Category Archives: Eric’s Musings

Cooking with Grease – 14 Suggestions

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In his book, Kitchen Confidential – Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, Anthony Bourdain, the chef and host of the Travel Channel show, No Reservations, serves up lots of advice.

Okay, admittedly most of his advice deals with the restaurant business, culinary insights and food preparation.
However, in one of the book’s final chapters, “So You Want to Be a Chef – A Commencement Address,” Bourdain shares fourteen suggestions to prepare for and guide a life in the restaurant business.

I found these suggestions to have varying degrees of applicability to life, regardless of one’s profession and thus decided to share them.

1. Be Fully Committed
“Be ready to lead, follow or get out of the way.”

Mediocrity is equal to achieving a failing grade. If one is going to “phone it in” or simply get by on the strength and commitment of their co-workers, they are guilty of cheating. Cheating themselves and cheating the team.

2. Learn Spanish!
“It will be personally rewarding and professionally invaluable.”

Latinos are the fastest growing population in this country. One needs no more rationale or reasoning to emerge oneself into this diverse and rapidly emerging culture.

Suggestions 3 – 6 take on a special significance for me. As an African-American male having worked in professional environments where I was often-times a minority, I have found that there are certain (negative) stereotypes that some associate with African-Americans. I suspect that these stereotypical viewpoints are the product of limited experience or ignorance. Regardless of the reason, I take pride in exceeding other’s expectations of me and my professional capabilities.

3. Don’t Steal
“In fact, don’t do anything you couldn’t take a polygraph test over.”

4. Always Be On Time

5. Never Make Excuses or Blame Others

6. Never Call In Sick

7. Lazy, Sloppy and Slow are Bad
“Enterprising, crafty and hyperactive are good.”

One’s appearance, level of productivity and output are a direct reflection of the individual.
Again, carrying my own personal baggage, I find it rewarding to exceed expectations and “set the bar” high. It sets a standard of excellence for my peers and, more importantly, those who will eventually follow in my footsteps.

8. Be Prepared To Witness Every Human Folly and Injustice

To my thinking this is simply a confirmation that we are all bound to encounter things that will surprise, and in some cases, frustrate us in the workplace. The true test is how we choose to deal with the situation.

9. Assume The Worst
“About Everybody. But don’t let this poisoned outlook affect your job performance. Let it roll off your back.”
Okay, the last part is often easier said than done, but…Bourdain goes on to say, “Just because someone you work with is a miserable, treacherous, self-serving, capricious asshole shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying his company, working with him or finding him entertaining.”

What more can I say? Really?

10. Try Not To Lie
“Don’t lie about it. You made a mistake. Admit it and move on.”

Again, enough said!

11. Avoid Restaurants Where the Owner’s Name is Over the Door.+

Everything doesn’t have direct applicability, but my take on this is is that one should avoid people who live in a self-absorbed bubble.

12. Think About That Resume
“How will it look…if you’ve never worked in one place longer than six months? If the years ’95 to ’97 are unaccounted for? Under ‘Reasons for Leaving Last Job,’ never give the real reason, unless it’s money or ambition.”

Your resume is a snapshot of who you are, what you have done and what you can offer.

13. Read!

Bourdain encourages people to read cookbooks. I place no parameters on what an individual reads, I just think that people should read…more and with greater frequency.
Books, newspapers, magazines, pamphlets and package labels. Reading enlightens us and broadens our perspectives and world view.

14. Have A Sense of Humor About Things.
“You’ll need it.”

To quote a philosopher (Ludwig Wittgenstein) –

“Humor is not a mood, but a way of looking at the world.”

If You Don’t Stand for Something, You Will Fall for Anything

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My reaction to last weekend’s news coverage regarding the attacks that Congressmen Lewis and Frank, among others, were subjected to, was not shock, but disappointment…quickly followed by confirmation.

Racism, discrimination and ignorance are very much alive and well in America.

The volatile and personal public attacks that erupted should offend and upset each and every single one of us.

Let’s be clear, this is not a Republican or Democratic issue.

For the record, it is also not a “Tea Party” issue.

Decency, respect and decorum have no specific party affiliation.

In his New York Times Op-Ed article, 3/23, An Absence of Class, the ever eloquent Bob Herbert stated:

“At some point, we have to decide as a country that we just can’t have this:
We cannot allow ourselves to remain silent as foaming-at-the mouth protesters scream the vilest of epithets at members of Congress – epithets that The Times will not allow me to repeat here.”

Since this is my blog, I will repeat the vile epithets…in the form of a question –

What do the words Nigger, Faggot, or for that matter, spitting on another human being have to do with health care?

Herbert went on to say,

“It is 2010, which means it is way past time for decent Americans to rise up against this kind of garbage, to fight it aggressively wherever it appears.”

Silence or turning a blind eye will not make the severity of this new “low” we’ve reached go away. This is something that we have a shared responsibility to address and correct.

In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”

click here for An Absence of Class by Bob Herbert

"Teaching Little Brown Babies"

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There was an article in The New York Times on Saturday that I just have to talk about and perhaps get your comments and impressions.

“To Court Blacks, Foes of Abortion Make Racial Case.”click here

I was intrigued, not by the highly personal and morally difficult pro-choice/pro-life debate, but by the suggestion that Blacks are like lemmings – in need of a savior to “guide” and “rescue” them from the perils of an evil world…and their own ignorance.

