Seven Dating Types to Avoid Anytime, Anywhere, and at All Costs!

Wouldn’t it be great if every date was worthy of fireworks and a ticker-tape parade--all rolled into one? You bet it would!

But, dating is a numbers game. In this “game”, you’ll most likely meet your share of dull, quirky, or downright creepy individuals before you find The One that rocks your world—or at least contributes something meaningful to it. Below are some of the not-so-wonderful dating types you may encounter in your journey. Avoid these, and you may help ease some of life’s bumps and potholes.

· The Gift. They are legends in their own mind, masking their own insecurities by pretending they are gods and goddesses to mere mortals such as us. In their eyes, we should feel blessed to be in their presence. In reality, we are simply bored—wondering if eating broken glass would be better than such torture. Best case scenario? Excuse yourself from the date, hail a cab, and get the heck out of Dodge!

· The Grand Inquisitor. These nosey folks take 20 Questions to a new level, asking you who, what, when, where, how, and why on anything—and everything—you say, think, or do. Naturally curious? I don’t think so. More likely they are paranoid, trying to uncover your “hidden agenda”. (Sadly, I dated one of these before, who went through my “history” on the computer.) At the end of the date, you’ll be exhausted—thinking you just went ten rounds with Mike Tyson.

· The Flirt. This is your first meeting, so you think you’d be the center of your date’s conversation. Don’t be silly! These inconsiderate folks are striking up conversations (and possibly exchanging phone numbers) with everyone but you. Even the dishwasher has seen more action! Best thing to do is call it a day.

· The Mouth. Perhaps its first date jitters, or perhaps your date thinks he or she is auditioning for a talk show! But, you’ve managed to only get a word in edge-wise once—when they were in the bathroom (and you swore you still heard them talking). By the time you've heard about THEIR vacation, business venture, or foot fungus problem...One thing’s obvious: They don’t want to know anything about you. So, pay your part of the bill and leave. Besides, You’ve got living to do.

· The O.C.D. If watching someone suffering from intrusive thoughts or repetitive behaviors all night sounds like fun, this is the date for you. In a dimly lit, romantic restaurant, this writer watched hopelessly as his date rearranged the table arrangement, made sure both ice tea glasses faced the same way, and made disparaging comments about the number 13—all night long (well, for an hour, at least). When he later suggested the woman seek help for her somewhat serious condition, he was politely told what he could do with his advice.

· The Grump. Give these folks a minute and your world turns into the apocalypse. Sunny skies turn to gray, golf ball-sized hail falls from the heavens, and a strange, three-legged dog pees on your leg! Nothing at all makes these miserable people happy—except seeing someone getting hit by a bus. If these walking nightmares don't lead you to a full blown panic attack, nothing will! One word: Run!

· The Dull. Nobody is perfect. We all have our share of character flaws. But when you are sitting across the table, sharing an hour with someone who convinces you that having a root canal or undergoing open heart surgery with unsterilized equipment would be more pleasurable than spending another second with this person, you know you’re in Dating Hell.

You can have a wonderful, relatively stress-free dating experience by avoiding certain unsavory elements! Check back soon for more relationship advice! In the meantime: You owe it to your self to find a friend, a date, or true love which satisfies your senses.

Get More Great Dating Tips!--Brian