you have to do is plan in advance and stick to your plan. The choice of activities for a date on a budget depends on whether it is your first date or not, your location (if you live in the mountains then a walk on the beach is hardly a cheap date idea, because the nearest beach might be hundreds or thousands of miles away), and the likes and dislikes of you and your date.

There are really a lot of ways to date on a budget and impress your date, but there are also tricky areas where you can end up looking cheap rather than savvy. For instance, to ask for a refund because you didn’t like the meal (though you actually ate it) is certainly a no-no. Using a coupon could also be regarded as cheap by some people. To most it is perfectly acceptable, but if you are not sure how your date will react, you might want to avoid coupons on a first date.

Now let’s look at some of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to date on a budget.

Christian Singles

1. Go the Exotic, but Cheaper, Way

Trendy restaurants are very expensive and the food they serve isn’t always top-notch. However, if both of you like Chinese, Thai, Indian, Mexican, or other ethnic food, an ethnic restaurant is the way to go. Local ethnic restaurants are typically less expensive but more exotic, so the experience will be really memorable.

2. Dine at Home

Dining at home definitely beats any restaurant. However, you need to spend time preparing the food. Of course, you can order food online, but this might be as expensive as dining out.

Additionally, if you are in the beginning of your relationship and you are still not 100% comfortable with each other, inviting your date home for dinner could be considered as a prelude to a “sleepover”, and many people of either gender will back off at such an idea this early in a relationship.

3. Go on a Picnic

If both of you love open-air activities and the weather permits, you can consider going on a picnic. You can take light food and some drinks, and that (plus your date) is all it takes to make a great picnic!

4. Parks and Beaches Are Excellent Date Locations

If a picnic sounds too time-consuming, you can always go for a walk in the park or on the beach. This is definitely a very romantic idea and chances are you will be able to remain just the two of you for a while.

5. Look for Free Events

Free events, such as art shows, wine tasting, sporting events, book promotions, etc. are a few more opportunities to explore. Usually metropolitan areas are rich in such events but even small towns do offer such attractions. The trick here is to find an event both of you like – otherwise one or both of you will be bored, and this might spoil the date.

6. Do Community Work Together

Community work helps to build not only communities, but couples as well. It’s also good for your happiness and confidence levels – giving to others really does make you feel good.

7. Honour the Happy Hour

While most of the ideas on this list are completely free, a happy hour isn’t. But it is traditionally one of the easiest choices. One of the disadvantages of happy hours is that it might be crowded and if you want a quiet evening with your date, this will hardly happen.

Dating on a budget can be fun. They say that money can’t buy you happiness, and it’s true – you might spend tons of money on a date just to see it go in a disastrous direction. If you and your date are soulmates, then these cheap date ideas will be very suitable for you. If your date laughs at your suggestions because he or she dreams of something fancier, then this could be a signal that you aren’t soulmates after all…

 

Citations:
  • Image credit

This article is by Ada, a personal finance blogger who remembers only too well how frugal living doesn’t always go down great with a date! Right nor she’s obsessed with home insurance comparison and trying to make sure everyone knows how to find a policy that works for them.