First kiss, first date, bliss?

We were standing on the platform waiting for the train to arrive. Her coat hung open. I saw, took hold and pulled her closer. I slid my hands into the coat, holding her to me, feeling her weight lean into my arm through the soft fabric of her sweater. She put her hands up behind my neck, pulling me down to her. A great first kiss requires cooperation from both parties, and that was one of the best I've ever had, a great first kiss on a great first date.

First dates are easy. Most people have had so many bad experiences that expectations are low on both sides, allowing you to easily surpass them. For a guy, there are just a few rules to observe. Shine your shoes (pay some attention to the way you're dressed basically), plan the evening but leave room for improvisation if something doesn't work or she's not feeling it. Guys pay on the first date. This might be a remnant of patriarchal modes of thought, but it's not one that many people are willing to give up, so don't argue, just go with it. Try not to be an incredible bore by speaking about yourself incessantly. Listen to her answers as you will be tested if there is a second date. Try to tear your eyes away from her cleavage to look her in the face for at least a portion of the evening. Find something fun, or different, some spot you've found that's really underground and cool, or something else of that nature. Finally and very importantly, alcohol is your friend. Nothing makes two people like each other more than a bottle of wine or a few whiskeys.

I've been on a lot of first dates. A willingness to talk to strangers combined early adoption of Nerve's personals and occasional help from enthusiastic friends has meant that in the past few years, I've dated more than every guy and most girls I know. Of course, this entire blog is testament to my lack of luck in relationship land, so even when a first date goes well, I try not to get overly hopeful. Much can still happen to take things off track.

Happily though, as I write this, I'm waiting for Opera girl to get off work so we can go on date number X. That X doesn't stand for ten, it means unknown. I think we've seen each other every day this week, either cause we parted in the morning, or we met in the evening. The event with crazy lady from two posts past happened on our second date, and it definitely did shake us both up. But Opera girl (gonna need a new nickname, this one seems very limiting) is a fan of direct talk and we had a long and really intelligent talk not just about crazy lady, but all the issues surrounding it. And it didn't scare her off coming to my place, for which I'm grateful.

I'm a bit scared to get too hopeful. I take back anything I said about her looks. She is ridiculously cute and that's not just the endorphins talking. I keep catching (and she might too) myself staring at her. Must get that habit under control. She's on track to meet the most of my friends in the shortest period of any girl I've ever dated. This is helped along by factors such as her actually being age appropriate for me, living in the same city and our not having met in any sort of dodgy manner. So, cross your fingers for me and lets all hope I don't manage to screw it up somehow.