Sunday, August 31, 2008

Focused Intention



What we believe, we can achieve.  It's true.  Keeping your focus on what you intend to create, while persisting without exception, your intention appears in your life.  What you focus on expands. 
While hiking we could hear, not readily see, mountain goats. After focusing intently on where the sound was coming from, their subtle movements across the cliff-face became apparent.  
Often it's like that in life as well.  Our focus is on building up and supporting couples in great relationships.   We now see them everywhere, and you can, too.   Next time you're at the mall watch for other couples who have a caffected relationship.  Check out their rituals, such as holding hands, a seductive glance, a secret language...  you know, stuff you do.  Before long you'll be seeing Caffection everywhere.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Active Marriage, Great relationship

Creating fun in your relationship brings up your energy level.  One way is to exercise.  Many couples find a mutually enjoyable activity and do it two or three times a week -- together.
We like to just walk around the neighborhood.  As we saunter along, we try to determine which of the various neighbors are caffected, and which are not.  Sometimes it's easy to tell.  There's a couple a few houses away who walk by our place almost daily.  Even though they're from a culture that isn't known for open displays of affection, these two really like each others' company.  It shows in the way they bump into each other accidentally on purpose, laugh easily, defer to the other crossing the street etc.  Their walk is more than exercise; it's a way to raise the energy level of their connection.  They're clearly caffected, even though we know they wouldn't have a clue what the word meant.  
But they will.  We predict that caffection will very soon be a household word in every neighborhood, as people walk around guessing which of their neighbors have it.  Hopefully all of them will.  

Links

It's pretty amazing what blogging stirs up.  We have a Google ranking that's in the stratosphere based on the made-up name caffection, and some of the connections that tag along with the ranking seem to come out of nowhere.  Today Mr. Google lists a connection we have with Dustin Hoffman!  I'm quite sure Mr. Hoffman, Little Big Man that he is has Graduated beyond blogging with us, and likely doesn't give a Tootsie whether we mention him or not, but his name did come up.  This is a little like the caffected community we know is out there dropping hints, raising awareness of just how satisfying it is to be married to someone you are truly best friends with.  It's worth stirring things up to see what might happen.  
Anyone else who has a funny Google tale and connection--regardless of how many degrees of separation--with someone famous, we'd love to hear about it.  
For Captain Mary, let us know how you're doing after Fay swept through.  You okay?

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Memoir




It's said that everyone has a book in them. We should all take the time to write 100 words a day,only half a page, about something--or nothing--and guess what? Even with editing, compiling, rewrites and 'killing your darlings', after a year you'll have at least 30,000 words--nearly the size of the average memoir. Why do this? If it never sees the light of day--and Lord knows most shouldn't--your life story thus far is of interest to your spouse & family. Dad's been gone almost two years now, and we wish we'd followed through with our stated desire that he write down where he'd been, what he did, who he met, what his dreams had been and how he felt about dying--and living. It's not vanity or bravado; it's important that everyone share their story.
Start today. In fact, write or e-mail with your first installment and we'll be happy to encourage the beginning of the next Huck Finn, or Great Gatsby--both memoirs of a sort.
Ours will be forthcoming. byron@caffection.com mariah@caffection.com

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Keep Love Alive. Bond With Your Lover

Create caffection?  An interesting thought for sure.  We've been asked,  how do you build stronger bonds after years of marriage? Perhaps you're empty-nesters or feel the original spark beginning to wane. That's a normal part of life, and exactly why it's so important to stoke the fire of marriage and keep the flame burning brightly. In our hectic lives, it's key to tune into your mate.  Listen closely for things said, as well as those that aren't.  When we shared the SHMILY story previously, we didn't tell the entire story.   The shmily note is in the picture, but it's the door handle that's the rest of the story.  This is the door to my office (Mariah).  I'm notorious for having my hands too full to turn a doorknob.  Arms overloaded, I chuckled and said to my grinning husband while he opened the door for me, "I need a personal doorman."   The picture above reveals one way strong bonds are built.  When I saw my new doorman (a.k.a. handle) and the shmily note, his love for me was obvious.  Byron provided an unsolicited physical manifestation of my desire.  This act was done out of love for me.  He saw my need and met it before I even thought of it, or did it myself.  The love this random act of kindness produced and the bonding it created, yes both emotional and physical, added joy to both of our lives.  In marriage it's key to remember: love is a fire that will go out when unattended.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Caffectionate Sex

