Love Lesson

Six Inexpensive And Creative Ideas For Valentines Day

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, a day that each year puts fear into the hearts of men. Every year, you promise yourself that next year; you are going to do something different. If you still do not have any creative ideas for a special surprise, do not panic. Here are some Valentine's Day gift ideas (many inexpensive) that are sure to please your love on that special day.

Balloon Surprise

This one will require handwritten notes to your Valentine. Phrases like "I love you", "Thanks for being you", or "You mean more to me than anything" are good as well as sayings that have special meaning only to the two of you. You can write short memories of fun things you did together, a memorable vacation or a special moment you shared, like the birth of a child. Once you get the notes written, cut them into small sections. Make sure each note is small enough to be folded and placed in a balloon. You can purchase a small helium tank and balloons at most party stores. Take a balloon, insert a note into it, and then blow it up. When your Valentine comes home, have her pop each balloon to read your message of love.

Recreate Your First Date

Unless it was just a total disaster, your first date probably holds a lot of sentimental value for both you and your loved one. What better Valentine's Day surprise could there be than to recreate the first date, a time when you first fell in love? Go to the same restaurant, rent the first movie you watched together, take her dancing to the same bar - whatever you did on that first date, make it happen again. Even if it was a disaster, you can recreate it, making it better the second time.

Getaway Trip

This one will require more money and a little preparation, but is sure to be great fun for both of you. Plan a secret weekend vacation. If you have kids, arrange for babysitters without letting your love know about it. Book the airline tickets, make the hotel reservations and when Friday rolls around, surprise her by having her bags packed, ready to go. Las Vegas is a great getaway destination. You can even renew your vows in a fun setting, like wedding chapel that has an Elvis impersonator do the ceremony. If you cannot afford a big trip, book a weekend at a bed and breakfast within driving distance. A getaway involving just the two of you will be fun no matter where you go.

Special Songs

Here is an inexpensive way to show her that you remember those special love songs. Make a compact disc of songs that have special memories for you and your Valentine. You can do this on your computer using iTunes or Windows Media Player.

Romance Scavenger Hunt

Buy small presents like a bag of candy kisses, a bottle of her favorite perfume or a single rose. Then create a few presents of your own such as a handwritten poem, a compact disc of special songs, or a handmade Valentine's Day card. Write clues that will be attached to each present, telling her where the next present can be found. Make the last present something that will last a while like a picnic dinner, a bottle of champagne hidden close to the fireplace or lingerie in the bedroom.

Chocolate Fun

If you both love chocolate, this can be a very fun and sexy idea. Make a batch of chocolate pudding and feed it to each other sitting by the fireplace. You may want to place a blanket or something on the floor in case it turns into a playful food fight. To spice it up, remove one article of clothing each time you feed your loved one and ask her to do the same. This can even lead to a romantic shower for two, so have candles ready in the bathroom.

As you can see from these ideas, Valentine's Day does not need to be anything extravagant. It just takes a little effort and creativity on your part and you can turn this Valentine's Day into one that your special someone will remember forever!

About the Author - Sara Fox is the owner of StValentinesDayGifts.com. Get more Valentines day ideas by reading her newest tips on "How to Create a Romantic Valentine’s Day Evening at Home".

Valentines Day Is For Married Couples Too

Who says that married couples can’t enjoy Valentine’s Day? If you would like to make this day a little more special than others have been in the past, you’ll need to think about a few things, make a few plans and make this day a great day.

Keep It Exciting!

Use all of the tools that you have to remind yourself of the day. Set up your palm pilot or your computer to remind you of the day. And, not just on that day but several weeks before. This way, you can easily remember to do something for the day.

* Make dinner reservations.

* Buy a new outfit for the day.

* Plan what you will be serving for dinner.

* Find a way to get the kids out of the house for a few hours.

* Head out on the town for several hours.

* Plan out your meal for the night and test new recipes before then.

