"Did the sun just come out or did you smile at me?"
"Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by youagain?"
"Are you okay? It must have been a long fall from heaven."
Even beginners know these lame pickup lines won't guarantee thema first date -- or even a moment's worth of attention from theobject of their affection. Perhaps men and women will neverunderstand each other, but a little advice never hurts. So how doesone flirt well?
Simple techniques, an understanding of body language and honestycan open the door to anyone's success with the opposite sex.
One Young Avenue Deli bartender is witness to many hookups butmore often, rejections. He suggests a simple technique to firstdetermine if you are being "checked out" by a prospectiveinterest.
"First, you make eye contact with the honey in question," hesaid. "Smile, then suddenly look down at your watch. Instinctively,the other person will also wonder what the time is and check theirwatch if they've been watching you."
The bartender also suggests sending your prey another round ofdrinks or a shooter. "Liquor always makes people want to talkmore," he said.
Another useful technique originates from the days before theCivil War, when courtship was an art.
"The eyes have it," Katie MacArthur, 22, said. "Let (the guy youwant) catch you staring at him. Smile demurely as though you areembarrassed, look away slowly and then glance back and laughslightly.
"He'll be putty in your hands."
Once you make eye contact, where do you go from there?
When approaching someone with whom you want to flirt, sometimesthe best results come from honesty. Lauren Stephens, publicrelations major at The U of M, says she will buy men drinks, butshe doesn't use cheesy pickup lines.
"I'm straightforward. I just tell them that they caught my eye,and I'd like to know more about them," Stephens said.
Approaching an attractive stranger can certainly beintimidating, but knowing positive body language can help curbrejection.
Here are some signs of positive body language, according to the"Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Dating and Sex."
Leans in = receptivity.
Legs slightly apart = attraction.
Makes good eye contact = sincerity.
Smiles with crow's feet = genuine amusement, attraction.
Twirls hair = flirtation, attraction.
If you notice your new acquaintance demonstrating these negativesigns of body language, back off to avoid inevitable rejection.
Nods too much = disinterest.
Looks around = disinterest, boredom.
Shifts weight = uncertainty, nervousness.
Rubs head or neck = impatience, frustration.
So how should you react when you become the victim of ashameless pickup artist? Negative body language can work, but itdoesn't always yield fast results. Or you could say that a goodoffense is the best defense. If you put your flirtatious moves towork and snag a prospect, you won't have to worry about unwantedsolicitation.
