Boo Hoo?

Kermit Lynch still contributes occasionally to his own newsletter (Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant) and I still prefer his entries to those of his staff. His descriptions are pared down to essentials, but they are poetic and evocative. I'd like to write as well someday. Having expressed my admiration and appreciation, it is time to offer some friendly criticism.

I just read Kermit's piece in the August 2011 KLWM newsletter that arrived by mail today. It is titled "On Vacation," and it is essentially a plea for pity - an expression of frustration about how the relative difficulty of his job is perceived. While acknowledging the fact that wine merchants do indeed work hard - long hours; in Kermit's case, many days on the road; in my case, lots of stock work (I'm betting Kermit hasn't done much stock work in years) - to expect pity from consumers is a bit silly - but to expect pity from winegrowers? Farmers? Hah! Farming is one of the toughest jobs I could ever imagine - long hours, back-breaking labor, constantly at the mercy of the weather - I'll take working in a wine shop any day. Tasting through mediocre or bad wine brought by lousy sales reps is no fun, for sure, but I'd rather do that than pick suckers off a few thousand vines (per acre!).

C'mon Kermit, you know as well as I that our jobs are more about pleasure than anything else. We work pretty hard to put smiles on peoples' faces, but as jobs go, there are plenty that are way more difficult. Relax - appreciate the fact that many people would love to do what you do to make a living. And enjoy the fact that you have done your job extraordinarily well.