“I didn’t know you were such a ham.”

Cheryl shared that brief comment with me on the phone, just after watching the video I had made called “Wood Worms.” Since we were working remotely during the month of June, there was a bit more independent action on my part, so I admit that both the topic chosen and the implementation might very well have been just a bit different. However, I have to say that the word ham didn’t settle quite right when I first heard it. What does it mean anyway? It certainly didn’t feel like the compliment I was hoping for, so I left the conversation feeling a bit puzzled.

I decided to google the term to see where the source of my discomfort came from. There is general agreement among anonymous sources, that it refers to “an incompetent actor incapable of subtlety—an over actor.” That’s not good. But then, my sources went on to say that many Hollywood actors have been described in this way over the years, among them, great names like Jack Nicholson for example. Well . . . that made me feel a little bit better, but not much.

For me, the most interesting question is: why do I even care enough to look it up? When we started making videos, we decided first and foremost, that they had to be “of the moment,” which means we set up the camera and start rolling—no script, no practice, just go for it. We are long time believers in the phrase “spontaneity is truth,” so I have to at least accept that both her comment and my reaction are in some way “truth-tellers.”

So what is all of this saying about me? First of all, I am a ham, let’s face it. Second, I’m evidently still carrying a trace of over-concern for what others think and say. Third, I really like being in a partnership where open, honest conversation is the norm. And fourth, prime-time is probably not in my near future, and I’m okay with that. So, I’ve decided to make the best of the feedback, but most importantly, I intend to keep doing what I’m doing in the most straightforward and honest way possible. After all, facts are friendly and that’s just the way it is.

Self-disclosure is certainly good for the heart, but now, it’s time for pranzo, lunch here in Tuscany. I think I’ll have some caprese, (sliced tomatoes, bufala mozzarella, basil and olive oil), schiacciatta, flat bread. Maybe even a little wine, and of course some prosciutto—everyone knows that a meal here isn’t complete without at least a little ham!