Make the Most of Valentine's Day

6. Spend a day at your city's "lesser" museums. Almost any city of some size has museums you never visited or heard of. If you are a visitor, see if the city has volunteer tour guides to help you locate these hidden gems. Exploring such places as the Scandinavian Museum, the Chinese history museum or Wooden Boat Museum, etc., might have some delightful surprises in store for you. Then pick one to give a donation to in your partner's name.

See also: Share your poetry.

7. Decorate your bedroom and make it a boudoir. A quick cure for sensual boredom. Paint a wall red, get silky sheets or put in a dimmer. Add some aromatherapy with an incense burner or room scents. Then settle in for the afternoon. Give each other a present of massage oil — and use it.

8. Go shopping at a sex store. Ask the sales clerk to explain the gadgets because the function of many pleasure items is not so obvious. Find one that you both would actually like to try. It could be as simple as a candle that melts down into massage oil or as strange as — well, it's up to you to discover.

9. Go to a poetry reading. You might not be able to create deathless prose for your partner — but perhaps you can listen to it together. Go to a play at your local Shakespeare company, find a neighborhood poetry slam (competitive poetry reading) or check out other literary events in your local newspaper. Buy your partner a collection of poetry from Edna St. Vincent Millay, W.H. Auden or e.e. cummings, or ask an online poetry group for a recommendation and check it out. Copy your favorite poem for your love and present it in a frame.

10. Have a picnic in your living room. Pretend you are in the great outdoors — but have familiar plumbing nearby. Create a picnic basket filled with finger foods and other goodies you don't have to get up and get from the kitchen. Put it all on a blanket and after you are done feasting, you can stay there and make love.

Next: Have a few cheap thrills. »