One of the biggest problems for the evening is with the kids. Where can they go or do? Find a sitter for them so that you two will have time on your own. Make sure to leave them someplace that they will enjoy themselves so that you don’t have to worry about them all evening. And, doing this will allow you to spend better quality time with your loved one too.

Gifts should be purchased well in advance. First of all, more and more individuals are turning to the internet to purchase gifts. If this is your plan, do it well in advance of the day, as it may take several weeks to receive a package. If you plan to purchase something, make sure that you know the tastes of the individual and their size. If you visit local department stores, they may even wrap them up for you on this day.

Go For Something Different!

Go ahead and get something more unique this year. For example a singing telegram is sure to surprise her. Surprise her with something like this that you purchase through the local florist.

Making Valentine’s Day special is important for each of you to really enjoy the day. Do something different, set aside a block of time and make it mean something to each of you. Then, it will be a day to remember even though you are married.

About the Author - Nicola Kennedy really enjoys Valentines Day. It's because she and her husband are always thinking of fantastic Valentines Day ideas. Visit her site Best-Valentines.info for more great Valentines ideas.

Find your perfect partner online

Internet dating is becoming an increasingly popular way of finding love
Internet dating is becoming increasingly popular in the UK, a survey from online matchmaking service Parship shows.

According to Parship, there's now a 50:50 chance that any single person you know is using the net to find love.

In 2007, 7.8 million single Britons used some form of online dating service to find romance, compared to the 5.4 million who used a mixture of offline and online services in 2005.

If many British singles still prefer the more casual approach, with over one third (39 per cent) ready to sit back and wait for that special person to come along by chance, internet dating is now far more than a niche activity.

In the last 12 months, 52 per cent of British men and 48 per cent of women have used the internet to find a date, compared to 2005 figures of 36 per cent for men and 34 per cent for women.

What's more, 53 per cent of singles (59 per cent of men and 46 per cent of women) say they intend to use the net meet someone in the future, with figures rising to 65 per cent with 36 to 40 year olds who say they intend to log on to find love in 2008.

Read full story [999 Today]

Unconditional Love

To tell you the truth, I'm a little disillusioned with the term unconditional love, lately. It's just not "natural". The phrase has been used for decades, by psychologists, therapists, A.A. types and the overall spiritually minded to describe how one should cope with impossible behavior."

The original principle behind the concept was to help the person who is being abused accept the circumstances and not have to live in a perpetual state of resentment towards their partner. You, as the codependent (ie the one who is always hurt) is supposed to see your partner as "sick" and not blame him or her for their actions.

You're supposed to love and care for the adulterer, batterer, gambler, manic depressive or alcoholic the same way you would someone who has the flu. Husband comes home drunk? Sober him up with cups of black coffee and a dose of your eternally burning, unconditional love. Boyfriend unfaithful? That's O.k., because you have unconditional love for him that will last for an eternity. Girlfriends rack up your credit cards again with her compulsive shopping? You'll take care of the bills because you're love for her is undying and unconditional and you've told yourself "I'll always love her no matter what ..."

Those of us who have been there know that we can only comfort ourselves with the concept of unconditional love for so long until the relationship becomes too expensive, emotionally, socially and financially. This is often more serious then the kind of consequences we pay when someone is sick with "the flu." Plus lately, after talking to many clients, many of whom are still paying in one way or another for the irresponsible behavior of a full grown adult, I am starting to conclude that when the person with the "ism" or "recently diagnosed personality disorder" is on to us then out comes the term unconditional love.

If we say no or object to the behavior, he or she can always turn around and go "but I thought you said your love was me was unconditional!!!" This puts us on the defense because it implies that we are the ones who are unloving and unlovable. I think the appropriate response is "well then why don't you go out and find someone who will agree to co-sign your B.S.!!" If they're A.A. trained they'll probably snap back with "that's what you get for having expectations or preferences of me...you know I'm sick!"

