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RoMANtic Articles
Michael Webb is author of The RoMANtic's Guide: Hundreds of Creative Tips for a Lifetime of Love. You can order at Amazon.com or for more of Michael's FREE tips, visit www.TheRomantic.com.
Chalk It Up!
by Michael Webb
I discovered the most wonderful romantic tool the other day - glow in the dark chalk! I have been having a lot of fun with it. I wrote some welcome home messages to my wife on our front sidewalk.
My sidewalk "art" shows up day or early night (the glowing properties only last an hour or so after it is no longer exposed to light). Next, I drew hearts and wrote silly messages all over our white bedroom walls. The graffiti is impossible to see in the daytime, but at night it shows up faintly (the fatter and larger drawings show up better.) Athena got a big kick out of it when she turned off the lights and she saw glowing hearts and sentimental messages surrounding the bed.
Clean up was a piece of cake. All I had to do was turn off the lights and I knew exactly where to scrub the walls. I find glow in the dark stars to be much brighter but the chalk is quite versatile and creative. Chalk one up to romance!
Summer Blizzards
by Michael Webb
In the heat of the summer I just crave ice cream. Fortunately, there is a Dairy Queen about a mile from our house. Some evenings, Athena and I walk to the DQ as it is affectionately nicknamed. Often we have coupons we have clipped for a free blizzard (soft ice cream with wonderful candy bars or other items mixed in) or sundae with purchase of the same.
This simple walk for ice cream has several benefits. First, it satisfies my cravings and tastes so good when it is hot and humid outside. It is a fairly inexpensive treat and I think it is very important to pamper yourselves every once in a while. The walk is great exercise even if we are going to put the pounds back on as soon as we down our blizzards. We could drive there, but then we wouldn't get any physical benefit. Most importantly is the time Athena and I are together as we walk. On the way there and between mouthfuls on the way back, we have some really wonderful conversations.
Is there an ice cream shop, snowball stand or video rental place just a mile or two from your house? How about walking together as you go to indulge yourself? It's worth the walk and it's worth the wait.
Calling All Friends Family and Celebrities
by Michael Webb
When Athena and I celebrated our 7th yearly wedding anniversary a couple of years back I wanted to make it even more special than our average yearly extravaganza. So I came up with an idea to make it very memorable. I wanted to have friends, families and celebrities to send greetings to Athena to congratulate her on this special occasion.
First, about one month before our anniversary, I went on the Internet and found several sites where celebrity mailing addresses were listed. I wrote down about 25 celebrities around the world that Athena has admired for things they had accomplished or talents they have. I didn't write to anyone simply because they were good-looking or famous. I did my best to hunt down a few more addresses of notables whom I knew Athena was particularly fond. I wrote each person a short letter explaining what I was doing. Along with the letter I included a card and envelope that was pre-addressed and stamped so all they would have to do is to write a short note, sign it, seal it and post it. About two weeks before our anniversary, the card from Woody Allen came. In proper fashion, Martha Stewart's came just a few days before our anniversary. The day of our anniversary came greetings from Brooke Shields, Andre Aggasi and Harry Connick Jr. Within the next few weeks came cards from Bill Cosby, Robin Williams, Emma Thompson and the cast of Friends.
The second tier of this plan had to do with friends and family who have e-mail. I sent messages to about 40 people who have e-mail and asked them to send a message to my wife at her office. The day of our anniversary (she had to work, unfortunately), she was flooded with dozens of messages over the computer.
Each card and message she received reinforced my special love for her.
99 Bottles of Treasure in the Water
by Michael Webb
In the Spring and Summer we are more likely to have afternoon picnics at the lake or walks
in the woods, exploring rivers and streams. Beaches are also a popular destination that
time of year.
Wouldn't it be neat if you found a bottle with a note in one of those bodies of water?
I remember when I was a kid (many say I am still one) I would look all over in hopes of
discovering a floating bottle with a message inside. I admit I would still like to find
one.
The chances of you discovering such a bottle is nearly 100% if you plant it there
yourself. The idea is for you to hide the bottle where it is unlikely for anyone else to
discover and then take your sweetheart on a picnic or walk for him or her to
"discover" the mysterious bottle in the water.
While any old bottle will do, you might want to shop or rummage around for one that is
really interesting or at least would make a nice bud vase. My wife really likes the dark
blue wine bottles to put on the table with a few flowers in them. The reason for picking
out a nice bottle is that it is likely going to be kept as a memento of the wonderful
romantic surprise you pulled off.
