We need a DATE night...

[cacain119]

We're getting too hum-drum -- I make him dinner, we rent a movie, and call it good.

 

...And I was wondering what we could do that would be good quality fun for us and wouldn't be too expensive. So far I've thought of bowling, putt-putt, and going to the park (but I don't know what we'd do at the park.. lol)

 

Is there a way I could have you list your 5 favorite things to do with your partner? I would be ever so grateful and maybe it can have me come up with some new ideas! Thanks!

[kellbell]

I am in a LDR at the moment but we have spent time together.

 

5 things I like doing with him...

 

1. watching movies, cuddling up with him

 

2. cooking dinner with him

 

3. We are into photography so we like to take pictures and share ones we have taken in the past and he gives me pointers as well (he is a pro!)

 

4. We run a private website together full of pictures, things we dream to do together one day, date journal, favorite songs, memories, virtual dates, count down when I am planning to move where he is, webcams, etc

 

5. We play and laugh all the time, tickle, wrestle (playing around of course) and sleep in on Sundays.

 

Gosh I miss him!

[Meow18]

Well, me and my boyfriend like to wander the mall. Of course, I don't recommend this if you aren't good at not spending money. We are usually broke, but we just like to look at stuff anyway, and not buy stuff.

 

We also like to just take walks. It's neat when you find like a forest preserve that you can take hikes together on.. also we just walk around the neighborhood.

 

Let's see, we also make dinner together. But you've mentioned making dinner.

 

The sad part is that I think that's really all we do, at least that comes to mind. I'll let you know if I think of more ideas.

[cacain119]

Well, he's sooo tired all the time, so I've tried to respect that, but it makes me so stir crazy sometimes. I love making him dinner and watching movies, and i have no problem doing that later on, but tonight/tomorrow night, we just need a shake up! ..but thank you SO much for your input, I really appreciate it.

[Meow18]

Oh, Kellbell reminded me. We love to take pictures too. We are both artistic, so it's just fun.. even if you aren't artistic it can be fun to experiment!

[Meow18]

Just a question, what's your money situation like? I mean, do you have extra money where you could go out to dinner every once in awhile? Or go to like a water park, or things like that?

[cacain119]

we don't have a really good camera =/ I almost got him one for his birthday, but I got him something really sappy instead We just have a little 2.0 MP

[kellbell]

Is there any common hobbies you have together? Like bike riding, sports, hiking, the beach, computer games? It is important to engage in things you have in common.

 

Like my boyfriend and I are into the outdoors, camping, hiking, and photography. We are going camping in the mountains 4th of July weekend. I know you mentioned you do not have a whole lot of money but hiking and taking walks do not cost a whole of money. But usually during the week, things are pretty ho-hum. Try to make plans for the weekend and make it special.

[cacain119]

money is a little tight, but more than anything, we're both VERY fair skinned, so I don't think he'd enjoy the water park thing.. we have a pool outside our apt and he doesn't even like swimming in there when the sun's gone down.. and we've gone out a LOT lately bc people were taking us out for his bday.. so we went out to eat like 4 days in a row, but it wasn't *us* centered...

[cacain119]

well, that's a BIG part of the problem, you really hit it on the head. We've been SO busy and since we've been in college, I lost a lot of my hobbies because I'm an engineer major, enough said. Now that we're spending more time working in between semesters, he keeps up his hobbies, and tries getting me involved, but he LOVES webdesign, and that just seems to bore me (I tried it and it just didn't work for me). But he works for a webdesign firm, so it's just like he brings work home...

[kellbell]

Well, I have never thought I would ever be able to contribute to a website but my BF is a HUGE computer geek and works in IT of course. He set up a website just for US. And it is wonderful. So perhaps if the website is just for the two of you, then it will not be boring but exciting. It is pretty easy. My boyfriend set up our website to make it secure and private so ONLY us can access it. I am sure your BF will know how to set it up, that is if you are interested in doing one of course.

 

Also, before I leave to go to the airport, my honey sticks notes in my suitcase pockets, shoes, jean pockets, books...I was finding notes for a few weeks after I got home. So maybe doing things like that can help. We also light candles, he draws baths for me, and the like. We also have our kitties in common. Do you have pets?

 

It is important not to lose your identity in a relationship. It is very easy to, I know. But it is crucial to keep yourself intact as well as have common interests and to engage in them. Is there any leisure activity you two have an interest in together?

[ShroomzGod]

Easy...

