Left to my own devices

There's a recent article featuring Starbucks COO Rosalind Brewer, and her thoughts and experiences on how certain folks -- including herself -- are treated based upon the color of their skin, and/or how they dress. Brewer is quoted about what it's like being an African-American woman in such a powerful corporate position, and how it's lonely at the top. It's an interesting read, more for what isn't there than what is. What bothered me about the article was the pervasive tone that someone in Brewer's position should be treated better than she sometimes is. The following passage stood out to me in that regard: ""Sometimes you're mistaken for the kitchen help. Sometimes people will assume you're in the wrong place, and all I can think is, 'No, you're in the wrong place.'"" I get what she's saying, but it's the wrong message, surely? What we first need to unpack is the notion that "kitchen hel...

Do you like to cook? I'm not talking about, "Yeah, I make meals for myself in the microwave." No. I mean, do you slave over a hot stove, or put some stuff together and throw it in the oven? This doesn't have to be Paul Prudhomme or Emeril Lagasse level concoctions. But it can't be too simple, either. So then, do you like to cook? Me, I oscillate. The first time a particular recipe is attempted comes with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. Are all the ingredients accounted for? Will I put them together correctly? Is the recipe truly on top of how long it takes to make and bake? What if I mess it up? What if I make it as directed, but it turns out just 'meh?' Of course, if the finished dish is a good one, then I stress the second time I make it because I'm worried it won't turn out as well as the first occasion.