The impact of things said

As soon as I read this post by Shuna Fish Lydon -- one of my all-time favorite bloggers who also happens to be a phenomenal pastry chef -- I had to share her thoughts with you on.....well, you'll see....

Menu Changes. or: what to do when history repeats itself.

I don't have to tell you that the economy of your country, city, town, continent, family has tanked.

I don't have to tell you anything about it. You know.

I don't have to tell you to hold onto your job. You have. As long as you've been able to.

I don't have to tell you not to spend your money on frivolous items. You either have or you have not; either out of need or need to rebel.

I don't have to tell you how many restaurants have closed, how many cooks and chefs and pastry chefs are out of work.

I don't have to tell you that if you love, really love a restaurant, you may want to become a regular.

I don't have to tell you that if you really love a chef or a pastry chef's work, you should tell everyone you know to go eat at said person's workplace. You know.

I don't have to tell you the power of positive press is far quieter than the power of negative press. Whether you rant indignantly on Yelp, or feed a piece of barely true gossip to Eater, or pan a place on Chowhound, or talk doo-doo on your own blog/Twitter/Facebook about a particular place,
you play a part in the wild fire that will surely consume said business.

I don't have to tell you anything. You know why? You know.

You're smart.

You read as much as I do.

Probably more.

I don't have to tell you what happened on September 11, 2001. I don't have to tell you that the Internet Bubble, based on money which did not exactly exist, but which was generating thousands of businesses to be born, and invite more people than could even fit in San Francisco & beyond to move there, and displace thousands more, burst. At about the same time as September 11, 2001.

O yes. It was a fun year. A great time to be working in a luxury industry making food people neither needed nor could afford.

I lost my job of 2 years that year. After that I was unemployed for longer than I have been since I started working, at age 14. I witnessed over 6,000 restaurants close in San Francisco. In one year.

You probably remember that time as well as I do.

I know you remember what you were doing that day.

And if you lived in NYC or the Bay Area, you remember the recovery time.

It took years.

It is for these memories, these reasons, these experiences, which I still feel, still know, viscerally, that I remain forever grateful to have a job, when I have one.

It is for these memories, these reasons, these experiences, which I still feel, still know, viscerally, that I have grown.

It is for these memories, these reasons, these experiences, which I still feel, still know, viscerally, that hope to always know perspective, even the smallest amount, is utterly important.

To read her post in its entirety, please visit Shuna here.