What you put inside the bottle is completely up to you. It can be as simple as a love
note. Or it can be as creative as a treasure map (soaked in hot tea and with its edges
burned off to make it look aged) that will lead them to a present you have hidden or
buried. Perhaps it will lead to a picnic that you have secretly prepared in the woods or
park.
My Dearest Love,
by Michael Webb
The handwritten note or letter is nearly a lost art. In this day of electronic wizardry,
it is so simple to send a message nearly instantaneously around the world in just a matter
of a few short keystrokes on the computer.
There is still something special about putting a fountain pen to a nice piece of
stationary and writing a thank you card or a letter to a dear friend. It is often
therapeutic to not have to use the computer for correspondence sometimes.
Women, more than men, appreciate the gentle art of composing a personalized card or
letter. My wife has every imaginable tool that could be used to compose an artful note and
she uses them all. If you are in need of a special gift for a dear person, consider a
unique box filled with wonderful writing objects. Here are a few suggestions of items you
could include.
Don't Do Dull Dinner
Dates
by Michael Webb
In my observations of the dating scene (both singles and married couples) the most common
date is the dinner date. It's a natural fit as we all need to eat and no one really enjoys
eating alone. Also, going out for dinner takes much less effort than cooking at home.
If you are getting a little bored with the typical dinner date, there are some ways of
livening things up. In most mid-sized to large cities there are places where you can go
for dinner and enjoy entertainment at the same time.
An example of a unique dining experience is a Mystery Dinner. Some restaurants invite
local actors to perform a murder mystery play in the midst of diners who are supposed to
guess "who done it" by the time dessert is served.
Cigar/wine dinners are becoming a booming industry. Some of the finer restaurants are
having several course pre-planned dinners with different exotic cigars/wines served
throughout the evening. You will have to lay out a bit more cash than the average dinner
but they make a wonderful special occasion.
How about eating a meal while laughing hysterically? If this sounds like fun to you then
you might want to look for a comedy club nearby that serves meals. I would recommend
knowing a little about the comedian before you make reservations. Some can be extremely
crude, which might not be the type of humor you or your date would enjoy.
Dinner and a movie seem to go hand in hand so dinner theaters are a natural fit. These
movie houses usually show second-run films while you are enjoying your meal. The price of
admission is usually much lower than what you would pay to see a newly released film so it
is even less expensive than your average "dinner and a movie" date.
Dinner dates are great -- as long as they aren't dull.
Music to their Ears
by Michael Webb
Does the love of your life ever travel without you, either on business or to visit their
family? Do you ever wonder if they think of you and miss you when they are away?
Here’s a way you can guarantee they will think of you and the only cost is the price
of one or two blank cassette tapes.
If you want someone to think of you, I can think of no better way than to put your voice
on tape. Most of us don’t feel comfortable just talking into a microphone without
knowing what we are going to say. I suggest reading a book.
Books on tape have become increasingly popular the last few years as people who like to
read can no longer find the time or they listen to tapes as a productive way to fill up
their commuting time.
What you record depends on the tastes of your significant other. My wife would love it if
I read Winnie the Pooh or Peter Rabbit on tape. Others may prefer Shakespeare, Kipling,
Stephen Covey or Gary Smalley.
If you want to be really creative, you could write your own story to read or you could
take an existing story and change the names and other details of the book to closely match
your life. Just make certain the story has a happy ending.
Once you have recorded the tape, you must decide how you are going to give it to the
person for whom you made it. You can mail it in advance to where they will be staying. You
can place it in their suitcase or briefcase. If they will be driving, you can pop it in
the tape player of the car so it will come on automatically when they start the car. If
they will not be in a car, you will need to provide a tape player as well.
Regardless of what you record, it will be music to their ears.
How to Give a Gift
by Michael Webb
It is amazing how much thought someone will put into picking out the perfect present yet
uses very little imagination on how to give it. In many ways, the presentation of a gift
is just as important as the item itself. Imagine buying someone a gold ring and leaving it
on the kitchen counter with a note that says "thought you might like this." Or
contrast that with the gift of a ring hidden inside a rosebud that will
"magically" appear as the rose blossoms in the sunlight.
The next time you are giving a gift, consider presenting it in a creative or meaningful
way.