 

Going out to dinner.

Long walks

You guys can learn to shoot pool or throw darts.(if you don't know)

Going out for coffee is fun.

Train rides.

Concerts.

Going to the movies.

Go to a cool bar. Karaoke!!!

 

That's all I can think of right now but there are so many more...

[cacain119]

I love walks, he hates them

 

We use to LOVE coffee.. but he gave caffeine up.

 

We live in the sticks, so no trains.

 

We go to concerts every once in awhile, but I'm the music freak, he's not. But he did LOVE BB King!

 

We only go to dollar theatre movies...

 

The bars? Again, we live in the sticks... only one is cool.. I enjoy poker, but he doesn't, I enjoy pool, but he doesn't.. etc...

[ShroomzGod]

I love walks, he hates them

 

We use to LOVE coffee.. but he gave caffeine up.

 

We live in the sticks, so no trains.

 

We go to concerts every once in awhile, but I'm the music freak, he's not. But he did LOVE BB King!

 

We only go to dollar theatre movies...

 

The bars? Again, we live in the sticks... only one is cool.. I enjoy poker, but he doesn't, I enjoy pool, but he doesn't.. etc...

 

You guys sound like you have lots in common...

[cacain119]

Well, we've been together so long.. about 4 years.. And we use to both be VERY artsy... Use to love watching movies, and listening to music, etc... and we still do, I'm just getting burnt out. He's so busy at work, it seems i hardly see him, I'm so busy in my degree most of the time, so I don't worry about it... but he makes me laugh, and makes me smile, and loves me so deeply, and is amazingly faithful, and we've gone over distance for a year and a half (at the beginning of our relationship) from 4 hours to 26 hours when he was in FL.. He's just so tired all the time, and I'm so wired all the time.. that's where our biggest difference is.

[MollyElise]

I'm trying to think of things that my DF and I do that aren't too outdoorsy nor metropolitan or active, sounds like your SO doesn't have alot of energy.

 

We have fun staying in the house playing games, both video and board - these can allow alot of room for dialogue, men especially find it easier to "open" up. My friend has this great Karaoke game her and her hubby play all the time. We like to play old school Mario Bros alot. We also love Scrabble as a fun two person game.

 

Instead of cooking a whole dinner, some nights we have some sort of theme night, we'll just cook a whole bag of chinese dumplings and have a bottle of sake while watching anime, or make some fondue, both cheese and chocolate of course. These take less time to make, so more time for us and its fun stuff, not your normal dinner.

 

Another option instead of just "cooking dinner", grill! That can be alot of fun and gets you moving around a little bit. You can even marinate everything the night b4 so when you get home, just go on outside and fire up the grill, pull up a chair next to your honey to watch the fire and be his helper.

 

Comedy videos are fun to watch and are different from movies as you can have more conversation while they are going on and almost always get some good laughs in. We love watching Dave Chapelle and have several inside jokes we say all the time from watching him.

 

Fill up your CD player with CDs you both love, turn them on and hang out for the evening. Be xtra sweet and lovey dovey. *This goes well w/ the BBQ evening.

 

I'm not crazy about them, but alot of people love to put puzzles together.

 

Ask him to help you make cookies in the kitchen, pretzels are fun too b/c you get to roll them out and everything.

 

Just act goofy from time to time, pop out of the bathroom w/ your underwear on the outside of your clothes, put on swimming goggles and pretend like your house is underwater.

 

Read a great book out loud to each other, take turns.

 

Since you're in the country drive around in the evening and find your favorite places to star gaze.

 

Good luck, have fun! =)

[jumper71]

I've been going on dates often lately (recently out of a ltr) and here are some of the things I have done that have worked out -

Art Show/Museum with dinner/lunch

Amusement Park

Hike/walk through park with dinner/lunch

Drinks/shoot pool, then out to a club or two

Movie then food and drinks after to talk (I know, standard but it works)

Bowling then out for drinks/live music

Outdoor stuff (canoeing in my case) then food/drinks

 

I fear I sound like an alcoholic, but usually on the first date at one point or another if you get something to eat you'll have something to drink or if you are at a bar/club you'll have a couple of drinks. It is funny, because they could be serving non-alcoholic drinks and I think people would still loosen up a great deal.

 

Basically it invovles doing something together that won't terribly bore each other, provides some entertainment, and also provides time to talk. If you break it into two parts the time flies yet it makes the time seem longer than it was in your memory of it -and breaks up any monotony.