I’ve tried to think long and hard about what makes one date good and another terrible, or why I went out with one guy three times and another guy only once…

Your profile is the digital first impression. Unlike the real world, you can’t rely on natural charm, inexplicable chemistry, pheromones, or other intangibles humans have used to attract a mate for millennia. Everything boils down to the pivotal profile. The reality is, most people spend between three to seven seconds on a profile before swiping left or right. So, it’s in your best interest to put some thought into it.

I walk across the lobby toward the restaurant maitre’d, squeezing my abdominal muscles to balance in my heels on the marble floors. I identify my date from his photos sitting at a table in the back corner. To the chagrin of friends and family, I recently reset my dating app age preferences to max out at 45, not 40.