Lately, I've had a bad case of "First Date Syndrome", you know where you go out on a date and get shut down for a second one... Not that I care, it's just made me realize how horrible guys are at coming up with dates. I mean, an hour and a half argument over Clemsux vs. Carolina? Not my idea of a fun day.

So, I just wanna hear it; what's your idea of a good date? It doesn't even have to be the perfect date, just a good one.

I don't get it. Are you talking about what to actually do (in terms of where to go, what activities to engage in, etc.) or what occurs between two people during the date to make you want to see the other person again?

Because I never think of my "flashiest" dates (speaking of the actual dates, as an activity, not referring to "my date" as in the person who took me on the date) as having been my best dates. Don't get me wrong, I won't tolerate dating a man that isn't willing to spend money on my ass, but all my flashy, big money, highly planned, extravaganza dates are not what I look back on and remember for the person I was with. As an example, I guy I was dating in LA took me to Vegas for a weekend as a second date (first date was an LA Kings game and then a late dinner in HWood). I don't really have any good memories of HIM on this date: I remember having fun on the plane playing some game with other passengers on the plane - I can't remember the rules but it involves people looking at the numbers on the dollar bill they are holding and somehow that determines who "wins" and the winner gets everybody's dollar who was playing?? I remember playing a shitload of craps while in Vegas and laughing my fool head off with this older couple from Texas, but there isn't a single thing that made HIM special on this date. I mean, was he showing off and trying to dazzle me? (Because I don't dazzle easily. I mean, it's just Vegas. It ain't like we packed our bags and went to Monte-Carlo.) Or did he need so many activities and shit because he wasn't comfortable just getting to know another person? I dunno. I had FUN but he was not a necessary element in the fun.

A great date that I liked much better was when I was living in San Diego and this guy took me up to La Jolla. (For those of you unfamiliar with the layout of SoCal, going to La Jolla if you live in San DIego is no big whoop: It was a 15 minute drive from my house in Pacific Beach and both Pacific Beach and La Jolla are technically within the SD city limits.) Anyway, he took me for an ice cream cone, we sat on a bench and ate our ice cream cones and then we walked over to that cove thing where you can sometimes see the seals or sea lions or whatever they are. It was low key enough that we could actual talk and get to know each other without all this extraneous razzledazzle.