Small Talk

DATING WISDOM
Over the years, many of my readers and workshop attendees
have shared their stories with me. Allow me to
pass some of them on to you.
Leave your cell phone in the car. Paul gave up on datsurviving
the singles scene . 179
We all have stories we like to share, but of course
since they’re ours, we’ve heard them all before. So dating
is a great opportunity to hear someone else’s stories. Listen
to them actively and empathetically—and even share
some of your own when it’s appropriate—but don’t kill
the conversation with domination. Listening is a great
way to find out if there’s something worth pursuing in
that person sitting across from you.
Just a couple more words of advice: Be patient. You
don’t have to have it all in one date. Give yourself a
chance to bond with this person instead of trying to find
out everything about them in this one encounter and
then making a snap decision about whether or not you
want to see them again. And keep your sense of humor.
Don’t tell jokes (unless you’re great at it), but allow
yourself to be funny. As Larry King says, “Never stay too
serious too long.”