Just in case the rest of the world needed a refresher course on chivalry, here you go:
1. Open doors when possible - whether it be to a building or the passenger car door. the classic example that's stood the test of time.
2. When in a place of worship (or other places that have aisles and pews), if a man is at the end of the pew, when exiting he should stand in the aisle and let all his lady go before him.
3. A man should tolerate the occasional chick flick, musical, opera, or ballet - whatever her preference is - *without* complaining about it.
4. Play one of the songs that would make any woman weep like the little girl she once was (but in a good way). A brief list includes, but certainly isn't limited, to:
"Love is Not a Fight" by Warren Barfield
"Collide" by Howie Day
"Out Of My League" by Steven Speaks
"Just the Way You Are" by Boyce Avenue
"One" by U2
5. Talk! The strong & silent bit goes from intriguing to boring quite fast.
6. Find out what her favorite flower is and buy them for her randomly (regardless of the situation you might be in). (I encourage the women to not allow a guy to "prove himself worthy" through gifts and flowers and such. Trust is a precious thing and it should take a good chunk of time before he gains it back in your heart.)
7. If you miss her, or love her, TELL HER! Even your friends like to hear it every now & again.
8. Remember: the best gifts you can give are usually free of cost.
9. Leave a note (or send a message) just to say "hi".
10. Ask her questions about herself.
11. Dress nice every once & a while. Any girl likes to see her brother/friend/boyfriend/etc. in a well-ironed button-up with some nice slacks.
12. Read the books she likes, and discuss them together!
13. Tolerate small children as best you can. Meaning, put up with the things that can get annoying. They're children, after all. Show them love and care, teach them how to become a better man than you.
14. Learn to dance! There is nothing sexier than a man who can dance really well. If God did not bless you with the grace of Fred Astaire, at least put forth the effort, it will be greatly appreciated. Always slow dance (even if it's just like you danced in middle school). Also, men, sing to a lady. Even if you're terrible, suck it up! They love to listen to it and will not care what you sound like. It's the thought that counts on this one.
15. Kiss her on the forehead.
16. When she's sick, stay up with her. If you can cook (which is *always* a plus), make her some soup. If you can't cook, there's Campbell's soup at hand for you.
17. Hold her hand while you talk, drive, or just for the heck of it (it's the small things that win you big points).
18. Call her beautiful, because that's what she is (or gorgeous or stunning or captivating or...)
19. Offer her your jacket/sweatshirt. (Note: you may not see that particular item of clothing for a while, if ever again).
20. Don't be too proud to apologize.
21. It's not stalking to watch her sleep if you fall asleep watching a movie. It is stalking to watch her sleep if you're standing outside her window with night vision goggles.
22. When she feels at her worst, tell her she looks her best... and mean it! True beauty comes from within...always! The outside reflects the inside, not the other way around.
23. If you're trying to get more than friendship out of the relationship, take it slow and never rush her.
24. Guys - always offer to pay for the date. No matter how expensive it gets, especially if YOU asked HER on the date. [if she is willing to pay now and again, don't let your "man pride" get in the way of her wanting to give back to you. she should understand money can be tight - especially when you're always buying]
25. Always do everything in your power to keep her as happy as you can. And cheer her up in any way possible.
26. When walking on the sidewalk, always walk on the outside near traffic.
27. At least do everything in your power to keep cursing to a minimum while around her. If you can, cut it out period while around her, or cut it out of your vocabulary. Women don't want to hear it, guys don't care about it, adults don't want to hear it, it doesn't impress employers, and you sure won't want your children or someone else's to hear it!
28. Sometimes you have to take the initiative. Don't always wait for her to come to you, because if that's how it always is, you're going to lose her.
29. If any lady is walking alone to her car in a dark parking lot/garage, or is carrying a heavy load, always offer to help walk her to her destination and carry things, if not the entire load.
30. If a woman says no, let that be her final answer with maybe one question of confirmation after her first answer. Do not pressure or force her in any way after that. Don't make her give in to something she doesn't want to do.
31. Always be honest with her. No woman wants or likes a dishonest man. If you can't be honest with her, she can't trust you, and shows you don't trust her enough to be honest. Trust, honesty and integrity are just as an integral part of a relationship and just as important as love.
32. A man should always genuinely listen to women; no matter how bored or busy the man is. Actively listening to the woman will keep him from pain (and bring the man and woman closer together). This works best, of course, when both the man and the woman actively and equally engage in conversation (this includes listening). For the ladies reading this, please talk - always talk - especially if you are having problems with the relationship and to also avoid making bigger problems.
