What to ask at a speed dating event

So what can you really know about someone in 5 minutes? Plenty, if you ask the right questions. Remember, your goal is to help determine who you would potentially like to get to know better. Consider it a screening process to help you set up future dates. I also suggest throwing in some deal breaker questions that are important to you.

• What are you most passionate about? This will really help give you an idea about the person's interest and personality. Are they an avid boater, love to cook, are a thrill seeker? This is a much better question than "what do you like to do for fun?" which will result in many of the same old answers.
  
  *What are your all time favorite movies? Again, this may help give you a sense about what makes this person tick. Are they a romantic at heart and tell you a movie like Titanic, a slapstick type who answers with Jim Carey films, into old time classics like Casablanca? This is a better question then "what kind of movies do you like?"
  
  *What radio stations are preset on your car stereo? or Who is your favorite musician? This may give you some insight at to whether you have similar tastes in music.
  
  *Do you have pets? like pets? I am in the minority as far as guys go, in that I like cats, and have two little monsters that keep me up at night. If I ask this question and get a response that "I am deathly allergic to cats", then I know this woman is not right for me. If pets are an important issue to you, then ask this question.
  
  *Are you a smoker? This is another good deal breaker question. I hate cigarette smoke and owe it all to the first gal I ever kissed, Sue. I was a late bloomer and my first kiss happened when I was 17 years old at Taco Bell in Franklin Square. It put such a nasty taste in my mouth that I never picked up a cigarette and would not want to date someone who smokes (unless they were seriously trying to quit). I also lost some family members to lung cancer so this is a dealbreaker for me. If smoking habits are important to you, then ask about it.
  
  *Do you have kids/want kids? Maybe you do not want to date someone who has kids? If so, you can ask whether the person has any children. A better question may be "tell me about your family?" If the person responds and talks about their kids, then you get the information you need.