I teach a 3-hour class this Sat. at Berkeley Adult School: How to Do Life

Berkeley Adult School has asked me back to teach another three-hour class this Saturday, Oct. 5 from 10 AM to 1 PM.

This one will be based on my book, How to Do Life: What They Didn't Teach You in School.

I'll discuss such topics as how to find and make the most of a mentor, how to negotiate well without having to be too aggressive, how to succeed in difficult conversations, and yes, my thoughts on the meaning of life.

It is free although you're asked to make a $10 to $15 donation to Berkeley Adult School's scholarship fund. No one, however, will be turned away because of lack of funds.

HERE is the info for signing up.

How to Run a Meeting

What's the first word that comes to mind when I say the word "meetings?"

Common answers are "boring" and "waste."

Yet planned and run well, meetings can be valuable, even fun.

How good are or would you be at running a meeting? I offer a quiz in my USNews.com article today.

Come See Jeffrie Givens and Me in Her One-Woman Show: Big, Black, and Shy

Jeffrie Givens with my doggie, Einstein, who has a role in the show

I'm pleased to announce the seventh performance of the one-woman show I have produced, directed, co-wrote, and piano-accompany: Big, Black and Shy. 

It will be at 2 PM on Sunday, Nov. 17 at my home at 5936 Chabolyn Terrace, Oakland, CA. The first six performances all sold out and all received a standing ovation. And since then, we've changed and improved the show significantly.

Me accompanying Jeffrie in Big, Black & Shy

Big, Black, and Shy is the inspiring story of, and told by, Jeffrie Givens, one of the shyest people ever to come out of East Oakland who additionally struggled because her values were different from the typical kids' in her community.

She tells her story in words and in songs---mainly some of Broadway show's greatest (and most challenging) songs--and truly, she's gone from being a performer who was as stiff as a cadaver to, well, you'll see.

The Rossmoor News review of the show:

 "Wow, what a terrific voice and what an inspiring story. Givens is an extremely talented young woman! After the show, I found myself comparing this experience in some degree to what I felt when I first witnessed Susan Boyle perform on 'Britain's Got Talent.'”

We believe the show is enjoyed best in an intimate setting so we are doing it in the living room of my home, which can seat only 22 people. Starting at 1:30, champagne will be served while I play the piano. The show will begin at 2:00 and end at around 3:30.

As I mentioned, each of the previous six performances sold out, so if you'd like to come, I suggest you buy your tickets now. They are $20 (all goes to Jeffrie) and you can buy them by emailing me your MasterCard or Visa number, expiration date, the zip code on the card's billing address and, of course, the number of tickets you want. My email address is mnemko@comcast.net. No one has ever emailed me their credit card information and had that information stolen but if you're concerned, you can call it into my office: 510-655-2777.  Also feel free to call if you have any questions about the show.  (Update: only eight seats remain as of this writing.)

Good Bioscience Careers That Don't Require a Ph.D.

Bioscience careers will likely remain in demand but are there under-the-radar ones that don't require a Ph.D?

I describe three in my latest AOL.com article. HERE is the link.

Are You Assertive Enough? A Self-Assessment

Are you assertive enough? That's the topic of my today's USNews.com article.

Excitable Ed: A story for children and adults

I've just drafted my second children's story. Like the previous one, it's as much for adults as for kids.

The text is below as is a video of me reading it aloud. Even as an adult I enjoy being read to.

Feedback welcome.

Excitable Ed

(to be illustrated)

From the day he was born, Ed was excitable. He popped out practically waving pom-pons.

The day his baby sister was born, he tried to dance with her.

When his preschool teacher told the class to slowly melt like ice cream cones, by the time the other kids melted, he had melted, straightened, melted, straightened, and melted again. 

When he started kindergarten, people didn't like that Ed was excitable.

When his teacher, Ms Tidey, asked a question, Ed would blurt out the answer. "Edward, you must wait until you're called on."

When Ms Tidey said it was time for recess, Ed raced to get a ball but the teacher said, "Walk, don't run. Edward!  Now you can't have a ball."

One day at recess, there were pigeons on the top of the roof. Ed kept jumping up to get a better look---until one pooped on his head.  All the kids laughed at Ed.

The kids liked Ed even less than the teacher did. They would imitate Ed zooming around and they didn't even care that he saw them. The teacher once called him "Excitable Ed" and now that's the only thing the kids call him: "Hi Excitable Ed!" "Zoom around for us, Excitable Ed!"

Still, Ed wanted to make friends so when he saw other kids giving little presents to each other, he bought a piece of bubble gum for every one of his classmates. But when he started to give them out, one child said, "That's stupid!" Another tattled to the teacher, "Ed has gum in class!" And Ms. Tidey said, "Give me that gum, Edward. Don't you know there's no gum in class?!" Ed bowed his head and gave her the gum.

Then one day at recess, when someone kicked the soccer ball into the street, Ed, trying to be nice, raced after it....and didn't see the car coming. Splat!

Now Ed had to be in the hospital while they put his body in a whole-body cast.

Ms. Tidey called Ed's mother and said, "I really think Edward should start taking a drug to calm him down."

His mother asked, "But Ed does fine on school tests. Maybe if the work were harder or more interesting? Or maybe if you let him move around some more?"

Ms Tidey murmured, "I think he should be evaluated for Ritalin."

Ed's mom said politely, "I'll think about it."

Ed asked his mother, "If I take that drug, will I still be me?"

Ms. Tidey passed-around a get-well card for Ed's classmates to sign but most of the kids snickered and didn't sign it. One classmate, who already knew how to write, wrote, "Are you still fast in a cast?"

Not one of Ed's classmates came to see him in the hospital.

Ed had to share the hospital room with another child: Ellen too had been in a car accident. Her face was covered with bandages, like a mummy. With Ed's whole body in a cast, they made quite a pair.

For the first time anyone could remember, Ed was quiet--he was exhausted from the accident. Besides, it is hard to zoom around when your whole body is in a cast.

Everyone in the hospital liked the calm Ed--except Ed. He felt like he lost his real self. Now, he was Boring Ed.

But one thing that didn't get put in a cast was his heart.

"Don't worry, Ellen" said Ed. The bandages will come off soon."

"I'm scared of what I'll look like," Ellen replied. The doctor's supposed to come in soon to take off the bandages,"

"Don't worry. You'll look good again fast."

And just then, the doctor walked in and, after a too-quick hello, removed the bandages.

Monsters looked better.

Ed forced himself not to say, "Ugh!." And it was a good thing Ellen couldn't see herself in the mirror.

But then Ellen could. She pulled a small mirror from her bedside drawer and said it, "Ugh! Will I be like this forever?"

The doctor hesitated and then said, "Ellen, you'll look much better,. Um, you're healing well. So good news: you can go home! Your parents will be here in a few minutes." And the doctor walked out.

Ed said, "What counts is what's on your inside."

"That's not what the kids think." Ellen replied.

Ed said, "If you're nice on the inside, your outside shines too. Kids like nice people as much as they like good-looking people."

After Ellen left, Ed laid there thinking: Does it really matter more what's on the inside? Will people like me only when I'm not my real self? Should I take that drug? For me? For the other kids?

And Excitable Ed closed his eyes.

Do you think Ed should take the drug?

Take Your Parents to Work Day

Parent power is underutilized at in the workplace. Now, some leading companies are having Take Your Parents to Work Days. I write about that in my today's AOL.com article.