You’ve prescreened the guy; he meets your 3 non-negotiables; you’re on the second date.

It’s a Saturday night (premium social time slot). You’re talking in a public place where he will have to spend money. He is telling you something about himself:

Laugh.

Not just at his jokes (laugh if they’re funny idc), but laugh during a story of his. Laugh a little musical laugh when he describes his manager making him stay late or when he describes a situation where he was inconvenienced in some way. Bonus points if you can “hide-not-hide” a giant smile and raised eyebrow when they inevitably describe their terrible idea for running their own business. (Every man secretly imagines himself running his own business.)

Laughter is the woman’s scalpel. True, it has to be applied precisely*, but our laughter is the most powerful force I’ve ever used on men. I’ve seen 6-month-long marketing projects fall to my well-timed slash in the conference room, and I’ve seen wealthy men lean forward hungrily after my subtle dismissal. Too many women enter those early dating dates like they should hold onto every word a guy says with empathetic gravitas. Save it for your girlfriends ladies.

*Some of you will be so naturally empathetic that you quite literally have difficulty imagining what I’m describing. This might not be the tactic for you because timing is everything with this one.