|
A little less of something really good
About five years into my television news career, I realized I had gotten into the habit of skipping lunch, believing my story was simply too important to allow the time. No wonder I was crabby, tired and dissatisfied by air time. Now I measure a good day by three things. Did I scoop the competition, did I produce a well told story AND did I eat a satisfying, better yet, spectacular lunch, on deadline? It can be done. Without resorting to fast food.
Want better lighting on live shots? Feed your photographer. Need a little more zip to your writing? Feed yourself. Can't quite get that exclusive interview? Feed your sources before you need their help.
Dining is not only enjoyable, it provides practical payoffs. As Virginia Woolf wrote in her essay on women's fiction in 1929, "One can not think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. The lamp in the spine does not light on beef and prunes." If we accept that clear thinking is crucial to the news gathering process, a good lunch becomes one's professional obligation. But there is more. Woolf writes: "The human frame being what it is, heart, body and brain all mixed together...a good dinner (or lunch!) is of great importance to good talk." And isn't that what we do? Talk to the viewers, communicate thoughts. If we can't light the lamp on the spline, our video is uninspired, our copy vapid, and the final product amounts to handing our viewers a Big Mac.
It's really quite simple if you remember two things:
Dining well is no accident. Especially on deadline. But it can be accomplished, with rewarding results.
Quality is more important than quantity. (Remember you're trying to light the lamp on the spine, not drown it). My co-author espouses the opposite philosophy and while I respect Robert's work a great deal, he is simply wrong here. This does not mean I expect to spend a lot of money for skimpy portions. I simply prefer a little less of something really good, over a parking-lot sized platter of mediocre food for a couple of bucks less.
Remember: Not only is Dining WELL on Deadline fun, enjoyable and inspiring. It's your professional obligation. If Viginia Woolf were still alive, we would discuss it over poached sole in cream and I know that she would agree with me.
|
|
In search of solid, healthy, affordable food
"$10.95 for a pastrami sandwich?"
--One of Byron's photographers.
Before dining on deadline, you should ask yourself: am I a pragmatic or a pretentious diner?
Pretentious diners never admit they fall into this category. But as a rule, these people are swayed by presentation over substance. The pretentious diner often mistakes colorful sauces and a cloth napkin for good food.
This person begins the meal with bread so dry you have to dip it in olive oil. The diner then gracefully eats delicate portions of food broiled in lemon juice and cilantro. Occasionally, a waiter or waitress wastes the diner's valuable time by asking everyone at the table if they'd like fresh ground pepper. Before leaving the restaurant, whose pronounciation may not be intuitive, the diner orders a sliver of cheesecake in a last-ditch, futile attempt to leave with a full stomach.
Compare that philosophy to that of the pragmatic diner.
The pragmatic diner simply seeks a solid, healthy meal that begins with a fresh lettuce salad, not a small collection of greens that tastes like grass. The pragmatic diner then eats a wholesome, tasty main course, not just a slice of ostrich in the middle of an empty plate. The meal is accompanied by a healthy helping of mashed potatoes and gravy, not three boiled potatoes each the size of a grape sprinkled with parsley. To finish the meal, the pragmatic diner orders home-style baked apple pie a la mode, not some sorbet flavored with mango or kiwi. And finally, the pragmatic diner defines good service as a friendly person who refills your soft drink, not someone who attempts to explain the dish you just ordered.
No matter whether your priorities are pragmatic or pretentious, I hope "Dining on Deadline" assists you in making your lunch break more enjoyable.
And if your dining criteria should conflict with your co-worker's, I hope this guide leads you to a suitable compromise. To be sure, Byron and I have found middle ground on occasion, even if she insists on taking her food off the tray before eating.
|
