Rise Up!

Almost every morning I make a pilgrimage to Rise Up Coffee kiosk in St. Michaels. I hand them my mondo cup and homemade almond milk ( I have a dairy allergy) which they beautifully froth, add to their perfectly pulled organic espresso and finish with cinnamon. A great start to the day. Everyone ( Matt, Rich, CeCe, Katie, Laura, forgive me if I have omitted anyone) is always cheerful and gracious. The other ritual I have added to my pilgrimage is purchasing a drink for the person that pulls up behind me. I care not whether it is presented anonymously or my identity revealed. What I do care about is how important it is for me to commence my day with an action that gets me out of myself. I am in dire need of this extraction since, as a species, we all seem to be embroiled with fear, insecurity and immense polarity.
I am intrigued by the psychosocial aspect of this small act. The reactions range from complete refusal to a drink bought for the next person in line. The refusal to accept the kind gesture carries with it an innuendo of, perhaps, unrealized selfishness. What they don't grasp is the beauty of accepting this small act of kindness is also a gift.
So, let's all Rise Up and do something nice for someone!

Old School

Many of you haven't had the opportunity to meet Ollie and Annabelle. They have worked with me for 1o years (since the restaurants opening) and continue to hold strong. They both worked at Talbot Country Club. Ollie was the Executive Chef there for at least 19 years. Annabelle was there for 9 years and worked in any capacity she was needed. She washed dishes, cleaned, did food prep and banquet preparation. That is Annabelles style, ask her what you need and she will do it with enthusiasm and perfection. Ollie left the Country Club because he retired. Annabelle left for other reasons. Ollie once told me that after he retired from the Country Club he prayed to the good Lord that he would find a job where he could just prep food and be in an environment where he was treated with respect and dignity. He told me his prayers were answered when he was offered the job at Out of the Fire. Tears welled up in my eyes. These are words you don't often hear as a small business owner and when they are uttered they have a profound impact.
Both Ollie and Annabelle deserve glowing praise and recognition for their work ethic, loyalty, enthusiasm and integrity. They remain in the background and that is the way they want it. Annabelle comes to the restaurant every morning at or before 6:00 and cleans the entire restaurant. She returns at 4:00 to wash dishes until we close. She is ecstatic when we are busy even though it creates more work for her. She knows that we all prosper when we are busy. Ollie comes in everyday and preps and washes dishes at lunch. His humility and willingness to do whatever it takes commands respect. Both of them know more about the restaurant than any of us. Ask them where something is that may have been put away in storage 5 years ago, but they will know exactly where it is. They are the brick and mortar of the restaurant. These two are old school. They can work circles around some of the younger employees. Annabelle once expressed concern to me that I would let her go because of her age and I laughed and said," are you kidding, this place would fall apart without you." That is no exaggeration! Both of them have been gifts to all of us. They are those rare people who have an abundance of wisdom and courage. They show up for life everyday and gracefully take on whatever is handed to them. When we are in their presence we are shaded by greatness. Thank you, Annabelle and Ollie for your valuable lessons.

To Read or Not to Read

I have always been a voracious reader so, for me the answer to that question is most emphatically: TO READ. I had the good fortune to have parents who were always reading. They read the paper everyday and I never saw either one of them without a book. So, naturally to read or not to read was never a question in our family. For many that is not the case. The statistics among young readers is staggering and quite frankly a bit dire in my opinion. Literacy skills among teens and our country's reading culture are quickly deteriorating. Following are some sobering statistics:

- Reading scores drop significantly over the course of middle school. In Dorchester County, Maryland, scores drop from 67.2% in sixth grade to 58.9% in seventh grade to 57.3% in eighth grade.

- Teens spend only 7-10 minutes per day on voluntary reading -- about 60% less than the average American.

- 1 in 5 U.S. workers read at a lower skill level than their job requires.

- 84% of proficient readers voted in the 2000 presidential election while only 53% of below basic readers voted.

Poor reading skills directly contribute to high school dropout:

- 1/2 of below basic readers and 1/3 of basic readers fail to complete high school.

The combination of poor academic skills and low self-esteem is particularly dangerous for girls because it strips them of their power to make good choices:

- According to www.teenpregnancy.org, educational failure is a key predictor of teen pregnancy and teen pregnancy is one of the leading causes of dropout for girls.

Teen pregnancy is devastating to girls' futures and contributes to a cycle of poverty and low academic achievement:

- Only about 2% of teen mothers have a college degree by age 30.

- Teen pregnancy costs the U.S. at least $9 billion annually.

- Children of teen parents are 50% more likely to repeat a grade.

If, after reading this, you feel compelled to make a difference you can. Elizabeth Devlin created a grass roots organization called Page Turners which addresses these issues. PageTurners: Girls Who Read to Achieve is a network of school-based afterschool book clubs to empower at-risk adolescent girls, through the discussion of literature, to become leaders in their communities while improving their reading and critical thinking skills. The organization is in its infancy and needs our support. Join Elizabeth in her effort to help support after school literacy clubs in our public school systems . Go to www.pageturnersread.org for additional information.

