I don't know if I'm out of the ordinary or not but I do like winter. I like the snow and as long as it isn't below zero I don't mind a little cold. And with so many things you can do inside and out, finding fun winter dates doesn't have to be as challenging as you may have thought.

Fun winter dates will come in two basic varieties: inside and outside. Now of course, in the winter you will have times when being outside just isn't a good idea.

A little chill is fine but if it's below zero, a blizzard, or just really cold and windy, outside is not where you want to be.

On the other hand "warm" winter days where the sun is shining bright can be a beautiful time to be outside.

There are things you can do in the winter such as going sledding, skiing and ice skating.

If you're a little more adventurous how about ice fishing? What a cool thing (no pun intended!) to go ice fishing and then cook up your catch for dinner?

Exploring the local forest area or park with snowshoes is another option. Even familiar locations can look really different in the winter.

After a fresh snow that landscape can take on a whole new feeling and add a whole new level of beauty.

A few years ago I got a new camera and I asked my daughter if she wanted to go on a "photo safari" with me.

We went to a local park that we had been to a hundred times before, but right after a fresh snow everything looked so beautiful and different. We got some great shots!

Another thing that can be fun is to book a room at a local ski lodge. Even if you don't ski there can be some great snowshoeing trails and just sitting in an outdoor hot-tub watching the action can be a lot of fun.

Just doing something silly and simple like making a snowman can be fun. The nicest part is that after you are done the two of you can enjoy some hot chocolate and cuddle up on the couch in front of the fire.

If none of this sounds remotely interesting to you or your partner, you can just stay inside. Just sitting in the warm house with the lights off and only the light from a cozy fire can be a wonderful time.

If it is snowing and you are looking out the window and admiring the beauty (while you are warm and toasty) can make it even better.

If you want something more active you can go to a hockey, football or basketball game.

Also, there are various types of concerts, museums, aquariums and art shows that go on all year long. Just find one, or more, of these attractions and do that for your date night.

Even if you aren't in to snow sports, there is still plenty to do in the winter. It may take a little more creativity but chances are you have things right in your own town that you have never experienced.

There you go, some ideas for interesting and fun winter dates.

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What are the best flowers on Valentines for your date? The first answer to this question is, her favorite. If you do not know what her favorite is then ask her, she will gladly tell you.

The next answer about flowers on Valentines for your date is basically another question, "How long have you been dating?" or "How serious is the relationship?" If you have been dating for a long time and the relationship is serious then you need to head straight for the roses. A big bouquet of a dozen, long stemmed, red roses is what she will be expecting.

There is nothing more beautiful than a vase full of these beauties. There are so many varieties of roses out there that even if you do not get red roses, she will most likely love what you pick. Mix and match if you like.

Do it up right and do not wait until the last minute and find your self a nice, local, flower shop to place your order. These will be the freshest flowers you will find. Only use the ones in the department or grocery store if you know they haven't been sitting there for weeks waiting for someone to buy them.

A flower shop has better storage capabilities and the flowers stay fresher, and they will most likely not have been sitting there forever, either. You want them to be ultra fresh so they last the longest period of time after you give them to her.

Ladies, do not think that flowers are only for you either. He may get ribbed for it but have some fun and send your man a bunch of roses to his work place, too. It may just so happen that he has never received flowers from anyone before and think how special he will feel when he gets some from you celebrating this very romantic day of the year.

Do not forget the card, either. Think of something romantic to write on the card or just write, "I love you", and sign your name. This is really all that is needed to tell someone how you really feel.

Men, you may be tempted to send some candy along with the bouquet but if she is doing all she can to control her weight then refrain from doing this. She will think you are insensitive to her efforts and end up being upset with you instead of feeling warm fuzzies.

If you need to send a gift with the flowers or give her one over dinner, make it a gift certificate for her, or both of you, to go and get pampered for a day at a day spa. She will love that you go with her and you will never feel so relaxed after a day of pampering.

If the relationship is just brand new then you could elect to buy a different color rose or do the mixing and matching of several colors in one bouquet of flowers on Valentines for your date.

