Could it be as easy as breaking the rules?

Every woman knows the rules about dating when to call, what to say, how long to hold out, etc. The basis is manipulate, bait and then capture.

Yet, some women follow this rules to the letter and they're still single.

This article breaks down how the rules may be the wrong way to get a man.

In the article, the author points out that the basic form of dating most people engage in is like a game of the predator and the prey with the roles continuously switching.

Instead of engaging in this tiresome activity, the author encourages women to stop thinking about relationships and focus on themselves.

Her basic three steps to find a soul mate are gain self-awareness, self-worth and self-engaging.

What do you think of using this dating tactics? Have you used this tactics or similar tactics with success?

Proposal pressure

One of my best friends got engaged over the weekend (congrats Linds and Spencer!), and it got me thinking about all the pressure men face to make the perfect proposal.

First of all, the man is the one expected to make the proposal. Even though we're in an age when women frequently ask men out and pay for dates, it's still taboo for women to pop the question. Even if we've discussed it with our SO, we still want to be asked.

And once he's about to pop that question, we want to experience that "special moment." Now that special moment may differ from woman to woman, but I think I can safely say few women want their men to nonchalantly ask those four words while watching TV and scratching themselves.

The pressure that has mounted on wedding proposals, I think, has only been intensified by the increasing importance put on other events such as prom. Nowadays, an invitation to prom could consist of a scavenger hunt and dozens of red roses. A woman who received that treatment as a teen is only going to expect more as an adult.

I could go on a slippery slope here and say giving extravagant proposals means spending more money which means more couples start out their married lives in debt, but I won't go there.

Why do you think it's still the man's job to ask a woman to marry him? Why do you think proposals are getting so extravagant? Men: Do you feel pressure to perform the perfect proposal? Women: Would you be disappointed if a man's proposal did not live up to your expectations?

Why get married?

To quote a recent statement by one of my friends: Marriage was a sacred institution.

Ok, maybe that was a little extreme, but I've been reading more columns and hearing more people question the need for marriage in a relationship.

Some have said it has no purpose, especially for those who are not highly religious. Marriage is a fundamental part of most religions and therefore, creates no need for people who are not religious to engage in it. Or so the argument goes.

Others note that marriage comes with financial and insurance breaks, but even some insurance companies are acknowledging "domestic partnerships".

And then there's the whole children argument, but there are single women opting to adopt and checking out their local sperm banks. And as we have seen on this blog, finding an eligible member of the opposite sex that you're willing to have a child with is not as easy as it seems.

And then let's not forget how many people out there have lost hope in fidelity. If you listen to some people, everybody cheats. No one can be with anybody for a long time without cheating. So, to them, the second the vows are made, the partners have already told their first lie.

I honestly believe that at the very least marriage is a long-standing (read forever) social contract between you and your partner where you commit to loving and caring for only each other through good times and bad. And, unlike dating, the community acknowledges and in most cases, celebrates it with you.

So today's question is simple. Why should people get married?

Ditching bad dates

Sometimes you need to get out of a bad date fast.

Sure, you could ask your friend to call you at a specific time to check up on you, but if he forgets, you'll be stuck with Mr. Boring or Ms. Stuck up for the entirety of the date.

Instead of wallowing, you could plan ahead.

That's part of the pitch for PopularityDialer.com, which will call your cell phone at a time you designate. (The other part of the pitch is that taking lots of (fake) phone calls will make you popular. I think that just makes you lame.) The automated voice will prompt you to carry on a conversation, and then, if you so choose, you have an instant out. Calls you can choose to receive include: a male voice, a female voice, a call from "your boss" or a call from a cousin in need.

Many daters have back-up plans, albeit probably not this outrageous, in the event a date sours. Some daters suddenly "feel sick" or fake a phone call that informs of a family emergency.

I tend to just suffer through bad dates because I'm afraid of hurting the guy's feelings. But many people have other ways.

Have you ever ditched a bad date? What was your excuse? Did you feel bad about it?