Provocative Wave for Men: 2006

The Player is suave, sophisticated, charming, and above all, capable. He’s skilled in the art of seduction and he has a veritable gold mine of abilities to choose from when attempting to woo a breathless hunk. Whether he uses his soothing hands or his finely honed and deftly executed conversation, he has an attack plan for any given situation. Rather than being forced to think on the fly and gamble with potentially disastrous ideas, you should have a Rolodex of readily accessible skills. Have them ready, prepare accordingly and implement each one with careful precision.

For the most part, you don’t need to be told how to handle men. This isn’t a standard lecture on the various ways one can approach and seduce a guy; rather, it’s a list of handy skills no true Player should ever be without. If you’ve been even remotely successful with men in the past, chances are you already possess at least one of the following character traits or abilities, but we can all use a little self-improvement. After all, the more cards you have in that Rolodex, the more effective you’ll be. Ultimately, the goal remains the same.

Conversational ability

The way to a man’s heart is through the lips with the tongue. If you hadn’t already noticed, an intimate heart-to-heart can yield unbelievable results, and it’s rare that he’ll shy away from a great discussion. With enough practice, this will likely become your most crucial skill.

Training grounds: Just about everywhere, really. The key to this ability is practice, practice, practice, and more practice. It’s an art form, and while you may think you know exactly what to say -- and when -- there’s always something more to learn. The first step in becoming a fantastic conversationalist is observation, so remember to look before you leap. Different situations call for very different discussions; for example, a romantic candlelit dinner is a clear opening for some personal talk, but that won’t always be the case. Sometimes, you just might have to access your large repertoire of humorous personal stories.

But while having engaging anecdotes is great, you can’t rely on them too heavily; don’t be afraid to ask a few questions here and there. When you genuinely seek knowledge about him, you are indirectly seducing him. Before long, his interest in you will skyrocket, and the ensuing discussion is guaranteed to yield results.

An appreciation of the finer things in life, culinary skills and a good massage technique will have him eating out of your hand and maybe other places.