As described in the article,”the largely white staff” of the anti-abortion group in Georgia had a light bulb moment.

The “idea” was to link a fact

(disproportionately high number of Black women have abortions)

with a theory

(there is a decades old conspiracy to kill off Blacks)

so that African-American women will know “the truth.”

Brilliant marketing – Yes?

Just pit Black against White and and throw the fear of racial genocide into the mix.

Of course, the fact that these new “outreach” saviors (oops, I meant anti-abortion leaders) had a few abortions themselves is irrelevant to these sisters of mercy.

I smirked and thought of a line from the film, Murder On the Orient Express.

Responding to Inspector Poirot’s wily interrogation, the seemingly meek Swedish missionary, Greta (played by Ingrid Bergman, who won an Oscar), said with deep humility:

“I work in Africa…as missionary – teaching little brown babies more backward than myself.”

Good Hair

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On February 25, 2009 I sent an email that contained the following text to friends, clients and co-workers.

It also included the link below.

A co-worker recently asked me,
“What is with your obsession with hair, barber shops and beauty parlors?”

Obsession? No.
Fascination? Yes!

The answer is steeped in both African-American cultural and marketing identity.
Did any of you, outside of Carol Sagers, know that the Black-hair industry is a $9 billion business?

That is $9 billion with a “b!”

I recently had the opportunity to view a new (not-yet-released) documentary from Chris Rock called “Good Hair.”

This term is all too familiar to African-Americans and, in the hands of Rock, one can well imagine what he reveals on the subject…with both humor, informative insight and candid style.

From frank discussions about relaxer (“creamy crack”), the Bronner Brothers Hair Show and their “Hair Battle Royale,” weaves, jheri curls, wigs and finger waves, “Good Hair” explores the financial ramifications of an industry that is fueled by African-Americans.

I walked away from the film further convinced that, even in the midst of economic challenges, (and in some cases, hardship), African-Americans buy what they want…all marketers have to do is provide them with compelling reasons to select their brand and/or product.

On February 23 “Good Hair” was released on DVD.
…and the Black Hair care industry is still a $9 billion (and growing!!) business.

 

Sticks and stones and a few words about the "N" word…

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What image comes to mind when you hear the word “nigger?”

Think about it.

After all, it is 2010 and we are still having the conversation about its use and the inappropriateness associated with it.

Regardless of our background, we all know people who have used it.

So perhaps it is best to revisit the rules…

White people get no pass, “hood” or otherwise.
Pay attention John Mayer.
Permission is not granted to use the word – in gest, or otherwise.

Much was recently made of Senator Harry Reid’s use of the word with regard to then-potential Presidential candidate Barack Obama. I read the book “Game Change” and my impression is that Reid’s remarks were inappropriate, but in no way appeared grounded in malice.

I am not naive.
A racist is racist.
Like x-ray vision one can see “it” through a brick wall.

I once worked for an individual, who was, despite protestation and by all accounts, a racist.

In what the individual believed to be “confidential” circumstances, – no Black people present, or so they thought, – they flagrantly used the word.

This person knew and fully understood they were wrong…
Nigger was used in an almost whispered tone. Not only was there comprehension about the gravity of the word’s use, its inappropriateness was also understood.

Yesterday I was getting a haircut – at an African-American barber shop – and counted the number of times I heard the word used. In a 30 minute period, the count was eighteen. Eighteen times in a half hour! Employees and patrons alike peppered their conversation with it-

Salutation – “What’s up my nigger?”
Exaggeration – “Nigger please…”

The difference is that in these instances, there was no malicious intent or derision.

While I personally don’t approve the use of the word by Black people, culturally, it is allowed.

Permission is granted.

It is part the African-American vernacular and, in many cases, accepted as such.

This debate is not going away. Nor is the use (appropriate or not) of the word, by Black or White people.

I am intrigued and inspired by three quotes I unearthed by three different indviduals – two having to do specifically with the word nigger and one that was born out of much broader implications and circumstances.

In the forward to his book, “Nigger,” Dick Gregory wrote a special note to his mother –

“Whenever you hear the word ‘Nigger’,” he said, “you’ll know they’re advertising my book.”

Gregory masterfully turned what, on the surface, was a negative into a thought-provoking and challenging positive.

Whoopi Goldberg, commenting on the word nigger:

“I don’t know any and I’ve never been one.”

Goldberg’s refusal to accept a label, which neither fits or defines, suggests that anyone who uses it simply doesn’t understand “who” or “what” they are talking about.

Lastly, former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt:

“No one makes you feel inferior without your consent.”

When we refuse to succumb to demeaning labels, but accept the fact that we are individuals, unique and equal in our common humanity, we win. We defeat those who use words to define us.

Image:
Three Little Children, 1944
William H. Johnson (American, 1901 -1970)
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Smithsonian Institue

Editor’s Note:

I was hasty in my reference to Senator Reid’s remarks in the book Game Change. His quote did not use the word “nigger,” but language that was interpreted by some to have a similiar tone. Reid was wowed by Obama’s oratorical gifts and believed that the country was ready to embrace a black presidential candidate, especially one such as Obama:

“a ‘light-skinned’ African American with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one,” as he said privately.”

Reid was convinced, in fact, that Obama’s race would help him more than hurt him in a bid for the Democratic nomination.