The only 'rule' of dating should be honest talk

Here's the scenario: You take a tall blond (for some strange reason, unbeknownst to me, this is a stereotypically coveted characteristic), put her in a sea of 40,000 people -- many of them guys -- and what do you get?

Actually, I'm personally scoring in the negatives in the male-female game at this point in my life.

Such is the story of my life. More importantly, such is the story of many of my eligible friends (sound familiar, friend Molly?), who can't find anyone among the thousands and thousands of undergraduate students of The Pennsylvania State University!

I know, I know, suck it up and move on with my life. I will, of course. I have too many other things to do.

But I just wanted to address the problem that many women, including my friend Molly who asked me to insert her name, collectively have at this University, by first addressing the problem at hand that I know a lot about -- me.

First of all, I don't want anyone to think that I'm writing this column as a last-ditch desperate attempt to catch me a man.

Okay -- never mind. Go ahead and consider this my final, last-ditch attempt.

I just have some sort of deficiency when it comes to the Happy Valley dating scene, I guess. It's just not my thing to be anything other than my boisterous, "quirky," opinionated self. What, are those bad things? Oops!

Some friends tell me I have my standards set a little too high. They say the guy I want will: 1. Never exist; 2. Never stop gazing at himself in the mirror; 3. Is completely devoted to his girlfriend, who is practically a supermodel; or will 4. Frankly, never exist.

What?!?

I highly doubt that I'm asking too much if I want someone who is attractive, smart, wealthy, has a good personality, wants -- and is extremely good with -- children, will put up with my messy disposition but still have the guts to start a good argument with me.

Ah, we wonder why it is so difficult to find a "perfect guy". . .

Do you think I'm asking too much? Really?

Other pals, especially those that I've met since arriving at the University, have advised me of the current trend of following a certain set of "rules." Many tell me these are the sure-fire, guaranteed way to woo that special man, while at the same time making him think he has commenced the wooing.

Yeah, right.

If anyone has ever heard or read those guidelines, that person knows it forces men and women to play a role in a cat-and-mouse game.

Sounds kind of shady, don't you think?

And cat-and-mouse games can often end in a situation such as this (a situation I have actually witnessed at certain choice off-campus locations that I will not disclose here):

Woman is leaning against a wall, trying to look casual-but-sexy. She makes eye contact with a man, gives him "a look," then quickly diverts her attention, so he doesn't think she is totally attracted to him or anything.

However, man -- senses already impaired -- detects her attraction, sees "the look," which he translates as a "come-hither-big-boy" look. He saunters (staggers) over and the two meet up for a short period of time.

The next day, two weeks later or perhaps two years later, the couple realize they do not know each other. When they make a half-hearted attempt to get to know each other, they realize they just don't like their counterpart!

Note: neither one of these two attractive, young, vivacious people really knows the other. They were both guilty of acting as something they're not.

I ask, if these guidelines work so well, why do we end up with so many people we don't really know, or, once we get to know them, like?

Young people of Penn State, hear my cry! Please, give up the act, be yourself, and life will be so much easier.

(And it may just free some nice guys up for me.)

The dating scene, in my opinion, would improve dramatically, simply because every man and woman would know what they're getting, because their counterparts are honest and straightforward.

Call me innocent and idealistic (you wouldn't be the first), but if I want to spend the rest of my life with someone, I'd like to feel comfortable that they know the real me. So, I remain as I am -- what you see is pretty much what you get, with a few alterations, of course. (Hey -- I'm not perfect!!!)