For those who aren’t familiar with the man or the show, Anthony Bourdain is a chef who gained notoriety and celebrity status after penning the book Kitchen Confidential . In his No Reservations series on the Travel Channel, Bourdain travels the globe eating and drinking his way through local cuisines and sampling local culture. His unique blend of compassion mixed with dry wit have earned him a loyal following. He’s always trying or eating something weird, and verbally shooting from the hip.

Apparently Bourdain had planned to explore the revitalized city of Beirut Lebanon, and introduce his viewers to traditional and modern Beirut cuisine. Unfortunately, that episode got scuttled when war broke out a day or two into his visit. Instead of enjoying adventures in Beirut cuisine, Bourdain faced adventures in escaping a country under siege. The Travel Channel cameras kept rolling throughout Bourdain’s ordeal, and we viewers were treated to a first hand account of the war by a most unlikely war correspondent.

I freely admit that my work stopped minutes after that show started.

For 10 years my Corvette reporting took me to countries around the world; but never, NEVER, put me in harm’s way. In the countries I visited, I saw the aftermath of man-made and natural disasters, but never saw it unfold. Shivers went through me as I imagined how Bourdain and his crew must have felt as they watched bombs blast nearby, while they waited for evacuation. I fully understood his need to maintain his wit and composure on camera, in the face of grave uncertainty. His eyes betrayed his deeper feelings. I empathized with his mixed emotions of relief coupled with almost-embarrassment, when he and his crew were ferreted off to a safe location, an option not available to the locals.

Though I was a Corvette reporter for a decade, I was never a grease monkey. As such, I had a naïveté that brought a fresh perspective to my reporting. Bourdain is a chef, not a news reporter or war correspondent. And, Bourdain is a connoisseur of people and cultures. His eyewitness report captured the human emotions of the moment, with a passion no seasoned and jaded news journalist could express. As a travel and food celebrity, Bourdain had the freedom to feel and speak his feelings.

Bourdain’s crew also, and thankfully, lacked news crew training and experience.  Kudos to the cameraman for image of fresh red flowers against the backdrop of the war torn city.

Like many viewers, I tensed as Bourdain and his crew waited on the beach to evacuate; then, heaved a sigh of relief when he was finally on the USS Nashville . It’s scarey to be amidst a frightened crowd in a foreign country. I wept as Bourdain described the kindness shown by the Marines and Sailors who shepherded the evacuees to safety. Corvettes are popular with military personnel; so, I met many during my overseas travels. They were all exceptionally friendly, and went out of their way to be helpful. Thank you, Anthony Bourdain, for calling attention to an important and often overlooked quality of our military personnel.

When the show ended, I was too drained from my emotional roller-coaster ride to continue my work. It’s rare for a TV show to have that effect on me. Bourdain’s comments and reflections had evoked powerful emotions I’d experienced, albeit on a far lesser scale. My work could wait a few hours, while I indulged myself in reflection.

Why did I write this blog instead of a blog about telecommuting? Because life experiences and feelings matter. Everything we experience and every emotion we feel combine to make us who we are now, how we think, and how we act. Daydreaming can be a telecommuter’s downfall; but, once it awhile it’s ok to take time to watch, listen, and reflect. It may help you bring a new perspective or enthusiasm to your work, and can teach you much about yourself.