Recently, as many of you know, we posted "pro-marriage" videos on YouTube. We emailed an announcement to some family and friends and were met with ...SILENCE. Isn't it funny how loud silence can be? We also heard from 2 brothers, one each, who requested to be removed from any further caffection messages due to the pro-gay content.
Okay, we have a confession to make here and now, Mariah and Byron aren't gay. We know a lot of gay, straight, and lesbian couples who are happily caffected who've enriched our lives and brought us a greater understanding of what real marriage looks like. And the people we choose to spend time with are like minded folks who understand being "Pro" anything means you are in favor of it.
Insights gained from the last 48 hours: what are the benefits of being in a caffected relationship? While too numerous to list here, one of the biggest, and one we've been bashful about addressing is SEX! Yikes, two confessions in one blog: They're not gay and they have sex. It's amazing. Two people who love being together in a healthy, happy, deeply committed relationship. Two people who work, pay taxes, donate to charities, enjoy helping others and are all around positive people.
We'd love for you to break the silence. Does the world need a real "Pro-Marriage" website for gay, lesbian and straight couples who love being married? Tell us what you think, byron@caffection.com/mariah@caffection.com or post a comment on the blog.


Monday, August 25, 2008

Progress




Our webmaster (mistress?) has released the Caffection website to us in phantom form so we can tweak, edit, peruse and critique it.  The site is a beautiful piece of cyber-art, and will be a fine resource for a lot of people, we hope.  
A bit of history is in order.  We began this journey more than two years ago, just before leaving Kauai.  We've always felt a strong inclination to share what we have in our marriage, and the island reinforced that belief.  If you've not been to Hawaii, let us assure you that the stories of powerful spiritual echoes, and vibrant feelings of what the locals call 'mana' are a palpable force out there in the middle of the Pacific.  Leaving Kauai was difficult, even for the good reason we did--to see Dad through his terminal months.  After Dad's passing we turned our energies--our mana--to sharing what we have, a marriage of caffection, and looking for ways to help others who have this to celebrate what they have.  And it's finally come together.  The site will be live by mid-September with many resources, ideas, interactive portals, caffection-branded items, gifts, and much more.  We've found our voice, and hopefully we'll be a benefit to many other couples. We're making progress. 

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Affirmation

Affirmation and appreciation.  Two A-words that need to be used more often.  We appreciate the many people who are helping us get the caffection word out.  It affirms our belief that there are many 'caffected couples' in the world, we know people are already utilizing some of the ideas from the blog.  We're guessing you, our faithful first followers, sense the need for a positive married website at this time in history, too.  Can you feel the excitement building? Great, let's go!

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Almost There!

We're like kids in the back seat of the car... "Are We There Yet?" we ask each other impatiently. We're excited to hear from people who visit the website so we can find out how to add value to them.
Here's a treat for you. Click here for a preview of (make sure to click "Watch in High Quality" just below 'views') one of the free gifts that will be available to you through the website. Let us know what you think and send the preview along to anyone you know who'd like to view it.

Other Best Friends




The Caffection blog is almost five months, and 170 postings old.  Since its inception on March 29th, we've enjoyed a number of now faithful readers from all over the map.  Other best friends, I suppose you could say.  Mary from Sanford Florida checks in regularly, an anonymous visitor from Strongsville Ohio, someone from New South Wales Australia, another from Hungary, yet another from British Colombia Canada, and several other from around the world.  This is why we started the blog, to interact with people who share our passion about married best friends, and those who desire that status.  So today our thanks go out to all those readers who keep coming back, and to ask once again what you'd like to see us address.  The Caffection website will be open very soon, (worry not, the blog continues on the site), offering new opportunities to communicate with us and each other.  The website is highly interactive, with lots of interesting, useful tools everyone can use to, in a way, craft the site as our contacts want it.  Caffection's not about us, after all, we already have it.  Caffection is about celebrating everyone else out there who has it, and deserves the recognition.
So thanks for reading, friends, and keep coming back.  

