5 Wacky Dating Ideas

People who have been dating for a long time can sometimes be bored of the same old routine. Spicing things up a little bit can make for a fun dating relationship, and taking the initiative to plan an unusual date will make you a hero in your date's eyes.

Here are 5 ideas for unusual dates that won't soon be forgotten!

1. Purchase two disposable cameras and go to a large place, like the mall, a museum, the park, or even the library, and play tag. Try to snap pictures of the other person until both of your cameras are full. Drop the cameras off at a one hour photo center, go out for dinner, and pick up the photos when you're done and see who snapped more pictures of whom.

2. Call your date at work and tell him or her that you're going to have a scavenger hunt. Have them call you on their cell phone for clues, which you give, that lead them from place to place, as they buy cheese and wine and a loaf of French bread and a tablecloth. Then they can drive by your house, pick you up, and you can go to the park for a picnic. This is the beginning of a memorable date that doesn't even involve much work on your part!

3. Do good in the world by spending a Friday evening at a local soup kitchen. This date may not seem like it would be very fun, but you'll be surprised. Aside from building good memories, you will be helping the less fortunate. You will look back on this date with great fondness.

4. Rent a limousine for the afternoon. This is not as expensive as it sounds, since they are probably cheaper during the day anyway, and if you do this instead of eating at a fancy restaurant and going to movie, it may cost about the same. Go to a drive-through restaurant, run your errands, and maybe even go to a drive-in movie. Basically, you might do the same things you would normally do, but you'll be doing it in style!

5. Play tic-tac-toe? but test drive cars at the same time! Before your date, draw a tic-tac-toe grid and fill in the spaces with types of cars or colors of cars. Then each of you take turns going to a dealership and posing as an interested buyer with the other person tagging along for support. Once you take in a car for a test drive, you get to mark your "X" or "O" on your grid. Don't let the salesperson see!

Keeping your dating life interesting and entertaining doesn't have to be expensive or hard work. All you need is some ingenuity and creativity and you'll be sure to have a great time.

Jeff Lakie is the founder of Dating Information a website providing information on Dating

New Love: Show Your Feelings with Flowers

Flowers are simply amazing because of their beauty, their grace, and the amazing impact they have on most women. Since receiving flowers is most women?s dream, regardless of how many times they have received them, men should know what flowers to give their girlfriends on different occasions throughout the year. Yes, that is right, flowers should be given throughout the year and not just reserved for Valentine?s Day. The reason for this is when women receive flowers they feel special, and if you are giving flowers for a special occasion then making your girlfriend feel extra special is very important. Also, flowers may be given for no reason at all and this will certainly make your girlfriend feel as if she has the most amazing boyfriend ever.

Girlfriend?s Birthday

Your girlfriend?s birthday is right around the corner or worse yet today, and you are searching for the perfect gift. However, the best gift you can give is the gift of flowers and fortunately no matter how serious your relationship with your girlfriend there are many types of flowers that are appropriate and will help you take your relationship to the next level. The reason why is because flowers are powerful and women are enchanted by them. Women love to tell other women they received flowers, it shows their boyfriend is confident, really interested in them and cares for them no matter what flower is given. Although, there are some flowers that are especially great birthday gifts.

For example, honeysuckle is a good birthday gift because it symbolizes happiness. Carnations in red symbolize passion and pink symbolize your girlfriend is always on your mind, so either choice is a great choice. Gerber daisies and wildflowers are both great selections because they are beautiful, bright, and are not interpreted as ?coming on too strong? if the relationship is new.

Girlfriend?s Graduation

Your girlfriend may be graduating from high school, college, or an advanced degree program, but regardless of the degree she is receiving she will love to receive flowers. This shows not only that you are proud of her, but also that you care enough about her to buy flowers that are appropriate for this special occasion. For example, for your girlfriend?s graduation forget-me-nots are great choices because they represent true love as well as memories. Caladiums are good choices as well because they represent delight and joy while white carnations signify good luck and sweetness. Of course, pink flowers stand for happiness and graduation is a happy occasion and a perfect reason to give your girlfriend pink roses.