I think love is conditional. One of those conditions is "trust." If you have unconditional love for someone, it is implicit you don't trust them, especially if you've condemned yourself to a lifetime of loving him or her "no matter what." Love is a natural thing, like a flower, that one should expect to bloom and its o.k. to be disappointed if it doesn't. The nature of love is to grow, compound and multiply and not destroy. The next time you fall in love, put terms and conditions on it and demand a 200% return on your investment. It's your precious energy!

About the Author - Samantha Stevens was a professional psychic at psychicrealm.com for many years. Read more of her articles at newagenotebook.com

Who Are The Ghosts Of Past Relationships?

There are many reasons that men leave relationships, or don’t get into them fully in the first place. Some men are haunted by the ghosts of past loves. They cannot shake them from their minds or get them out of their hearts.

Although they date new women, the specter of a past love prevents them from giving their hearts, committing to another, or truly opening up. Each new person is compared, consciously or unconsciously, to the previous love. This past relationship can take on an idealized quality so that no one in the present or future will ever measure up.

For some men, this past love is a young, first love. In all later relationships they seek the magic they felt then. For others it is a past wife or fiancé who haunts them. Being deeply hurt by the breakup or death, they search for someone to replace her, rather than try to find someone new.

For others the past relationship that haunts them may go back to their mothers whom they feel gave them unconditional love. Deep within there is a hunger and demand for this unconditional love and acceptance again. Now at this juncture, they secretly feel that no woman can live up to mom. Unconsciously they compare every woman to her.

Sadly enough, for some men the ghosts that haunt them are not positive. Some have had painful experiences and are seeking a woman who is the opposite of the one they knew, or seeking someone to even the score. In these situations, painful memories get in the way of being available to the new person, or to being truly present at all.

There are other men who find it safer to cling to memories of the past than to risk failure with someone here now. These men may choose to live off a memory for years.

It is not unusual for these men to unconsciously attract an unsuitable partner so that the relationship will not threaten the fantasy woman in his dreams. Deep down he knows he’ll never be able to stay with this unsuitable partner. She’s no ultimate threat.

Men also turn to these ghosts of the past when their present relationship may not be going well. Instead of dealing with the difficulty or disappointment, they lapse into memory, comparing this partner to the one they had. Always unfavorably.
Or when he feels pressured to commit before he is ready, the specter of old loves come back to haunt him. It’s a perfect excuse and also a way out of a tight spot.

On a more positive note, at times a man cannot let go of a past relationship because it is simply incomplete. Something needs to be said or done, to be given or received. There is a gnawing feeling inside that the relationship is not yet fulfilled. Perhaps forgiveness is needed. Perhaps a real good bye.

It is always best to become aware of what it is that is causing a ghost to lodge in one’s heart and mind. If something can be done to complete the relationship, do it now. If one is simply caught holding onto the past, recognize that and see why it is so frightening to allow oneself to live again and make a new try.

Whatever the factor that causes a man to cling to memories of the past, a common theme appears through all of them, this is a way to safeguard oneself against hurt and failure in the present. The best way to get past it, is to understand that dreams can never bring the fulfillment and growth that a real, flesh and blood love can. It’s worth the risk to try again. Or else we become a ghost as well.

About the Author - Find out in men's own words why they leave relationships, in winning program, Why Men Leave whymenleave.com Top psychologist has helped thousands build fulfilling relationships.

What Are the Odds of Finding Mr. Right Online?

The odds of finding your “soul-mate” online are a lot better than you may think. It doesn’t happen for everyone, of course, but it can happen for you. The world of internet or online dating has exploded over the last few years.

As our lives become busier and busier we need to make better use of our time and energy in our search for the one man who will make our lives complete.

The old saying, “You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a princess” is no longer true. Why kiss frogs when you can read hundreds of profiles and look at the pictures that go with them for a small monthly fee? That saves time and money…not to mention lip burn.

These are a few good reasons to consider online dating:

(1) There is a wide range of men to choose from. You aren’t limited to the men in your social circle or work environment.