Friday, August 22, 2008

Hallmark of Progress

We should all find a reason to purchase a Hallmark greeting card this weekend.  Here are a few reasons: a birthday; a non-birthday; an anniversary; a wedding; just because; let's make up; let's get together; thank you; too bad; get well, and the list goes on.  But here's the best reason: Hallmark, the premier greeting card & remembrance/feel good company in the world has recognized that gay people are being married, and this should be recognized for the joyful event it is.  The decision by one of America's corporate giants sends a powerful message.  People are people, we fall in love regardless of our (fill in the blank), and our desire to marry our beloved is genuine, apolitical, real and legitimate.  Marriage is the ultimate status between two devoted people.  The more people join this wonderful, soul-satisfying state the better off we'll all be.  As we've said in this blog many times, the more the marrier, so to speak.
So here's an even better idea.  Let's do a bit of research, track down three recently married couples, and send them a card--anonymously!  And buy the cards from Hallmark.
One of our cards goes to Ellen and Portia in California.  Congratulations you two.  All the best.    

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Appreciation



We heard an uplifting story via a movie from Simple Truths recently.  This made us consider what a difference appreciating someone can make in their lives.  We often take people for granted, even though they have made a bigger difference in our lives than we know. It's not the high paid motivational speakers, the TV personalities, or the rich and famous who make a difference in our lives.  It's the bagger at the grocery, the kid who delivers your paper, the old greeter in the store who meets you with a smile that add value to our lives.
Take the time to say Thank You today.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Legacy

We hear a lot about legacy, leaving something behind for those who follow, our children, other family, even our mates to some extent.  Boomers are particularly sensitive to this need, since we've never quite made friends with the idea of accepting things as they were, slowing down, retiring, sitting around, and talk of moving to Autumn Acres.  We know aging is mandatory--and it certainly beats the alternative--but we don't take it lying down, and legacy looms in all that we do.  We don't want to hear about soft landings; we want to hear about new takeoffs, and the next adventure.  Sixty is the new forty.  We need to leave the campsite cleaner than we found it.  
There's that 'L' word again.  Legacy.  Do we endow that school for AD/HD kids, or underwrite the local symphony?  Heifer International needs $ for cows and ducks and chicks--what about that?  Can we squeeze in a month to help Habitat build a home?  Here's a legacy for you: Caffection in your relationship, and displaying that every day to your kids, grandkids, and any young people you see.  Let those just starting out know that marriage to your best friend is all that makes sense, and more powerful than any force of nature.  That's well worth doing.  That's legacy. 

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The Definition of Marriage



What is marriage?

Marriage means different things to different people. What does it mean to you, and why?



Monday, August 18, 2008

Things That Matter


Weekly book review day, and today we have a very important edition that, caffected or not, couples, singles, anyone interested in anyone else should read.  The Four Things That Matter Most, by Ira Byock M.D. is an excellent read no matter what, but if what matters to you and those around you is important, then this book is, too.  Here are the four things: Please forgive me; I forgive you; Thank you; I love you.  Think about it, is there anything else important we need to know about getting along with other people, and showing them we care, we share, we hear and we love?  No, there isn't, and we would all do well to remember those four simple phrases as we go through our day.  Acknowledge our humanity; recognize shared frailty; exercise simple gratitude, and say how you really feel about whoever it is you encounter.  This is not easy sometimes, as first impulses often reveal a side of ourselves we'd rather not see. But these four fragments can assist us in rising above the petty, self-righteous reactions we sometimes dredge up.  It's a great read, and we recommend it.  


