Questions: Dating

This is a question for which a misstep can have serious consequences. If a girl wants to go slow and I try to get a kiss, she might assume that I am just trying to get her into bed and that's the last time I'll ever see her. But some girls expect more and if a guy doesn't at least go for a kiss, she might think he isn't attracted or just wants to be friends. I don't want there to be any confusion so. . . I try to read the signals and unless I see something that says "SLOW DOWN!" I go for a kiss at the end of a first date.

You?

This post was inspired by this question here. I already have my own ideas on it, but thought it'd make for a fun GAG question.

Ego ("confidence"), height & looks, and social status (money/career/success/popularity) are the three things most straight women want in an ideal man, and some even require them. All three of these things combined, makes the "perfect man." How "low" a modern heterosexual woman is willing to go or downgrade on, depends on the woman, but you can usually only lack one of them to still have a shot. Lack more than one and you're completely SOL.

So men of GAG, I ask you this:
Which of these do you think a woman is most likely to tolerate in a flawed imperfect man?

If i was a female who loved men i would have NO education, have NO job, and have NO excess body fat. Id be a glorified dog. But c, i forgot fat educated females hate men.

So, let's say there's a girl a guy is interested in, and he first wants to find out if she's single, before shooting his shot. Would it be weird to too straight forward if he started to make conversation/small talk, and said something along the lines of "so, how's life, how's the romance going, you seeing anyone?", said in a rather light and playful manner.

I feel like this is a "safer" approach of trying to ask out someone, because if you immediately go in for the kill, the stone cold rejection will just hurt more than it should, and perhaps the girl will also appreciate it if you feel her out first and give her a chance the dismiss the (potential) advances without putting her on the spot.

I have approach/rejection anxiety, so I'm trying to find a strategy that'll work for me, as pathetic as that may sound ;DDD