A life-long friend or family member can be difficult enough to communicate well with, but what about someone that youre just getting to know? People who know you well have come to recognize your facial expressions, tones and even individualized slang that a new person might be completely confused by. Common sense tells us that there are certain ways to act around people who dont know us very well; certain parts of a personality are not advertised until the relationship develops into something more familiar. However, when you have particularly intimate feelings toward this new person it can be difficult to follow protocol; or in other words, say absolutely the wrong thing. Just to make things a little harder, or so it would seem, the dating world also dictates an order of operations in which everyone must do or say certain things in the right order, which can sometimes go against everything a person is feeling; as if that were not enough, people seem to speak in code so that they can reveal feelings or intentions without making themselves vulnerable. How to navigate this virtual circus of mixed signals and sideways discussions? Well, most people take one step at a time and if their methods clash too greatly with their date, move on to the next. Others find that again and again they seem to lack the ability to communicate with new people; given the chance to move into a more comfortable relationship they feel they could make a success of it, but does a person survive those critical, first few dates?

Those First Few Minutes: Depending upon how or why you have just met the person you hope to continue dating, there could be many appropriate steps to take, but a few are easily applied to nearly any situation:
Facial Expression and Body Language: A persons face speaks volumes about how they feel; if your face reflects a positive attitude the person youre with is apt to think that you enjoy their company. This also applies greatly to listing; making eye contact and reacting to the things your date is telling you are important signs that you care about what they have to say. Distracted looks without eye contact can easily end your chances for a second date. Body language is equally as important; make sure to exude confidence by standing straight or in some cases, a provocative posture that shows interest. Your body and face will say much more than your words in those first few minutes and its important to know just what it is youre telling the person youre with.
Greetings: Again, depending on the situation most people open with a simple hello; its to the point, but can leave an awkward silence after reciprocated because it is now your turn to speak again. Instead try opening with a phrase that not only greets the person, but also invites them to talk. Hello, how are you? Hello, hows your day going? Now these can easily be returned with a simple fine and a response which invite you to speak, this is easier then you think, simply respond about how your day has been without going into too much detail right away. Balancing the conversation is very important, even in the first few minutes; it allows both people to feel that they are on equal ground and that the other person has an interest in their life.
Appearance: Despite the insecurities many people have when it comes to their bodies, the true attraction between two people has very little to do with a predetermined physical standard. Dress to fit your body type and try not to let anything you view as imperfection on your body prevent you from feeling confident. If you have a few extra pounds try to wear clothes that are more flattering to your shape instead of trying to pull off clothing meant for more slender body types. If your complexion is a little too fair, wear bolder colored clothing as it helps to prevent the washed out look. Taking a few minutes just to make sure that you look clean and have a nice sense of style can go a long way toward helping physical attraction. If you need a little help with fashion for your body type or complexion simply use the internet; you dont need to be a supermodel or have tons of money to look like youre dressed to entice.
Watch what you eat: Whether you meet by chance at a club or are heading out for a formal dinner; be careful with your food and drink choices. Becoming too intoxicated is, for most people, a big turn off for many reasons; you are unable to speak as you would normally, any physical progress is usually out due to the fact that most people dont think it right to take advantage, anything that youre saying cant be trust because lets face it, youre drunk! Food choices are equally as important in making a good impression. Do not order food that you would not normally eat to impress a person; often this can upset your stomach which makes for a very unpleasant date. Attempting to order healthy food when you would not normally eat it might be a good idea for your body, but its bad to begin a date with deception. More important than the type of food that youre ordering is the mess factor; especially in todays germ-phobic society spilling food down your face and shirt will make a quickly repulsive impression your date.

Now that you have managed to survive through getting ready for your date, saying hello and staying away from that potentially gooey, disaster of a dish; what to do?
Dancing: An option for some but certainly not for all, some people enjoy the activity while others, no matter how hard they try, are simply miserable. Be honest about your dancing preference as it will matter for future dates.
Karaoke: Another fun option for those brave enough and sometimes, but not always, talented enough. Singing in public is a huge ice breaker and will give you and your date loads of entertainment and hopefully a few fond memories. Not recommended for those easily embarrassed not only by their actions, but also by those of others.
Outside Entertainment: Hiking, Rollerblading, Water play (lots of options here,) min-golf, even an evening walk can be a romantic way to spend your time getting to know each other. If you are not the outdoor type dont lead your date to believe that any of these activities would be fun for you, it will simply bring about conflict in the future.
Movie: An excellent was to spend some time with a new person, especially when conversation is still a bit awkward. Not only does a movie give you something in common to talk about afterward, often a little hand holding (or more depending on how well the date is going,) is acceptable without being uncomfortable. Be sure to see a movie that you would each enjoy; once again going along with your date against your own better judgment is a mistake, be honest about your preferences.
Indoor Games: Pool, bowling, darts and if its the right person a video arcade can be loads of fun for both of you. Be sure before you enter into any of these events that you check any overzealous competitive spirits at the door; while a little healthy competition can be fun, even sexy, too much will repel your partner faster than the gooey food.

During these events, while you are connecting and enjoying your time together make sure you take every opportunity to get to know the person that youre spending time with. Make mental notes about what your date enjoys; their favorite things and pay attention to any mention for future plans so that you can bring it up at the end of the date to spark their interest. If anything especially memorable happens it can be quite a romantic gesture to keep a memento of your time together for a future gift; it implies you suspected that already, you see a future with this person.

By the end of your date you should have a fairly good idea whether or not the two of you hit it off; this is the time when a date usually turns very physical. Whether you head up to the bedroom, or simply lean in for a goodnight kiss make sure you put as much feeling into the physical attention of the act as possible so that person is aware of just how much you enjoyed their company. If all went well, you should be on your way toward a second date; this you should find a bit more relaxing as you have made certain that your feelings are returned. If your date did not go at well, remember that many people simply do not mix well, dont take it too personally, instead try to make it a learning experience so that your next, first date can go all the more smoothly.