My new mission

The view shown here is the view from my new office.  Well, almost.  My office actually looks through another office to this view.  But it's very fine and is going to be especially lovely once the leaves turn (see photo below which is from the other side of the reservoir looking back this way, taken 10 years ago). This is the Cambridge Reservoir in Waltham which was created in 1910 by damming Hobbs' Brook.  I work in a beautiful office park with plenty of parking, some of it covered and generally a great place to work.  The only snag is that there is literally only one road into the complex in which, as a complete guess, 20,000 to 50,000 people work.  There have been road works on the highway interchange and access road for at least two years.  There are huge traffic jams in the mornings.  Fortunately, there is another way out (but not in).

In any case, I'm already having a lot of fun and there is a huge amount of important work to be done.  What a marvelous opportunity to do something that will improve people's lives!  I'd love to talk more about what I'm working on beyond "health care", but I really can't in such a public forum.

There's one other minor snag at the office which is that next-door-neighbors' phone conversations can be loud.  I combat this distraction with music from my iPod or iPhone (and headphones).  One of the pieces I've been listening to lately can justly claim to be one of the greatest of bassoon pieces of all: Il Trittico Botticelliano by Ottorino Respighi.  I just missed playing it with SPM 21 years ago.  Maybe we could do it again.  It also happens to be a brilliant composition, even by the standards of the exceptionally gifted (but typically under-appreciated) Respighi.  Incidentally, one of my lifetime ambitions (a bucket-list item perhaps) is to publish a book (most likely electronic) which talks about all the wonderful bassoon music that people so easily miss.

Meanwhile, I managed to pass the ACBL (bridge) director's exam so I am now a qualified director.  Of course I no longer have any time to direct games, but it could be done in theory!  I'm already suffering a little from bridge withdrawal (but only a little).

I have another blog in draft mode which I'm planning on getting ready soon, but I thought I'd better at least send something out or you would all give up on me.