The Four Things That Matter Most ©2004 Ira Byock  Free Press   http://www.thefourthings.org/excerpt.htm

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Open Vs Closed


Here's an anecdote from the world of positive spin that has applications for all of us: how to use different phrases & verbiage to change perceptions, and to alter people's understanding of the possible. At Disneyland, if you ask "what time does the park close?", you'll get this answer from one Mickey's well-trained Disney-preneurs: "Disneyland is open till 9 o'clock tonight!"
See the difference? We're yet to become Disney workers, but when we do we'll learn all manner of techniques to put things in as positive a light as possible. Think of all the suggestions, comments, ads, anecdotes, asides, responses and suggestions you receive every day. How many of them concentrate on what's wrong with something as opposed to what could be just different, or interesting, or even better than what you expected? As we used to say on the Island, "no rain, no rainbows." Are we a couple of Pollyannas? Perhaps. But as we said, the above story simply illustrates the possible. No perverse contortion of truth, no devious 'spin'. Just a simple fact. The park is open till 9. But a whole different feel for what's important. Too bad we have to be conscious of the need. We'll work on it.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Cheering for Your Best Friend

Positive Attitude.  A forever attribute that comes in handy in baseball (Go Cubbies), in marriage and in life.  As a couple, we take turns being the cheerleader.  We know our positive outlook on life is critically important, and has sustained us through some challenging times.  Great things begin to happen in your life as you focus on being a caffected couple, and one of those is the people you'll attract.  Think about how fun it is to be at a party with folks who are engaging, who take an interest in how you are and what's going on in your life.  You enjoy their company and are naturally attracted to them. It's fun to have other caffected couples to hang out with on a regular basis.  

Friday, August 15, 2008

Rich Rewards of Caffection with Your Best Friend

The journey of life sends us down, or up, many paths.  Narrow, winding, uphill, straight, downhill, and everything in-between.  Once in a while we’re led to a cliff, it’s here we make our life decisions.  Though we’ve all experienced them, until we’re aware that we’re in total control of our decisions, we fail to take full advantage of our own life direction.  The decision cliff can be a positive or negative experience.  Often when you’re at the decision cliff, your life is filled with a sense of excitement, mixed with anxiety and apprehension.  We believe you’re reading this because your path has led you here.  At this time in your life, you’ve reached a decision cliff, causing you to stretch and grow into a new and better you.  

Your best friend is always available to you when you're in a caffected relationship. Take advantage of the insights they offer, together you'll build a great life that provides the rich rewards of caffection.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Snail Mail



E-mail has taken over the world, but it is such a nice thing to receive a card in the snail mail box from your best pal.  Maybe because e-mail is how we communicate.   Things in the box outside the house are typically bills, which arrive with some regularity, so of little consequence.  But a card from someone is very special.  And they seem to show up at the best times, too.  I (Byron) got one today from (Mariah), and it couldn't have come at a better time.  I'm not sure when the snail received it, but the fellow inched up to the house on a day when I was feeling particularly burdened with some silly thing like a mortgage on a rental property, so trifling, like I said.  So if you don't mind, indulge me for one moment.  You see, Mariah checks the blog before she leaves work for the day, so...   Thank you dear one.  I loved the card, and you are indeed the best thing that has ever happened to me.  I love you with all my heart, and that's pretty much forever.  
Here's one for our readers to figure out, if they can.  MLWMOLMF.  Hey, 'Wordles' may be fun, but acronyms are intriguing and fun.   Thank you for the card, love.  

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

River Run


We have a ritual we try to remember every morning, like brushing teeth, and turning on the coffee pot.  We focus on what we're passionate about--creating a resource for married best friends--caffection.  We recite it by rote, and brand it into our memory.  Part of that ritual mentions the trust we have that people will be there for us, helping us along, getting us where we need to be.  Native Americans had an expression--"don't push the river, it runs all by itself".  With our morning rite we let the river run, knowing that regardless what the issue is--good or bad--if we relax and allow things to work out, they typically do, and usually far better than they would have with our frantic urging.  
This relaxed acceptance isn't the same as total resignation, far from it.  Without a lot of attention to detail, and action, and energy, not much gets done.  But it's the over-controlling and failure to listen to the little man on our shoulder that drives us down blind alleys sometimes.  The river really does run all by itself.  

