What Really Constitutes a Date

There's the old rule, don't permit him to kiss you on the first date.  While I personally feel that rule is about as useful as the "keep all feet on the floor when making out," there's the definitional criterion for "date."

Accordingly, Angel, Mistress of Love Advice and Dress Ensemble Advice to New Orleans tourists, offers the following criteria.

1)  It's a date if either of you asks the other on it, whatever the activity might be.  This would include coffee and beignets in the Café du Monde  coffeehouse, a dinner date, a movie, even in a neighborhood theatre, drinks at a club, even to shoot rats at the dump.

2)  While it is not mandatory, it is good form to pay the way for the person being asked.

3)  There is no effective time criterion for a date.  Theoretically, you could have a ten-minute date.  Come to think of it, that's what speed dating is about.  However, that's more of a novelty in becoming acquainted with large numbers of people in a short amount of time.

4)  If either of you is getting paid, it is not a date.  It's an arrangement that might be of interest to the Vice Squad.  Sorry boys, you did not have a date with Gisele before you arrested her.

5)  If it involves politics or heavy lifting, it is not a date.  For example, you may ask her to help you push your car to the station, but that does not constitute a date!

6)  Being in the audience of the Jerry Springer Show does not constitute a date.

7)  The necklace rule:  If the occasion gives her an excuse to wear a necklace, then it is a date.

On the average, people have only 12 minutes to impress someone on a first date, according to research.  The most important factors are a person's smile (64 per cent), whether they make eye contact (58 per cent) and their tone of voice (25 per cent).

Two putting off factors were body odor (59 per cent) and bad breath (53 per cent).