Good points from everyone, and thanks for supplying them. Don't feel the need to stop. If I'm an idiot call me it

Tony:
I know in myself I'm just not there yet, to go straight into cold approaches etc. In my younger days, sometimes I would be in the most excellent mood, not looking for chicks, just going about having a laugh, and looking back I must have looked like a natural or total pro, then at other times when going out thinking about pulling a chick - I would become the nervous idiot again. Now - about 20 years on from those times, it would take a whole lot to channel the kind of places I would be at in the "awesome times".

Boringly - I walk to work. wake up about 40 mins before I have to start, splash some water on me, and get out. Or sometimes have to take the kids to breakfast club at school.

I do agree that I definitely need to do more just talking and random things to people in queues or passers by etc. I have begun - and am on the journey, but it's very early days.

Kowalski:
The only way I think I'd start thinking of it as practice would be to make that the frame of mind that I put myself in - but it's all in order to reach the end goal.... unless it was a blind date or something and she turned to be really THAT fugly lol Then I might practice how to "let girls down gently" and see what I can get away with saying

I wouldn't go out prowling the street for drunk girls - that definitely could be considered creepy in some instances.
It might be equally inappropriate, to turn up to a coffee establishment half-cut though
I guess just downing a swift shot of whiskey or something before going out would be about right.

You are 100% correct that the end goal is to bang the girl. Keep the eyes on the price etc. I think there might be some differences though depending on whether you are happy for it just to happen once, or if you want to put a little more work into making it longer term. I suppose some people's techniques don't change either way, but where I am is I'm kinda stuck at the moment until the moment when we've actually met and have decided which route to go down.

It's having that thought "I'm going to bang her" - in the back of my mind that I know will trip me up though. Unless I really am properly clued up and practiced on all the techniques I know I'll just be doubting it and that'll turn to nervousness and panic and it'll fall apart. Conversely, if I was in a state of mind where I couldn't be arsed whether she wanted sex or not, and I was just going about my day, I would probably end up at her place that same night - lol

I guess I'm looking for advice on good topics to chat about, things to say that are being talked about these days, and general etiquette. A LOT has probably changed in 2 years.