Eyes Wide Open - How to Survive A Blind Date

"You've got to meet her; dude, she's hot!" "He's a great guy. If I weren't already taken, I'd go out with him myself."

Ah, friends. They laugh with us, tell us when we have spinach in our teeth and if we're lucky, they'll try and set us up with someone who is just perfect for us. And if we're really lucky - they do it more than once.

The blind date. We hear about the success stories but more than often we hear about the disasters or, even worse, the non-spark, no big deal stories. Our friends, it seems, don't know us as well as they think they do.

Face it, part of the excitement (or stress) of the blind date is wondering if our friends do have enough insight to actually select someone who could potentially be a long term partner. For those rare times when you have that spontaneous combustion, we are relieved everything turned out ok. For those times when it was a complete disaster, we wonder if we should ever speak with our friends again, and for those times that are just plain uneventful, a slap across the back of their head would make us feel better. If only there was some way to make the process less stressful and more enjoyable whether the sparks fly or not...

How to Have a Successful Blind Date
Your blind date can be as successful as the date where you made the arrangements yourself. It doesn't mean the date will turn into a second date; it doesn't mean the two of you will even like each other. What it means is you won't want to rip your hair out and your friend's face off. Listen to us - we won't lead you blind.

Step One - Don't Believe What Your Friends Tell You
Your friends are blind. They are blinded by their thinking they've done something wonderful by finding the exact person you've been waiting for. They're blinded by their own good deed to really be thinking about you. So when they tell you they've found that perfect person, don't believe them. Instead, enter the situation having no expectations at all. You are going out on a first date and nothing more. Don't expect the earth to move unless you're having dinner at a construction site.

Step Two - Treat it like another Date
Call to introduce yourself or call back if they make the introductory call. Find out some likes and dislikes if you're the one making the arrangements. Offer suggestions if you're the one being asked about what you'd like to do. Keep it simple. Keep it fun. Keep it real. Be on time. Be prepared to talk. Be prepared to want to hear about the other person and engage them in conversation. This is a date created by a unique circumstance but you still need to have your A game. This isn't the time to try a new personality or do something you wouldn't normally do - you're already doing something unusual. Let the strangeness end there.

Step Three - Inexpensive is OK, Cheap Is Out and Breaking the Bank is Just Plain Foolish
There's nothing wrong with meeting for a free concert in the park if that's what the two of you agree to do. But make sure you don't buy her a hot dog from the vendor if the usual fare is everyone brings their own picnic. A nice bottle of wine. A lunch that is slightly upscale but not one that would break the bank and also tastes good is a guarantee that something goes right even if the two of you decide never to see each other again.
Also, don't try to impress him/her by suggesting or going to the most expensive place in town. Dating rules apply to blind dates as well as those with all eyes open. Unless you're used to going or be taken to upscale, five star any place, do what you normally do. You'll find out soon enough whether you're with someone who feels entitled or unimpressed. You don't need to break the budget and you shouldn't expect to on the first date.

Step Four - Don't Go To A Movie
To go to a movie, you have to know how to be quiet with a person and you won't know how to do that until you know how to speak to each other and when you go to a movie, you have to know how to do both and you don't know how to do either yet. So just don't go.

Step Five - End On A High Note
Unless the two of you were at each other's throats, the evening probably wasn't bad. You acted well, stayed true to who you were and didn't have unrealistic expectations. If you had enough of a great time that you would like to see him/her again. Say so - simply and easily. Tell them you would like to see them again and ask if you can call or ask that they call you.
If it was nice, but something you wouldn't want to repeat, don't be rude about it. Remember, you have a friend who thought you would be good together so play nice a little longer. You can tell the truth that you'll probably see them around here and there and it will be nice to see a yet another friendly face. Don't worry - it's a rare thing that one person would rate the date a ten and the other a one. We know when something clicks and when it doesn't.
Besides, if you followed step one, you didn't over invest emotionally enough to be heartbroken.

Step Six - Be Willing to do it Again
At best, you might meet some interesting people; get some new friends, and perhaps a solid relationship. At worse, you've got some stories to share at the next party.