Valentine?s Day

Red roses are the best flowers for Valentine?s Day and the type of flowers most women want to receive on this special day. The relationship you have with your girlfriend may affect the color of roses you buy, however. Red roses should be reserved for longer relationships where the couple is passionately in love. Pink roses are appropriate for a newer relationship because they symbolize the relationship and happiness, but do not put any pressure on the girl regarding your feelings other than to let her know you really like her. Any other color of rose is appropriate as well, especially if your girlfriend is passionate about a certain color. Primrose is another good flower choice to give your girlfriend on Valentine?s Day because it is in essence saying you cannot live without her; the exact sentiment you want to express on the day of love. Carnations are also appropriate and the color you choose should represent your feelings. Red signifies passion, pink that she is on your mind and white sweetness.

Christmas Flowers

Christmas is always a hectic time and finding the perfect gift can seem overwhelming in a sea of shopping malls. However, a thoughtful gift that will be appreciated is flowers. The best flowers to give at Christmas time are orchids, holly, poinsettias, and the Christmas cactus as well as any red flower. The orchid signifies thoughtfulness and charm. Holly and the Poinsettia are two Christmas related flowers that are always used for decorating and as a result are readily available and a great gift for your girlfriend. A Christmas cactus is also a good idea and is a flowering cactus that generally blooms around Christmas time, although it can bloom at any time of year.

Copyright @2005, 4th Media Corporation

You have permission to publish this article electronically free of charge, as long as the bylines and links in the body of the article and the bylines are included.

Natalie Aranda is a freelance writer. She enjoyed the online shopping experience with florists in Leicester, UK and florists in Nottingham, UK and flower delivery to Plymouth.

Dating Advice: How to Find the Love of Your Life

In his book "The Bridge Across Forever," Richard Bach asks the question,

"Have you ever felt alone in a world of strangers, missing someone you have never met?"

The book goes on to describe his search for a partner in life, what he calls a "soul mate."

I believe that all of us have a profound desire to find someone with whom to have a deep and abiding, intimate relationship.

This search springs from a longing inside each of us to find completion and wholeness with another person.

We fear what I we want most

Let's take a look at some of the obstacles to finding this kind of relationship.

Fear of intimacy

We human beings are fairly complicated. Many people deeply fear the very thing they most want. Striking a healthy balance between a fear of and a desire for an intimate relationship can be very difficult. When a fear of intimacy takes over, people can become experts at relationship sabotage.

Faulty relationship radar. Some people continually make the same poor choices of partner. It's as if each of us had an "internal radar" that picks up "our kind" of person. Whether your radar scans for healthy or unhealthy choices depends on how it is set. How your internal radar, is set depends on three factors:

1) your self-esteem,

2) the model of relationships set by the family in which you grew up and

3) your own relationship experience.

Movies, literature and music have given us the notion that "somewhere out there" is the one perfect person for each of us. I'll probably get some letters about this, but I don't think this matches reality. If you just look around, you'll notice that many "perfect matches" are divorced within a few years.

In one episode of the 1-V show "M?A?S?H" is a scene in which Hawkeye and Margaret are sitting at a bar commiserating about their relationships, which have just ended. One says to the other, "Our problem is that we keep looking I for a perfect, tailored fit in an offthe-rack world.".

This is where a great many people get stuck. It's my belief that in fact there are many people out there who have the potential to be a "good fit" as a soul mate.

Chain relationships. In much the same way that chain smokers will smoke one cigarette after another, some people move out of one relationship and then immediately into another'. These people are typically running from something and have very little knowledge or sense of self when they are not in, relationships.

Concentrate on yourself

Now that we have looked at a few of the obstacles to finding a soul mate, let's consider a few tips that might aid in the search.

Becoming the right person vs. looking for the right person This means at least two things:

1) developing yourself to the point that you become eligible to be someone's right person and

2) adjusting your own relationship radar so that you bring yourself into contact with suitable potential partners.

The truth of this has been borne out in my interviews with hundreds of couples. When I ask the question "How did you two find each other?" countless people say that, when they stopped looking and focused on something else in their lives, their current partners just showed up.

It's an interesting paradox - finding by not looking.

Know what you are looking for

I was on a radio program recently when a man phoned in to say that going to singles meetings looking for a partner is like going to a used-car lot to find a nice car. I bet he gets lots of dates.

That aside, a different car analogy is useful here. When we go shopping for a car, we usually have a mental list of things we must have in a car as well as things we would like to have. Sometimes, we find one with many things we would like to have, but without one of the must-haves. It would still drive OK, but it's just not for us.

Looking for a soul mate, it's important to know what you would like to have and what you must have. That's a list worth developing.

