Dating Check List
Mouthwash? Check! Directions? Check! Condoms just in case? Check! Good things to remember, but we're not talking about
that kind of checklist.
No, the checklist we're talking about is more a mental one-the sort of checklist you might prepare when you're interviewing
someone for a new job. If they speak Spanish, can type 50 words per minute and have experience on Mac, they might soar ahead
of the high-school drop out who thinks Mac is the name of the guy working the mail room.
If you have no problem getting particular with someone you plan to spend eight impersonal hours per day with, why wouldn't you
use the same caution with someone you might potentially spend the rest of your life with? These aren't all questions you
necessarily need to have answered on your first date-some of these will unfold over time. But it's good to have a solid idea
what you're looking for going into a first date.
Why? Because there comes a point in every relationship where you reach a crossroads. It's that point where you're faced with
that inevitable something that bugs you about the person you're dating. And that's when you ask the questions: Is this something
I can live with or is it a deal breaker?
The mental checklist might be different for everybody, but some of the questions are universal. To get you started on this
decision making process, we thought we'd throw some questions out there you might want to consider as you venture into the
dating world. And if enough of these are important to you, you might want to print this sheet off and keep track-sometimes
it helps to look at a good thing on paper to see how good you really have it. and to see a not so good thing staring you
back in the face.
Is there sexual chemistry? Not necessarily in the sack, but a steady, flirtatious vibe between the two of you?
Is that smile on your face genuine? Do you have a truly good time together?
Do you want the same thing out of life? Things like career direction, cities you want to live in, children, pets come to
mind with a question like this.
Do you get along in each other's social circles? You don't have to be best buds with each other's friends, but the ability
to hang out without throwing most of them off of a bridge might be nice.
Is education important? Some people have a real problem dating someone who barely has a GED when they're sporting a doctorate
from Harvard?
A lot of people say you can tell a lot about what a person will be like as a partner by watching how they interact with their
family-a wise thing to pay attention to.
Sometimes, opposites attract, but sometimes, and introverted person who likes to stay at home with the Tivo and an extroverted
person used to being the life of the party do not match in heaven make. That's up for you to decide?
Is age important? To some, it's just a number. To others, it really matters, but you'd better answer this one for your self
early, because someone who's too old for you is only going to get older, and if you have trouble keeping up with the young one now.
Are there at least a few common things you both like to do in your spare time? Doing everything alone gets boring awfully fast.
Religion is a big issue for some people. If it's a major deal breaker, best to be open and honest about it up front than fall in
love and have a difficult decision to make later.
Do they make you feel good about yourself? The purpose of a partner is to compliment you and lift you up, not get you down.
Honesty is a huge issue for some people. Someone who starts with little white lies (age, education, where they grew up) might just
be hiding big lies. It's a good thing to know just where you draw the line.
Do they have a pretty good idea of what makes you tick? Can they tell what makes you sad, what makes you happy, what makes you
laugh-or do they have no clue how to read you at all?
Once you make your way into the bedroom, it is essential (I can't stress this enough) that the two of you be compatible. One
of the main causes for breakup in couples is sexual incompatibility.
How serious are they about being in a relationship? If you meet online, check out their profile. Are they looking for "the
one to spend the rest of their lives with" or "a one night stand with no strings." Don't try and mold someone
into wanting what you want, because it won't work.
Like I said, some of these may be essential to you. some may not matter at all. There may be makers or breakers that we
completely missed. But as a basis to start from, this should get you going.
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