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Teenagers already have a pretty good idea about flirting, so this article is written as a sort of crash course for parents. We will look at flirting in teenage dating, what it means, what you can expect, and setting ground rules for what you consider appropriate behavior.

While it may be fairly easy to recognize that teens like to test boundaries, it's easy to forget that they are often anxious about growing up. They look at the people around them–friends, celebrities, and yes, parents–to get an idea of how they should behave. The funny thing is that your teen may not even be aware that they are mimicking the behavior of other people. Either way, you can use this fact to help them navigate the world of teenage dating, and that includes flirting.

It's important to try to see things from their point of view, but to also remember that you are the parent. Your teen may act like they don't want to hear anything you have to say about flirting in teenage dating, but you have to trust that the message gets through on some level. Some of the conversations may be incredibly awkward and difficult, but they still need to be had.

A good starting point is to talk about what flirting means to you, and what it means to them. You may be relieved to learn that your definitions are basically the same, or you may be shocked at how different they are. Whatever the case may be, it's important to maintain your composure while having conversations with your teenager. If you get upset about anything they say, then they will be less likely to talk to you in the future. Take some to process things after the conversation, and then give them a response after you have thought about it for a while.

You need to think carefully about what is acceptable flirting behavior is and what isn't and then let your teen know what the limits are. For example, most people would agree that flirting stops as soon as physicality begins. Once two people touch, it is no longer flirting. That may be a good limit, but what about an innocent touch on the back of the hand or elbow? What about brushing the hair from someone's face? When it comes to flirting in teenage dating, you can be sure that your teen will be happy to find loopholes in your limits, so be sure to cover as much as you can. At the same time, you shouldn't have to cover every single possibility.

There are two other major points that you should discuss: peer pressure and self-esteem. Generally speaking, the more self-esteem your teen has, the less likely they are to succumb to peer pressure; however it doesn't make them completely immune. Let them know that they shouldn't feel pressured to start dating. Also, remind them that flirting is usually harmless, but that either person may think it means something else. As a parent, it's your duty to discuss all of these things as they relate to flirting in teenage dating.

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How romantic to be asked out on a first date on Valentines Day. To me, and to practically every other woman on the planet, being asked out on the most very special of days reserved for love would say to me that you already have special feelings for me.

It would feel almost just like a fairy tale or a dream come true.

Since this is a first date on Valentines Day, you most likely want it to be as perfect as it can be. So, with that in mind, how would you go about giving this girl one of the best nights of her life?

If you have been pining after her for some time, you could plan a dinner at a fancy restaurant with wine or champagne and candlelight followed by dancing the night away to her favorite band.

Maybe you could rent a limo to pick her up in so all your attention could be focused on her instead of the road. Meet her at her front door with a single long-stemmed red rose and a small gift to get the night off to a good start.

Remember, nights like these do not just happen, you will have to do quite a bit of planning to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. Ask her to accompany you well in advance of the holiday and tell her it is because to get a good table to need to make reservations at least two weeks to a month in advance.

To make things more of surprise for her, do not tell her exactly where you are going but do tell her she should dress up. She will undoubtedly use this opportunity to go shopping so she can look her best for you. You should do the same and look the part of the perfect gentleman when the night comes and you show up to escort her to dinner.

If this is something new for you, ask someone to help you look your best. Your mother is a good one to ask about such things, or you can go to a men's clothing store and ask for help. A nice suit and tie will do nicely.

Get your hair cut a couple of days beforehand and buy some new, subtle, cologne or aftershave. You do not want to knock her out of the limo with an overpowering scent.

Women love romance so brush up on the right things to say. If she looks gorgeous, tell her. She no doubt took a lot of time to look her best and she will appreciate the fact that you actually notice.

Practice some different lines of conversation for when you are at dinner on your first date on Valentines Day. Do not just talk about yourself. Make the conversation about her and her likes and dislikes and make sure you are listening. She will eventually bring the conversation around to being about you, as well, just do not monopolize the conversation with how wonderful you think YOU are.

