Is it possible, if a man and woman have similar experiences, they will have a more productive conversation? Most likely. Even if the shared experiences are not positive, it gives way to interesting exchanges and the possibility for growth.

Sadly, I ended up on a date with a friend- she didn’t want to meet this guy alone, and their best friends thought they would really hit it off. We’d done the requisite internet stalking- he was attractive, purported a wide range of interests (most of which she categorically rejected, but we can discuss that later), and wanted to meet her (i assume he did the same internet “check” and found her perceived value to be up to par).

I imagine he was surprised to see me on his date, but he was kind enough not to make a big deal. We explained I was wasting time before meeting some other friends- blah, blah, blah- made up, lie, made up and he knew it. What became evident really quickly was neither of their best friends had ever met them because they had absolutely nothing in common. He apologized for being a few minutes late- he was packing for a trip to the deer lease. We both saw her visibly stiffen- at which point he quickly explained he wasn’t a hunter, he just went to shoot his guns. GUNS?!? GUNS?!?

I closed my eyes and tried to will myself, well, anywhere. Outer Mongolia would have been splendid at this time of year. His declaration was met with great fervor, but it wasn’t so much enthusiasm as the intense passion one who abhors guns would unleash.  Several minutes into her diatribe, he held up his hands (i saw him mentally fast forwarding to being late without calling).

     ”Have you ever fired a handgun?” he asked.

     ”What?” Aghast. “Why would I?” And yes, she even had a hand poised at her chest.

     ”Well, I collect and fire them for sport, because I like to. I grew up on a lot of land, my dad and I used to shoot skeet.”

     ”What does that have to do with me firing a hand gun?”

     ”I just thought if you had, you might have more perspective than a bunch of pre-digested rhetoric you heard on CNN.”

CNN? CNN?

     ”You are taking a lot for granted!”

     ”No. You are. There is very little risk associated with the sport of shooting.”

     ”Tell that to Dick Cheney!”

     ”They were hunting. I already said I don’t hunt.” He threw me an exhausted gaze that clearly said, “can i go now?”. I nodded. He got up, thanked us both for meeting him, said he needed to finish packing and left an appalled girl staring after him.

     ”He left? He left? Why did he leave? Obviously has a problem with strong women!” I grimaced.

I know her and know most of what she said was someone else’s rhetoric. Her mother’s. That isn’t the point, however. I see two major errors here.

1) No arguing. Especially not on a first date. No place really on any date. A spirited debate is one thing- an all out lecture is not acceptable. I can’t think of anyone who appreciates being told their hobbies or interests are wrong, or unethical (unless they are illegal), or a waste of time. Even in a debate, you need to be open to the other person’s opinions and give those opinions the courtesy of weight. If you are not interested in what HE (who ever HE is) has to say, why are you in a conversation anyway- or worse yet, on a date?

2) He had a valid point. How can you emphatically reject something you have never done, tried or experienced hands on? You never know. So, my point is … all that to say this-

How can a girl “get” a guy, if she has never invested in any of his interests- or any male interests at all? How can any two people have a reasonable interaction if they have no intersecting points?

So, I invited my friend to go shooting with me the next day- which she declined, after training an eye upon me as if I’d asked her to visit a crack house in downtown Detroit. It’s fun, I told her. Crack house. You might like it. Crack house. He seemed like a nice guy. Crack house.

Unwilling to experience new things. I wasn’t excited to shoot a hand gun myself, but as soon as I did- I was hooked. It could happen to you.

At this point, women reading this blog may feel a little persecuted, as if I have a “male” agenda. I deny any such agenda. My AGENDA is clear. I want to empower women- to give them enough confidence to try new things (which they might not enjoy, but at least they tried- and imparting the effort gives them perspective for a debate or even material to engage the ultra hot guy at the gym who reads “Handgunner” on the treadmill). Sometimes, if you know a little bit about a subject, it’s less intimidating to try for the first time.

I promise, any girl can unload her moniker “buzz kill” (and yes, they call you that behind your back) and become the cool chick who is INVITED to watch a game with the guys. I know, you don’t WANT to watch the game- you HATE football. But do you? Do you really hate it? If so, why?

Let’s break old habits and records of the past and start anew. All you have to do is try …