Wednesday 12/16/20
I screwed up this Beethoven thing. Scrambling now to have someone run it eleventh hour, but it doesn't look like it will happen. Got an email from the editor at the place I thought would do it saying they used me in late November, and couldn't use me so soon. (A couple days ago, they kind of made it sound like we'd be good to go.) Of course, I can't help but think, "Hire me as an op-ed columnist, have me do the two op-eds a week, let's see how that goes." That would make my life astronomically easier and free me up for all of these other things I must do.
It's a shame because it's a very good piece. The Beethoven things I am seeing today are so predictable. This was stupid of me. I should have found a better way to take care of this, and now it looks like I'm going to have wasted three op-eds that I probably shouldn't have written. Part of me hates saying that last part, because they're so good. But what? They come out sometime down the road in a book of my collected miscellany or when everything comes out between covers? The Complete Works. That'll take up like ten shelves. (This journal, by the way, which is now two-and-a-half years old, is the length of twelve books.) The piece was about the late string quartets and what they have to do with the current age, and why one should listen to them right now. I'd give it away for free, just not to waste it. Not pleased with myself.
Walked five miles yesterday, ran three today. Pleased to note that MLB is officially recognizing the Negro Leagues as part of their history, incorporating the stats. Why this took so long is beyond me. The 1933 Pittsburgh Crawfords are, in my view, one of the three best baseball teams in history, along with the 1930 Philadelphia Athletics and the 1927 Yankees. The 1939 Yankees are close, as are the 1998 Yankees. The 1961 Yankees are kind of a faux-great team. Horrible lead-off man. 1912 Red Sox were really strong.
Pissed at myself. Should have done better.
