Honest to God all my life I have had such a fear of spiders. In fact I use to have a reoccurring dream about one. Very clearly it was black with a red head. It would sit up in the corner of the bedroom and when it started getting closer I would wake up in a panic.

On the other hand when I give it closer thought I realize I'm not enough of a dictator to conduct an orchestra because it requires a pretty awful person. When you read these biographies of famous conductors they are all awful people who fail in their private relationships.

I come from a family of losers and I've rejected my family as something I don't want to be like.

Notwithstanding these setbacks the dream of a beautiful American orchestra goes on and I share Dr. King's faith that each year we move inexorably closer to a magnificent opening night.

I think you have to try and fail because failure gets you closer to what you're good at.

I have probably purchased fifty 'hot tips' in my career maybe even more. When I put them all together I know I am a net loser.

Show me a good and gracious loser and I'll show you a failure.

My lens of choice was always the 35 mm. It was more environmental. You can't come in closer with the 35 mm.

I want to see far more decisions taken far closer to the patients the passengers and the pupils. Far more power for locally and regionally elected politicians who understand best the needs of their areas. And far more say too for the dedicated staff at all levels in health and education.

It's not like I had big dreams to go to California and become an actor. I loved doing my shows at school and community theater and I probably would have settled in New York because it was closer. I was going to go to NYU.