Another point I forgot to mention, which I think has been a constant in any success I’ve had at dates, and ESPECIALLY first dates, is to sit AT the bar and be SIDE-BY-SIDE. This is not uncommon advice and has been really crucial in my experience — it makes the dynamic 1) a lot more relaxed and less like an interview and 2) makes “touching” a lot more natural.

I've never thought about the side by side thing. I get what you mean and not saying you're mistaken, but in my world it's less crucial as I'm less reliant on touch. I'll just do a "wait a minute, I'll move closer" or "come here and let's kiss" or whatever ... or just move closer at some point.

Having a table between us doesn't bother me that much.

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it’s not just about going through girls and finding the “right one”; it’s also about going on dates, gaining experiencing, developing your style and social skills.

Indeed and basically the point of my post. We are not born with God given dating skills that just need to be matched. It's learning by doing. We go and fuck up .. and hopefully for every date we fuck up a little less until we're pretty good at it.