Dear John: Two girlfriends and I are having a party next month. Each girl is supposed to bring a guy who is a good friend and, best yet, potential boyfriend material for the other girls. Can you give us a few pointers for conversation openers? — Hoping for Sparks to Fly, in San Diego, Calif.

Dear Hoping for Sparks: At parties, games are always great ice breakers: card games, board games (there's even a Mars/Venus-themed one) and charades. It's a fun way to get guys to talk about themselves, and lets them learn about you, too. I can't guarantee it will be a great test for "Mr. Right." If that turns out to be the case, always remember that in the dating game, you have little to loose and a lot to gain.

Dear John: What does a guy mean when he says "I don't trust myself"? — Martian Translator Needed, in Evansville, Ill.

Dear Translator Needed: This is his way of warning you to feel free to question his motives. After all, if he doesn't trust his actions, why should you? If the rest of that sentence is " ... with you," then you can rest assured that a future relationship with him would come with no guarantees.

John Gray is the author of "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus." If you have a question, write to John in care of this newspaper or by email at: www.marsvenusliving.com. All questions are kept anonymous and will be paraphrased. To find out more about John Gray and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.