Make him feel attracted to you and break the ice easily on your first date with these 9 first-date questions
Your first date with a new prospect you met online doesn’t have to be nerve-wracking or cause a panic attack.
If you are prepared with these 9 time-saving first-date questions it will take the spotlight off you (and your nerves) and instead shine it on your date.
Which as anyone familiar with Dale Carnegie’s book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” is a sure fire way to make him think you are a brilliant conversationalist?
Plus it gives you both as seniors a fast-track to assessing if you are a great fit with each other.
I know that when I started dating after 50 – following the breakup of my 25-year marriage, I felt time was of the essence. I was simply not interested in wasting more precious time than I had to on miss-matched partners who did not tick all the boxes when it came to me finding true soul mate love.
Yet it took me seven years to meet and marry Nick the man of my dreams – and we are currently celebrating eight deliriously happy years together.
But in hindsight if I had had these 9 time-saving first date questions at my fingertips from the get-go…I may have found Mr Right sooner or at least saved myself months of heartache in especially where relationships fizzled out due to a miss-match of our values and interests.
9 Time-Saving First Date Questions for Seniors
1. Who has been the biggest influence on your life and why?
2. What are your top goals and dreams you long to achieve? This year? Five years down the line?
As Nick and I met when he was about to retire from the life of an ex-pat working in the oil and gas industry in the Middle East, this question would have been ideal for a first-date question pointing to our future life together.
For myself, I could share my dream of writing books and traveling the world as a transformational coach (both of which goals I have fulfilled in our marriage.
3. Who are the most important people in your life right now?
When I met my husband-to-be it was key that he told me about his family, adult children, and grandchildren and that he prepare me for meeting them – especially as he had been widowed 10 years previously and I knew his children were likely to compare me to the mother they had lost. This turned out to be the case and it actually took me over five years to feel they totally trusted and accepted me.
4. Tell me about your favorite holiday destinations and your all-time best trips.
As Nick and I met on a travel site for international travelers called couchsurfing.com it was no surprise that he had traveled far more extensively than me and shared fascinating stories about his adventures backpacking to various destinations worldwide including Australia for the Rugby World Cup in 2003.
This was a valuable insight into our relationship in the early months when he continued his travels and eventually after we married as we continued to travel and meet people all over the world via Couchsurfing as a couple.
5. What are your pet peeves?
I’ll never forget the one date who said in response to this question: “women drivers” which put me off him immediately. My husband’s answer (and it hasn’t changed in eight years) is: “drivers who talk on their cell phones” – an admirable pet peeve if ever there was one.
6. What makes you laugh?
A great ice-breaker is to ask him about books or comedy movies. And if he draws a blank – have a few at the ready to share – “Have you seen…how about…”
Most single boomers will state their dream of a partner with a “sense of humor” so it helps if you demonstrate your interest in his humor – and see if it matches yours.
7. Imagine you’re holding a dinner party and can ask anyone you find fascinating or interesting – who would you invite?
8. Your ideal way to spend a Saturday?
9. What sports or activities do you enjoy?
In answer to this I would have found out that Nick doesn’t like eating out in fancy restaurants but likes simple healthy home-cooked meals; enjoys hiking, gym, tennis and badminton; and loved riding his HARLEY DAVIDSON motorbike which he bought in Malaysia (but which was stolen outside a museum in Spain before we were married).
He also told me about his passion for rugby – which has proven to be the only time he will ignore me totally is during a rugby match on the television. But he did forewarn me he was rugby mad!