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for more tips and tools for conscious dating. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

Free Real Dating Tips

Have you seen the junk that is being advertised on the web as ?free dating tips? and the like? I just can?t believe it. Oh, I suppose I can, but really. Are people that desperate? I don?t mean that we shouldn?t learn something about dating and how to be successful with the opposite gender. I?m all for that. But the dreck that passes for advice just floors me.

You?ll find everything from love potions to hypnosis to advice. There are sites like one where some guy named Payton Kane claims he can teach you to walk, speak and act in a way that will get you into bed with any woman you meet within 15 minutes. Why would you want to go to bed with someone you?ve only known for 15 minutes, anyway? I ask you. Get a grip!

There is obviously a market for this junk. But let?s talk about something that might really work. How about being yourself? How about being honest and getting to know someone for a while? I assure you that you stand a better chance of finding what you really want that way.

Relationship author David Deida, hit the nail on the head when he said that what men really want from women is their responsiveness and what women really want from men is their full presence. Skip those manipulative seduction techniques and learn something real. Go to BlueTruth.org and read some of what Deida has to say. His book, ?Finding God Through Sex? is a really radical new way of looking at both love and sex!

There are a lot of good books and workshops out there on relationships. Be picky. Talk to others who have been to these workshops before you pay your money. Sure, you can probably find all the one-night stands you want, but really, that?s not what you really want, is it? Try ?Conscious Loving: The Journey to Co-Commitment? by Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks or ?Loving Relationships? by Sondra Ray or ?A Conscious Person?s Guide to Relationships? by Ken Keyes.

These, along with practice and persistence, will take you much farther than any love potions or seduction schemes!

Ashton Mettarod is a relationship counselor in private practice in Washington, DC. His own dating life led to a match made in heaven in 1998. Find more articles about dating at Free Dating Tips

Jewish Dating Services: An Overview

In the beginning there were no dating services. The very first thing that even resembled a dating service was started by a Jewish woman.

Way back when, the Jewish people wandered through the desert with herds of sheep. There was always an older woman called a matchmaker who paired up young, single people who, for some reason, couldn?t pair up on their own. Stories were written about matchmakers, songs, and entire books. ?Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match, find me a find, catch me a catch.?

These lyrics didn?t come out of thin air. They came out of the existence of the little old Jewish ladies who performed that particular service since the days of the Old Testament.

Today there are thousands of dating services around the country, many of which have dedicated their services to matching up Jewish singles. Each and every one of them tries to be different in a business that is essentially the same everywhere. They do background checks, profiles of interests, habits, likes and dislikes and then try to match people up based on similarities in their answers. Some Jewish dating services simply offer people a presentation, some on video, some in printed folders, where a prospective single can, for a fee, sit down and browse through the prospective date files, write down phone numbers and then later make contact. One Jewish dating service even went so far as to arrange single prayer services at local temples during the High Holidays, matching up singles, who would have been attending the services anyway by putting them together in a special seating area.

Interestingly, the bulk of Jewish dating clients are not deeply religious people. They?re Jewish but some haven?t been to a temple in years. For some reason, they just feel more attracted to Jewish members of the opposite sex than to people outside their religion. It?s not the Jewish religion that brings them together, it?s being Jewish.

Jewish Dating Info provides detailed information about Jewish dating services and traditions, Jewish online dating, free Jewish dating, Jewish speed dating, and more. Jewish Dating Info is the sister site of Christian Dating Web.

Important Christian Dating Advice

Although Christian dating web sites strive to maintain professionalism, privacy, and safety, customers must be aware of possible dangers. Other online dating services have safety and privacy issues and advice posted on their site, and Christian dating services will post similar web pages with Christian Dating Advice.

The most important piece of Christian dating advice is to remain anonymous. Members should be careful to not give out any personal information, including email address, ICQ, or postal address. It is important to get a good idea of the kind of person that is on the other end of the conversation before revealing any personal information.

Another important piece of Christian dating advice is that members should take their time and not feel rushed or pushed into a personal meeting. A phone call should take place first, and if possible, the phone number should be kept anonymous. Many mobile phone companies have made it easy to keep the mobile number private?a simple push of a button before making the call will turn on the privacy function. The dating service member should only share his or her phone number when he or she feels comfortable.

When a meeting is going to take place, it is important to meet in a public place and take a friend if possible. If a friend or family member cannot accompany the person to the first meeting, give someone as much information as possible, including meeting time and place. Finally, the dating service member should always take his or her own transportation to the first date. It is important to have a way to leave if he or she feels unsafe or awkward.

