The Sneak Preview

Back when I was fourteen there was no MySpace or text messaging to flirt away to your heart's content whenever you had your eye on someone. The only thing you could do is look your boy up in the phone book and pray that his parents wouldn't answer the phone when you finally summoned up the courage to call; or hang-up immediately if they did.

Fast forward a few years later and it seems that technology has greased up the wheels of those first few awkward moments of infatuation and young love. Last weekend I was out dancing the night away when I accepted a drink from a rather gorgeous man. Now this guy was definitely ticking my boxes... He was tall, well-mannered, very cute and über confident, yet without a hint of arrogance. I knew that sooner or later he would ask for my number but I was reluctant to give it to him. The previous week I had given my digits away to a seemingly nice guy, emphasis on the word seemingly... He turned out to be a complete disaster. After three unsuccessful weeks of trying to arrange one simple date I decided to rename him in my phone as 'don't answer.'

So you can see why I was hesitant to give out my number so freely. Yet here was this striking man, standing before me, handing me my cranberry vodka (complete with the most adorable cocktail parasol might I add) and he seemed so lovely and pleasant that I couldn't help but be tempted to cave in. Then came my light bulb moment! Why not just ask him for his Facebook? Then I could do my background check on this guy and suss out whether he was the real deal. I relayed my plan to my friend only to be met with a horrified expression. She wasn't buying it. But was my plan so bad? I didn't think so at all...

Provided he actually uses the thing; Facebook allows you to get to know someone without having to ask those probing questions that might be deemed inappropriate or too nosey. Relationship status is one of them. And even if he has chosen not to disclose this information on his profile then just by looking at his photo albums you can decipher whether he is currently single and ready to mingle or still holding onto a significant other.

Interests and hobbies are great for deciding on whether this guy could float your boat. You can gain insight into the way his mind works and whether he looks after himself and enjoys fitness or shares your fabulous sense of humour because he also loves Seinfeld. You can also find out if this guy is an unmotivated no-hoper. Nothing is more off-putting than seeing the response 'don't read em' when asked which books he likes to read.

Then there are his status updates and what his wall is made up of. If Mafia Wars and Cafe World seem to take up most of the space then this guy has way too much time on his hands or just has a tendency to procrastinate. You need someone who has a nice balance of work and play with status updates that show creativity and humour. Also take heed of men that have endless comments from girls with the phrase 'babe' in every second sentence. This guy's a sweet talker and enjoys lots of female attention. Nothing wrong with that, unless you prefer monogamy. Another way to suss out if he's a bit of a sleaze is his friend's list. It doesn't usually give too much away but if it is primarily made up of girls; all scantily clad, with dried up, ratty extensions and over the top make-up then that's a little red flag right there.

Now before you go thinking that this sounds horribly stalker-ish. You need to see it for what it really is; information that is readily available and there to help you decide if you want to pursue things. It's a waste of both your time if you finally arrange to meet each other only to find out you have absolutely nothing in common except a strong dislike for one another’s hobbies. Plus, two Leo's are hard pressed to get along and how on Earth are you meant to find this out without having access to information such as his birthday?

So the next time you meet a guy and you're reluctant to swing him your number; don't panic. Grab his name or business card and look him up. Then you can decide if it was simply case of 'good from far but far from good' or whether he's intriguing enough to visit outside of cyber world.