Day: March 30, 2016

I sometimes forget to take a look back at things I’ve written—forgivable if you ignore the almost fifteen years of blog history here. For all that, my beats have remained relatively steady, as a look back at March 30 in my blog’s history reveals. Going backward, we have:

• One year (and a few days) ago: An appreciation of John Oliver. The first few examples won’t be “on this day” posts because I had fallen off the daily blogging horse. But it was written at a similar point in the TFC’s calendar, when a regular Symphony Hall season was just drawing to a close (we finished the last performance of the TFC’s winter season last night). As we audition conductors to follow (never replace) John, his unique combination of flawless vocal pedagogy, artistic instinct, humanism, and sometimes witheringly funny sarcasm remain inimitable.
• Two years (and a few days) ago: Virginia Glee Club History: Wanted. I eventually found access to almost every item on this list, including a huge pile of 1980s concert programs courtesy the collection of Donald Loach. But I’m still looking for 2000s programs…
• Four years (and almost a month) ago: Pacem, pacem, shantih. We were headed to Carnegie Hall under the baton of John Oliver (filling in for the ailing Kurt Masur) to sing the Missa Solemnis. I was gouty and meditative about things.
• Five years ago, we were hosting a local meeting on application security at the Veracode offices. (I think. The page I point to isn’t there any more.)
• In 2009 I was reflecting on rough justice for Lehman Brothers executives.
• Nine years ago today I was learning interesting techniques for making SQL Server data jump through hoops.
• Ten years ago today I was in a hotel room blogging about hotel room Internet service. I don’t miss the travel I was doing back then. I also wrote a note about a lost Labradoodle.
• Eleven years ago today I observed that “pictures aren’t real unless you can share them.”
• Twelve years ago today I was looking forward to a church choir production of the Brahms Requiem.
• Thirteen years ago today I was writing about lawn care, because what else are you going to do when you’re a first time homeowner in Seattle and the rain stops?
• And 14 years ago today, Lisa and I took her parents to Italy. And I think I was just about to get hit with a massive case of food poisoning on Easter Sunday.