Rules for online dating (addendum): The First Meeting

A few more to add to my online dating series:

Initial meeting preparation tricks

• Call everyone via a forwarding number (for example Google Voice) so you can either dispose of the number or use blocking features usually available with such services.
• Where to meet?  I aim for a location that's halfway between myself and my date where there's a Plan B in case it's obviously not going well (so it wasn't a wasted drive).  I frequently go to a coffee place that's next to a store I really like.  However, it's important to make sure you meet somewhere you don't usually go so there's no chance you'll meet again accidentally.
• If your date puts off meeting more than once (or is otherwise flaky), request meeting somewhere really convenient for you.

The Elaine Stritch interruption incident

I love this old Letterman bit.  I was always impressed by her work on 30 Rock but I found her performance wonderfully unexpected and strange.

How to go to outdoor shows - Part 4: Encouraging Good Vibes

Fourth in my series on going to outdoor shows.  Back to Part 3: Bad Vibes.

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Charity 

This is a big one: it's always improved my night immensely if I can help someone out.  So for example, if you see someone looking for something, ask if you can help look for it.  Or someone who looks really, really tired, ask if they need help or water.  Heck, just giving a few bucks to a homeless person or being polite with the ticket person can go a really long way.

My best nights have always included a little kindness.


Drinking/Chemicals

If you go down this road, you probably know the standard precautions (watch your drink, don't accept anything from someone you don't know personally) but my track on this is to make sure you have -- not just a designated driver -- but a reliable sober person local and available.

If you don't have this, keep anything in this space limited to early and low key.  I know these are important to having a good time for many, so they've got to be managed.  Many situations have been created/exacerbated by chemicals, so I've started to treat them like a ticking bomb.


Going alone

More than ever before I've been going to events by myself which has meant more precautions, writing down or memorizing a few numbers in case I lose my phone, and making sure someone knows where I'm at.

Back to the beginning: Part 1: Possessions