Robert Frost, one of the most=admired American poets, was himself a hard worker. He considered that a life well lived is one devoted to perfecting one’s own craft. He said, “The world is full of willing people; some willing to work, the rest willing to let them.” He also wryly observed, “the reason worry kills more people than work, is that more people worry than work.”

I’m teaching a course on love affairs. I am the matchmaker. I ask the students : What do YOU  LOVE TO DO — not what do you like to do — what do you LOVE to do in your spare time like riding a bike or taking photographs, or skiing or watching TV or playing video games? Once I have this essential information to ponder, I try my best to propose a marriage between your life and your career.

In the last semester one fellow said he just wants to ride his Harley and write about food. He’s landed a column at a biking magazine!

This is the first day of the new class at the CIA. It is an elective and 27 students have enrolled.  This is what I’m planning to say:

May I begin by asking you to look at the person seated next to you. And to the person seated in front and behind you?

Immediately you’ll see there is nobody in the world who looks like you, thinks like you or has had the same experiences you have had. You are unique. And special. And as Christopher Robin said to Winnie the Pooh:

Promise me you’ll always remember you’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.  So to echo President Obama: Yes you can!

This should get us ALL FIRED UP AND READY TO GO!

Teaching this class is what I love to do.

Taylor Cocalis, a former executive from Murray’s Cheese, is the co-founder of a terrific food jobs search web site: goodfoodjobs.com. I recommend it to you with the greatest enthusiasm. This is their mission statement:

“Good Food Jobs is a gastro-job search tool, designed to link people looking for meaningful food work with the businesses that need their energy, enthusiasm and intellect. We post opportunities with farmers and food artisans, policy makers and purveyors, retailers and restaurateurs, economists, ecologists, and more…”

Go to the site for information about the conference planned for February in NYC.