I have a University of Michigan (Go Blue!) credit card in my wallet. It is strange because I did not attend Michigan. The reason I have it is my wife almost attended there and even applied for a credit card during one of her visits. Thankfully, she ended up going to school with me at Penn. I carry that credit card as a reminder of how serendipitous life is. Had she attended Michigan, would we have ever met? Had we not met, would I be here writing this Newsletter right now? The answer is probably not and for the bit of luck (mostly on my part) I am thankful. Therefore I keep it in my wallet and use it occasionally as a reminder of how random, fragile, subtle and beautiful life is. This week's Loupe is dedicated to relationship building!

Relish
App

I am a big believer in setting people up for success, especially oneself. That means establishing systems that don't/won't allow you to fail. It is especially important in the context of relationships. In a serious relationship (marriage) one must act like an elephant, remembering every occasion (birthday, anniversary, first date, etc.) and producing items that demonstrate the importance of the meaning of such occasion. As I said, there is a way to do this, and it is called Relish. Think of it as a personal trainer for your relationship! You must enter intimate details of your relationship including how you feel and how you think they feel; I hope they never get hacked! With this information, this app reminds you of the major events in the course of your relationship and provides helpful hints along the way to keep things interesting. They usually provide 2-3 items per week, and they might include a reminder to send a text that is decidedly unbusinesslike! Try it out; it may keep you out of the couple therapist's office in the future.

The Enclosed
Apparel

Lingerie is a particularly dangerous item for men in particular, and one I have hereto for avoided like the plague. My fear is that I will get the wrong thing and send the wrong message. How the heck do I know what she wants/likes? What am I trying to communicate by buying it?? You think my ass is that big??? These are but a few of the complications of buying. Fear no more. My business school classmate and fellow Louper Antonia Townsend has removed the stigma and made choosing easy for us men. The Enclosed provides a personal shopper to guide you through the high-quality selection of items so you can't go (terribly) wrong. They even offer a 100% fit guaranty if you get it wrong! Enjoy everyone!

Tapplock one
Home

It would seem that the other key part of a great relationship is never keeping secrets. Obviously, this presupposes that you haven't (wouldn't) do anything that would need to be kept from your loved one. I have so little to hide that my wife even knows my iPhone's password. With the iPhone X, gone are the days when I could enter her fingerprint into my phone for very easy access. However, the folks at Tapplock have created an actual lock that mirrors the functionality of an iPhone. You can enter both of your fingerprints in this handy and effective lock. It is amazing to me that it took this long to make a fingerprint opening lock. Who can find the keys or remember the code to their lock anyway? I imagine 99% of lock owners set their combo to 1-2-3-4 or 0-0-0-0! Now you can have security for your bag, gym locker, or whatever else you might lock away. The battery comes into play, but supposedly last one year on a single charge. You can even grant access to third parties and see who entered and when. It's really a great item if you have the use case.

Smile Twice
Home

A critical part of any successful relationship is...smelling good! I have learned that if I am to share the immediate vicinity with my wife, I must avoid eating (handling) onions and garlic. Further, I learned at a young age (my father was an oral surgeon) that brushing one's teeth twice a day not only improves one's oral hygiene but also reduces smelly breath (aka the dreaded gingivitis). I will also note that one's taste varies throughout the day. For example, I do not want oatmeal for dinner and sea bass for breakfast. Enter the geniuses behind the new toothpaste brand Twice. It was a collaboration between Lenny Kravitz and the two sons of his very own dentist! They have made a great toothpaste, but they have developed two different taste profiles, one for the morning (Wintergreen/Peppermint) and the other for the evening (Peppermint with Vanilla & Lavender). Sure you could buy two different brands, but these guys have made it easy. The formulations have teeth whitening, cavity prevention, and sensitivity relief. If your teeth look anywhere close to that of Lenny Kravitz, your relationship could reach new heights!

Happy coupling, and consider Relish, The Enclosed, Tapplock One, Smile Twice Found!

Hail to the Victors Valiant!