Costume might be exciting for your creative valentine

DEAR MISS LONELYHEARTS: I'm a romantic guy by nature, but my wife always tops me on Valentine's Day with scenes like last year -- a scavenger hunt for sex toys. I'm just the lame flowers-and-chocolates guy with no imagination. She says she would be disappointed without those things, and to leave the imaginative stuff to her. What could I do to surprise her on Valentine's? I will look for your reply on that day. My wife says she likes macho men like me, and believe me, I'm not shy. I'd be willing to do just about anything to blow her mind. -- Willing But Need Ideas, St. Boniface

Dear Willing: Since she's a creative woman, costuming might excite her. Slip a note into the flowers that tells her to prepare for a surprise event that evening. Gags Unlimited staff tell me women ooh and ahh over the uniforms -- like a policeman or firefighter outfit, or even a cowboy costume. Some women are turned on by superhero Batman or masked man Zorro, with a sword, black hat and short cape. Gags also stocks fancy baroque male and female masks and long robes. You could pick up the movie Eyes Wide Shut, which involves a sensual masquerade, as inspiration. These scenes are best done with firelight or candlelight and an element of surprise and little talking as you, already in costume, slip her costume onto her.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: I have been dating a lot online -- four or five coffee dates per week -- and I now have three dates scheduled for Valentine's Day -- a casual lunch downtown near work, drinks at 5 p.m. with a guy who's on shift at 7 p.m. and fancy dinner at 7:30 with guy at a hotel. I am feeling a bit guilty about this, but all three asked me out and none of us are at the sleeping-together stage or even exclusive. Is it all right to have three dates in a day? Does that make me a bad girl? -- Popular on Valentine's Day, Winnipeg

Dear Popular: There's no problem casually dating a few people on Valentine's Day if you aren't leading anyone on or hurting anybody. It seems you're not intimately involved with any of these three guys, so keep it that way on your dates today. It's not necessary to announce you are seeing anyone else that day, even if you feel guilty. Don't spoil the few hours together by doing that. Your dates wouldn't want to hear they are one of three.

Dear Miss Lonelyhearts: Sorry, this is a last-minute question. I am in high school and would like to do something for Valentine's Day for my single mom. I have no money but I already have a nice picture of us together I took with my phone. She works all day on a computer so I want to do something with the picture to show her I appreciate how she takes care of me and my younger brother. We don't have a dad. What do you suggest? -- Love My Mom, North End

Dear Love My Mom: Send the photo to both her emails at work and at home -- anywhere she will get it during the day -- with a mushy attachment saying how much you love and appreciate her and what a special mom she is. Go into detail, cite some examples of things she has done that touched you. Then help your younger brother make something for her too so he doesn't feel sad that you gave to her and he didn't. Help him make a card with a picture from a magazine and a little "Roses are red, violets are blue" fill-in-the-blank poem he writes inside. That would show your love and consideration for him too. By the way, you are a wonderful teenager. Here's a valentine hug for you from me. -- Miss Lonelyhearts

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Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 14, 2013 C2