Great! You’ve scored a date (or maybe you’re working on scoring one); now what should you discuss if you’d like to charm the fella? Once you’ve exchanged names, you’ll want to avoid the weather (unless it’s been something newsworthy), so unless you’re one of those extraordinary creatures for whom words come easily, this wonderful list of mens’ favorite topics, courtesy of dating site Plenty of Fish, should get you started:

Men’s Top Ten Favorite Conversation Topics

1. Sex
2. Romantic fantasies
3. Hobbies/interests in general
4. Hopes and aspirations
5. Music
6. Dreams
7. Movies
8. Entertainment
9. Vacations
10. Travel

Some notes on this list: unless you’re looking for some action this very night, I’d steer clear of the first list item. Flirting is fine; dirty talk is another thing. If you are, in fact, looking for some action, then by all means, sexy talk will lead to sexy time … or it’ll scare the man off if that’s not what he’s looking for. Use your head and your judgment on this one, as well as your own comfort level. None of this is written in stone!

Insofar as “Dreams” is concerned, I don’t think they mean the kind you have at night (“I was being chased by a dragon in a plaid bra with a colander on his head wielding a spork shouting, ‘Give me the Gummi Bears, Lola!’”), but rather the type of dreams we all have for the future (“I’d like to one day own a villa in Genoa”). I think. But then again, this would seem to be covered in “Hopes and aspirations.”

Did you notice what’s not on the list? Sports! I was so relieved not to find that one on there (although I’d like to go back in time to show the list to a few dates who bored me silly with sports talk, who obviously didn’t see my eyes glaze over as I turned my attention to others in the room.)

Which brings me to a word of caution: “Hobbies/interests in general” is always an excellent discussion topic, but try to stick to hobbies and interests that you have in common. If you knit, garden, sew, or breed chihuahuas and you spot his interest beginning to wane, quickly change the subject, or better yet, ask him what his hobbies are. It’s well-documented that the less talking you do and the more talking the other person does, the more fascinating the other person will find you! (Yeah, I know! It’s weird, but it’s true!)

In my next post, I’ll provide talk points for our male readers.