By Donna Venning

…Sports Fan

Check out Craigslist.com for great prices on tickets to sporting events.  Many season ticket holders sell their unused seats on this site.  Or, see if the local sports arena offers tours and sign up for one.  Some movie chains show big games (or fights, races) on their screens; make a few calls to inquire about this.  What about dinner out at a sports bar (many sports bars are rumored to have the best burgers you’ll ever find)?

…Outdoors

So easy…get a book on local hikes from the library and plan one.  Has he always wanted to try mountain climbing?  Find (an indoor) climbing gym and sign up for a one-day lesson. Do a little research and find out if there is an old military base within a decent drive…take a day trip and visit it (allow him to impress you with his knowledge of military history!) or ditto for a historic place…a spot on the Oregon Trail, an old battle field…I guarantee within a two-hours drive you’ll find something of interest.

…Academic

Go to a local bookstore and spend a few un-pressured, un-timed hours perusing the books.  Allow him to roam about in his favorite section while you look at yours (but check in on him now and then and ask what he’s found).  Check out the local community college…are they having a lecture on a topic of interest to your husband?  What about some of the area’s churches…are they hosting a guest speaker or do they have a service on Saturday night that you could visit?

…Media

Seriously…just go to Best Buy or (if you’re lucky enough to live near one) a Fry’s Electronics.  Just go, no agenda.  He’ll be in Heaven! If you’ve got the $$$ to spare, give him a gift card when you walk in. Don’t tell him to buy whatever and you’ll pay for it.  Go a few days ahead of schedule and purchase a gift card…that way, he’ll spend it.  If you’re paying with the check book or credit card at the end of the trip, he’s likely to keep the cost in mind and not buy what he wants.  Or the reverse…he could go hog wild and lose all abandon and you’ll walk out of there in debt.

In our area there is a chain of “video” arcades, for lack of a better name to call it, that has HUGE HD screens, leather recliners and every video game system imaginable to man set up in it…you can rent a space for an hour.  There are even “buddy chairs” that can accommodate up to four people at one screen.  If video games are his thing, he’ll love a place like this.  Just do some asking around (ask high-schoolers…they’ll know) if a place like this exists near you.

…Homebody

Send the kids to Grandma’s, a friend’s house…anywhere.  Enjoy a romantic evening at home, just the two of you.  Rent a movie, serve dinner wearing a sexy blouse unbuttoned lower than you’d wear in public…

…Up For Anything

Trapeze classes are the craze right now.  Google “trapeze classes” in your area and see if there is a company that offers classes.  You’ll be surprised.

Have you tried the snake?  There’s a restaurant in Seattle (about 30 minutes away from us) that specializes in exotic meats.  You name it…alligator, yak, kangaroo…it’s on the list.  Not up my alley but men think it’s really cool to be able to tell other men “Yeah, I’ve had ostrich burger before…” There’s probably an interesting restaurant near you, too.

Rent a metal detector.  Sure enough, there’s a business in our area that takes you treasure hunting for two hours using their metal detectors.

Kid Places, Without the Kids: The Bug Museum (or any museum), the Zoo, a Fair, even just a park…places that you usually go with kids can be a totally different experience when just the two of you go.  Take the time to enjoy things you like at these sites. Go to the mall, get an ice cream and people watch.

There are so many fun date ideas…these are just to get your mind thinking.  With internet access (which obviously you have because you receive our ezine), you can Google topics like “Fun date ideas in _____” and enter your city.  Or enter search phrases like “fly fishing rentals” or whatever activity you think he’d like.  You’ll be amazed at what businesses there are out there.  A little research on the computer and you’ll have some great ideas…ideas to extend past Valentine’s Day and into the year.

Now, this article was called Fun Dates Ideas You’ll Both Like…and you may be thinking “but I wouldn’t like the car museum.”  Well, maybe not.  But if you Philippians 2 it, you’ll consider him as more important than yourself and you will be able to enjoy it…for his sake.  Like the grace you’ll give him if he forgets Valentine’s Day (see this issue’s letter), your gift to him can be the gift of enjoyment.  Be his friend, be his companion, be his lover.  Let him enjoy the date and you’ll enjoy it.