Friends tend to confide in each other, especially during times of stress. If your best friend confided their feelings, problems, and relationship issues that they experienced with their ex with you, they may feel a strong sense of betrayal if you suddenly find the person who caused them so much pain as a potential mate. The fact of the matter is, unless your best friend is made of steel and completely over their ex, you may lose your friendship if you decide to become involved in a relationship.

According to those who deal with etiquette, it is definitely not appropriate to date your friends ex, unless you are ready to sever the friendship. However, there are exceptions. It is entirely possible that your best friend may realize during the course of dating, that you may be better suited for the other person. If this is the case, then you should feel free to date the person in question, since you obviously have your friend’s approval. Sometimes, a friend may even end the relationship and try to set you up with the other person. However, for this to occur, your friend must be adamant that they have no feelings towards the ex, and you should feel completely comfortable that your friend is in favor of your dating the ex. If you are a true friend, you will honor your friend’s feelings before dating his or her ex.

One of the greatest hindrances to dating your friends ex comes from the fact that over a period of time, your friend may grow suspicious and wonder when you and their ex actually began to develop feelings for each other. Even if you and the ex haven’t been involved, your friend may begin to develop suspicions and believe that you and the ex were involved in a relationship while they were dating. This can put a serious strain on any friendship and can cause a great rift.

If your friend still has feelings for the ex, you can rest assured that there will be trouble on the horizon. There is no way around it, unless your friend is 100% over their ex, your getting involved in a relationship with him or her is only going to lead to a troubled friendship.

There is no doubt that today's woman is modernized and independent. She earns more money, makes her decisions independently, and may have mapped out the goals and plans for her life since she was a young girl. As you can imagine, the independent woman may clash with chivalrous men.

The definition of the word chivalrous comes from the medieval ages and is a word that was used to describe the acts of a knight. How many stories, movies, and fairy tales have depicted true romance as the budding love between a helpless woman in distress and her chivalrous knight in shining armor that comes to her rescue? The fact of the matter is that today’s modern woman, isn’t looking for a knight in shining armor. She is comfortable taking care of herself, and may not even believe that knights even exist. Not only does the modern woman take great issue with chivalrous men, they may find their acts of chivalry insulting.

As women become more independent, they gain more control over their own lives. To many of them, the basis of a chivalrous man is rooted in the belief that the woman is helpless and needs saving. Independent women don’t want to be saved, and they will find it rude and an insult to their character for a man to continually try to save her.

The truth of the matter is that if you are a chivalrous man, and live your life as a knight in shining armor, waiting to rescue the damsel in distress, you will be much happier finding a woman who needs rescuing. An independent woman will not appreciate these qualities and your relationship will be in trouble from the beginning.

Many acts of chivalry that can cause controversy with independent woman include men making the first move, men paying for dates, and men taking charge of the relationship and becoming the primary decision maker. The majority of independent women will not appreciate these qualities, and a man may sincerely and genuinely be chivalrous and not understand why his acts of kindness are going without reward.

If you are a chivalrous man who is dating an independent woman, there is no way around the issue; you will have to discuss it. If you’re doing things that you expect she will like and appreciate, only to find that she is angry and offended – your wall of communication will deteriorate, quickly. The best way to avoid these issues is to come right out and ask what she likes or dislikes. Don’t just assume that you will pay for every meal. Ask her how she feels about it. Find out what being courteous means to her, it may be that she likes to open doors for herself, but would rather you ask her before making decisions that affect both of you. Though it may take work, chivalrous men and independent woman can make it work, as long as they have plenty of communication.

For example, say you had a great time, the date ended with a good night kiss, and the usual, "Let's do this again, sometime." However, you neglected to make any specific plans. In this situation, you may feel uncomfortable as to whether or not the other party is ready for a second date. Unfortunately, you will never know until you make that second call. So, it is imperative that your second call counts, especially if you are going to bypass everyone else's advice and call the next day, or even sooner.

As a general rule, you wouldn't want to call on the same night. However, if you simply can't wait until the morning without finding out how he or she feels about you, a little creativity can go a long way when it comes to the reason behind your phone call. If you want to call on the same night, (provided it isn't too late) then you can try coming up with some creative excuses for the reason for your call. Maybe there was a question asked during your date that you hadn't answered or possibly you came up with a better answer. A creative way to start your second call is to call with the purpose of answering that question. Or if you enjoyed a dinner together, maybe you could call and begin the conversation by commenting on your meal or thanking them for their company.

In today's world, there are so many forms of communication that many of the old etiquette rules simply don't apply. However, good etiquette is always in style. If your date ended past 11:00 P.M. you should wait until the next day before calling. Also, if you had a wonderful time, but you can tell from your date that they are unresponsive during your phone call, then you should read the signs and not call again. There is nothing worse then trying to make romance when there is no connection.

One of the best ways to determine if a second date is feasible is by making that phone call and asking if they would like to go out again. In fact, it is often the sheer volume of telephone calls that signal the beginning of a serious relationship; so don't hesitate in making that call. Just remember to be courteous and never call too late in the evening. If you call and get an answering machine leave a message, but don't continue to call. If you've left a message and he or she hasn't returned your call, then take that as a "not interested" and move on. By using proper etiquette and a little creativity behind the purpose of your call, you can feel confident about making that second call. Either way, you deserve to know if a second date is probable or not.

