Today's thoughts are based on Vh1's show, "The Pick Up Artist". It's a "reality" show with a good concept. Erik Von Markovik a.k.a "Mystery" is the master, who can pick up virtually any girl, anywhere, any time. He and his 2 friends try to teach regular guys some of their skills, with varying degrees of success.

I've had girlfriends and dated around in the past, so I thought I knew some things. But the methods and philosophies that the PUA's (pick up artists) use opened my mind. The methods are unique and effective. There's no arguing with the results of these guys. Watch some episodes and see for yourself.

As far as meeting women and, going 1 step further, picking up on them at a bar or club is totally out of my element. I have yet to actively holler there. The women I've been with or dated, I met through doing things that I normally do. In the past, it was via college club events. In recent times, it was via church-related functions. With those things, there was some common ground to build rapport.

At a bar, you have to manufacture rapport and keep the situation in your control. You may also need to send signals of uninterest ("neg") to the girl you're actually interested in. Counterintuitive and ironic, right? But for the master PUA, it works. If a girl is beautiful, she usually knows it, and expects every guy that approaches her to hit on her. But if you "neg" her initially, she'll wonder why you're not hitting on her right on the spot. It's total mind games.


A lot of my friends are hitched, and I'm assuming they didn't meet their significant other at a bar or club. So, given the choice, if you had to do it all over again, which route would you go?

A) Would you just go with the flow, let things run their natural course, and hope to meet someone? A la "serendipity" (right place, right time)?

or

B) Would you proactively improve your game and apply those skills at a bar/lounge/club?

And a last thought, assuming that you improve your game, what would be your attitude when picking up? Do you do it to find the "right one" or "ones"? Or is the game mainly for kicks?

Holler.