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Caffected Couples' Wordles


This could be the latest craze: "Wordling."  No typo here, it's new, it's fun and it's double the fun when you share it with your best friend.  If you make a wordle, be sure you copy the link and email it to us (mariah@caffection.com or byron@caffection.com) so we can see your creation.  Check out some wordles from these Caffected couples.  Enjoy!


Monday, August 11, 2008

Book Review Monday


Coming soon.  
CAFFECTION!  Married To My Best Friend Website

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Living Large



Living large is coming.  We wrote previously of a paradigm shift in our culture, and it's as real as the headlines of doom and gloom.  The difference is, this change in the weather is for a very good thing.  Living small has its advantages: a perception of safety; blending in; strength in numbers.  But living small is a lot like dying a little every day; it's avoiding the big WHY because we're afraid.  
And what is the biggest fear?  Is it shame, or embarrassment, or failure?  Huh-uh--the biggest fear, we contend, is fear of success.  Fear of success makes us stay away from that one, fundamental, branded-in-our-DNA purpose for which we were put here.  And we avoid that purpose with a lot more passion sometimes than it would take to pursue it.  Aren't we funny?  Yes, and then we laugh at ourselves and our fearful mentality, and put off for another day dropping everything and getting after it--the reason we exist at all, the big WHY, and go back to living small.  Too bad.  
Living large isn't easy, or safe, or predictable, or even fun somedays--it's just necessary, that's all.  Or we're just hanging around in God's waiting room afraid, and, sadly, well attended.
We can sit around in our own hidden corner rusting away, or we can jump onto the ice at Rockefeller Center under the watchful gaze of Prometheus, and catch the fire.   

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Focus for Married Best Friends



While entering books on the Caffection Corner Amazon Market last night we saw the vast amount of information we've taken advantage of.   Here at Caffection: Married To My Best Friend Blog we've discussed at length the importance of affirming each other.   One component of that is the bonding you'll find when you focus on a mutual goal.  As with all successful teams, focusing on a goal, your shared vision, is key.  Ours is affirming and supporting positive, healthy, caffected 'marriages'.  Tell us about your shared vision here.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Caffected Book Review Links


For those of you who enjoy the ease of mouse guided buying, we've created the Caffection Corner Amazon Market.  This will enable you to purchase the books we've reviewed, as well as more we recommend, from the comfort of your own home.  While we were adding books we decided to put our all time favorite books on  the list;  Byron: To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper  Lee, Mariah: Eat Cake by Jeanne Ray.      Be sure to drop us an email with any great reads you love.

You Know You're Caffected When...


...friends think you're pretty weird, and their jealousy just sizzles.  We've dealt with some strange looks, interesting comments and the odd whisper.  It isn't easy at times to be the romantic duo, and display our affection for each other in public.  We were going to fly to Beijing and take in the Olympics, but there was a problem; the Chinese people frown on PDAs, not Personal Digital Assistants--Public Displays of Affection, and since we do those a lot, we figured it wasn't worth an international incident, so we're staying home.
What's wrong with PDAs?  Nothing, as long as you don't frighten the horses.  We witness all manner of mayhem, violence, crude and irreverent behavior every day, but let two people caffect in public and someone wants to call the constable.  We are a bit like the Chinese in that respect.  So, you know you're caffected when people remember how well you interact with each other.  It's a good legacy; I'll take it.
Today in History: Richard Nixon announced that he would resign from office in the wake of Watergate. 
Famous birthday: Tootsie himself, actor Dustin Hoffman 1937   

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Caffected as keyword


Google likes us, apparently.  Caffection is slowly making its way up the SE charts, and before long it will be a living, breathing, real thing.   Well, hyperbole aside, Caffection will enter the marketplace of ideas very soon.  
And so we need to clear up any misunderstandings.  Astute readers may have noticed that 'we' don't often use the 'we' speaking about the caffection website.  It's not about us.  It's about all those married couples out there who always knew they were on the right track, but don't get a lot of reinforcement.  This site's for you, as they say.  Caffected may be a keyword, but married best friends is a better one, so congratulations whoever you are, and let's let everyone know we're not just okay, we're terrific!  Steve Jobs tried to wrestle a top executive away from Coca Cola one time, but the fellow wouldn't budge--pay, stock options, retirement, executive washroom, the whole ball of wax.  Exasperated, Jobs finally nailed the guy.  "Do you want to sell fizzy sugary water the rest of your career, or do you want to change the world?"  The fellow quit Coke, and moved west with Apple Computer.  
So, do we want to live in obscurity as average, docile, obscure married folks, or do we want to change the way marriage is perceived in this culture?  I know what I want.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Loyal fans