Some warning signs to consider when utilizing a Christian dating service include inconsistent information and if the other person is avoiding important questions. Once a meeting has been planned, it is important to note whether the person matches the profile he or she provided, and it is also important to be aware of any behavior such as anger or physically inappropriate comments. Always be prepared to leave an uncomfortable situation.

If a Christian single is aware of possible warning signs and follows common sense, then the Christian dating experience can be a rewarding experience.

Christian Dating Info provides detailed information on Christian dating services, sites, and advice. Christian Dating Info is the sister site of Jewish Dating Web.

Where to Find Free Christian Dating Services

Christian dating services can fulfill different people?s needs. Some of these services require that members fill out in depth questionnaire so that they can be matched to other people with compatible profiles. Because these types of sites provide a matchmaking service, they charge a monthly or yearly subscription fee. The fee guarantees a commitment to the site from the subscriber, and the subscriber is offered an extra service that is not available on free sites.

There are, however, many free Christian dating services currently available. If a person is interested free Christian dating, he or she should be able to find these types of services through the church or parish in his or her area. A plethora of free Christian dating web sites has emerged recently. These sites offer subscribers the opportunity to search through a variety of personal profiles belonging to other single Christians.

Free Christian dating is a great way to find others who share specific beliefs, morals, and values. The only real requirement for most of these services is a commitment to a spiritual lifestyle, regardless of the denomination. However, some free Christian dating services may have certain demographic requirements, such as age or income level. These types of services simply narrow the search for their subscribers by limiting the dating pool through member requirements.

Many people find free Christian dating especially helpful when other free dating services do not appeal to them. They usually ensure a safe, moral environment where pressure does not exist for their subscribers. Since free Christian dating appeals to church going people, these services also provide assistance for any members with moral questions about aspects of dating. Free Christian dating has become popular with Christians of all denominations, as more people find out that it can provide a solid match between people who might be very compatible with each other.

Christian Dating Info provides detailed information on Christian dating services, sites, and advice. Christian Dating Info is the sister site of Jewish Dating Web.

A Look at Christian Dating Services

Churches often stress the benefits of love, marriage, and family life, and Christians are encouraged to form relationships with others. Many Christian singles face the reality that meeting other eligible Christians can be quite difficult. Those in small churches often find it hard to meet enough single people, while singles in large church communities feel under the spotlight, or find it hard get to know people well. For most Christian singles, the opportunities of meeting Christians from other denominations or even just different churches can be rare. Christian Dating Services emerged because Christian singles needed a way to contact other Christian singles in their community. The Christian dating service industry has since grown as a service and business.

The internet has become an important outlet for the dating industry, including Christian dating services. Christian online dating, for some, is a great way to find love, especially if they are looking for someone that shares a devotion to faith and ideals and hopes for a similar lifestyle. Many people are concerned that Christian online dating is not right for them, because of a variety of reasons. Some concerns include the accuracy of profile matches and the truthfulness of other dating service subscribers, but Christian dating services have eliminated the obstacle of spiritual compatibility. The fact that a person is searching for another Christian single immediately eliminates the awkwardness of touching the subject of religion. If two people are compatible in religion, they may be compatible in other ways as well.

Christian online dating can be a great way for single people who are frightened or apprehensive of the online dating experience. Because the target demographic includes people who adhere to a spiritual lifestyle, and therefore have similar morals and values, Christian online dating websites can provide a safe environment for their users.

Christian Dating Info provides detailed information on Christian dating services, sites, and advice. Christian Dating Info is the sister site of Jewish Dating Web.

Christian Dating: An Overview

Everyone wants companionship. Whether it is casual dating or the search for a soul mate, single people have historically looked for new ways to meet new people. Matchmakers and dating services have been around for decades to help facilitate this search. Christian dating is just like regular dating, except that the singles searching for a mate are searching for a Christian mate?someone who has the same values, morals, and beliefs. Christian dating is a great way to find love, especially if you are looking for someone that not only shares your faith, but your ideals and your hopes.

In the past, singles who wanted to meet other singles could employ a professional matchmaker or utilize a dating service, such as video dating. They were able to meet and mingle with other singles throughout their city, state, or wherever the dating service could reach. Single Christians, on the other hand, relied on church related groups. These Christian singles have the opportunity to meet and mingle with other Christians through these church groups, but they are limited to the people that belong to their own church. They were missing out on all of the other people in their area that also had similar morals, values, and beliefs. While some groups from different churches may get together for mixers, many stay within their own congregation. Christian singles needed a way to contact other Christian singles in their community without pressure or expectation. Christian dating, as a service and business, evolved out of this need.

