Blind Dates For Beginners

Some of us are looking for love; some just want a booty call. Either way, neither can be achieved without that initial "meeting," and for some, the blind date becomes the avenue to that first tryst. If you think the blind date is dead, think again: On an average day, there are  2,235 web searches for "blind date," according to Webster's Online Dictionary. "I don't think the blind date will ever die," vouches Andrea Syrtash, relationship expert and host of NBC Digital's ondating.tv. "Setting up people is still customary in many places around the world and has been around for generations. It still is, and I believe will remain, a great option for singles looking to meet new people."

Yet, in a world where texting has become the newest form of communication, and meeting men can rely solely on how hot your MySpace photograph looks, the idea of the blind date has started to go digital for the 21st Century. Everyone from your mom to your ex-boyfriend can get in on the act, and many friends are more eager than ever to play cupid. But whether or not an online entity is involved, the blind date takes finesse.

Broadcast Yourself. First and foremost, to score a blind date, you need to make your status as a single person known. Most people (excluding your meddling auntie) won't think of setting you up if they aren't aware you'd even entertain the thought. "You need to tell people that you're single and open to dating," says Renee Piane, author of Love Mechanics and the founder and president of RapidDating.com.