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For many, the idea that being able to effectively apologize is an important component of any successful relationship is tough to swallow. There are those who consider apologizing to be a form of weakness and refuse to do it. But, if you want to keep your relationship strong you should find your best way to apologize.

Another thing that people sometimes underestimate is that a sincere apology will keep all relationships strong, not just your romantic ones. So if you find your best way to apologize early in your life and your relationships you are taking a big step towards keeping them strong and healthy.

My son and I had quite the discussion the other day on this very topic. He is from the "apologizing is a sign of weakness" camp. I disagreed with him, and told him so.

To me, it is a sign of maturity, honor and strength. I never could understand why people think it is a sign of weakness to apologize… to me it is one of the hardest things to do.

No one wants to look that special person in the face and admit they were wrong.

It's not easy to tell someone else you made a mistake. But, if you do it anyway, because it is the right thing to do, isn't that practically the definition of strength and maturity? I think so.

I also believe it is good for the other person to hear your apology for a few reasons. For one thing, as much as we all hate to admit we were wrong we all love to hear we were right.

So telling someone that you were wrong and they were right may be hard for you but it might be good for them to hear.

They will likely really appreciate hearing it and appreciate you for telling them that. Another reason it's important for the other person to hear your apology is it builds trust between the two of you.

If you prove to them that you are willing to own up to your mistakes and offer a sincere apology, they will have more confidence in your overall honesty and integrity. That can only help strengthen the relationship.

They will feel more safe and secure with you in all areas of the relationship because you have proven that you are someone who is mature and honest and that you can be trusted to do the right thing… even when it isn't easy to do.

So, as I told my son, learning to apologize when you make a mistake is, in my opinion, one of the many steps you need to take to become a whole and mature person.

Being unwilling to admit you were wrong, or letting the person who you wronged know you are sorry, is a sure sign of an immature, self centered, insecure person.

Is that the type of person you want that special someone to see when they look at you?

I don't think so. Find your best way to apologize and do it whenever you make a mistake. Who knows, you may hate to have to apologize so much you stopping making as many mistakes!

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Students facing the transition from high school to college are likely facing the biggest challenge they've ever had to face. Expectations are raised, both for themselves and from others. Moving on to college means moving on to a new level of academic performance. It's the time when most of us move beyond being a not so serious teenager to a very serious adult who is focused on furthering their education and planning for their future. Not only are we expected to think more seriously about ourselves, but at the same time many of us find that we're leaving behind some of the relationships we've formed throughout our earlier school years. Best friends, acquaintences, team members, and even boyfriends and girlfriends are sometimes left behind as we move onto the next important stage in our lives and maturity.

How difficult is it to handle this serious emotional, physical, academic, and personal change? College life can be intimidating, particularly for those who decide to attend school away from home. Moving away means not only losing the relationships they've grown comfortable with for so many years, but in many cases losing the emotional support system their family has been for them through their younger years. All aspects of college life may be completely foreign to the new college student, and college dating only complicates matters. Why? Because at times many outgoing and engaing young people who had no problem creating dating relationships in high school may be intimidated by the prospect of dating a new "class" of potential partner.

What you need to remember about college dating is that one shouldn't approach it as such a serious process. There is plenty of "serious" stuff going on in your transition from high school teen to college adult, so to put too much emphasis on being serious about a relationship is not what college dating should be about. Try and approach college dating as a way to share the college experience with someone who shares similar interests and preferences. Seek out dating relationships with classmates who are studying the same classes or are on the same degree track. In this way, you can be sure that your comfort level is established prior to beginning the formal dating process.

College dating really isnt that difficult. A new college student already faces enough of a challenge in this very important stage in their lives, so being too serious about their approach to dating shouldn't overwhelm them. There's plenty of time to be serious about a partner, but if a casual college dating relationship grows on its own into something more substantial, then at least it will come as a result of a natural process rather than an unnecessary focus on being overly serious.

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There is a somewhat outdated stereotype that claims that women are more interested in an exclusive relationship then men are. According to this stereotype women want to be in committed relationships but men want to play the field.

