Pick-up lines have come a long way since the smarmy stylings of "What's your sign?" and "Come here often?" These quirky icebreakers suffer from a bad rap -- and unfairly so. They can be smart (and sometimes silly) conversation starters. Here are tried-and-and-oft-true approaches from the people who sit next to you on the bus and pass you on the street. Some gradually ease into the pick up, others are more bold and direct, but all of them opened up lines of conversation. Which is the whole point. Nancy Kirsch, senior vice president of It's Just Lunch, a matchmaking service that sets up would-be couples for a maiden-voyage lunch, says that whether it's your first conversation or your first date, the key is keeping things light and upbeat. "No one wants to hear about your ex or how much you hate your job," Kirsch instructs. "Listening is a great skill to have."
~ The Washington Post
