My 2.5 Year Covid Free Streak Ended In August.
And while I felt lousy (even my teeth hurt!), I’m not one to squander a golden opportunity for binge-watching TV! My demand for mindless entertainment did cheer me up.
The Great Pottery Thrown Down, Blown Away, and Barry all got their fair share of viewing time but it was the HBO Max series Julia that was my true indulgence.
The show chronicles Julia Child at the dawn of her TV show “The French Chef” and all of the challenges that she faces.
I’ve always loved Julia Child and this show just cemented my beliefs.
I mean, what's not to like about Julia Child?!
She’s smart, creative, funny, and flawed.
And she says things like:
“Always remember: If you’re alone in the kitchen and you drop the lamb, you can always just pick it up. Who’s going to know?”
“If you’re afraid of butter, use cream.”
“A party without cake is really just a meeting”
In brief, she's relatable.
What the public loved about Julia Child was that she cooked and talked with the viewer and made each person feel seen.
- She talked to you through the camera.
- She made mistakes and laughed and still kept going.
- She invited you into her living room to taste her creation.
- She became your friend.
In 1963 when her TV show debuted, “the show was unedited, causing her blunders to appear in the final version and ultimately lend “authenticity and approachability to television.”
We like people we can relate to.
And because there wasn’t any editing, it meant that a lot of her errors were shown on TV. This allowed Child to show how to fix common cooking mistakes and relate more closely with her viewers.
So stop trying to be perfect!
Don’t overthink things but rather look to connect and relate to one another.
From a nonverbal perspective this means:
- Making good eye contact (the camera as well!)
- Fronting (fully facing someone when speaking with them)
- Leaning in to show engagement
- Nodding and using the head tilt to cue the other person you are listening
- Mirroring (to show alignment)
Showing up and being present for others is a true gift.
Charisma, passion, and fun can take you far in life.
So get out there a give things a go.
Or channel Julia and get after life with this mantra,
“The best way to execute French cooking is to get good and loaded and whack the hell out of a chicken. Bone appétit.”
Your co-pilot (who managed to convince her kids to make Queen of Sheba cake!),
P.S.
Ever tried one of Julia Child’s recipes?
I’d love to know what you’ve tried and what was successful. Bonus points for sending photos!