So Romantic.

[PriamNevhausten]

I've been thinking lately, as I am wont to do, and I recalled a bit of a realization I had a couple months back. I haven't a solitary clue, not the slightest notion, of what "romance" is, what is "romantic." Sure, I've been told from birth that candlelight dinners are romantic, and that kind of crap, but I have been completely unable to nail down any concept with regard to the idea. I bounced the idea off a friend, and he indicated similarly--he's been told things like "you're the only guy that's ever romanced me," when he hadn't a clue what it was that he was doing that evoked that kind of conclusion.

So, I ask you people, who are likely not nearly as rational and emotionally apathetic as myself:

What is romance? What does it mean for something to be romantic? <p><span style="font-size:xx-small;">"It's in the air, in the headlines in the newspapers, in the blurry images on television. It is a secret you have yet to grasp, although the first syllable has been spoken in a dream you cannot quite recall." --Unknown Armies</span></p>

[SuperRube]

Uh... foreplay? <p>

---

THE BROTHERHOOD OF ELITIST BASTARDS We're better then you. See if you can prove us otherwise.</p>

[Vampire Jester Jinx]

It varies from person to person. I know this because when I'm with my best friends, we talk about this sometimes. We all have varying notions of what is romantic.

But basically, I think being romantic boils down to a few things, doing something that is special in some way, a little something out of the ordinary. It honestly doesn't have to be amazingly unique, and for some people the cliche candlelit dinner may be the way to go.

Thoughtfulness in most any way is romantic, and can be a major factor on the romance level. Also, a recurring thing in what a lot of people have said on what they think is romantic, is spending time alone together, or having fun in a public place, but not going with anyone else along save the two of them.

But that's just what I've noticed. As everyone has completely different notions of what is "romantic". One of my friends thinks going on a camping and hiking trip with her boyfriend is romantic. Sounds like hell to me. <p>

---

<div style="text-align:center">

Happy Halloween, you bastards!</div></p>

[Banjooie]

Make the other girl feel special.

[Wolfbelly]

I would assume that 'Romance' is making the person you're going out with feel absolutely special through various little things.
Flowers = "Oh, wow. Didn't expect flowers. how romantic."
Candlelit dinner = "Oh, wow. Kinda like in the movies. how romantic."
Watching Bride of Re-Animator = "Cthulhu mythos? Aaawwww, how romantic!"
Etc. So, to reiterate, going out of your way to make that certain someone feel special and have a day that tehy'll remember in a good way is romantic. Likewise, romance can be nullified by attitudes inherent within yourself.
Flowers = "Wow. Dandelions, that's kinda romantic but since he just tossed them at me, it's kinda not ..."
Candlelit dinner = "I understand the benefits of candlelit dinners and all, but to have them because you say that your power bill is way to fucking high is not romantic in the least"
Watching Bride of Re-Animator = "WTF? He thinks this is romantic?"

...

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Adrin]

The Romantics were a group of artists who advocated strong emotion over reason, imagination, and a return to Nature for inspiration; they were reacting against the French Enlightenment. Both Shelleys, Byron, Keats, and Blake were some Romantic authors, and some Romantic composers were Liszt and, of course, Beethoven. (See Eroica.)

The Romantic hero is set apart from the masses, IIRC, by some artistic skill or ability which makes him superior. He often commits suicide.

^____^

[Vampire Jester Jinx]

HAR HAR. <p>

---

<div style="text-align:center">

Happy Halloween, you bastards!</div></p>

[PopoSujo]

As Jinx said, romance very much changes from person to person.

A lot to do with romance is, as others said, doing things spontaneously that will mean something to the other person. For instance, at the end of high school, my girlfriend was going on a trip and I was helping her pack. She ran into the bathroom to get some stuff and I wrote her a letter and put it in the pocket of one of her pairs of shorts. When she found it she called me in tears and told me how sweet I was and how much she loved me. It was very cool.

Also, music works better than almost anything else. Burn a girl a CD full of music that has to do with dating and love and stuff like that; mix in the serious and the sillly. I have made my girlfriend about five of them and she loves each one. <p>

---

The Media is an organization in the same sense that Ohio is a team. -PriamNevhausten</p>

[SALSAlys]

Yeah, romantic ideals vary from person to person, but I think the most common ingredients are... mm...

Thought. Originality is a bonus, although there's still something to be said for 'classic' things like the candlelit dinners and stuff.

