Rein In Your Romantic Fixation

What is it about dating someone new and exciting that turns us into...well, stalkers? We check their MySpace or Friendster profile for updates (Who's that new cutie in their Top Eight? Are they sleeping together??). We Google them. We drive by their house just to check if they're around.

Thanks to technology, it's never been easier to cave to our curiosity, to give in to the feeling that the more we know and the more in touch we are with our intended, the better things will go.

Thing is, it usually backfires. I mean, who thinks pathetic and desperate are synonymous with sexy? If you want to make sure you look interested, not over-eager, be sure to follow this advice.

Don't Email Too Early
Keep your post-date message short and sunny. No pages-long love letters the morning after. No pouring out your heart and soul via text messaging on the way back from your first date. Email and texting is so fast and accessible, it's easy to get carried away.

Don't Be Too Connected
Resist the urge to give your date all your contact info - work, home, cell, personal email, work email - all at once. You'll have plenty of time to reach the level of total connectivity. In the early days, just stick to calling - and giving out - home phone numbers.

Google With Caution
So tempting, but so dangerous. With just a few keystrokes, you can find out all kinds of information about potential dates. While it's an easy to way to, say, make sure you're not dating a serial killer, it can quickly turn into learning too much, too soon. And you're not going to be content with just knowing this stuff - you're going to analyze it with your friends until the fizz has fizzled right out of your once-anticipated first date.

Save the Stakeouts
We don't really need to tell you this, do we? Do you really need to be told that driving past his house or office isn't attractive? Do you really think that unexpectedly running into her will make her realize you're The One? Would you really want to be with him or her if it did?