It's an incredibly exciting feeling to see that we're starting to get a following!  According to the tracking we're doing, there are a number of people who check up on Caffection regularly, some even daily.  This is very gratifying, and we are humbly thankful for the interaction.  When we started the Caffection blog in March our intention was to use it solely for an introduction, a practice venue for the coming attraction--the real, honest to goodness Caffection Website.  In the meantime the blog has become a daily ritual that we thoroughly enjoy doing, and will continue, making it part of the Site.  
So keep reading, thanks for taking the time from busy days, and as always, we're looking for comments and suggestions, stories, helpful hints, and referrals to friends and family who want to join in. Based on the feedback we're getting, Caffection is going to be a household word soon, so congratulations on your foresight!
  

Fun With Word Scrambles

Friends at What Happy Couples Do  http://www.whathappycouplesdo.com/    let us in on a website that caffected couples will enjoy.   We've created a wordle for you to check out: 
Be sure to send us the link to your creation via byron@caffection.com or mariah@caffection.com
Happy Wordleling!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Getaway





Even with gas prices as high as they are it's nice to fantasize about a luxury trip, a once in a lifetime journey to an exotic island, or land at the end of the world.  We lived that fantasy for almost three years, and we can attest that once you've had a getaway like ours there's no denying the urge to do it all over again.  Kauai is the westernmost of the habitable Hawaiian islands, the most remote group of islands in the world.  We would occasionally drive to Polihale beach on the western shore of the island and look west.  From where we stood the nearest land mass was Japan, three thousand miles away.  It was a getaway like no other.
Sometime in 2010 we will return to Kauai, and you should plan to accompany us.  We'll be offering a Caffection Seminar in the early Spring.  Exact location, date etc. TBA.  Keep checking the blog, and soon the Caffection Website, and we'll fill in the blanks on this once in a lifetime getaway to Hawaii's Garden Isle, the most beautiful place on earth.  Travel with us there and you'll have the privilege of touring this lush, remote island with your best friend, and with us, two people who love the island, and know all about it--places to see, rich cuisine, local attractions, shortcuts only a native knows, and much more.  Get away with us in 2010 to Kauai.
  

Storming into the Future

After living on Kauai, where electrical storms  were few and far between, we realized how much we enjoy witnessing the power & spectacular light show one brings.  We've found the same to be true of the power of the internet.  We're hearing from people all over the world of just how cool being caffected is for them.  For those of you reading Caffection: Married to My Best Friend, thank you.  It gets better though, our webmaster is showing us tidbits from the upcoming website.  It's informative, interactive and fun.  It's full of resources for caffected couples and the great thing for you is, you already know about Caffection, you'll be able to tell your friends about it.  Got Caffection?  Great, let's storm the world with the message; "Being in a caffected relationship is wonderful.  Everyone should have a love like this!"  It's Electrifying!

Monday, August 4, 2008

Book review Manners for Couples


This week we take a look at what we believe is an essential book about being 'coupled', which relates directly to the idea of caffection. Grandson of Emily Post (yes, that Emily Post), Peter Post has compiled Essential Manners for Couples. This is sensible, comprehensive advice on everything 'From Snoring and Sex to Finances and Fighting...' as the jacket says. Useful advice inside covers a surprising range of common and not so common situations, like signals we send, interaction with other couples, our actions in public, work (which the author labels, trenchantly the 'other significant other'), such things as sex when the kids are in the house, and having houseguests. Underlying all the advice is the simple rule of good etiquette. In this book, that rule outlines how etiquette applies to happy couples, and can be a terrific guide to calmer, stronger marriage. Our only disappointment in the book was its minimal attention to financial patterns in a marriage, money being number 1 or 2 on the list of marital stressors, particularly now. Perhaps that's another book. But for great advice on etiquette in happy coupledom, Peter Post's Essential Manners for COUPLES, ©2005 is 'essential' reading.
www.harpercollins.com

