Dear Relationship Expert . . .

"I took this girl out and was very nervous she told friends I laugh too much she doesn't want to date me now. How can I fix this?"

Dear Nervous,

People who are unsure of the impression they make on other people often laugh to cover up their embarrassment, nervous- ness, shyness, etc.

If this girl doesn't want to date you now, the question to ask yourself is, what can I fix in myself that will make me less nervous about the impression I make on others, and more interested in what the people you are with are saying, doing with their lives?

The thing that most interests other people about "you" is that you are interested in them. If you follow up on your initial interest in a girl, actively listen to what she has to say, and respond appropriately, you will be surprised to learn that not one, but many other girls will be looking forward to going out on dates with you.

There is only one caution here to bear in mind: if the people you like "never" ask you about yourself and/or what your interests are -- and I don't mean on your first date, but in the process of dating, they are not for you. Many of these people only see themselves. Those are the ones to leave alone with their most admiring fans -- themselves1x

Ms. Taube Kaufman, MSW BCD
The Relationship Expert