Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts on this.
I have compiled your ideas into a list. This will be useful for me, as I like checklists.
I hope it's useful for others too.
Apologies to those whose ideas I have misinterpreted or overlooked.
DO's
1) Find out what you have in common to keep the conversation going.
2) Be genuinely interested in what she's saying.
3) Ask what she likes to do when not working, e.g. hobbies, travels.
4) Wear clean and nice-, and if possible, expensive-looking shoes and clothes.
5) Take a shower and use adequate deodorant and mouthwash.
6) Have a sense of humour.
7) Do something fun and memorable.
A walk across Capilano suspension, bungee-jump or skydive in Abbotsford, maybe?
8) Keep the mood light and flirty.
9) Read the Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook.
I won't get to do this in time, but it's on my holiday reading list.
10) Turn off the cell phone.
11) Pay for everything.
And insist on it, perhaps?
12) Be genuine, but polite (which means do not laugh at jokes you don't find funny and nod your head on things you disagree with).
13) Find out if her smoking behaviour is compatible with yours.
14) Be polite.
15) Keep the conversation going and interesting.
16) Be thoughtful.
17) Bring some simple romance.
I'm not sure what counts as simple?
18) Prepare a list of talking points and interesting questions.
19) Be honest with expectations.
Not sure if this can be brought up on the very first date.
20) If a second date is desired, send an SMS to let her know the date was awesome.
I guess this means forget about the 3-day rule.
DONT's (or DO's if you want to sabotage the date)
1) Interrupt her when she's talking.
2) Engage her in a one-upmanship game.
3) Talk about your ex.
3) Talk only about yourself.
4) Interrogate.
5) Talk about your job, problems, and worries.
6) Fail the 'shit tests'.
Shit, I'll probably flunk this just because I don't know exactly what this means.
7) Mention you have an interesting 'hobby'.
8) Misrepresent yourself.
9) Stare at her tits!
This is probably the marshmallow test for adults:
"You like those, eh? You might get to see more of them, and maybe even have fun with them,
if you can focus on my eyes when I'm saying something.")
10) Look at other woman's tits or ass.
11) Ask her to marry you/be your partner on the first date, or something to that effect.
With a username like makelove2me, I should probably watch out for this tendency.
12) Brag about what you do or have.
13) Be rude to servers and staff.
14) Show up in a dirty car or show her your place while it's a mess.
15) Bad-mouth anyone or people in general.
16) Overly sexual.
There are other points mentioned that are probably important, which also probably operate at the unconscious and instinctual level,
but are generally not within my or anyone's immediate control so I didn't put them in the list.
Thanks again.
