No rest for the weary: I spent the whole damn day writing the last of four pieces that came due the same week as All in the Dances, my Balanchine book. This one was my monthly Commentary essay, about Solomon Volkov’s Shostakovich and Stalin and Richard Kostelanetz’s Aaron Copland: A Reader (aren’t you wondering how those two books fit together?), and it ended up being four thousand words long. I started it Thursday morning and finished it at 11:30 Thursday night. Now I’m going to bed. Tomorrow (today, actually) I’ll catch a plane to Raleigh, N.C., to spend two days looking at Carolina Ballet, and I’ll be back some time on Sunday.
Until then, there will be no further blogging from me. In fact, there will be no further writing of any kind from me. Not counting the book and the blog, I’ve produced roughly 8,000 words of publishable prose since Monday morning, and that’s soooo much more than enough. Right now you couldn’t pay me to inscribe a copy of A Terry Teachout Reader. (Really!)
Believe it or not, though, it’s nice to be back. I missed you while I was gone, a lot. And though I still have Balanchine-related chores awaiting me next week–I’ve got to choose the illustrations–I plan to spend plenty of time right here at “About Last Night.” So keep your eyes peeled for further cultural bulletins.
See you Sunday.