When approaching someone, don’t begin the conversation by complimenting everything about them. Even though you may be sincere, many will interpret your style as a means for buttering them up. Consequently, they’ll doubt your intentions right from the start…especially if they sense that you do and/or say the same things to everyone. Choose something flattering about them (that’s maybe a little less obvious) and discuss that thing continuously throughout the conversation. This will go a long way in proving that you’re truly a sincere individual.

It’s not uncommon for people to meet when they least expect it. Therefore, it’s important that you open up to meeting new people, take a chance, and approach someone you may not have normally to see if there’s a connection. Doing so will yield positive thoughts about who you are and will drive a greater chance for success in a future relationship. Allow yourself to take chances when approaching people for the first time. Ultimately, what do you have to lose? A chance at a meaningful relationship, love, and maybe a soul mate…that's all! Be risky and get with it.

When it comes to dating, you can never assume that the man will always pay. It is a good idea to know ahead of time who is going to pay for the date, and if you are a woman, to be prepared to pay for your fair share, so there are no awkward moments towards the end of the evening. Here are some guidelines to consider to help ensure that your date isn’t stressed due to financial tension.

1. If in doubt, ask!

If you aren’t sure who is going to pay for the date, simply ask. It is commonly considered that the person who initiates the date will pay, and today it is very common for women to ask men out. Yet, many men feel uncomfortable with a woman paying for the date so it is best to discuss this ahead of time and clear the air, as well as any tension that may occur due to the financial aspect. The worst scenario is a couple arguing over a bill towards the end of the date and this can be avoided by discussing your concerns ahead of time.

2. Always offer to pay for your share of the date.

Many find it common courtesy to offer to pay for your share of the date. This is respectful and courteous and can make things easier for both of you. Some women may find it too old fashioned to have the man pay for everything. She may also feel that she “owes” the man if he pays, and she may genuinely feel uncomfortable if he pays for everything. Yet, some men may feel insulted if a woman pays for the date so you can see that this leaves room for misinterpretation. Again, communication is your best defense and discussing how you feel about paying for dates before hand is a good idea. Yet, if the topic doesn’t come up and you feel uncomfortable not contributing, then offer to pay your fair share.

3. Offer to pay for the entire date.

Many women will come to the first date prepared to pay for their portion of expense and are genuinely flattered when a man offers to pay for everything. However, she should never make the assumption that the man will pay simply because she is accustomed to this. Always be prepared to pay for your share and if he offers to pay, graciously accept his generosity. If the man offers to pay and you refuse his proposal, he may receive that as a personal rejection and think that you are not interested in him.

Communication before the date is your best course of action. Initiate the topic and clear away any confusion before you begin your date. Once the finances are out of the way, you can then relax and enjoy your date without any hesitancy.

However, you must remember that there are literally millions of people in the world that feel that same way as you do. The first important thing for you to realize that there is nothing to fear about dating. Dating is basically a meeting in which two or more people get to know each other. If you are nervous about saying or doing the wrong thing, you will damage the fun of the date.

In addition to damaging the date, you will also give the impression that you are insecure. The biggest mistake people make on a date is trying to be someone they are not. For many people, this is a big turn off. When you do this, it is generally very obvious to those you are dating, unless they are not very perceptive. Even if they are not perceptive, sooner or later, your true personality will come forth, and this could make the situation worse.

The success of a date is dependent on the mutual effort of both parties. It can never be one sided. When only one person is trying to put forth all the effort, more than likely, the date won't be successful. Remember, communication is always a "two way street." It is virtually impossible for a truly successful date to be one sided. If you notice that the other person is quiet, ask them their opinion on what you are saying.

One example of this is to not let the other person do all the talking. When one person talks a lot and the other person is quiet, the person that is talking may get the impression that you're not interested in what they are saying. If you were, you would make responses to it. To have a good conversation, both sides must add to it equally. However, the date won't be productive if the two of you are talking over each other. You must know when to speak, but you must also know when to listen. Be polite with your partner, even if you do not agree with what is being said. Be courteous and respectable, and make sure that you are balanced in your behavior.

If you’ve seen the movie Swingers, you know what I’m talking about. Let's look at some of the possible scenarios you may find yourself in:

Call Right Away (within the first half-hour)

How you see it: Just making sure they got home safely; or you just really enjoyed their company and you wanted to talk some more.

How they see it: I just talked to this person 30 minutes ago…what else could they want to talk about?

Call 3-6 Days Later

How you see it: Didn't want to seem too desperate and/or wanted them to spend a few days thinking about why you weren't calling.

How they see it: They didn't call because they were trying to look cool; what do they look like again?

Call 7+ Days Later

How you see it: Been busy and haven't gotten around to it…maybe the other person will want me more if I show them how little I care.

How they see it: Who are you?

The truth is, if you meet someone for the first time, how likely are they to remember you after a week? Now add drinks into the equation and you’re lucky if they remember you the next day. Call the next day if you want to be safe, wait two days if you enjoy living on the edge.