Top 5 Ways NOT to Ask A Girl Out... And yes, I'm speaking from experience.

So, I guess I always assumed guys just knew how to ask out girls... like it was an instinctual thing. However, the older I get, the more I realize some guys just don't know how to go about this conversation. I mean, I get it. It's intimidating to ask someone a question you're not really sure of the answer to. (Although, as a side note, if you're doing things correctly... you should feel pretty confident in her answer) It's not exactly an ego boost to be shot down. So, yeah, I get why guys are hesitant to ask out girls-- particularly face to face. However, I will say guys, if you want your success rate to go up, you're going to have to be willing to put yourself out there. It's just the truth. I'm always more likely to say yes if a guy says something like "I want to take you out on a date this weekend.." Girls like to be pursued. We really do. We don't want to pay for our dinner. We don't want to meet you at the restaurant (unless it's a blind date...which is a whole other blog). And we for sure don't want to be asked out via social networking sites... So, in an effort to help out the guys-- and because I'm for sure sick of being asked out like this. Here are the Top 5 Ways NOT to Ask A Girl Out (in no particular order):

• Number One: Facebook. Yeah, this one's happened to me SEVERAL times. Including twice by Facebook CHAT. Seriously, if you have no other means of getting in touch with her, solve that problem before you solve the problem of getting her to go out with you-- because Facebook is really just unacceptable. It's also not really the way you need to get to know a girl either. I mean, the first couple of times you meet a girl, if you want to chat with her or exchange messages- fine. However, if FB is where your "relationship" happens- as in, that is the ONLY way you communicate- news flash: you don't have a relationship.
• Number Two: Text Message. Yep. Had this one too. Again, nothing wrong with texting... However, if that where the majority of your conversation takes place, that's a problem. I mean, you have her phone number. Instead of texting, maybe, um... give her a call. She probably won't bite your head off. And if she does...well, stop calling. But don't take the coward's way out and ask her out by via "do u wanna get dinner l8tr? lol" It's not attractive. Trust me.
• Number Three: Through a friend. i.e... talking to a girl's friend and asking the friend what your chances are of her going out with you. It's awkward for everyone involved. The friend is put in the awkward position of speaking for someone else, you feel awkward because you're putting your business out there, and it's awkward for the girl you want to ask out because her friend WILL tell her you asked (we are GIRLS. It's what we do.), so then she knows that you know that she knows...well, you get the idea. All in all, it's just easier to ask her and allow her to tell you what she thinks of you... cut the middle-man (or woman, ask the case may be).
• Number Four: Not taking "no" for an answer. When a girl tells you no-- it does not mean try harder. It means move on. If you really feel like ya'll are meant for each other, she'll come around (I've seen it happen!). But she won't come around as long as you're hovering. Trust me. And in the meantime, you're spending a lot of time and emotional energy on someone who is very possibly the wrong person. Don't waste your life like that.
• Number Five: The "non-ask out". No one likes to feel vulnerable to hurt. There is no more vulnerable place for a girl to be than that place where the two of you are acting like a couple, but there has been no "Define The Relationship" conversation. If you are already taking her out to dinner, going to parties together, etc... Be a man and just have the "I really like you and want to date you" conversation. Seriously. It's not fair for you to have all the benefits of a girlfriend with none of the commitment. And if you like her enough to take her all over town... you like her enough to ask her out. And if you don't like her enough to ask her out- stop messing with her mind and treating her emotions like gum on the bottom of your shoe. That's just mean.