Friday, October 01, 2010

Secrets of Great Marriages.

Linda and Charlie BloomJim and I are featured in a new book just reviewed in Men's Wear Daily. The authors, Charlie and Linda Bloom, spoke with us back when we were performing "The Big Voice: God or Merman?" in San Francisco.
"A gay couple confronting Steve Schalchlin’s AIDS find themselves going broke as Jim Brochu takes off work to care for Steve full-time. “We celebrated what we believed would be our last vacation, our last Christmas, and our last birthdays together. For about a year, I was so weak I couldn’t even sit up.” Medication rescues Steve just in time, and today their relationship is stronger than ever."
What is SHE talking about? We can't STAND each other! Hmm. Is there a Lifetime Movie there? I think so!
What can we learn from these couples? As the authors lay out in their introduction, we see throughout the book that—among other keys to their successful relationships–they: have a high level of mutual respect and trust for their partners; have a nonhierarchical relationship; tend not to hold grudges; address unfinished business expeditiously rather than putting things on the back burner; tend to avoid cycles of blame, express affection, appreciation, and need for each other frequently; are honest with themselves and their partner; and engage in frequent acts of service to each other. “The way to avoid divorce,” Hal and Sidra Stone wisely counsel, “is to have a no-fault marriage.”
I suppose all those things are true, but the real secret to a good marriage is that I let him think that he always gets everything his way. Oh, and coffee in the morning. I make sure he has his coffee.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Steve! I've been quietly following your blog for ages (yeeears) but this post just...I don't know, it really struck me. The way the two of you have been there for each other...it gives me so much hope. -Maddy

Devin Richards said...

congrats! :)

Jason H. said...

I know I've expressed this to you before, but you and Jimmy are truly role models for me and how I aim for our relationship to be. We love and adore you both!