Flirting Advice for Men

I can't remember if I've done this post before or not*, but I was going through the Blog Fodder file and found the link to this article at (where else - Match.com) - Men: Five Little-Known Ways to Flirt. It'll be my late Christmas gift to all my male readers, and a heads-up for all you wary ladies out there.

Here are the five little-known ways for men to flirt (with my commentary, of course):

1. Wear red. Red is a traditional "power color" for both sexes. I've shared some thoughts on the color red in other posts, most notably this R-rated one from last April. As it happens, I have four different red shirts I often wear to go dancing.

2. Eat celery. According to the article, the cytoplasm found in celery contains the same chemicals as those found in the sweat that’s responsible for a subtly masculine scent, and contains the steroid Androstenone, which makes men more attractive to women. It may also be that the loud crunching sound as you eat it makes you easier for a woman to find in a crowd.

3. Play romantic music. Well, duh ... why wouldn't you want to set a romantic mood with the right music? Shelve the Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, and grunting, misogynistic rap and hip-hop and go for some soft vocal or orchestral background music. A study cited in the article found that women who were exposed to romantic music before interacting with eligible males were more likely to give a prospective date their contact information than ladies who were exposed to “neutral” music in the same scenario.

4. Order a chocolate dessert.

Eating chocolate increases levels of serotonin in the body, and serotonin can improve your mood by inducing feelings of euphoria. The article notes that “By being around a woman while she’s eating chocolate, you get this sort of ‘halo effect’…she likes the chocolate you ordered her, therefore she likes you.” Better loving through chemistry, as it were.

And finally,

5. Learn some dance moves. Trust me on this one - women love a man who can dance. And by "dance," I mean hold the lady properly, keep to the rhythm, know a few moves (but know them cold), and have good, strong posture. Had I but known all this back in high school and college ...

And really finally, here's one of my own ...

6. Be funny. Not funny as in "odd" (although I'm right there, thank you very much**), but funny as in "gently amusing." Know a few good (clean!!) jokes*** or have a few funny stories about yourself that show you're not a self-absorbed egotist.

Okay, men, now it's up to you. If you have any other flirting hints, go ahead and leave a comment. And ladies, what works for you?

Have a good day. Flirt safely and well ... you don't need mistletoe. More thoughts tomorrow.

Bilbo

* Give me a break here ... this is my 2,263rd post, and my memory isn't what it used to be.

** I prefer the term "eccentric."

** Agnes would tell you that I don't have any, but that's only because she's been hearing the same ones for more than 30 years.