I want to go to a swing dance but I don't know HOW to swing dance...

[Kitsune Ascendant]

Not a clue. But I figure it's as good a place as any to get out and meet women, and it's this thursday.
Do I still go?
Is there anything basic you guys could tell me?

And while I'm here the news said something about avoiding webcomics involving... well, you've seen it. Is that talking about a specific one? It sounds interesting.

[Faerie Alex]

And while I'm here the news said something about avoiding webcomics involving... well, you've seen it. Is that talking about a specific one? It sounds interesting.

I've been wondering that myself, actually.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

And while I'm here the news said something about avoiding webcomics involving... well, you've seen it. Is that talking about a specific one? It sounds interesting.

... ah.. avoiding what? No, I haven't seen the news.

[Tapewolf]

... ah.. avoiding what? No, I haven't seen the news.

You probably added it, but for posterity's sake:

News: Webcomics where room mates are furries who all go to the same school and work at the same place who are transported to a fantasy dimension where they sit around and play videogames and make sarcastic quips should be avoided.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Oh, -that- news. Ah. Sorry, wasn't me. As you were...

Thought you were talking about news.bbc.co.uk or something.

[bill]

It was from a guide on making a good webcomic.

Things to Avoid for Plot.

Comics where a bunch of room mates sit around and make sarcastic quips should be avoided.

Comics where a bunch of room mates sit around and play videogames and make sarcastic quips should be avoided.

Comics where a bunch of room mates all go to the same school and sit around and make sarcastic quips should be avoided.

Comics where room mates all work at the same place and sit around and make sarcastic quips should be avoided.

Comics where room mates are magically transported to a fantasy dimension and sit around making sarcastic quips should be avoided.

Comics where the room mates are furries who sit around making sarcastic quips should be avoided.

Comics where room mates are furries who all go to the same school and work at the same place who are transported to a fantasy dimension where they sit around and play videogames and make sarcastic quips should be avoided.

[Fuyudenki]

hmm... *pulls out checklist*

None of my characters are roommates

None of my characters attend school

None of my characters ever sit around.  They do make sarcastic quips, though.

Though technically, some of the characters have the same "job," it's a job only by technicality, and isn't really a "place of work"

well shoot.  At least that doesn't happen until later.

shoot again.  only part of the time.

...and my idiot filter clicks in just after hitting the "post" button, instead of in time to prevent me...

[Kitsune Ascendant]

Well, that's one question down...

What about my first ones?

[Fuyudenki]

dun' step on her feet.

Swing dancing isn't hard, and it is fun, I just haven't done it since I was forced to learn in 7th grade(that's 8 years ago), so I'm more than a little out of practice.

And my friend's and my partners left us for each other.

No, said friend was not a girl.

I'd like to get back into it, though.  There's a dance studio near where I live, maybe I should look into it.

[Kitsune Ascendant]

That's the first bit of good news I've heard all week. *sigh* I really do hope I meet a girl there. Probably won't happen, fate's been an asshole to me when it comes to love, but I can still hope and it's a lot better than sitting around sulking.

[Fuyudenki]

if you're looking to find a girlfriend, you'll find one of two things.

1: it's extremely boring or not fun
2: all of the women there are taken, or ugly.

Go for the dance.  Girls are actually more likely to talk if they think they're just peripheral to what you're doing.

[Kitsune Ascendant]

Why'd you have to say that... I mean, even if the chances of me actually meeting a girl there are low, let me keep the illusion.

I'm shy, and have trouble talking to anyone, much less girls, and they don't talk to me. I'm lonely and hurting, and I just want someone to love...

[Fuyudenki]

no, see, by telling you that, I've improved your chances.

If you go to dance, then you'll meet girls.

If you go to meet girls, you won't meet any.

[techmaster-glitch]

I'm shy, and have trouble talking to anyone, much less girls, and they don't talk to me. I'm lonely and hurting, and I just want someone to love...

Solitude can be nice. No, seriously. Take it from me, if your mind works the right way, you don't need relationships. Then again, the way my mind works, there are probably some who wouldn't even consider me human since I'm told that humans naturally need to have a relationship to survive...but I don't.

