We’ve often heard this idiom used in reference to media, political commentary, and press releases, and for the most part we understand what it means: essentially, the medium used to convey a message affects how the recipient will interpret it. Or in other words, how something is said or presented is just as important as what is said. However, while the concept is pretty obvious in the business realm or in any context external to us, what’s not so obvious is the significant role this simple idea can play in the areas of impression management and dating.
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on which side of the scale you’re on, regardless of whether you intend to or not, you project and exhibit (through certain movements, paraphernalia, and attributes you possess or lack) fairly telling pieces of information about the type of person you are – or, at minimum, your tendencies, occupation, and lifestyle.
There are a number of resources that will provide advice on what you should or should not do on a date. Simply look to google and lists come out of the yin-yang about not passing gas to not chewing with your mouth open to bathing. I suppose I shouldn't assume the seemingly obvious nature of these lists considering some of the horror stories I've heard. But what I find interesting about these lists (and I'm guilty of it too) is that while they generally rehash advice on well established Do's and Don'ts (i.e. manners, sensitive topics to avoid, etc.) they do so without touching on 3 key behaviours, which should always be avoided in any dating situation: judgment, ridicule, and pressure. These behaviours tend to manifest themselves in various forms, and are the precursors to trouble.
A while back I was engaged in a dialogue on twitter with 
It’s no surprise when I hear people lament that they hate dating because it is a fruitless, disheartening endeavour. You go on bad date after bad date, and are discouraged by the prospect and likelihood of yet another bad date! And it’s completely understandable. After all, who thinks of joyous thoughts when they’re faced with the prospect of spending an expectant, pressure-filled evening with someone they barely know? Our time is precious, and in today’s grind, we don’t have much of it so we want to squeeze whatever we can out of what little we have.
", which chronicles the dating life of author Mark Rainier.