Working with Your Romantic Partner: 5 keys to making it work.

By choice or not, many spouses work together. Alas, only sometimes does it work.

My wife Barbara Nemko and I have worked together on many projects, notably 30 years as frequent guest on my radio program but also as co-evaluators of projects at UC Berkeley, joint presenters at the Napa County Office of Education, and our two-person stage play, Odd Man Out.

And we’ve not had one fight. Sure, we have disagreements but 95% of the time, they’re resolved with a quick rational exchange and the other 5% of the time, we argue briefly and one of us gives in or we compromise and we move on.No grudges. In the larger picture, we’ve been together for 46 years, married for 43.

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I offer tips that have helped us and I hope might help you:

Come see my wife and I in our two-person show: Odd Man Out?

Tomorrow, as a fundraiser for anti-gun violence, my wife and I do our show,     ODD MAN OUT
As they say, good tickets are going fast.

Ever feel like you didn’t quite fit in? KGO, KALW and S.F. Chronicle career expert Marty Nemko definitely hasn’t. He tells all with story, piano-playing, and jack-in-the-box interruptions by his wife, Barbara Nemko.
                    

“In Odd Man Out, Nemko hit it out of the park.”

                                  Napa Valley Register

WHEN: One show only: Weds, June 19, 7:00 PM.
WHERE: Lucky Penny Community Arts Center, 1758 Industrial Way, Napa.
TICKETS: $30. All proceeds go to support U.S. House Representative, Mike Thompson’s anti-gun violence initiative.  For best seats, go online: https://bit.ly/2MK9EIM. 
Or buy at the door. Doors open 6:00 PM.

"Privilege:" A most unfair term and one that ironically hurts those it's supposed to help

“Privilege” is among the most insidious focus-group-approved incendiaries.

And among the most unfair.  And ironically, it disempowers the very people the Privilege Promulgators claim to want to help.

I make the case in my PsychologyToday.com article today.

Quelling Children's Fear of Dogs: A dog owner's not-random act of kindness

As I walk my sweet doggie Einstein, I’ve observed that young children who seem scared of him are often reflecting their parents’ fear—The parent may squeeze the child’s hand as we pass or even pull the child slightly away. I’m guessing the parent’s fear thus gets transmitted to the child and so spawns what could be a lifetime fear of or at least dislike of dogs.
That’s unfortunate if only because any unnecessary fear unduly stresses a person, and in our ever more stressful times, owning a dog can be one of life’s most soothing experiences.

So, as I’m walking Einstein, when I approach a parent with a young child, I look for cues that the parent and child might be open to my desensitization routine. I describe that in my PsychologyToday.com article today.

The Emotional Gas Tank: How job seekers can avoid running out of gas

Every job seeker starts their search with a full tank of emotional gas. With each rejection or getting ignored, some gas is burned. 

My PsychologyToday.com article today should boost your chances of landing a job before you run out of gas.

Craftily Laying Low: A success strategy for introverts....and everyone

Conventional wisdom is that success requires assertiveness. But especially for introverts  but also for others, craftily laying low can be wise. In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I explain why and offer examples of how to craftily lay low.

You U: A solid alternative to State U, let alone Private U

Of course, some careers require a degree, notably in the health fields, but many careers don’t. Sure, in other fields, employers tend to pick degree holders but that preference can be trumped by the self-driven learning process I describe in my PsychologyToday.com article today. I call it You U.  And once you’re in a career, the case is even stronger for You U over State U, let alone Private U.