As many of my regular readers know, I’ve been out on a fair few dates.  Regular readers will also know that I have an unusual approach to dating.  My motto is, make every date an adventure.  It’s hard to tell how a dating adventure is going, so while getting bored waiting for various dates to pick me up, or in the back of my head while making small talk, I came up with a points system to keep track of how things are going.  In the spirit of pooling resources, I thought I would share this system with you and ask for your suggestions.  I’ve broken this down into relationship phases, for ease of perusal:

Asking someone out

• While sober:  +10 points
• While drunk:  -15 points
• Face to face:  +15 points
• Over the phone:  +5 points
• Via text message:  0 points
• On five minutes notice:  -15 points
• Through poetry:  +25 points, even if it’s bad

Getting to first date location

• Person who did the asking picks up:  +10 points
• Person who was asked picks up:  -5 points, unless good reason
• Meet at location:  0 points
• Bringing flowers:  +10 points
• Bringing flowers with vase:  +20 points
• Overly romantic setting requiring heels:  0 points
• Casual setting allowing flats:  +5 points
• Unusual setting (awesome):  +25 points
• Unusual setting (creepy):  -15 points

First Date

• Telling date he/she looks nice:  +10 points
• Not commenting on how late the other person was:  +5 points
• Not being late in the first place:  +15 points
• Ordering for the other person:  -20 points (I hate this!)
• Asking the other person how his/her day was:  0 points
• Asking the other person how his/her day was and actually listening:  +15 points
• Discussing politics:  -5 points
• Discussing religion:  -15 points
• Discussing ex:  -30 points
• Getting so engrossed in other person that you don’t notice the restaurant is closing:  +30 points
• Tipping badly:  -20 points
• Walking date safely to car/door:  +15 points

Post-date communication

• Follow-up phone call/email/text within 1 day:  +10 points
• Within two days:  +5 points
• Within three days:  0 points
• No contact until a week has gone by:  -10 points
• More than five calls/emails/texts within 24 hours:  -5 points
• Sending inappropriate pictures with suggestive captions after first date:  -50 points
• Suggesting second date:  +15 points
• Suggesting second date, then going incommunicado for three days:  -15 points
• Using words “buddy”, “pal” or “friend” in post-date communication:  just give up

This doesn’t include second date activity or anything after, since a) this isn’t that kind of blog, and b) I rarely get to that stage.  Those of you who want to use this system should remember, as always, that no matter what the numerical result is, you have to take into account that certain inexplicable something that can’t be quantified.  I call it the Johnny Depp factor.  Feel free to rename it however suits you!

So what do you think?  Additions?  Corrections?  Suggestions?  Recriminations?  Does anyone want to do a follow-up for second dates and beyond?