Reading this thread makes me wonder if anyone even calls anymore to ask people out? Waiting for a response over text must be the most nerve wrecking experience, haha.
I remember the good old days.
No online dating, just go out and meet a girl. Ask for her number. Two possible outcomes - get it, or don't and move on.
From there, you call that number in a day or two. If the number's no good, you toss it out and move on. If it's good, you either get her on the phone or the machine. If it's a machine, leave your number and a brief message and wait for her to call you back. If she doesn't, move on. If she does or you get her on the phone, you set up a date.
DONE. Real easy process, multiple "checkpoints" to figure out if she's actually in or out with certainty.
These days, it's a colossal clusterfuck of online and text tag and going back and forth where you sometimes can't possibly tell if they're interested, just want attention, or they're not and just don't want to tell you.
I don't even bother with it anymore.
I just straight-up refuse to game that way. Now when I ask someone out, I tell them right up front I don't want to play digital tag for a month or two before we get together. We figure it out now or I'd rather just be friends or not bother.
And you know what? They fucking LOVE that. It's difficult for a lot of my friends to understand, but women hate the way things work now just as much as you and respect a more direct approach. That has literally never failed to work for me.
One thing you need to come to terms with is due to the digital age, women have A LOT more options than you do. They can be picky and indecisive all they want, and you should not resent this. Instead, you should immediately make yourself the BEST option by communicating your intentions with no uncertainty and make your value known right up front.