OH, THIS ONE CAN REVEAL A LOT! When you're spending time with someone, pay close attention to HOW they communicate. Do they listen when you speak? Do they constantly interrupt you? Do they dominate every conversation? Do they criticize everyone around them, complain endlessly, or turn every subject back to themselves?

Or do they demonstrate kindness, curiosity, patience, humor, and genuine interest in what you have to say? And here's something else.

CAN YOU HAVE AN ACTUAL CONVERSATION WITH THIS PERSON? Because if you're considering spending the next 20, 30, or 40 years together, you might want to enjoy TALKING TO EACH OTHER! HAHA!

MY ADVICE: Listen at least as much as you talk. People frequently reveal important things about themselves when you give them the opportunity to speak.

What does this person do for a living? Do they enjoy their work? Are they studying, building a career, running a business, or pursuing another worthwhile direction? How do they handle their responsibilities? Are they honest about their circumstances and plans for the future?

Now, I'm not suggesting that somebody must have an impressive job title or a six-figure salary to deserve your affection. FAR FROM IT! But if you're considering a serious relationship, understanding how someone approaches work, money, responsibility, and personal ambitions is important.

MY ADVICE: Find out whether their approach to life and financial responsibilities is compatible with yours.

After all, LOVE may be wonderful, but somebody still has to pay the electric bill!

Here's another terrific area to investigate. DOES THIS PERSON HAVE A LIFE? HAHA! What do they enjoy doing for fun? Do they have hobbies, interests, talents, and activities they're passionate about? Do they enjoy traveling, cooking, reading, exercising, learning new things, attending events, or spending time with friends and family?

And are they interested in learning about YOUR favorite activities?

A person doesn't have to share every one of your interests. In fact, differences can introduce wonderful new experiences into a relationship. But you should have some idea of how the two of you might enjoy spending time together.

MY ADVICE: Ask about their interests, share yours, and discover whether you genuinely enjoy each other's company.

OOOH, THIS ONE IS IMPORTANT! Let's say you're enjoying dinner at a restaurant with your new romantic prospect. Everything seems wonderful! The conversation is flowing. You're laughing. You're having a terrific evening! Then the server brings the wrong side dish. And suddenly your charming date starts treating the poor server like somebody committed an international crime! WHOA DAWG! WHAT WAS THAT?

Pay attention to how someone treats restaurant employees, store clerks, family members, friends, and strangers.

Are they respectful? Patient? Courteous? Or do they become rude, demanding, condescending, and unnecessarily unpleasant?

MY ADVICE: Observe how they behave when things don't go their way. Character often becomes easier to evaluate when someone encounters an inconvenience. And if they treat other people terribly, don't automatically assume you'll always receive special treatment!

Now we're getting personal! Does this person make an effort to spend time with you? Do they listen to your concerns?

Do they respect your boundaries, opinions, and personal decisions? Are they thoughtful, considerate, affectionate, and interested in getting to know you? Or are they possessive, demanding, disrespectful, unpredictable, or overly aggressive? And let me ask another question.

HOW DO YOU FEEL AFTER SPENDING TIME WITH THIS PERSON? Happy? Appreciated? Comfortable? Respected? Or confused, exhausted, anxious, and wondering what just happened?

In my book, I encourage readers to observe the time, attention, and treatment they receive while getting acquainted.

MY ADVICE: Don't base your judgment on one magnificent date or one disappointing afternoon. Look for patterns of behavior over time. And always remember, you should be treating the other person with the same respect and consideration you expect in return!

WELCOME TO THE INTERNET AGE! Today, someone might have a LinkedIn profile, personal website, business page, social media account, published articles, interviews, books, or other publicly available information. So, why not learn a little more about them?

If they're telling you they own a successful business, perhaps they have a business website. If they're an author, maybe you can find their books. If they've participated in community activities or public events, perhaps there's something online about their work.

MY ADVICE: Review publicly available information when appropriate, and look for consistency between what someone tells you and what you can reasonably verify.

But don't make assumptions simply because somebody doesn't maintain a big online presence.

And remember, online information isn't always accurate or complete.

THE INTERNET CAN PROVIDE CLUES. IT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY TELL YOU EVERYTHING ABOUT A PERSON!

Here's where I encourage readers to become especially thoughtful about their personal safety.

If you're considering bringing someone into your home, sharing finances, or making a significant long-term commitment, you may want to verify important information. Are they who they claim to be? Are they actually single?

Are there relevant public records that raise legitimate concerns about safety or honesty? Depending on the circumstances, lawful public-record resources and reputable background-check services may provide useful information. However, records can contain errors, outdated information, or details about someone with a similar name.

MY ADVICE: Verify important findings, respect privacy and the law, and don't use personal information to harass, monitor, or intimidate anyone. Research should help you make informed decisions—not become an obsession! And if you discover a genuine threat to your safety, take it seriously.

YOUR HEART MAY BE EXCITED ABOUT SOMEONE, BUT YOUR GOOD JUDGMENT STILL NEEDS TO REPORT FOR DUTY!