Mental Checklist

We all go through the mental checklist when we meet someone, as cliché as it sounds.

First, whether we want to admit it or not, we determine if we’re attracted to someone right off the bat.

Now I’m not saying you need to be looking at a runway model or athletically fit baseball player to find that initial attraction, but there has to be something that draws you to an individual. Something that encourages you to find out more, something that gives you the balls to strike up a conversation.

Sure, there’s the playful banter that can form an initial connection. But that banter can only be thrown back and forth before we continue on with our checklist of musts for a potential mate.

___ Bare ring finger (although, that still doesn’t stop someone from dreaming…)

___ Sense of humor (otherwise known as the ability to make fun of him or herself)

___ Good intentions (re: Not a player, asshole, bitch, drug dealer, child abuser, whore)

___ Not a Yankees Fan (really, ANY other team will do.)

___ Ability to move to a beat (a.k.a. “can dance without falling on face”)

___ Responsible (pays bills on time, including – but hopefully not limited to – child support)

___ Open-minded (ie: no racists, sexists, atheists/religious freaks - depending on your preference…)

___ Avid fan of The Office or any Steve Carell project in general

___ Compassion (…or at least enough of it to keep from killing small animals on the road)

___ Bare ring finger (Cause we all know if someone fits the descriptions above, it must mean they’re not in line with our sexual orientation.)

I know it sounds silly to say a Mets fan could never love a Yankees fan (but come on, let’s be realistic here for a moment), but there is a foundation of common interests and goals that often lead to true friendship; a foundation which is essential in any relationship.

After all, who wants to fall in love with someone who wouldn’t even be a true friend to you, outside of the romance? And really, is anyone who doesn’t secretly love trashy reality television really worth dating to begin with?