The Romantic’s Guide Hundreds of Creative Tips for a Lifetime of Love by Michael Webb “The World’s Most Romantic Husband” (Woman’s World) Copyright 2001 Michael Webb The uses of product names and trademarks are denoted by initial capitalization of the name of each product throughout the book. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of the Publisher. TheRomantic.com PO Box 1567 Cary NC 27512 [email protected] DEDICATION To my precious wife for being so easy to love, and to a very loving God for sharing her with me. A special thank you I thank the very special women in my life - wife, mom, sisters and Aunt Kathy - who taught me much about the more beautiful half and encouraged me to teach others. I am so thankful for the encouragement, support and fine skills of my editor, Jennifer Lang who wholeheartedly believed in my mission from the first day she discovered me. This first book was a joy, thanks to her. Thanks to my friend and illustrator, Michael Mencimer, who put much energy and devotion into capturing the whimsy and essence of the essays. I love how he hid all those ‘A’s (for Athena) and ‘♥’s into the drawings. See how many you can find. Introduction I never dreamed of writing a book. That simply wasn’t on my list of lifelong accomplishments. However, being the best husband on the face of the earth was a goal of mine since I was a teenager. I grew up surrounded by six sisters and with a mother who suffered through two unhappy marriages. I knew quite a bit about women. I especially knew how easy it was to hurt them. When I was about 16 my mom gave me some advice that changed my life. She explained that women weren’t really expecting to marry a prince, but they were needing two simple things from the man in their life: to be told frequently they are loved and to be shown often they are special. When I met my wife Athena I put into practice my mother’s advice. It was difficult and awkward at first as I never saw firsthand a husband truly loving his wife. All my sisters’ relationships were as equally un-loving (and often more so) as my mom’s. It didn’t take long for me to see that romance really did make all the difference, so I began practicing it on a daily basis. With my romantic gestures, Athena was perpetually happy and tried to give back to me more than I would give to her. Seeing how Athena and I were always blissful and never fighting, friends and coworkers began approaching me, asking if I would share some of my romantic ideas with their husbands or boyfriends. I began publishing The RoMANtic Newsletter: Hundreds of Fun & Creative Tips on Enriching Your Relationship and with its instant worldwide success it became my full-time profession. Many subscribers would order every issue I ever produced. They couldn’t get enough. I decided to take my best ideas and compile them into this volume of romantic tips. I added a few of my favorite essays from romantics around the globe who contributed their novel ideas to the newsletter. I doubt if I am indeed the “World’s Most Romantic Man” as I am often called, but I still aim to be the world’s best husband by telling my wife daily that I love her and showing her often how special she is. PREFACE What is Romance? Romance is not a once or twice a year thing. It’s not reserved for special occasions, holidays or just to get out of “the dog house.” Contrary to what many other “romance” books state, romance has little to do with jewelry, chocolates, roses or sex. Romance doesn’t have to be expensive or sap hours from your day. Man (or woman) is the center of real RoMANce. It’s about sharing and giving of you. It’s a combination of all the little (and big) things you do to say “I love you” and to let someone know how special they are. What is most romantic comes from your heart (and created by your hands), not from inside your wallet. Make it a goal to being romantic all year round – starting today. THE SNIFFLE STIFLER When Winter begins to fade away we know the joys (and perils) of Spring will soon be here. Fortunately, I do not suffer from allergies but I know hundreds of people who do. They are plagued with swollen eyes, red-tipped noses and frequent sneezes. If your sweetheart is battling the sniffles, whether it be from a cold or pollen, it is an opportune time to give a little extra love. Athena has her own tissue box on her side of the bed. It didn’t take me long to disassemble the box and remove a handful of tissues. I wrote encouraging, uplifting and somewhat silly messages on several of them and returned them to the box. I glued the box back together in no time. Within a week Athena had discovered what I had done. When she pulled out that first message, instantly she forgot whatever pain she was feeling – and simply felt loved. Laughter might be good medicine but if you combine humor with love, you have an even more potent cure. THE SNOW PLAN The snow was falling at a steady rate and I knew the lawn and trees would soon be white. I racked my brain trying to think of a new way to be creatively romantic. For as much as I tried, nothing clever would come to mind. I peered out the window into our backyard and marveled at how snow blanketed everything in its path. Then I noticed a perfect rectangle of bare ground underneath the backyard bench. The brilliant idea came to me. The romantic idea didn’t have to do with the snow, but the absence of snow. I decided that while it was already too late for this snowfall, I could prepare my romantic ammunition for the next. The simplest way to execute this plan is to take three large pieces of posterboard or cardboard. With a utility blade or x-acto knife, cut out “I,” “♥,” and “U.” Of course you can create as elaborate a message as you have the time, material and patience. Place the pieces out on the lawn before you are expecting a snowfall or a heavy frost. Hopefully it can be done in the dark of night and then removed early in the morning before your sweetheart awakes. Be sure to cover over your trail to the scene of the crime. When your loved one wakes up, she will see the message in its entire splendor. TRIMMING THE TINY TREE So much thought is put into what gift goes under the Christmas tree for your love. Have you ever thought about giving your present on the tree? First, you have to have the right tree. A miniature potted Christmas tree makes a perfect gift for the boyfriend or girlfriend who doesn’t have the time, money or desire to drag a full size tree into their home. For those who already have their “daddy” tree, this “baby” tree is a perfect companion – perhaps even to brighten up a different room of the house or to bring cheer to their office. Now here is where you can get ultra creative. Sure, you can decorate the tiny tree just like you would do a big one, but you would be missing a grand opportunity. Consider these clever ways of trimming the midget tree: y For the pet lover: Decorate with doggy bones, squeaky toys, pet collars and a leash as a garland. y For the tool guy: Hang nuts and bolts, small tools like screwdrivers and pliers, and for a garland use a tape measure or a chain. y For the jewelry woman: Adorn the tree with earring, bracelets and other accessories, and a gold chain or long scarf for the garland. y For the person with a sweet tooth: Tie all sorts of candies all over the tree and use strings of licorice for the garland. THAT TIME OF THE MONTH Marriage, one of the most important events in a person's life, can not be properly celebrated only once a year. It should be cherished daily and celebrated as often as possible. I try to informally celebrate our wedding anniversary on the 27th of each month (my wife and I were married on May 27th). I don't always plan something elaborate. In fact, sometimes I only buy or make a card for her. It is nearly always a surprise what I plan so she doesn't know if she will receive a card or actually be taken out for a date. If there is a movie or concert she has wanted to go to, I buy tickets for that. Or I take her to see a garden or museum on the weekend when we have more time to enjoy it. You don't have to be locked in on celebrating your wedding (or engagement or other special day) a certain day each month. Just try to celebrate it often and with creativity. Ways to celebrate a monthly anniversary ◊ Buy or make a card ◊ Visit the zoo or museum ◊ Plan a picnic ◊ Go for a drive through the countryside ◊ See a concert or play ◊ Go out for a special (not necessarily expensive) dinner ◊ Order dinner in and drink champagne ◊ Go to the drive-in TWELVE ROMANTIC DAYS OF CHRISTMAS Forget the swans a swimming and the partridge in a pear tree.