Believe it or not, but I found this thread engaging enough to join the forum just so I could participate. Yep.
Okay, so I think Tuna is being a bit harsh with the misogynist comment, but has a point when saying that common ground is key. Being a girl, I agree that we [most of us] like to be treated normally- but there are always those who are really picky or shallow and want to be venerated for the goddesses they think they are. Honestly, those people drive me nuts regardless of gender, and I would be scared of them too if I were interested in them, for fear that they might smite me. I therefore say to those who have hangups addressing new people to seek out those who have common interests. The old "opposites attract" thing really only works with magnets, not so much with people. Yeah, it happens, but my boyfriend and all my other friends have things in common with me- things to do, things to talk about. With a little practice, it's not really difficult to start a conversation with "Hey, I heard you talking about [whatever]- It's really cool. Have you ever heard of [blah] before?" Or something. Simple, easy, and it doesn't have to be a long conversation. It's how my bf and I met! He thought I was kinda pretty, walked over, and asked about my shirt. We talked for five minutes before I had to leave, but that short convo made enough of an impression that we ended up together. So even though I am a bit shy, just being willing to talk about something kinda pointless worked out really well.
And for those who are looking for physical beauty [but are not necessarily shallow, per se], I would like to remind them that there are SO many beautiful people who are not in beauty pageants, weigh 110 pounds, or who fit the American 'image' of beauty, and that having a good personality goes a long way towards building a good relationship with a S.O.
There are other thoughts bouncing around in my head, but I forgot them now. Booger farts! Anyway, this got really long. I talk too much.