On one Saturday morning while my wife was sleeping in late I ran a string all through the
house, beginning at the location where I hid her gift. The string went through cabinets,
under seat cushions, in the bathtub, behind the sofa and throughout all the rooms in the
house. Had I been thinking ahead, I would have attached small gifts all along the string
as a teaser for the big present at the end. After I ran the string through our home, I
brought the other end of the string to my wife in bed and explained that I had bought a
present for her and it was at the other end. I had never seen her get out of bed so
quickly on a Saturday morning.
Another way in which I like to give presents to my wife is by having her find them. I will
write about 7 or so clues which lead from one written clue to the next until the final
clue leads to the hidden gift.
If you want to go all out on the "treasure hunt" theme, you can give your spouse
a tape in the "Mission Impossible" style giving them their assignment to locate
the missing gift. Depending on the time you have and equipment available, you can even
include videotaped clues which definitely would add to the overall excitement of the
quest.
There are dozens and dozens of ways in which you can transform the presentation of even an
ordinary gift into a truly romantic occasion. Just "think" about it.
Go Fly a Kite - Seriously
by Michael Webb
I can't think of a much more romantic Sunday afternoon than a picnic followed by kite
flying on a blustery day. One of the most romantic aspects of kite flying can be the
making of the kites.
Kites are relatively simple to make. All you need are some wooden rods, string, small
nails, glue and some sort of paper such as wax paper or parchment paper. I think it is fun
to work on designing and building the kites together or have a competition to see who can
make the kite that will fly the highest. If you want to go all out, you can also make a
fancy tail for a kite using pieces of scrap material you may have lying around the house.
If you check out a book on kite making at the library, you can learn how to make box
kites, acrobatic kites or other unique kite creations. Just remember that the most
important aspect of kite making and kite flying is the time spent together.
Gather your materials, make a few sandwiches, turn on the radio and have a wonderful time
making your kites together. Then go find an open, windy place to test out your creations.
Valentines Worth Sending
by Michael Webb
If you are going to celebrate Valentines Day, I suggest you do it with a little
forethought. I cringe every time I go to the grocery on February 13 or 14 and see dozens
of men crowding around the greeting cards to buy one at the last possible moment.
Buy your card now and mail it out to Loveland, Colorado for extra special treatment. Your
card will be postmarked LOVEland, Colorado and it will also be hand-stamped with a unique
four line poem.
The Loveland Chamber of Commerce organizes this yearly romance project with cards going to
all 50 states and over 100 foreign countries.
It's simple. Just enclose your pre-addressed, pre-stamped Valentines card in a larger
envelope and mail to: Postmaster, Attn: Valentines, Loveland CO 80537. Go ahead. Do it
now.
Here are some more "romantic" cities.
A Loving Lunch
by Michael Webb
I know this specific idea will not apply to everyone, but hopefully you can take the
concept and alter it to an occasion that is practical for you.
Specifically, this article is about packing a lunch for your love. I used to pack my
wife's lunch when she worked in an office and I worked at home. I tried to help her out in
the mornings as she was rushing off to work.
Even though I couldn't be with her for lunch, I was there by virtue of the love that went
into preparing her noon time meal. It perked up the rest of her day when I put a little
extra "love" in her paper sack.
Here are a few ways in which I tried to "spice" up her lunch now and again to
let her know just how much I care.
365 Gifts in One
by Michael Webb
I like desk calendars -- fun ones, that is.
For years I have been buying the Far Side desk calendar that has a cartoon for each day of
the year. A few years ago when my wife and I were working for the same company, I used to
send her my Far Side Cartoon of the day (after the day was over). I would usually write a
little note to her and send it in the inter-company mail. Often, some of the cartoons would
remind me of something we did together or someone we knew and I would write about that.
Sometimes it would be a little "thinking of you" note.
If you plan ahead now you can purchase one of the 365 day calendars for your sweetheart
and write a note on each day before you give it to them. Have them promise that they will
not look ahead. Remember to note special days on the calendar. It is really impressive if
you can mention certain days that they would have forgotten. Most people don't remember
the anniversary of their first date or when they reach the halfway point to their next
birthday.
You can use the calendar to tell your soul mate 365 reasons you love them or 365 things
you want to do with them during your remaining years on earth. You can even mention 365
things you have done together in the past that have been memorable. It helps to look at
scrapbooks or photo albums to jog the memory.
I know it will take a bit of time to write on each day, but what other gift can you give
that will be looked forward to all year long?