8 Ways to Spice Up Your Love Life Using Technology

Traditionally, when thinking of romance, one thinks of flowers, candlelight, natural surroundings such as beaches, moonlight and the rain. With technology throwing us into a world filled with beeps and the ability (curse) to stay constantly connected with each other, it's imperative folks find alternative routes toward romance.

What is romance? It is hardly the once a month night out to dinner, candles flickering, stilted conversation because the couple is too tired. Oh, it can be, but why not make romance a daily activity? Why not use the technological devices we are doling out serious cash for on a regular basis to aid in our quest to strengthen the relationship with our partner.

Cell Phone Texts. Cell phones travel with us everywhere (some people sleep with them beneath their pillow). A text message is like tapping someone on the shoulder and whispering into their ear. A big appeal here is connecting with your loved one in a way that, in person, might otherwise be difficult. Some people have difficulty expressing certain sides of their personality, especially the naughty or sexy side, so why not send a text that clearly conveys the message? You might find you and your partner opening up to each other in ways you never thought possible, all from simply typing a few words into your cell. You might find yourselves engaging in back and forth texts that get you hot and bothered.

Cell Phone Voice Mail Messages. A little more personable is leaving a voice mail message for your partner. Is he/she at work? No problem. Did he/she go to the store and is out of range to pick up your call? No problem. Take the opportunity to tell your partner how much you love and care for them, and they will be all that much happier to hear it.

MP3 Player Voice Recording: When your loved one is in the shower, or away, take a moment to express your love using their own MP3 player. Eventually, when they are bored and rummaging through their files, they'll find it, and it will bring an unexpected smile to their day.

Cell Phone Picture: Nowadays, nearly every cell phone model has picture -taking capabilities. If you are away from your spouse/partner, send them a picture to express how you feel about them. Kissy lips, a winking eye, a bare thigh, you get the idea. Your partner will be profoundly happy you did! And just might return the favor.

Emails: You both are stuck at work all day long. Neither one of you has the time to breathe, and yet, there it is, a message from your spouse/partner, something simple... SUBJECT: You ... BODY: are the one I love! The entire act of creating and sending this email probably took less time than actually thinking it up. You could also add pictures to your emails, but if you are at work, you are taking your "life" into your own hands, probably best to leave the pics for the cell phone.

DVR: Digital Video Recorders - another fairly new technological advancement is the DVR (or TIVO in some places). When bedtime is at 10 or 11pm because family life starts up at 6, it's hard to remember to take advantage of some of the more romantic shows on cable television in the wee hours of the morning. There are plenty of "soft porn" shows on HBO, Showtime, and maybe even Oxygen among others if you take the time to look. What's so great about these? Well, you can DVR them, then watch them when you have the time. And everyone knows these types of shows have the potential to increase the romance factor in a relationship.

Digital Camera Pictures: Now that pictures no longer have to be processed at the FotoMat down the street, take advantage of the newfound privacy in the digital age by enlisting the help of a good friend to take romantic pictures of yourself to give to your partner/spouse. Buy new lingerie, or an old (tried and true) favorite and go to town. Probably best not to pass these along via email, as emails can so easily be sent to the wrong address, and forwarded to people you might not want to see you in a red teddy. But you could print out a picture and make your own romantic card, or pass it along to your partner's cell phone. It could even be a nice sized picture in your/their boudoir.

IM Chatrooms: You and your partner could be back to back, or in separate states, but when you meet in an IM chatroom, anything goes! Similar to texting, but easier because you aren't limited to a certain number of characters, this room can be private, and therefore a perfect place to tell your partner exactly what it is you'd like for him/her to do that evening, or the next time you meet. Perfect for couples that have a hard time expressing intimate thoughts verbally. Most chatrooms even have what are called "Audibles" - these are characters expressing a statement and/or emotion. At this point, computer users can't create and upload their own audibles into, say, a Yahoo IM chatroom, but that might not be too far off into the future. There are sexy audibles, geeky ones, angry ones, crazy ones, all kinds of audibles to express to your partner how you're feeling. My particular favorite is a sexy blond who says with a deep sensuous voice, "I love it when you type real slow..."

I hope you're able to glean some creative and romantic ideas from these tips. I'm sure there are others, if you think of them, why not add them to the list? I'd love to hear about them. If anything, I hope these tips compel you to put forth a better romantic effort toward your partner. Sometimes the infusion of just a little bit of romance is precisely what the relationship doctor ordered.