Personally, sweetest thing that I think ever happened to me (on the basis of... one boyfriend! OMG I AM TEH MANKILLER, BABY!) was when my exboyfriend (he wasn't exes then, obviously) burnt a CD of music on Valentine's day, and put it in a CD player which had two earpieces; we each got one, and just snuggled and danced in a corner of the classroom during Anime Club. A corner in the back, so everyone was watching the TV. =D

And the songs I remember from it are "Complicated", by Avril Lavigne, and "This Kiss" (yay for Faith Hill!) which is why I have a soft spot for those two songs. ^^;;

Of course, then he gave me lots of chocolates, a big white stuffed doggy, and a fancy dinner. 9__9;; Personally, the CD thing was what made the most impact on me, as I felt guilty about making him spend that much. =/

[Choark]

Well according to some Shoujo Manga's I've read it can be Romanic when:

a) A Guy drives a Bike through the window onto your fathers head causing blood to gush out of his forehead, while he graps it and rolls around on the floor - all because he heard you had a cold.

b) Said Guy helps set up and buys you equipment so you can rob someone of thre most prized possession because you so happen to collect similar stuff. The guy gets extra romance points if he also distracts the man as well.

c) The Guy leaves for two weeks without notice and leaving you wondering whats happened to him or if he's just left you when he suddenly returns holding a book you so happened to point to once and said you wanted it - The Guy gets even more romance points if when he returns he has ripped clothes, bruises and twigs in his hair.

d) The Guy fights a 100 strong gang for you and is left as a bloody mess on the floor as you are left unharmed even when it was you who started all this mess anyway for being a bitch - though you'll spend ages shouting at him and explain to him why fighting is morally wrong - you secretly love the fact he put himself through all that just for you. He also gains super Romance points if he smiles at you while coughing out his guts.

This is what I understand romance to be. There's many other examples really but overall I think this covers everything.

[Darkblade2000us]

Look into their eyes, the mirrors of the soul and listen to the true voice of their heart. Thats where you will find real love and romance....or something

[JoshuaDurron]

I'm allergic to romance.

But I've found that following these simple steps:

1. Smile

2. Nod

Whenever a girl is talking will score you bonus points, regardless of the situation. <p>

---

"Strenghten your lyre and sing
The hymn of death
The sky opens to us
They fly to the ray"

-Cante per me, Kajiura Yuki</p>

[PopoSujo]

Aye, that works, but it isn't romance.

And I'm telling all of you, music is the way to a girl's heart. "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye, just about anything by the Beach Boys, and stuff like that. It works, even if it is goofy. <p>

---

The Media is an organization in the same sense that Ohio is a team. -PriamNevhausten</p>

[Celeste of Elvenhame]

Romance is those things you do to make a girl feel special. A lot of the time it's the little gestures that let her know you are thinking of her. Flowers out of the blue, a candlelit dinner, a night where you take her out to do something that normally bores the hell out of you, etc. <p>---------------Celeste of Elvenhame --------------- </p>

[Lord Hatsuma]

I'm pretty sure it boils down to this:

In a 'relationship' (the air quote kind, not the dictionary definition), the things you can do with that person beyond what you can do with, say, your friends, can be lumped into two categories. The first is sexual. The rest is romantic.

That is to say, it's how you treat your significant other when you aren't trolling for nookie. (Wow, that's an awful statement.)

~Hatsuma!

[PopoSujo]

But it really is and accurate one.


On a footnote, that's the first time I've bolded a word here :) <p>

---

The Media is an organization in the same sense that Ohio is a team. -PriamNevhausten</p>

[ArgusDevilmen]

I like Cho's theory. <p><div style="text-align:center"></div></p>

[PriamNevhausten]

Hatsuma presents a very interesting view. I shall have to meditate upon this. <p><span style="font-size:xx-small;">"It's in the air, in the headlines in the newspapers, in the blurry images on television. It is a secret you have yet to grasp, although the first syllable has been spoken in a dream you cannot quite recall." --Unknown Armies</span></p>

[Celeste of Elvenhame]

Actually I think that's a fairly accurate view. It's definately not romantic whatever you do if you are obviously pushing for sex. (it may lead to sex, but if you are trying to get it to lead to sex, it's not romantic.)

<p>---------------Celeste of Elvenhame --------------- </p>

[BrainWalker]

The basic foundation point has been made already. That being, that the concept of "romance" is pretty simple. Just going that extra mile to do something out of the ordinary for someone for no more reason than to let them know you care. That's pretty much all there is to it.

It helps to not have ulterior motives. <p><div style="text-align:center"></div></p>

[PopoSujo]

Unless they don't know about them or lead to better things, like proposing. <p>

---

The Media is an organization in the same sense that Ohio is a team. -PriamNevhausten</p>