(2) You have the opportunity to get to know a lot about a man before you ever contact him for the first time. You will know his age, marital status, what city he lives in, whether he has children, his height/weight and his likes and dislikes all from his profile. You’ll even see a picture of him.

(3) You have a better chance to present yourself in a favorable way. This is especially useful for those of us who are shy. We have time to think about how we want to say things about ourselves and can avoid being tongue tied. Even those who are more extroverted can take time to reflect on who they really are before writing their online profile.

(4) Online dating is certainly a time saver. You can meet so many more men in a lot less time than you ever could out in the real world.

Online Flirting – A New Art Form

Many of the same things work for online flirting that work for “brick and mortar” flirting and all relationships begin with successful flirting.  Flirting is an art that requires oozing confidence without being OTT.  If you go too far, she will label you “slimy” If you don’t go far enough, she will label you “wimpy”.  So how do you achieve that point half way between slimy and wimpy and do it online without using eye contact or body language?  All you have is a computer an internet connection and membership in an online dating site, right? 

1.Have fun!  Be light-hearted, funny and entertaining.  Make her eager to talk to you again.  Flirting is playful. 

2.Ooze confidence.  Successful flirts have a positive outlook on life.  You need to transmit the “feel good” factor.  An optimistic attitude attracts females like honey attracts flies. 

3.Compliment her…and do it often and sincerely.  Nothing opens doors like making her feel good about herself.  She will want to spend more time with you and if she pays you a compliment say “thank you”.  Do Not be self depreciating. 

4.Listen…listen….listen.  Pay attention to what she says and ask appropriate questions.  Get her to open up and talk about herself.  Make her feel like she is interesting and that you are interested in her.  Works wonders!

5.Don’t be rude.  Flirting does not include being sexually explicit nor taking offence if the lady isn’t responding to you. If she isn’t interested, take the hint and move on to the next prospect.  If you get a lot of rejections, you should probably consider a different approach. 

6.Send an email after you chat.  This ranks right up there with sending a thank you note for a gift and it is vital to successful flirting. 

Don’t try to go too fast.  Flirting is the first step to a successful relationship. 

Article written by and submitted to Lovelesson.com by Tina Meyers of Seattle, WA. USA

Thanks Tina!

Clint Eastwood’s “10 Rules a Man Should Live By”

Recently, I came across this list of the 10 rules a man should live by, written by Clint Eastwood – I though it was a great list and worth sharing with you!

Clint Eastwood’s “10 Rules a Man Should Live By”

1. Call your own shots.
2. Be fearless.
3. Keep moving.
4. Love your job.
5. Speak softly.
6. Don’t be predictable.
7. Find a good woman.
8. Learn to play the piano.
9. You are what you drive.
10. Avoid extreme makeovers.

Ways To Add More Romance To Your Love Life

Everyone likes romance, don't they? When we think of a romantic date we conjure up images of moonlight, fine wine, flowers, chocolates, candlelight dinners and dancing close under the stars. Are there ways to help keep that romance and magic alive as a relationship progresses? Certainly there are. Let us take a look at ways to do just that.

Establish a secret word or a secret phrase between the two of you and decide that every time the word is spoken between you, you will share a passionate kiss or a gentle touch. The word might be one that holds a special meaning for the two of you or maybe choose a word that is sexy.

Do not just eat dinner together, instead turn it into a romantic dining experience. It has been said that it is "mood, not food that sets a romantic scene." You do not need to spend a lot of money for this one. Whether you are cooking a meal or ordering take out, put some fresh cut flowers in a vase, even if they come from your own yard, and then dim the lights, light some candles, pour some wine and enjoy a romantic meal together. Or maybe even cuddle up on the couch together with a pizza and watch one of your favorite romantic movies. Sharing a tub of ice cream is always a tasty way to be romantic together.

Dancing is very intimate, especially when your bodies are very close together. You do not have to go out for a night on the town to do this. Simply pop a CD into the player anytime, even when you are in the kitchen, living room or bedroom and then sway together, gyrate together and entwine your bodies together. Dancing helps to keep romance alive and it is fun and a way for couples to positively connect with one another.

