1. She may leave the dishes piled up in the sink. It really doesn't bother her to let them sit there overnight or for a few days while she's obsessed with more interesting projects. If you can't go to bed knowing there are dirty dishes in the kitchen, it's not going to work out unless you don't mind doing them yourself.

2. You will get awesome presents. She's always listening and observing, so will pick up on small things and spare no effort in finding or making the perfect gift for you. She has a good eye and her selections are generally spot-on, whether it's a leather messenger bag or glass jars filled with homemade chocolate chip pancake mix.

3. She will evaluate your gifts based on how much thought you put into them. She likes things that are well-made and high-quality as much as the next person, but she's not really materialistic. She'll be much more impressed with gifts and gestures that show that you devoted some effort and time than with an expensive gift that looks like you just picked it because it was the closest thing to the entrance at Bloomingdale's. She will swoon over your handmade card even if you can only draw stick figures.

4. Laughing is easy. She's not a Debbie Downer and can help you find the humor in any situation.

5. She is curious and eager to try new things. She is always seeking out the novel and the unusual, and this extends to almost every area of her life. You will benefit from this trait because she will always be willing to cheerfully try new experiences and move past her comfort zone. Of course, not everything works out, so occasionally you'll find yourself watching a terrible adaptation of some French play, counting down the seconds until you can escape at intermission.

6. She doesn't consider watching TV to be a hobby. You don't have to be a "creative type" yourself. But please have some interests that don't involve sitting on the couch and binge-watching Netflix. If not for her sake, for your own.

7. She expects you to take an interest in her projects. This is just basic common courtesy. Not showing any interest shows you lack respect for something that's incredibly important to her. Or that you're just not listening to anything she says. If she's been dating you for a couple of months and you've never even asked to listen to the songs that she writes and performs, that's just weird.

8. But even if they're not totally your thing, don't put them down. I once dated an artist/musician who told me after a first date that my songs reminded him of "a female Bruce Springsteen!" I thought that was a tremendous compliment! Until I learned a few weeks later how much he despised Bruce Springsteen. It didn't work out.

9. She loves simple, creative dates. You don't need to spend all your money trying to impress her with a stuffy, fancy restaurant. She'll be more impressed if the game plan is to get frozen yogurt and then stroll through the park, with a surprise stop at the Central Park Zoo to see the baby penguins.

10. She has ideas! So many ideas! Early on, I like to let a guy do all the date planning if he asks me out. But if you're stumped for ideas, just ask. Creative types have a million great suggestions, and they won't be hard on your wallet. Note: Do not ask this at the last minute or after you've already met up. There's a difference between being stumped for ideas and being lazy.

11. She will look around your apartment for books. It always a little creepy to go to someone's place for the first time and realize there are no books. If you have time to swipe through Tinder matches, you have time to read.

12. She needs downtime. And enough space and time alone to work on creative projects. This shouldn't be a problem unless you're a stage 5 clinger. Really, this is a bonus for you because she will understand (or not notice) when you are busy and won't be all up in your grill.

13. Her ideas about money might be different from yours. She could be financially solvent and might still buy things for use in art projects that seem pointless or whimsical to you. Hopefully you find the huge inflatable fish she bought for a performance art piece endearing.

14. She's good at picking up on your moods. She's sensitive to details and pays attention to other people because she finds them fascinating. Sometimes she knows how you're feeling before you even realize it yourself.

15. She loses track of time. If she's late, it's not because she doesn't care. She just tends to get really focused and then has a hard time pulling herself away. It's probably a good idea to tell her to be somewhere 15 minutes before everyone else is really going to show up. You also might need to remind her to eat dinner and go outside once in a while.

16. She can see things from other people's point of view. She's good at switching perspectives and imagining myself in someone else's shoes. This can help her understand where you're coming from so conflicts are resolved quickly.

17. She's resilient. Life's setbacks don't cause her to crumple to the floor. Even the most terrible experience can be an experience for growth, or at least another chapter for the memoir. Don't worry, she'll change your name.