Advice for the lovelorn

Guys, if you're a Twenty something and consistently heartbroken in three dates or less, here's some advice your friends are probably too nice to give you:

* Raise your standards -- having a shadow doesn't mean she's perfect for you.
* Start each relationship as friends.
* Take it slow.
* Recognize that someone out there is right for you.

The secret to keeping that special person is to not scare them off on the first date. Make her laugh, feel comfortable, and want to hang out with you again. Give her a call a few days later, not a few times the next day. Let the relationship takes its natural course.

If you're not feeling the love, move on. And if you are feeling the love, don't say it right away! Instead, invite her on another date. And maybe, just maybe, she'll tell you the L word first.