A while back I was out with a friend who told me, “People will tell you all about themselves on the first date, so you should really listen to what they say” or words to that effect. Now, I don’t consider myself a strike counter. Meaning, I’m not building a case file against a woman all night, I’m just looking to have a reasonably good time. As I mentioned elsewhere, I like meeting new people and if they like to talk all night then we’ve already got one hobby in common. 🙂 The next lady I dated actually came with a warning label. She quite literally told me all of her “flaws” up front and they were pretty significant. The Robot from Lost In Space would’ve been flailing his arms around wildly and saying, “DANGER,
WILL ROBINSON!”
Was I listening, oh yes. Did I think I could handle it, sure, I can handle anything and if she’s telling me about it, how bad could it be?
We share a hobby and that made for some terrifically cool outings… then we had a major falling out due to previously mentioned issues, ahem, and… it wasn’t the end of the world anyway. So, although the writing was on the wall I was able to temporarily cheer up someone who was going through a pretty tough time and we’re still friends so… that’s a win-win in my book.
Besides, by what right could I ask for a second chance when I really needed it if I wasn’t willing to give it to someone else?
Steve's Deli 
I’m always building case files on chicks. Every day. 🙂
I operate from guilty ’till proven innocent. I can’t afford to do it in the other direction.
I live in the center of the universe, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA, Earth. There’s too much turnover here to waste time on a chick that I don’t have a great time with and have great respect for.
If they pass the test, then I know it’ll always be a good time for me when I hang out with them and I appreciate and cherish them. If they fail.. No matter… There will be more candidates tomorrow (or later this evening! :D).
Ah, BC, I’ve been percolating on your response for some time… it’s not like you haven’t said that before in several other places or times so much as how my context has changed when I read it. Let’s call it a new appreciation. 🙂
Out here in “the sticks”, with much, much, less turnover (and where NYC’rs retire to raise children and drive badly) sometimes you play things philosophically, “you get what you get and you don’t get upset”, and you let things run their course and pick up a lesson or two if not a new friend – OR – you keep playing the same-same-stay-at-home game. But yeah, I get where you’re coming from I just don’t want to feel like I’m standing around with a clipboard checking off boxes… but I’m sure as I continue to meet more and more women my expectations will be much clearer to myself and I’ll be less tolerant of square pegs in round holes and better at getting my needs met in addition to theirs.
That’s all very 50,000 foot sounding.
Feeling kinda’ burnt at the moment on the whole endeavor, like the return on investment is way too low, so I guess more efficient screening is already due.
Which is all very buzzwordy sounding. 🙂
Ya know what, after a while you just lose your taste for taking a big gamble on some people. I guess that’s the point where you have enough experience under your belt to really get what will and will not work for ya. It’s indirectly efficient, but primarily your avoiding a pain you’ve been through before.