Arghhhhh... waited two weeks to schedule an Amazon delivery for a day I could be in. Got a dispatch notification last night. Confirmed this morning. Stayed home all day to receive. After 5 pm, received a notification that "Your package has been delayed in transit. We will now deliver it tomorrow." 😡

On the bench today at Phil's Home for the Rehabilitation of Chronically Abused Instruments... new heads for bongos

Found some mouse droppings in my drum storage attic the other day, so I've just deployed some humane catch traps. Didn't have any of the chocolate spread the internet recommended as bait so place your bets now on whether Mickey will go for extra mature cheddar or pistachio cream first 🐁😬

I once had an account on a system that made account names by taking the first four letters of first and last names I was PHILHOWI, which was reasonable enough My colleague Megan Barford was not as lucky

Two concerts, a church service, and a rehearsal may be too much for one weekend 😴

The fun continues with an outdoor gig in the Jubilee Gardens in Ely. I'm just outside the back of the bandstand, so hoping the rain holds off! 🥁 😎

Kicking off the first of four two-concert weekends in the next month or so with some Symphonic Dances by Rachmaninov. And yes, I've pulled rank and taken the tambourine part 😉

"the dramatic cost declines in batteries have now made 'firm renewables' — solar or wind paired with batteries — cheaper than fossil fuels in many parts of the world." This is game changing.

Taking in a bit of culture this evening, with plays by Tom Stoppard and Michael Green 🎭

In 55 countries, wind and solar generated more electricity than coal in 2025. 34 of them have near-zero coal left. Spain crossed over in 2009. The UK in 2016. The USA last year. Different grids, different politics, same pattern. Want more of this? Sign up here janrosenow.substack.com

A friend has just received this in the post from their local hospital, unrequested, and with no context - that's the entire letter (minus addresses, for confidentiality). What are they expected to do with forceps and a surgical blade?? It's the "with compliments" bit that gets me 🤣

I find some of the reporting on this Labour leadership issue so strange. Surely, everyone can see there IS going to be a contest; the MPs themselves have gone too far to let Kier carry on for long. It's now about when and who - not if

Arrived late to this evening's rehearsal because someone had poured concrete down a major sewer and they were digging the whole lot up. You couldn't make this up... 😡

ILGA-Europe’s @ilgaeurope.bsky.social 2026 Rainbow Map is out today. It is a stark reminder that the UK is not just standing still on LGBTI rights, we are going backwards. Explore it here: rainbowmap.ilga-europe.org [1/7]

Oh I do love getting into the workshop to make some chips. And look at that lovely sparkly brass, coating... absolutely everything... #manglitter

productivity hack: do the annoying task first. what’s that? you have multiple annoying tasks? uh…which one needs to be done today? oh man all of them? oof wow. I got nothing here

Conducted my first orchestra rehearsal for a few months. Went really rather well. Wagner, Strauss, and Massenet, with Bruch to add next week

Yesterday was a glorious day to be pit crew to a gang of wheelchair racers. And people ask why I always keep a tool kit in my car...

My energy company has sent me a CHEQUE for the energy I exported over the last year. I can't remember the last time I had to pay in a cheque! Can't they manage a bank transfer like any normal organisation?

Well #Ivoted, but I didn't see any #dogsatpollingstations. I feel almost cheated

"At that point, you felt a bit like a car without power steering..." #ThingsConductorsSay

Got back to Cambridge late last night, full-on day in the office today, and now I've skipped dinner to be at an orchestra rehearsal. Can I have a lie down soon please? 😅

The first recorder I made, on a fantastic course with the inimitable Tim Cranmore. A success I'm still trying to repeat, but I'm getting closer all the time

It's my dad's 70th birthday today. I've driven four hours to see my parents and take them out for a meal. I'd been here half an hour before I was holding a door for Dad to plane the bottom because it's been binding on the new carpet. Happy birthday, Dad; never change

Today is Concert Day, so the first task is loading Everything into the car

I've finally made it home, a mere 66.5 hours after heaving for work in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Night all! 😴

Having been on a short-notice business trip to Brussels, I've spent six hours travelling just to rush back in time for this wind band rehearsal. Now, staying awake through it might be the hard part... 😵‍💫

Simple Machines xkcd.com/3239/

Thanks, I love him! 🐧 🥁

Europe has made remarkable progress cleaning up its electricity. In 2024, just 29% of European electricity came from fossil fuels - down from 53% in 2005. But electricity is only 23% of Europe's total energy use. Look at other sectors & it changes dramatically. More here: substack.com/@janrosenow

Don't get me wrong, I love that I can just get on a train and end up on the continent. But it is Too Early to be travelling

Weeting Castle and St Mary the Virgin, Weeting, looking beautiful in the sun this afternoon

If you’d like a Silly Little Guy to use as an avi, my DMs are open. It would REALLY help us as my wife’s mobility scooter charger has died. Usual rules apply: ⭐️£30 each ⭐️no portraits ⭐️nothing complicated, just simple silly guys As always, shares are very much appreciated ❤️

Made my radio debut this morning, on Cambridge Radio to advertise next Saturday's concert with Cambridge Wind Band 🎧

This evening's implausible engineering discovery: a memory lock from a cymbal stand makes a rather good compensator bracket for a racing wheelchair

Well, I didn't have, "learning enough sterile nursing technique to do an emergency dressing change on a central line" on my to-do list for this evening. But it's the unexpected surprises that keep life interesting, right? 👨‍⚕️

This is not wrong.

Another week, another church committee meeting. I didn't think I was even ON the Resources Committee. Until a month ago, I didn't know we HAD a Resources Committee

Microsoft has failed to refund me for old licences. Their AI chatbot had no idea how to answer my question, so I tried to email them. I got a reply from... an AI chatbot, which had no idea how to answer my question. My other option is to request a call from... an AI chatbox. I don't rate my chances

I'm considering cancelling the first rehearsal of my orchestra because it's immediately before a bank holiday and a lot of people are away. Better to hit the ground running with a full orchestra and start with a bang not a whimper, right? 🤔

This is so unbelievably toxic. I was stepfather to a child who wasn't biologically mine, for five years. Did everything for her that any dad could have. Was heartbroken at the loss of her when my relationship with her mother broke down. Grieved for this exact attitude that shuts men out of parenting

I'm loving these solar powered lamps I've bought to edge my driveway

Loved being back in rehearsal last night after a two-week Easter break. Our concert at the beginning of May is going to be epic

It's a Saturday, and therefore I'm on stage behind a giant pile of noisy instruments 😎 🥁

Had the fun of playing timpani in concert last night - usually I'm on the other side of the stage in the percussion section. A Scottish (inspired) programme of MacCunn and Mendelssohn 🙂

"It could sound more cultured... think more Worcester Cathedral and less Essex" #ThingsConductorsSay

"We're aiming for sinister and cold... like Donald Trump if he ever gets to Greenland" #ThingsConductorsSay

"You know I'm always telling you not to sound like emergency vehicles? Here... you need to sound like emergency vehicles" #ThingsConductorsSay

"Sometimes, listening to a wind band without the percussion is like watching TV with the sound off" #ThingsConductorsSay