Where'd the "Fire" Go?

By: Monica

When in doubt, refer to Yahoo! and its dating section. Whenever I visit, I'm always in for a laugh. We've covered their good advice, their bad avice, and now it's time for a mix. So, here we go again. This time it has to do with keeping the "fire" in your relationship. What does Yahoo! have to say about this? Take a look:

"Do you long to feel that passion again? Here are [five] simple ways to put the fire back in your relationship -- and keep it there:

1. Don't forget date night. It's been said a thousand times, but it's true. Couples who forget to go out on dates tend to treat each other like furniture in the house. You need to have a date together every week. Get dressed up for each other. Go out to a restaurant, a ballgame, or just take a walk together. It doesn't matter where you go as long as you do something different from your usual activities. When you're on your dates, treat each other the way you did when you first started dating."

Me: This IS a good tip. Just like too much of anything, the same old- same old can get monotonous. Try switching it up a bit.

"2. Give a proper greeting. When your significant other comes home at night, meet them at the door and give them a big kiss. Don't just yell, "Hey, how ya doing?" from another room. If you are the one coming in the door, go to wherever your partner is in the house and give them a big kiss. Little gestures like this go a long way."

Me: Again, I must agree with this tip. If you're busy with something and your partner understands, it's excusable but if you're plastered on Facebook and feel too lazy to talk to your partner when he/she arrives home, that not only tells them something about how you feel, but also tells yourself; you're not digging it anymore.

"3. Keep on kissing. When you wake up in the morning, make sure you kiss your partner. Forget about morning breath. Who cares?"

Me: ... I do. And I'm sure your partner will too. So, please, why not get up and give your teeth a quick maintanence check-up before kising anyone in the morning? I'm sure they will appreciate it.

"4. Break the routine. A big part of keeping the fire burning in a relationship is stirring up the daily routine. One of the best ways to do this is to set a romantic mood. Light candles. If it's a night you normally watch TV, why not light candles throughout the entire house? Do anything that's out of your normal routine."

Me: Hey, if that's what floats your boat, go right on ahead. However, make sure your partner is into that kind of stuff as well. Maybe they're not the romantic type (trust me, we're out there).

"5. Send a "no special reason" message. Send your significant other little notes in the middle of the day, just telling them that you love them or that you're thinking about them. With email and texting, this is so simple yet so powerful. You can even leave a quick voicemail. That one "I love you" message will make your partner feel happier."

Me: I'm a big advocate of notes. I love notes. Notes left in the refrigerator, on the bathroom mirror, inside the drawers of the dresser, in the glove compartment of your car, anywhere. But remember, one every once in a while is enough. No overkill.