There are many articles available on how to impress a girl, and many books as well. But how, really, do you get and keep her attention, and keep her coming back to wonderful you? Do you follow the men's versions of The Rules, that say you wait x number of times, you avoid a, b, c, and you be sure to always do d, e, and f? Do you follow the special advice on how to impress a girl you are attracted to or who is wealthy? Do you go with the psychology of genders, and follow the generalizations that all girls want Brad Pitt, are on diets, and love to shop?

If you do try to abide by any of the above "rules," aren't you eliminating a number of options to meet and maybe get involved with a girl who loves cars and can drop an engine, rebuild it, and replace it in three weeks? Won't you be leaving out the girls who have no money but are potential moneymakers, as they are working two jobs and taking classes at night to become a veterinarian or a geologist?

You get the idea. Following some common advice on how to impress a girl might in fact have the opposite effect: you may offend her when you were trying to intrigue her, make her laugh when you intended to make her swoon, or you may make her scream when you meant to make her giggle or laugh.

So how about this? Try following a few righteous and fair methods that work almost every time.

Be real, and be realistic. If you deliberately lie once, you have just changed everything. You now have to keep track of the lie, never forget it, and know that that lie is what part of your potential relationship is now based on,, if she believes you. One day, if you start dating, she will find out and dump you, or at least be very hurt and have a reason to mistrust you.

If you will be yourself, meaning that it's okay to be nervous if you are nervous (some girls find that adorable), and clumsy if you are clumsy (some girls find this endearing). Remember that the girl you seek to impress might not be the one for you,...no matter how close a next-door neighbor she is or how many years you all went to the same football games and movies. Look for someone else if you're just not each other's type.

Be confident and self-reliant. Don't think yourself unworthy of every woman who walks into study hall, either. Try to strike a healthy balance between "morose doom" and "nauseating cockiness." We do not know how to handle either of you, other than to giggle nervously and then run in the other direction as fast as we can.

Be interesting and interested. Cultivate an interest in her hobbies as much as you expect her to develop an interest in yours.

Be as healthy as you can be. Studies show that we are attracted to bodies and faces that represent optimum reproductive abilities and features. Doing whatever you can to achieve this will be very helpful, so take care of yourself. Not everyone can look like Brad Pitt, but you can keep yourself properly groomed, eat a healthy diet, and get in better shape if you've been a couch potato.

Be fair. Do not put the girl you're attracted to on a pedestal or cut her down unfairly. She won't make love to you constantly. She is also not your mother, so don't expect her to clean up after you or cook for you whenever you demand it. If you are just meeting her, don't tell her how much you adore your mother.

Finally, have a positive attitude. You don't have to fake joy and happiness if your favorite pet just died, but try to see something good in every person you meet. And try to see some good in yourself. Offering a smile and a joke if appropriate can help you bond with her. So can simply saying, "Hello."