Windowless Office to Windowless Office.

I got my “post-retirement” office and ID yesterday (Feb 2).

The office is small and windowless. No matter. I would have been happy with a carrel.

My first academic office in AY 1979-80 was also windowless. I was an “Associates Fellow” – a glorified HBS case writer. I shared the office with a doctoral student, now a famous professor of International Business, who was prone to play his flute at midnight (when we were both swotting away).

I had some truly splendid offices when I became a “real” academic. One, a corner office in Baker Library at HBS, overlooked the tennis courts. Apart from the fine view, I could keep an eye on the courts and spontaneously rustle up a tennis game. It was also an easy dash to the gym (which I could also see).

My most recent office at Tufts – also a corner one – had an even better view — of a greensward. I believe Tufts has the prettiest campus in the Greater Boston area, thanks to the hilly topography. But I never really took advantage. I was a WFH trailblazer.

Yet for all that, the year in my first windowless office was the happiest of my academic career. I was mighty productive and loved my shared space and the camaraderie of the other case writers.

I hope what is past will be prologue – and that giving up a chaired professorship will be worthwhile. The goal — to make the writing and teaching of case histories of transformational advances in medicine and beyond – may be a foolhardy capstone/post-retirement project. But the grey hair notwithstanding – I hope there is still some fight left in this old chap. And if anyone wants to consider teaching a case history course, give me a shout. I am eager to help!