Christian online dating is one of the latest crazes on the Internet and there are several websites where Christians can find other Christians online. These sites make it easy for the Christian single, new to online dating, to get his or her feet wet, meet some nice people and maybe even find love.

Christian Dating Info provides detailed information on Christian dating services, sites, and advice. Christian Dating Info is the sister site of Jewish Dating Web.

Dating Myths: There is Not Enough to Go Around

Several years ago the media got a hold of a statistic that once women reach a certain age their chances for marriage dwindle dramatically.

Just like the media to take one line from one study and play it with lots of drama. It then becomes truth in the minds of many.

What this does is foster the myth that good partners are scarce and hard to find. If this its true, then you beter settle for whatever you can find.

Results of this myth

In a word, desperation. You stay with somemone who is not right for you, just to be with someone. Sets up a miserable situation.

What to do

This is one of those situtations where attitude is everything. When you approoach dating from an attitude of scarcity, you see scarcity. When you approach dating from an attitude of plenty and abundance, you see plenty and abundance.

Believing there is a limited supply of possible partners, so you have to take what you can get or be alone. Results in relationship failure when you settle for less and compromise your Requirements. A self-fulfilling prophecy when you get less because you expect less.

Do not settle for less than what is right for you. Your best chance for a successful relationship lies in your choosing what is right for you.

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for more tips and tools for finding the love of your life.

How To Ruin Your Online Dating Success

These days you seldom meet a single person who never tried online dating ?unless they aren?t Internet users.

Since you are reading this, I assume you ARE online ? so this information can be crucial for your online dating success.

Most people placing personal ads on Internet dating sites seem to do everything to RUIN any of their chances for success. Are you one of them?

Here is how to ruin your online dating campaign:

1. CHOOSE A SLEAZY USER NAME

Dating sites usually display your user name in your personal profile. So, if you choose something like "hurdfuk" or "badgirl_69", you are sure to mess up your chances dramatically.

2. WRITE A TIMID MESSAGE

Every day I see people writing in their messages things like, "I hate this part but here it goes", "I never know what to write here" or simply "Ask me". Your personal message is the only thing in your profile that is UN-structured ? the rest are usually just tick boxes. Make sure you don?t say anything interesting here, so no one will feel compelled to learn more about you.

3. DON?T HAVE ANY PARTNER REQUREMENTS

Your requirements for a partner say VOLUMES about YOU. If you do not have any requirements for a partner, you will sound absolutely desperate. No one is attracted to desperate people.

4. DON?T UPLOAD A PHOTO

Most users of dating sites search for profiles with photos. If you do not upload your photo, no one will find your ad. It will also severely damage the chances of your "Hi?s", "Virtual Kisses" or "Smiles" being answered.

5. DON?T PAY FOR PREMIUM MEMBERSHIP

Usually online dating sites will allow you to place your personal ad for free, but to write to other singles, you have to buy a subscription. Although the price of subscription is cheaper than the price of a movie ticket and popcorn, you should not be tempted. By sticking with the free membership, you ensure you cannot contact anyone. Also some sites place ads of premium members on top of the search results. If you do not pay, your ad will appear on the page 247 of the search results ? which will make it nearly impossible to find.

6. DON?T CONTACT OTHER MEMBERS

Most online dating services will allow you to contact other members for free by sending a "Hi", "Virtual Kiss", "Icebreaker" or "Smile" ? an expression of interest, to which the other member can respond. Don?t send any of those to anyone, or they may just answer positively. Think only about how bad would you feel if they rejected your advances.

7. DON?T CHANGE ANYTHING IN YOUR AD

Don?t attempt to change anything in your ad. If you change something, it may just start working. Keep with what doesn?t produce any results.

8. DON?T LOGIN TO THE WEBSITE ? EVER

Once you placed your personal ad, immediately forget about it ? and forget your user name and password, too. Don?t login to the website again. If you do, your ad may jump to the top of the search results and someone may write to you. Don?t take this risk. Just place the ad and forget about it.

If you follow this simple guidance, I can guarantee that you will flawlessly ruin any chances for success with online dating sites and your love life will stay just the way it is!