As I've been saying in my last post, and the one before, I've realized that my blog — all my work — involves a community. And that I want to move in new directions. So here's yet another way to move. I'd talked about taking my work to an institution (which perhaps I'd run), but if I keep it here, I've realized that I'd love some help. There are many reasons for that. First -- and simplest — is my workload. Just keeping the blog going (not to mention my newsletters, and other things I do) requires lots of administrative time. Formatting … [Read more...]
Renewal
A belated happy new year to everyone! As I come back to my normal life after an intensely happy holiday. We have lots to do here. We need to continue the mavericks posts from last month. And of course I want to assess the condition of classical music, as I do every year. Starting, maybe, by citing some ways that — while the mavericks show great change, great success — our normal ways of doing things are failing. But I've realized a few things while I've been away. First, that I've accomplished a lot here, along with all of you who read … [Read more...]
Warmest holiday wishes
To all my readers, whom I value so much — warmest wishes for the holidays, and for 2013. The best thing, for me, in the past year, was what you see in the photo. Our little Rafa, two months old last Xmas, but now 14 months old, and a real participant. A kid who smiles and laughs, and makes up games to play with us. 2012 looked like a troubling year for classical music, with so many orchestras in peril. But built into this trouble is hope. As things get worse, more people see that change has to come. And more change does come. As I look … [Read more...]
Return
I'm happy to be back from vacation, though I'll confess that I'm a little whiplashed by weather. Forget jet lag (I was in England). What really hit me, returning to my two US homes, was moving from wet fall weather in the UK, into humid hot summer -- with cicadas wheezing in the trees -- in Washington. And then into what feels like very early fall in Warwick, NY, with the air warm in the day and cool by night, and the leaves already turning, lying red on the ground. We were in England for three weeks, and our little Rafa, now 10 1/2 … [Read more...]
Visiting the cows and sheep
I'm on vacation, till September. Gone off to the gloriously lovely spot we go to nearly every summer, in Britain's Yorkshire Dales. Staying in a 17th century house that might be visited by cows, if they escape from a farmer's field. And then peer through the French doors of our dining room! (Cows are easy to chase away. They're timid. Sheep -- which also escape, and visit us -- are much more stubborn.) So I won't be blogging again till after Labor Day. I'll approve comments for a week, perhaps, and then look at them very lazily, if at … [Read more...]
My newsletter — plus a photo of Rafa
(A digression from the posts I've been doing.] Last week, I sent out a summer issue of my newsletter -- and I've realized, with a shock, how little I talk about my newsletter here. [Pause while Greg communes with himself about how he might improve his way of doing business.] You can read my latest newsletter here. And if you'd like to subscribe and get it by email, here's where you do that. What's in the newsletter? A terrific photo of my little son, nine months old. (And crawling at light-speed, though that's not in the photo.) A … [Read more...]
Relaunched again
The new year has come, and after two months happily devoted to our new baby Rafael, it's time to get back to work. Though not without a Rafa photo. Here he is, smiling, the first of his smiles ever caught on camera. He's just a little past 10 weeks old as I'm writing this. Such a darling! Although I see -- looking back at 2011 -- that I haven't been idle here. Starting on October 4 (11 days before Rafa was born) -- I did 18 posts that I've grouped under the category entrepreneurship, and which got a lot of comment. To see them, click the … [Read more...]
Warmest holiday wishes
I hardly have to say what I'm happiest about this Christmas. My little son Rafa, who -- if I followed my deepest heart -- would be in every post I make here. If you get my newsletter, you've already seen this image, which (no surprise) also doubles as our Christmas card. (And if you don't get my newsletter, and would like to, you can subscribe to it here.) Rafa is such a joy, maybe the greatest joy I've ever had. He teaches me what's most important in life. And for all of you, all my readers -- for whom I'm so grateful -- I hope you … [Read more...]
Wonderful baby
Fatherhood most definitely agrees with me. Likewise the blooming of my marriage into true family life. As I've said elsewhere, it's like someone turned the lights on. One highlight of my Kentucky trip was requests to see photos of little Rafa. Melted my heart every time. Plus meeting other parents of small kids. And watching 13-month old Sophie climbing stairs, looking back at her mom and me, to make sure we saw her doing it. Though her mom says coming down isn't quite as easy! And, very important -- if he''s reading this, would the man … [Read more...]
Our new baby
I'm happy -- thrilled -- to say that Anne and I are adopting a little baby boy, born Saturday in San Antonio. Rafael Aron Sandow, six pounds at birth, 20 inches long. He's utterly adorable. And loved. You'll understand that I haven't posted to the blog since this happened. But I'll wean myself back to work, bit by bit, after we take Rafa home. There's so much more to say, but I'll leave it at this: We couldn't be happier. … [Read more...]
Hurricane
No, that's not the disorder of my mind (which, as human minds go, is less tattered than usual these days). This is the railroad I take from my home in Warwick, NY to New York City, and to my other home in Washington, DC. After, that is, the tracks were destroyed by Hurricane Irene. Maybe the hurricane is old news by now. But what happened to the railroad -- New Jersey Transit's Port Jervis line -- is staggering. News reports said there were 1000-foot stretches that look like the photo, or worse. The trains won't run again for months. And … [Read more...]