Of Dating

So it appears that my head has cleared and I’m about to embark on the ‘dating’ journey. But reading through the brochures at the travel agent and looking beyond the pretty pictures of pristine beaches, I suspect that I’m about to enter an absolute minefield. So I am looking for knowledge and understanding from you wise people.Firstly I need to get some definitions sorted out.Dating. What constitutes a date? Is asking a woman to meet up for a drink, a date? Is asking her over to cook for her, a date? I had one definition given to me which was “If you ask her out and specify a day and time, it’s a date.”. Too broad? Then, what is a 'date' actually all about? Obviously its a ‘getting to know each other’ activity which should be above all else, fun. I'm thinking that the intention is to discover what connection, if any, there may be. To discover what compatibility there may be. Are there any additional definitions you can share?Seeing Someone. What exactly is this? If a woman asks you “are you seeing someone else?” is she expecting a yes or no? Is she asking “are you sleeping with other people”? Obviously honesty is a good thing, but is the expectation there that you aren’t dating/seeing others whilst figuring out how much you like “one person in particular”?There is the phrase “seeing someone/dating someone exclusively”. This is obviously a non-committal way of saying that you’re in a relationship. So it begs the question - until you are seeing someone/dating someone exclusively, are you free (and is it understood) that you can (and should?) be dating others at the same time?Aargh - A guy could go nuts thinking about this. Oh wait...Now when you actually get enough courage to go on a date, apparently there are rules.There is the obvious - presentation, grooming, punctuality. OK - I can handle that. Compliment her. Just enough. Not too much. Some women apparently like being complimented, others don’t. You probably won’t know until she reacts like you’re a creep! Talk about her, but don’t ask too many questions. It could feel like an interrogation. But ask questions. (OK - this one is a little confusing!). Don’t follow up with calls, texts or email more than once per day unless it’s a reply.Then there is looking for indications that she’s into you. I had one friend explain that when she doesn't like someone, she’s bouncy, flirty, fun and engaging. All smiles and physical contact. But she can also be shy, awkward and look at them like they’re dirt. When she does like someone, she’s shy, awkward and looks at them like they’re dirt. So all up, a little confusing for the guy. Not particularly useful information.Another friend was being helpful. She gave me a short list of signs to look for. This list included Eye Contact, Smiling, Laughing, Playing With Hair. I pointed out to her that she did all these things and more when she was with me, yet she wasn’t into me. Mixed signals. Totally baffling. Women are strange.Apparently Politics and Religion are no-go areas for discussion. However given my political leanings and the fact that I know some ridiculously cute (albeit mis-guided ;-)) women who lean strongly to the Left side of the political spectrum, I’d suggest that it is important to find out fairly early on where the arguments will start.Religion - a very interesting topic for future discussion. All I’ll say here is that I now know that if you’re going to invite a Hindu woman back to your apartment, it is probably a really really good idea to make sure your cow-hide rug and cow-hide cushions are not in sight. It was pretty much a mood killer.So onwards and upwards.I’m really looking forward to the next phase of life.Simon.