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document.writeln('<p align="center"><img border="0" src="http://www.theromantic.com/column/secretshead.gif" width="320" height="120">');
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document.writeln('<h1 align="left">FRIENDS FIRST</h1>');
document.writeln('<font size="3"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">');
document.writeln('<p>First, what dating isn\'t:<br>');
document.writeln('<br>');
document.writeln('* A sexual opportunity<br>');
document.writeln('* What you do to impress others<br>');
document.writeln('* A conquest<br>');
document.writeln('<br>');
document.writeln('According to Webster\'s Dictionary, a date is a scheduled time to meet with ');
document.writeln('another. Sadly, some people treat dating quite dating as one of the three things ');
document.writeln('above. The number one purpose of dating (spending planned time together) is to ');
document.writeln('build a friendship. When you skip the friendship phase in a relationship and ');
document.writeln('immediate jump to the romantic phase, you are begging for trouble.<br>');
document.writeln('<br>');
document.writeln('Every blissful relationship is built on a solid friendship. Not on awesome sex, ');
document.writeln('religious beliefs or common dreams and goals -- all those things can change over ');
document.writeln('time - the only thing you can count on to remain is a strong and loving ');
document.writeln('friendship. <br>');
document.writeln('<br>');
document.writeln('It is very difficult to be lovers first and then try to become friends second. ');
document.writeln('So, how can you date in a way that encourages the building of a friendship ');
document.writeln('first?<br>');
document.writeln('<br>');
document.writeln('* Save any sort of physical connection (hugging, kissing, holding hands, etc.) ');
document.writeln('until AFTER you have already become close friends and are ready for the next ');
document.writeln('stage. It should be RARE that you make it past the friendship stage.<br>');
document.writeln('<br>');
document.writeln('* Don\'t go out for &quot;romantic&quot; dates early on. Dates such as: charming ');
document.writeln('restaurants, lakeside picnics or to the opera. <br>');
document.writeln('<br>');
document.writeln('* Do go out on &quot;friendship&quot; dates like: bowling, eating pizza, playing tennis ');
document.writeln('and volunteer work.<br>');
document.writeln('<br>');
document.writeln('* Avoid discussions early in the dating stage like how many children you want, ');
document.writeln('what you are looking for in a husband/wife, deep secrets that you would only ');
document.writeln('tell your closest friends.<br>');
document.writeln('<br>');
document.writeln('* Use caution in telling your friends if you feel strongly about the person you ');
document.writeln('are dating. (Friends have a way of spreading secrets and ruining relationships). ');
document.writeln('Don\'t let friends push your relationship beyond a friendship until you know it ');
document.writeln('is time.<br>');
document.writeln('<br>');
document.writeln('* Do not buy your friend expensive presents or items that can construed as ');
document.writeln('&quot;romantic.&quot;<br>');
document.writeln('<br>');
document.writeln('* Don\'t invite your friend on a weekend getaway (unless it is a group activity).');
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document.writeln('<br>');
document.writeln('* Refer to your friend as &quot;friend.&quot; Avoid calling them your &quot;boyfriend,&quot; ');
document.writeln('&quot;girlfriend,&quot; &quot;significant other&quot; or other non-friend title until you have built ');
document.writeln('a really strong friendship and are ready to get more serious in the ');
document.writeln('relationship.<br>');
document.writeln('<br>');
document.writeln('Dating. It is done best as friends first.</p>');
document.writeln('<table border="0" width="80%">');
document.writeln('  <tr>');
document.writeln('    <td><font size="3"><img border="0" height="1" src="http://www.theromantic.com/cgi-bin/pl/pl.cgi?secretscolumn" width="1">Michael Webb is a world renowned');
document.writeln('      relationship and romance expert having appeared on over 500 radio and');
document.writeln('      television shows. He and his wife have been blissfully married for over 14');
document.writeln('      years. He is the best-selling author of <a href="http://www.theromantic.com/50secrets.htm"> 50 Secrets of Blissful Relationships</a>');
document.writeln('      and 6 other relationship books. Sign');
document.writeln('      up for his FREE relationship tips newsletter by sending a blank e-mail to:');
document.writeln('      <a href="mailto:secrets-on@mail-list.com">secrets-on@mail-list.com</a> or');
document.writeln('      visit <a href="http://www.TheRomantic.com">www.TheRomantic.com</a>');
document.writeln('</font>');
document.writeln('    </td>');
document.writeln('    <td><font size="3"><a href="http://www.theromantic.com/50secrets.htm"><img src="http://www.theromantic.com/50Secrets_4.gif" align="right" border="0" width="106" height="155">');
document.writeln('</a>');
document.writeln('</font>');
document.writeln('    </td>');
document.writeln('  </tr>');
document.writeln('</table>');
document.writeln('<p class="MsoBodyText" align="left">&nbsp;</p>');
document.writeln('');
document.writeln('        <p>&nbsp;');
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