I've never been to any sort of dance. Ever. I never went to any sort of school function. Ever. I've never been to a concert. Ever. I've never been to a bar. Ever. In fact, I have never, in living memory, been to any sort of mass non-family oriented social gathering. By that, I mean I've never "gone out" anywhere in my life, excepting said family trips, like camping or vacations. Which don't even count as mass social gatherings. And yet, I am perfectly content with my life.

...Am I helping, or am I just sounding like a totally inhuman drone?

[Kitsune Ascendant]

tech: I used to be like that. Trust me, it doesn't stay like that forever.

Raist:... I'm confused now, but if you say so.

[Fuyudenki]

Of course you are.  Women do that to you.

It is a complex game.  The best way to become desirable is to be aloof.  The best way to attract attention is to look through them until they walk right up to you.  Everything can be taken wrong, and some women are just crazy.(warning to the women out there, some of us men can be just as nuts.)

Get good at walking up and starting a conversation.  Pick a random girl out of the crowd and say "You.  I'm dancing with you now."  Out loud.  And point at her.  You'd be surprised how often it works.

Most important thing about finding a girl, though: you can NOT be looking for a girlfriend.  They can sense that.  If you're looking for some friends, and the best candidates around happen to be women, then you're good, and you may just find love, but if you're actively looking for love, then you're always going to come up empty.

Frankly, it's a lot like quantum mechanics, only harder.

[superluser]

Solitude can be nice. No, seriously. Take it from me, if your mind works the right way, you don't need relationships.

Take it from me.

Go out, find yourself an apartment and start living alone.

Your opinions will change very quickly.

It is a complex game.  The best way to become desirable is to be aloof.  The best way to attract attention is to look through them until they walk right up to you.  Everything can be taken wrong, and some women are just crazy.(warning to the women out there, some of us men can be just as nuts.)

OK.  If anyone starts advocating Ladder Theory or Tom Leykis, I'm outta here.

[Fuyudenki]

OK.  If anyone starts advocating Ladder Theory or Tom Leykis, I'm outta here.

What's... nevermind.  *wikis*

I think those are both stupid.  Is that good?

First impressions are important, though, but no more important as far as dating goes than any other social interaction.  If the first impression you give seems to be driving women away, then it's driving away everybody.  To get a girlfriend, you must be able to get a friend who is a girl.  To get a friend who is a girl, you must be able to get a friend.  The rest will come on its own.

[superluser]

To get a friend who is a girl, you must be able to get a friend.

I am doomed.

[Kitsune Ascendant]

We all are, super. We all are.

[Fuyudenki]

I am doomed.

Wait, aren't you married already?

Llearch, Alondro, Brun... I thought superluser was married, too.

[superluser]

Wait, aren't you married already?

Way to rub salt in the wound.

Rumack: Randy, are you alright?
Randy: Oh, Dr. Rumack, I'm scared. I've never been so scared.  And besides, I'm 26 and I'm not married.
Rumack: We're going to make it, you've got to believe that.
[Mrs. Hammen walks in]
Mrs. Hammen: Dr. Rumack, do you have any idea when we'll be landing?
Rumack: Pretty soon, how are you bearing up?
Mrs. Hammen: Well, to be honest, I've never been so scared. But, at least I have a husband.

[xHaZxMaTx]

Is it bad that I laughed at that?

[Kitsune Ascendant]

well, I just got back from the dance. I'm still shaking...

[techmaster-glitch]

Even though it's the obvious question you are trying to get one of us to ask, I'll just ask it and get it over with.

What happened/How'd it go?

[Fuyudenki]

did you follow my advice?

Did it work?(as if you can tell at first)

[Kitsune Ascendant]

It was actually pretty nice. I was a bit of a wall flower, but considering that I got out at all and didn't leave the first ive minutes, It's progress. A few girls asked me to dance, and I actually managed to ask one or two myself. As far as following your advice, raist... Well, I really wasn't thinking about either, so much as just being out there with a group of people.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Woot! Go, Kitsune!