Another Man's Bounty

We received approximately 24" of snow in Easton, Maryland in less than 24 hours. The adjectives meteorologists used to describe this storm were "paralyzing", "record-breaking", "historical!" Those all sounded to me like nails on a chalkboard! A small business owner, particularly in the service industry, cannot afford to be closed on the weekends, it is "paralyzing" to cash flow. We can't make that up. People aren't going to come in and consume twice as much!

I did realize the selfishness of my bitter musings. Particularly when those who are benefiting from this bounty of snow are those that have been really suffering for two years. Those individuals who work in construction, landscaping, home improvement. These individuals are thrilled to be out there removing that snow so we can navigate around safely. I must say they are doing a stellar job.

My return to compassion came to me when I let myself enjoy the calm after the storm. Breathtaking, clear, pristine blue skies followed. A perfect day to ski (unfortunately the Eastern Shore of Maryland is flat.) So, instead of skiing I trekked out to our pool, cleared two feet of snow from a pool-side chair and sat out in the sun like a lizard for 45 minutes. This, I thought to myself, is a little slice of bliss and an adjunct to my sublingual vitamin D. I was also entertained by my mothers tri-colored Welsh Corgi trying to navigate her way to me in two feet of snow donning her black fleece-lined jacket that could only be perfected by two Batman symbols embroidered on each flank.

I was welling with self-pride when I realized the adage "one man's misery is another man's

bounty" was completely altered by how I chose to perceive my situation. Another man's bounty was also mine. I was able to slow down. My entertainment was simplicity.

Amy

The Source of Happiness

I must immediately begin by making it clear that I don't have the answers to the secret of happiness. It is an interesting topic of conversation. When I have posed this question to friends and strangers I receive a spectrum of reactions ranging from surprise, shock ,discomfort and I my particular favorite, the deer in the headlights glare. I am currently reading Eric Weiner's book "The Geography of Bliss." In my opinion bliss is very different than happiness, but I'll reserve that debate for a tête à tête with friends, good food and plenty of time to banter that subject about.
There are people that actually devote their lives to studying and documenting our source of happiness. I love the idea of studying data about what makes us happy as opposed to what makes us miserable or suicidal. Both disciplines are equally important, but at this moment in history it is in my best interest(and those who must spend time with me!) to focus on what makes me be happy.

Ruut Veenhoven is a Professor of Happiness Studies. His interest is healthy minds and happy people. Happiness study is interesting in the fact that there are subtle nuances in each culture that define happiness. It really boils down to: " in winter, spring summer or fall all you've got to do is call, you've got a friend" (thank you James Taylor). Ruut and his peers estimate that about 70% of our happiness stems from our relationships (both quantity and quality) with friends, family, co-workers and neighbors.

I know it makes me happy to leisurely spend (of which I have very little) time with my husband, friends and family. I don't need to be entertained, I just want to talk about things that matter. Each time I conclude a few hours of my day in this manner I leave craving more. This is a sign to me that I need to make more time in my life for those nourishing chats.

It also makes me happy to have a restaurant full of people enjoying good food, wine and interesting conversation. I love the sound of laughter and I derive a large amount of fulfillment being the voyeur of people connecting with real intention.

Jean-Paul Sartre declared "hell is other people!" Ruut Veenhoven's data discredits that statement. If I were to guess, Jean-Paul didn't choose his company carefully! With so little free time on our hands it is important to surround ourselves with people who reflect our ideals and principles.

What defines your personal happiness?

Amy

Coke or Pepsi? Netiher Please!

In October (ok, so I'm a tad bit behind on my communication!) my husband and I were in Warren, Vermont at a lovely spot called The Pitchers Inn. It was wonderful to be surrounded by so many establishments that relied so heavily on their local offerings and that operated their businesses guided by an environmental and social conscience. I felt good about being there and I felt at home. It is important to feel good about what you are doing (to earn a living) and sometimes it requires going against the grain of the mainstream.
I remember reading an article about a woman in San Francisco who had a restaurant that was devoted to local and organic ingredients. She implemented a mindfulness in her business that extended beyond the bottom line of material profit to her social and environmental investment. I was applauding her efforts as I was reading the article and at one point I may have said out loud, "way to go girl!" Her efforts to operate her business with a great amount of integrity and principle was quickly winning my admiration and respect. However, my excitement for what she was doing quickly turned into disbelief and disappointment when she stated: "but I still have to serve Coke or Pepsi!"
Several years ago I made the decision to discontinue the offering of Coke or Pepsi and switched to all natural offerings. I did not feel good about offering something that was laden with chemicals and high fructose corn syrup which is a major culprit in adolescent obesity and diabetes. I felt very strongly about making this change and felt good about my decision. I have also had some strong reactions from customers. Some have applauded my efforts and some have harshly criticized my stance. I recently had a review on Trip Advisor that stated: "I don't want to go anywhere that I can't get a Coke or Pepsi!" One family had a reservation for 6 and left the restaurant quite angry when they were told neither Coke or Pepsi were available. They said they were offended! They were not interested in trying (free of charge) one of the all natural offerings such as Izze, Steaz Green Tea Soda, Maine Organic Root Beer or Boylans Cane Cola.
Personally, I think the reaction warrants careful examination! Wake up, people we need to take care of ourselves!