Love is in the Air. . .In 36 Days

Say what you want about Valentine's Day, but Spring is really the season of love, is it not? So what the hell -- we're going to have some fun with this before Spring comes along.

Let me explain.

One of the cool things that Jangl does is to let two people talk on the phone without ever giving out their private phone number. That is, your real phone, not some head-set or other gizmo. Right now, it's free, and works on any U.S. phone.

This comes in handy in lots of different ways -- if you're buying or selling something, if you're posting your resume online, if you blog or keep a social networking profile and want other people to connect to you via your phone instead of IM or endless emails.

But the most obvious use is dating, whether using Match.com or out clubbing. That's why Match actually uses Jangl to let its subscribers connect via phone, securely (though its free and easy to get Jangl directly without being a Match member).

Why is this important? If you're emailing or chatting online, you want a secondary step -- before the in-person meeting -- that lets you better judge your potential mate. If you're out and want to stay in touch with a new acquaintance, it's probably better to give them your Jangl ID instead of a phone, simply to avoid being phalked (phone + stalked).

So. . .in honor of the unattached Valentine's Day haters still seeking that special someone, we're gonna throw a little party.

I need your best tips on how to have a good phone conversation.

You see, I was never really good at it. Most conversations of my youth went like this:

Me: "Hi."

Her: "Hi."

Me: "So. What are you doing?"

Her: "Not much. What are you doing?"

That won't work here. This is, in fact, largely responsible for my still being single.

The whole point of being able to talk without giving your real number is that you can be yourself. And being yourself involves being a good conversationalist, so people can see the real you -- and so you can see the real "them."

Some tips:

Pair up with a friend -- opposite sex or same sex -- and think this through. Then, have one of you submit a comment as a team.

Be original. A Google search turns up a lot of advice skewed toward players, a little that's more-or-less neutral, and some that is downright retro and office-oriented. If you're going to repurpose something, then give credit and put your own, personal spin on it.

Think about you on the phone, with a new "somebody." How would you get over a little awkwardness? How would you share yourself, and what would you want to hear from the other person?

Want to try it first? Look over in my sidebar for the "Jangl Me" widget. Click it. Call me. I'll never get your real number, and you'll never get mine (an even better widget is coming soon).
If you're really shy, email me with your tip(s) here.

The top 10 tips will be posted here on March 11 -- just in time for Spring. You may win something very cool. Maybe you'll just get really smart about phone conversations. We'll see.

So go tell someone and send me your ideas already!