Publications
Partners
Put your partner on a regular diet of the three As (attention, affection and appreciation) along with a gratitude snack before bedtime and he'll never be starved of love. So says Barbara De Angelis in her book, What Women Want Men To Know (Thorsons).
For the 'attention meal' make sure you pay each other complete attention – watching TV while he discusses something with you is definitely not on. The 'affection meal' consists of constant touches and hugs to tell your partner that you love him.
The 'appreciation meal ' all about not taking your partner for granted. And 'gratitude snacks' are to thank your partner before going to bed for something he might have done during the day. Little 'snacks' in between, such as kisses, hugs and a compliment or two, will also keep your love metabolism revving.
Marriage
The birds and the bees don 't
do it, but we sure do it … get
married, that is.
Here are a few interesting
facts about marriage.
Negotiation
Do you negotiate or fight? Researchers
say they can see which couples will stay
together merely by looking at their
fighting style. Men in unhappy
marriages refuse to negotiate, insisting
that they have the last word, while
women in unhappy marriages start an
argument in an aggressive way.
If a couple can change their negotiation style, they will probably change the outcome of their marriage. Happily married men tend to listen and accept advice or agree that there was some value to it, while women in happy marriages put their argument across in a calm manner.
Obsession
The minute love becomes an
obsession, it's unhealthy, says Robin
Norwood in her book, Women Who
Love Too Much (Pocket Books).
Women who have this deep need for love, emotional security and excitement usually come from dysfunctional families. When this obsessive nature is carried over to its extreme, it 's called erotomania in women, according to The Science of Love by Glenn D Wilson and Chris McLaughlin (Fusion Press).
This is when the person who 's in love wrongly believes that the object of their affection loves them in return. A scary thought is that 900 000 people were stalked in 1999 in Britain.
Passion
Great affairs of passion are the stuff
romances are made of. Mark Antony risked the wrath of
his nation and ruined his political career because of his
love for Cleopatra. Edward VIII of England forsook the
throne to marry Wallis Warfield Simpson, a twice-divorced
American.
Centuries after the Antony-Cleopatra affair, two actors fell in love while portraying them in the movie Cleopatra – Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton compared themselves to a pair of scissors, their relationship was characterised by elaborate fights, weddings (they married and divorced each other twice)and spectacular gifts, among them a ring containing the heart-shaped Taj Mahal diamond, the La Peregrina Pearl and the 69,42 carat pear- shaped diamond known as the Taylor-Burton Diamond.
Quotes on love
Roses
When planning to
present someone with
a bunch of roses, first
consider the meaning
of each colour: red is
for love, passion,
respect and courage;
white is for innocence;
yellow is for joy and
friendship; coral is for desire;
light pink is for joy; dark pink is
for thankfulness; lavender is for love
at first sight and enchantment; and
orange is for fascination.
Soulmate
The concept of a soulmate may come from
Greek mythology. Our ancestors were reputed
to have two heads and four arms, but they
angered a god who punished them by splitting
them in half.
Another theory is that a soulmate is the partner we had in a previous lifetime who we re-encounter in this life. And then there's the more general concept of a soulmate as someone who completes and complements you in every way. Whatever the theory might be, it seems everyone wants a soulmate. A 2001 Gallup survey of 1 003 Americans showed that 94%were looking for one.
Touch
Research has confirmed what
women have been telling men
all along: it all has to do with
touch. According to certain
studies, women need eight to
10 meaningful touches a day to
stay mentally and physically in
good shape … not to mention
to stay in love!
Ultimatum
You want to commit, he
doesn't. Should you give him an
ultimatum? The best advice is to
tell him what you want and
then give yourself a deadline,
for example: 'If he doesn't
commit by a certain date, I will
break up with him.'
Valentine's Day
A traditional love gift in Wales is a carved wooden spoon.
In the 1700s women put bay leaves and rose water on their
pillows on the eve of St Valentine's Day and ate egg whites
to help them dream of the man they would marry. And it's
probably a sign of the times that, these days in America,
15%of women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day.
Weddings
X-rated foods
Food can put you in the mood, some researchers say.
These are potential aphrodisiacs:
Yin and Yang
The yin and yang
symbol depicts female
and male energy in
perfect harmony – a
romantic ideal most
couples strive for.
According to the
principles of the
Chinese art of feng
shui, placing a yin and
yang symbol in your
bedroom will help keep
the love alive.
Zing!
Ever wondered what causes the zing
feelings in the first heady stages of
falling in love? Chemicals such as
adrenaline, phenylethylamine and
noradrenaline are released when you fall
in love.
They can put you on a mental high but, unfortunately, your body can produce only so much and the zing will eventually go ping. Relationships experts recommend that long-time lovers try new and different experiences to get the adrenalin and passion pumping again.
