(no subject)

[sauergeek]

I have recently discovered a question that I have been searching for the answer to for many years. The question is a simple one, so I suspect that (like most simple questions) it has an extremely complex answer. The question:

When is it appropriate to ask someone out on a date?

I can't claim any particular competence at dating. If anything, I would claim a particular incompetence at dating, as I have no idea what I'm doing. My dating history totals a single date, probably in late 1988. (And no, it was not with the person who is now my ex-wife.) It was moderately unsuccessful, in that no further dates ever happened.

Comments

[dcltdw]

The mental trick that I subscribe to -- which, I should say, falls short of being sufficient to handle tho associated terror -- is to envision the worst thing that could happen if I ask them out for coffee or a phone number or whatnot.

Usually it involves said person
* bursting out laughing
* tugging the sleeve of their friend and saying, "oh my god, look who just asked me if I wanted to get coffee later!"
* immediately pulling out their cellphone and calling their friend to tell them about me -- in front of me, of course, as it would be hard to describe how inappropriately shocking I was if they didn't have me around as reference
* kick me in the nuts, just for good measure.

OK, that's the worst. *deep breath* A'right, here goes...

But no, does it really work? Not really. But it helped. :)