Touch and kiss one another at every opportunity, and this includes those non-sexual moments in time. Kissing and touching does not just have to be about foreplay before sex takes place. Smooch with each other whenever you can and make sure that your good morning and "have a good day at work" kisses are passionate and not quick and wooden such as a peck on the cheek. Pecks on the cheek are for children and not for lovers.

Read sexy literature to each other in bed or when you are cuddled up together on the couch. Take turns being the narrator and if asked to reread a particularly erotic scene do so willingly. Fiction can be very romantic if you choose the right books to read. Both the reading and the listening can be very romantic for both parties. Women in particular enjoy the sound of their lover's voice as he reads steamy fiction to her in a romantic setting.

Scent is very romantic so wear some for her and she in turn should wear some for you. Everyone likes to smell great and smell works on the pheromones of our system to make us even more attractive to our significant other. Ladies spritz a touch of your favorite fragrance on your pillow so he smells your scent as he sleeps. Or write him a romantic note and spray a touch of your perfume on it and slip it into the pocket of his jacket of his briefcase. Talk about a touch of romance that will stay with him all day long until he sees you again.

About the Author - Dustin is owner of JustArticlesVIP.com and writes on a variety of subjects.

Getting Back To The Basics Of Love And Romance

Almost every love story has the potential to begin as if it were a fairy tale. “Once upon a time, two people fell passionately in love and their love was unlike any others before theirs.” Relationship beginnings are wonderful and they can experience a ‘rebirth’ with a wedding, honeymoon and the exciting first year of marriage. Once a couple begins to grow and their lives change with jobs, children, social activities and other commitments, the love and romance becomes more difficult to attend to. Sometimes love and romance seem to be lost altogether. This destiny is not unavoidable if you want to rekindle the passion or simply bring it to a new level by becoming a hopeless romantic.

When you want to ignite the passion in your relationship but you aren’t sure what you need to do, the best place to begin is at the beginning. Think about the things that you used to do for your partner at the beginning of your relationship. If you don’t remember or never tried to be a true romantic, don’t worry. It’s not difficult and once you begin you will find that you will get your own new ideas after a while.

Most new relationships or new beginnings rely on the ‘little’ things to show love and affection. Be sure to remember special ‘couple’ days like Valentine’s Day, Anniversaries and even the date you met if possible. Be sure to send a meaningful gift or just a dozen roses and a box of chocolates to celebrate your feelings for your partner. Women can do exactly the same thing for men here. Not many men can resist candy!

You may not consider yourself to be a writer, but writing your partner a long love letter with your thoughts about how you feel for the other person is one of the most touching ways to spark romance. If you aren’t comfortable writing a letter, consider making lists about what you love the most about your partner. Lists can be about the things they do that makes you laugh, what they do for you that you appreciate, how they make you feel inside, how beautiful or handsome they are and other very personal but attentive details.

Call your partner and talk softly and loving. If he or she isn’t able to answer the phone, leave loving messages on their voice mail or answering machine. Talk dirty when you know that he or she can’t return the same conversation on the other end.

Sometimes couples feel more comfortable trying to bring romance into their relationship by bestowing gifts on their partner. While classics like flowers, candy and perfume or cologne are almost always successful gifts, try ‘giving’ something different. Make plans to go see every romantic movie that comes to the theater during the year. Bring home a bottle of champagne to celebrate even the tiniest accomplishment he or she has had. Randomly send romantic and/or humorous greeting cards to his or her workplace or hide them under the bed pillows at home.

These suggestions are simply ideas to get you started in your effort to bring romance and love to a new level in your marriage. You may have your own ideas and those are most likely better than anything offered here. Once you open the door to romance in your marriage and begin to build a foundation for future romance, you are ready to move to even more creative levels of romance.

About the Author - How to Easily Transform a Miserable, Lifeless Marriage Relationship into One Filled With Love, Happiness, and Excitement - Just visit marriage-problems-advice-help.info