Tips on How to Salvage Blind Dates

Friends have the best of intentions. Everything they described about your blind date seemed to fit you perfectly. You were excited for the night and dressed in your finest attire. You always believed your friend knew you well...until!

First impressions are important. They give a clue to whether the person is your type. You've met your blind date at a restaurant and your immediate reaction tells you to run. You wonder how they shrunk a foot in height, grew three feet wider and changed their hair color since your friend described them. Let's not forget that snorting sound that comes out with every laugh. What can you do?

Remember - blind dates are people, too. They have feelings and desires the same as you. Not everyone will fulfill your requirements, but you can have a night of light-hearted fun. You won't feel the need to impress. You can be yourself and in the process you may find this person offers a night of amusement that you haven't had in ages. Too much emphasis is placed on expectations when dating. What's wrong with simply socializing with people of varying types? It's a date, not a marriage proposal!

Don't have friends call your cell phone or pager to get you out of the date. Your date may not be your type, but they probably have enough intelligence to catch on to your cheesy tactics to leave the scene. It's only a couple of hours and surely you have enough tolerance to get through without making yourself look like a jerk.
Think: HUMOR! Humor goes a long way in going from a deal breaker to an evening of actual enjoyment. How many times do we go out with the hottie and feel so pressured to impress that we don't genuinely enjoy ourselves? Your blind date is the perfect person for you to feel laid back with and tap into your patience and value someone who you perceive to be "outside" of your box. While this person may not be your Mr. or Mrs. Right, they may become a good and caring friend. At the very least, you've had a new experience and something interesting to write in your journal about.