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Abundance Vs Scarcity


What we expect is what we get.  Whatever we focus on expands, until it becomes our reality.  These sound like hollow words, just another set of euphemistic fluff that no one really believes but sound good, and look good on the printed page.  But think about the last time you expected to have a good time at a party, or at the movies.  We're you surprised?  What about the last time you dreaded facing a co-worker, or a colleague who caused you a problem?  Going in, if you expected confrontation, what did you get?
Just so, if we expect abundance, we'll get abundance regardless of what's available.  If we expect scarcity, guess what?  No amount of whatever it is will seem sufficient.  We had this experience yesterday at Trader Joe's, a shee-shee grocery store here in Columbus.  We expected great food, a terrific selection, beautiful presentation, and an accordingly high price.  But we were pleasantly surprised at the final tally, which was less than we anticipated.  We got the quality we expected, but at a much lower cost.  The lesson is that we should expect abundance, and it will be our reality in whatever form.

Flowers for my best friend

It was only a single stemmed yellow gladiolus from the yard and yet it made me smile, or rather glad.  Anyway you look at it, no matter how old, how young or what gender you are, flowers are a wonderful gift for your mate and great way to say, "I Love You."  Try it, it's fun.

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Romantic Travel Destinations For Married Best Friends

The Eiffel Tower, according to Wikipedia, is one of the most recognized structures in the world and has had more than 200 million visitors since its construction in 1889. So popular is this massive icon, that you only need to type eiffel tower into the search bar of Google to find "about 7,820,000 results" in a mere 0.09 seconds (we love Google, we could do a blog on the perks of google---maybe we will!)
Since our planned Sept 2001 trip to Paris was cancelled, the Eiffel Tower remains solidly at the top of our romantic vacation wish list. We'd love to hear your recommendations, as well as your fun Paris stories. mariah@caffection.com or byron@caffection.com

Friday, August 1, 2008

Romantic Best Friends


There's no contradiction in being romantic best friends.  This is not a misprint.  Lovers, caffected married people, have the elite status of having it all.  If there's a better definition of wealth, we're not sure what it is.  This wealthy status extends to every aspect of a relationship, including so-called end of life issues.  For caffected couples there can be no sadder event than a death of one member of the relationship.   When a loved one passes on there are so many items needing attention that, regardless of how diligent we are beforehand, there always seems to be something missed, some detail left out of the planning.  
To assist with that, Caffection Press has created a helpful guide that covers nearly all those items, and can be filled out in advance.  It will be available soon, for free, on our website.  Just look for Last Will & Caffection, and download it with our compliments.  Coming soon.  
So being Romantic best friends covers a lot of ground, including a part of life we'd rather not think about.  Tomorrow we'll discuss a few more exclusive items available soon from Caffection.  We have e-books, books, romantic gift items, 'boovies', journals, and much more.  Stay tuned.  Your lover will be grateful you found our site, and you'll come back again and again, especially since there will be separate items available only to certain clients who expect the highest quality, and for whom price is secondary.

Gifts For Your Best Friend

And the survey says...  #1 Gifts & Love Letters are how we celebrate our caffected marriages.  
So what makes a good gift or love letter?  Many of us have gone to the store at the last minute, ended up in the card section, read several cards and thought, "I could've written something like this myself."  The reality is, yes, you could have.  Soon we'll provide you with the tools you need to write your mate a great love letter.  Often it only takes reading a few lines of the cards off the rack to get your romantic juices flowing.  We're so confident you'll be able to do this, we're creating a Caffection Love Letter Template exclusively for caffected couples.

Today in History: The 1st US census was finished noting 3,219,214 people 1790
Famous birthday: Author Herman Melville  1819