3/14    My CS partner has a ring on her right ring finger.  She hasn't
        brought up her boyfriend casually in conversation at all, and
        I'm thinking it might be a geek ward.  We talk a lot.  Is there
        any way to tell, other than asking directly?
        \_ Easy; ask her out.  --pld
           \_ Thanks! -original poster
              \_ That's such TERRIBLE advice.  Why can't you just tuck
                 in your dick for a couple more months and leave your
                 work relationship intact?  There are so many girls
                 out there, why your project partner?  At least wait
                 till after the final.
              \_ Wait till finals are over and you get a passing grade
                 (I already know you won't get a good grade because you
                  are spending more time thinking about your partner than
                  your project, don't lie you are).
                 If you start going out and it doesn't work out, she will
                 shaft you on the project. If you think that she won't do
                 that, because she's worried about her grades, think AGAIN.
                 She knows that she can drop out of school and some dumb
                 CS geek will still marry her and she can get half his
                 portfolio in exchange for a kiss and some kind words.
        \_ check out http://pickupguide.com, or alt.seduction.fast on usenet.
        \_ perform a mind meld on her. better yet, stalk her obsessively, tap
           her phone line and network, and call her pretending to take a survey
           thereby asking indirectly.
        \_ ask her for a proj. celebration dinner (or whatever stage your proj
           is in). Tell her feel free to bring a significant other.  If she
           comes, it is a good sign (and whether she has a bf may not be a
           barrier).  Otherwise, wrap up the proj and move on.
                \_ Uh ok genius, so she goes out to get a slice of pizza with
                   this guy.  So what?
        \_ What's it matter that she has a BF?
           \_ "i'm not trying to hear that see"
           \_ "what's that got to do with me?"
           \_ Because he might see your geeky ass hassling her and beat
              you to a pulp.
              \_ If your name is David and in 162, don't make me come up
                 to Berkeley from San Jose to beat your ass.
        \_ the answer is obvious: invite her out to dance and phreak her
                                       This may sound stupid, _/
                                       but what does 'phreak
                                       her' mean? - unhip alum
           on the dance floor. she'll either laugh or consent, either way
           you win.
        \_ My god, if you're going to do any of this, you'd better be hot.
           I shudder at the thought of another girl falling victim to geek
           love.  -- girl
           p.s. If you guys are that close, why don't you just ask her?
           \_ I've asked tons of girls out on dates.  I have yet to go on a
              date (including H.S. prom).  The thought of being rejected
              isn't worth this risk. -- !original poster
              \_ Ask her what the ring is for, or whether she has a boyfriend,
                 not ask her out.
                    \_ do NOT ask her if the ring gives her +2 on agility,
                       or anything of the sort!
                       \_ It's "Ring of Human Influence", 18 Charisma.
                       \_ It's a "Ring of Protection", wards of Geeks.
                    \_ Unless she is a gamer, too.
                        \_ Even if.
        \_ Ask her if she would like to go out to dinner and see a
           movie afterwords.  Don't make a big deal out of it when you ask
           and gracefully accept her answer if she says no.  By the way,
           if she just happens to be busy, then it probably means she
           doesn't want to go out so don't keep asking unless you want her
           to think you are a stalker.  Good luck.  Oh yeah, if she says
           something about the ring, just claim you didn't notice.
                \_ Uh yeah... it's only this shiny thing on her hand waving
                   around all day.
        \_ Ask her if her hymen is still there.
        \_ Ring on right hand means nothing. What are you worried about?
           \_ Are you sure?  I thought ring on ring finger of right hand
              meant, "I have a boyfriend, you know."  It even has a little
              crown on it, or whatever.  It's not a plain metal band.
              \_ Does it have a heart and a crown? Is she Irish?
              \_ I know lots of girls with rings on their right ring
                 finger with no boyfriend.  Often, that's the finger that
                 the ring fits best on.  There is no tradition of meaning
                 for a ring on that finger.
        \_ Ask her things like "what did you do last weekend?" that reflect
           a little about what she does for fun and in her spare time.  That's
           a big window for her to mention if she has a boyfriend or not.  If
           she does not mention a boyfriend, chances are she doesn't have one,
           or that the relationship isn't that serious.  --chris
           \_ If he's known her for more than 48 hours and she hasn't he even
              hinted she has someone else then she probably doesn't.  If he
              hasn't known her very long, then it can't hurt to just ask with
              out all the silly guessing games everyone here is suggesting.
              \_ "Do you have a boyfriend?" is a bit risky to ask and makes
                 intentions very obvious.  But then again, this is soda.
                 Who cares about subtlety?  --chris
                  \_ You WANT your intentions obvious!  unless you prefer to
                     play adolescent "does he like me or not" games with her
                     mind?
                     \_ And make it an "all or nothing" scenario?  It's hard
                        to backpeddle out of a "do you have a boyfriend"
                        question into friendship if she _does_ have a
                        boyfriend.  It's nice to _know_ the dating status of
                        your object of desire without revealing your own
                        intentions...and THEN make your intentions known.
                        But then again, this is soda.  Who cares about dating?
        \_ just whip it out
           \_ I whip it out - Bill C.
        \_ Okay, keep this part of the motd on your screen. THen ask her
           to take a look at some code on your screen...and when she comes
           over to look at your screen, she'll see the thread. Stall for bit,
           flip to a shell screen (crossing the motd window), perhaps even
           make some excuse to get her to type on the keyboard, and leave
           briefly for the bathroom. Of course, she could be offended by the
           hymen, whip & stalking comments above and refuse to speak with you.