I'm not an expert on the subject but my guess would be that that dynamic was once more true that it is today. I imagine that that paradigm is changing and that many women today want to sow their wild oats before they settle down just as much as men do.

I suspect that if it ever was true that women were more interested in an exclusive relationship, it was more about pressure from society to be a "good girl" than it was about any real desire to limit their dating choices.

In our society men have always been given a green light to enter into relationships with as many women as they wanted. Women, on the other hand, have been discouraged from casually dating, and becoming intimate with, many men.

Men viewed that type of behavior in themselves as some sort of badge of honor but a woman was judged very harshly if she wanted to act the same way. And, to a lesser degree, that double standard is still around today.

So, whether it is right or wrong, fair or not, the reality is that it does exist. There is also the very real possibility that someone can get hurt. That is why no matter what type of relationship you are currently looking for; committed or casual, you should make sure your partner is looking for and expecting the same thing.

Having "the talk" early in the relationship is the best way to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Many people don't feel comfortable talking about exclusivity too early in the relationship.

They may think it makes them sound clingy or desperate if they let the other person know that they want to settle down and they aren't interested in a causal dating relationship.

But, it's important to make sure that you are both looking for the same thing before you get too attached or spend too much time. Why form a bond with someone who doesn't want the same thing you do?

If you go about it in the right way, it doesn't have to be awkward at all. For example, while you are in the early "getting to know you stage" it's not inappropriate to mention that you are getting ready to settle down.

If the person you are dating isn't looking for that same thing at this time of their life, they will probably bolt away as quickly as they can. But that isn't a bad thing. They don't want what you want anyway, why let things linger? They weren't the right person for you so what is the big deal?

If they are looking for the same thing as you are, they will be happy to hear that you are both on the same page.

So, my advice is to be honest early on. The worse that will happen is that you won't waste time getting to know someone who is looking for something different than you are. Whether or not you are looking for an exclusive relationship it is not a bad thing to talk about it early on.

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Many of us want a little comparison to see where our relationships stack up. These occasional "check-ups" are pretty important to a lot of people, but I think that for most people, if you are asking these questions you already know there is a problem. So, if you are looking for examples of complicated relationships, it is possible you have to look no further than your own relationship.

There are many examples of complicated relationships but if you want some specific tips this article can help. I have listed some common issues that come up in many relationships.

Most of these things are common and if they only happen occasionally they may not really present a problem. But, if they are happening all the time you want to really be honest with yourself about the strength, and future, of your relationship.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Do you and your partner argue all the time? Some people, especially those that are new to dating and relationships, sometimes mistake a lot of fighting for "passion". The truth is that fighting all the time is a huge warning sign. Even if the makeup sex is great, having to go through all that drama all the time will get very old.

No matter what people say about relationships taking time and work the reality is that if you are with the right person, someone you are compatible with and share respect with, the relationship simply does not take that much work.

It is only work when you are not compatible with your partner.

2. Is there a lack of respect in your relationship? Do you truly respect your partner and do they really respect you? Respect can be shown in various ways… both with words and actions.

I used to accuse my ex of not treating me with respect. Of course he didn't agree. He would say that he respected me but he was talking down to me and saying negative things about me to his friends and family. Not really very respectful.

Make sure that you treat your partner with respect and they do the same for you. And, it's not enough to just say you respect them, show them and put your money where your mouth is… talk is cheap.

3. Do the two of you enjoy doing the same things? If you don't have any common interests that is another sign that the two of you may not be compatible.

No one is saying that you have to be joined at the hip and do everything together, but if you don't have anything that you enjoy doing together where does that leave you?

My ex never seemed to want to do anything with me. He was very into sports, but the problem is so was I. I enjoyed the same things he did yet he only ever wanted to go golfing with his buddies and not his wife.

So, these three simple tips might help you recognize what traits you want your relationship to have and which ones you want to avoid. Examples of complicated relationships are found everywhere, but you don't want them to show up in your relationships.

