The First Date: ten rules in order to survive

1. Look good.
Spare some time to prepare for your date because we all know how important first impression is. A part of looking good is to be well dressed - but not too well! It is not okay to wear a suit and a tie to a first day - after all, this is not job interview. However you should be elegant and stylish. Note: elegant and stylish doesn't necessarily mean fashionable and fancy. It simply means elegant and stylish. It's a good idea to wear jeans and a shirt - maybe combined with a matching t-shirt or even a sweater over the shirt. Aside from the clothing, find some time to do your hair, brush your teeth, put on some nice cologne, clean your shoes, see if there are any stains on your jacked. It's not that hard, isn't it? Okay, I lied - it is. But it's worth it. Remember - there are plenty of ways to look, but there are countless ways to look bad. So pay attention to the mirror!
2. Don't be late.
When you are supposed to be there at 10.30, get there at 10.25. Being late always makes a bad impression and being early gives you the chance to quickly check out your hair (however, always be careful with that because fixing your hair is good but being caught fixing your hair is not). If you are not sure how to get to the place of the meeting, be sure to at least look it up online before you go. Keep in mind that there may be some traffic problems and always give yourself extra 10 minutes in case you bump into a friend or stop at a store or anything that might take some time. Being late is going to make the other guy think less of you, but being early is going to make you think less of yourself, so simply be on time.
3. Smile.
Okay, nobody likes sad people, nobody likes serious people and nobody likes people who don't know how to be sociable. And a huge part of being sociable is smiling and making other comfortable in your company. You should smile a lot but not in the silly way (you would not want to look like one of those crazy people who smile all the time at the bus stops), you have to do it the nice and warm way - so that the other person feels nice and warm as well.
4. Talk.
Remember how people say it's silly to discuss the weather? Well, forget it - talk about anything that comes to your mind but do not, under any circumstance, stay quiet. If your date is shy or doesn't really have anything to say, change the subject. Ask them about themselves - their hobbies, their friends, the music they like, the music they DO NOT like, bitch about celebrities... anything! After all, that is why you are out on a date - to get to know each other. And if you are one of those people who don't really like to talk that much - forget it. First deal with your own problems and then go out looking for somebody else's.
5. Let him/her talk.
I know I just told you to keep your mouth running at all times, but keep in mind that this is supposed to be a conversation and not a monologue - let your date talk too. Do not interrupt and do not finish their sentences for them - maybe you know exactly what they are going to say, but it is still theirs to say and they want to say it.
6. Be yourself.
I am aware that this sounds a little silly, but being what you really are is truly the best thing you can to if you want someone to like you. Yes, maybe he will not like what you really are, but liking something that you are just pretending to be, is worse. Nobody likes liars.
7. Pick a good spot.
Choosing a good place to go is vital. A simple coffee shop is always a good choice - it's quiet, there are tables for smokers and they are usually easy to find. Another good alternative is an art show or museum but that is in case you have discussed it and you both agree that it is ok. There are many places that can work, but there are a few ground rules - never go see a movie on a first date. After all, you are supposed to talk and get to know each other on the first date and not stare at a screen and eat pop corn.
8. Be alone.
I know this is rule number eight, but consider it the second-number one. Do not bring company - this is maybe the worst thing you could do. Unless of course you have discussed it and your date is expecting your friend. But this is not the case we are discussing. What we are talking about are the times when people bring their friends are safety nets and turn a normal date into a twisted version of a threesome. Funny? Maybe now it is, but not if you are the person who's alone. Just because you and your best friend are used to doing everything together does not make it OK to bring them to your first date.
9. Stay until the end.
Yes, we actually need a rule for that. I have heard stories of people who have dumped their dates minutes after actually meeting them and I have always thought of them as urban myths. Well, they are not. There are people out there who would dump you right away because of your looks, height or penis size. I understand that sometimes you simply do not feel like wasting your time due to numerous factors that make you reject the other person, but at least sacrifice 1-2 hours to finish the date and then actually dump the person. Out of politeness. Rejecting someone is one thing, but being a bitch is another.
10. Call them.
Even if you don't plan to see your date again. Even if he is the biggest loser you have ever seen. Even if he does not stand a chance with you. Call him and tell him that. Just because our lives have been thrown in the dating roller coaster does not mean we can't still be human. So be human and let them know what you think of them!

You know there are a hundred more things we could list as rules but in the end - it's the attitude that matters the most. Have fun and report back!

PS: You are aware that having sex on the first date is against all rules, right?

Broken?

For the past few decades the world has seen plenty of talented, beautiful and ambitious women. However, few of them have actually made it to the top. And where is the top? Well, probably where Mariah Carey is standing right now.
The diva made her recording debut in 1990 under the guidance of Columbia Records and became the first recording artist in history to have her first five singles top the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Since that moment, the whole world has know Mariah's name, Mariah's voice, Mariah's smile and Mariah's breasts.
Having the most number-one singles for a solo artist in the United States and being the second artist overall, behind The Beatles , Mariah will forever be a part of our music history.
Loosing the weight she had gained over the last couple of years, right now Mariah looks stunning. Her latest album was successful, as usual. She got married to a hot, young hunk and finally put the shame of Glitter behind, thanks to Tennessee. Sounds like she's in the perfect place, doesn't it? Well, things with MC aren't as pink as you might think.

The first sign of trouble was at X-Factor's last episode, when Mariah and the finalists performed Hero. Let's just say that if nobody told you, you could never tell it was Carey who's singing - she sounded terrible. After that evening, we started paying a little more attention to her performances - most of which were lip-synced. Now, I am aware that many of the artists today do that, but we all know that Mariah has always been the definition of a good singer. However, recent events have proven that we won't be hearing much of her five-octave range anytime soon. Or ever?
After her horrific performance of Hero, she launched a newly recorded version of the single - sounding as if you have taken the old Mariah, stuck a cucumber in her throat and let her sing. Yes, it is that bad. And the worst thing is - she is more than happy to actually make a single out of her disaster. Isn't there anyone to tell her she sounds awful?
Some people say that she's simply ill. A sore throat could be the reason for two months of disastrous performances, including the one at the Obama inauguration ball? Sounds a little too simple to be true.
Others say that she has permanently damaged her voice, because of wrong singing - and no wonder. If she really hasn't been singing the proper way for the past twenty years, then there really must be no voice left in her at all.
So should we just put her in the "Dying diva" category or be optimistic and hope that she'll recover?
Even if she stopped making new records, Mariah Carey will always be Mariah Carey - the one and only. Yes, it's sad that she has come to lip-syncing and pre-recorded performances, but let's not forget that losing Mariah's voice isn't just her lost. We'll all be loosing the little piece of magic that only her whistle can bring to one's ears.
Let us all hope for better days!