<human>: Can you give me the gist of the text in a nutshell?

(this is only my 2nd post on Reddit, so I'm sorry if I totally failed with this)
I recently got out of my awkward fat nerd shell and hit the gym, months later and on my 20th birthday I weighed in at a 10% body fat, a decent build of muscle on myself too. (I used to be a pudgy shy kid, so my confidence is pretty damn high, despite never having even been on a date or kissed a girl)
It's a year later to the day and I feel like I'm at the end of a 80's film montage scene.
I've been reading interesting books, learning french, cooking, things I've been told women would find attractive, but I still have no clue how to open. The girls I've asked have been acquaintances I've made in book stores and coffee shops or through friends. I've been told I'm a good looking guy, and usually get at least one girl's number a week, but I just don't know how to open. (I got shot down by 8 girls just this last week O_o)
I've tried to ask girls out to go see movies, grab coffee, check out my book club, go rock climbing and everything inbetween. Am I just doing it wrong? I try to have a few conversations with a girl, meet her in the same place at the same time sort of a thing, and then ask her out. Is that just sticking myself in the friend zone before I get a chance? Should I just open with "Hi, Captain Jack Harkness, nice to meet you" "what's a girl like you doing in a place like this?" ect (obviously I'm only into nerdy girls who would get this kind of joke)
should I try to make them laugh or be aloof? should I just keep doing what I'm doing and hope that good old probability will kick in and I'll eventually get a date? All my female friends say I'm a natural charmer and I'm pretty good at being able to flirt in any situation.
<bot>: 21 y/o male noob to dating, confidence=high, gets shot down continually. Needs advice on openers.