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There is no such thing as a true mind reader, and that's one of the reasons that doubt can creep into even the best of relationships. "Does my boyfriend really love me?" is a common question, but one that deserves to be answered. You will never get rid of that little, suspicious voice in your head until you discover the truth about how your boyfriend feels about you.

In a perfect world, you could take everything at face value. If your boyfriend said he loved you, then that's exactly what it would mean. Unfortunately, the real world isn't always like that, and sometimes people will say things that they don't really mean. People with low self-esteem, or those who have been in unloving relationships before, will often wonder whether or not they boyfriend really loves them. This can make having a normal, loving relationship very difficult, even when their boyfriend loves them completely and unconditionally.

You can look for a few signs that indicate his feelings for you, but remember these signs are not foolproof.

1. How does he show his love for you? There are a few basic ways for showing love, but the problem is that the way you prefer to be shown love may not be the way your boyfriend shows it. Whew! That's quite a concept, let's use an example to explain it. If you feel the most loved when you are being held or cuddled, then physical contact is important to you. But if your boyfriend feels the best way to express love is through saying "I love you", then there can be a problem. He will be showing true love, but you won't be feeling it because he doesn't display love in the way you prefer.

2. Does his body language match his words when he tells you he loves you? Of course there is always a chance that he doesn't care for you as much as he says, and there is a neat trick you can use to find out. The trick is to listen to his words and watch his body at the same time. If you ask him if he loves you and he speaks the word 'yes', but shakes his head 'no', then the words aren't matching his actions and it could mean he's not telling you the truth.

3. How does he respond when you ask him if he loves you? Does he get defensive, shy, or angry? Does he smile, hug you, or blush a little? Just noticing his response can give you a lot of clues as to how he feels about you.

It can be hard having to ask yourself "does my boyfriend really love me?" You may be worried that he doesn't, and if not, what then? Are you going to break up, or are you going to give him some time to fall in love with you? Is he worth it? On the other hand, you may find that he really does love you…and that is something worth knowing.

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When it comes to finding your soul mate, using the internet can be an excellent method. There are billions of people on this planet and finding that one special someone can be nigh impossible. But with the internet allowing everyone to be connected, it has become a little easier. But even so, there are rules.. or tips I should say, on using the internet. The Do and Donts of Match making can make or break your success in your search for your soul mate.

The Do's of online matchmaking.

1. Fill out the profile. Virtually every online dating service will have a profile for you to fill out. You will want to be honest and provide a lot of information on these profiles. This is the first thing people will see, and depending on what you put, it may very well be the last.

2. Be specific. A problem people have when using dating sites is they are too broad. You have a type of person you are interested in, so tailor your profile to attract that type of person. You may be limiting yourself but in the long run it will increase your chances of meeting the type of person you want.

3. Be diligent. One of the biggest of the Do and Donts of Match making is to simply be smart. While dating sites will do their best to keep unwanted individuals out, there may always be people looking to prey on you. Make sure to do your checks before getting into a detailed relationship so that you do not get burned down the line.

4. Be prepared on the first date. First dates are always nerve racking, but when it is with someone you met online it can be down right terrifying. You need to be prepared for any mishaps that may occur so that you are not caught off guard.

The Don'ts of online dating.

1. Choosing based on price. Most dating services will charge you for their services, so if you decide to use them you need to be prepared to fork up some cash. Just remember that price does not dictate quality. Do your research into the site and get user reviews to make your decision, money should be a secondary concern.

2. Do not be too forthcoming. It is a trap predators use online, pretend to be nice and the person you are interested in and then steal your information. Do not disclose any personal data that may be used to harm you, they do not need to know your bank account or address after all.

3. Choose your date location wisely. The biggest of all Do and Donts of Match making is where you go on your first date. This is not a bit of advice on where the most romantic place is, but a warning. Never choose somewhere secluded for your first date. An evening under an open sky may sound romantic, but it is also a bad idea.

The person you are talking to may very well be dangerous, and even if they are not, you suggesting somewhere secluded can turn them off as they may think you are dangerous. Meet somewhere very public with a lot of people around so that you can both feel secure on your first date.

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