The 80/20 Solution: Hallie and Al

What, exactly, is the 80/20 Solution, as it applies to personal relationships? Very simply, it's the proposition that few people can ever hope to be 100% of all things to a partner at all times: 80% is about the maximum number most people can hope to achieve when talking about meeting his or her soul-mate's total needs in life.

But what about that other 20% of your emotional, recreational, intellectual desires which make up the areas in your life where you and your partner find yourselves at odds? Some adventurous couples--recognizing this challenge--have elected to openly spend that time apart, fulfilling those needs with other experiences, pursuing interests that don't intrigue their partner a bit; or with other people who do share their passions!

Hallie and Al Bergstrom are just such a couple. They read about this new approach to relationships, and elect to give it a try. They've been married ten years and are committed to starting a family soon, now that they're finally nearing their professional goals.

He is a college math professor at a small Midwestern university that is about to achieve tenured status. She is a top executive at a regional manufacturer, about to be promoted to VP. Both are very attractive, very out-going people.

They agree to take a spring break vacation in one of their favorite cities, Las Vegas, so he can try a new gaming system while she shops, sees the sights, and does what she wants to do. Only this year, they've decided to try something radically different as well: separate hotels, separate rental cars; separateexperiences!

They will fly into and out of Las Vegas together, but agree not to see or communicate with each other while they're there, except for chance meetings or in an emergency. As to meeting other people on their vacation and spending time with them, sexuallythey've agreed to play that completely by ear!

This, then, is the story of that fateful vacation. Will their time apart end up making them a stronger couple, or will it be the start of the dissolution of their marriage?

Dettagli