Ferocious Flirting: Making Marriage Wonderful

From the atricle: Can't Buy Love: Materialism Kills Marriages : "Our study found that materialism was associated with spouses having lower levels of responsiveness and less emotional maturity. Materialism was also linked to less effective communication, higher levels of negative conflict, lower relationship satisfaction, and less marriage stability," said Jason Carroll, a BYU professor of family life in Provo, Utah, and lead author of the study. One great way to improve a marriage is to reduce the amount of "stuff" that you have. I mean the physical stuff. Over the years it is easy to accumulate stuff but stuff costs in multiple ways: There is the cost of buying in the first place There is the cost of storing.  This might include paying for some storage or just taking space. There is the cost of inventory.  Periodically, stuff takes time due to having to organize it. By reducing stuff you can free up money, space and time.

Schedule a date with your spouse.

Here's some advice unearthed from the Old Farmer's 1877 Almanac archives: How to Make Your Husband Happy Never speak slightingly of or to your husband in the presence of other people. Do not neglect neatness of person and surroundings. Speak gently always, and do not allow your voice to become sharp and loud. How to Make Your Wife Happy Treat your wife as politely and kindly as when you were wooing her. Do not speak lightly of her cares and fatigues, but sympathize with her troubles. Share your pleasures and cares, and show that you value her society and advice. "For a happy marriage, never speak loudly to one another unless the house is on fire."

Fires are good for a romantic setting. I think they should make a "campfire" perfume. Did you know that you can control the color of the flames in the fire? Most colors of the spectrum can be made by following the instructions at: How To Color Fire - Fun Fireplace Instructions

Personalized Creations has an abundance of Valentine's Day gift ideas including: Hershey's Treat Jar for $12.99 Game of Love Puzzle for $14.99 (A personalized puzzle) And a bunch of other stuff that can be personalized.

Simple Date Night Prescription "Rather than visiting the same familiar haunts and dining with the same old friends, couples need to tailor their date nights around new and different activities that they both enjoy ... The goal is to find ways to keep injecting novelty into the relationship. The activity can be as simple as trying a new restaurant or something a little more unusual or thrilling -- like taking an art class or going to an amusement park." Source: Tara Parker-Pope. "Reinventing Date Night for Long-Married Couples." NYTimes.com. 2/12/2008